Eldora Speedway
Pegher tops Eldora field for $5,000 Fastrak win
ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 31) — Mike Pegher Jr. of Wexford, Pa., rallied from his 10th starting spot at Eldora Speedway for a Crate Late Model victory worth $5,000 in the Fastrak Chassis Challenge. Pegher overtook Royce Bray of Hull, Ga., on the 43rd lap and led the rest of the caution-plagued 50-lap feature.
Hull, who started 11th, settled for second while David Smith of Inman S.C., was third. Chris Cantrell of Chester, S.C., and Gary Knollinger of Wheeling, W.Va., rounded out the top five.
Josh Holtgraver of Pittsburgh, Pa., was in command most of the way with Cantrell and then Steve Dixon giving chase. Dixon was eliminated when he triggled a multicar accident on a lap-26 restart.
Holtgraver led Bray and Pegher back to the green, and Pegher briefly went ahead for two laps before Holtgraver regained the spot. But Holtgraver’s machine began spewing smoke in the tight three-car battle, and he ended up getting into the wall.
Bray inherited the lead for the restart, but Pegher shot ahead to lead the final eight laps.
Chassis Challenge: (1) Mike Pegher Jr, (2) Royce Bray, (3) David Smith, (4) Chris Cantrell, (5) Gary Knollinger, (6) Dan Breuer, (7) Steve Cooke, (8) Butch Lambert, (9) Daniel Angelicchio, (10) Ryan Atkins, (11) Lee Cooper, (12) Damian Bidwell, (13) Garrett Mott, (14) Josh Holtgraver, (15) Dave Airgood Jr., (16) Steve Dixon, (17) Bryan Force, (18) Kyle Lukon, (19) Chris Steele, (20) R.J. Otto, (21) Shanon Buckingham, (22) David Watts, (23) Mike Covington, (24) Forrest Trent. Heat race winners (among 29 cars): Cantrell, Pegher, Bray. Consolation winner: Ford.
