By Mike Leone 
May 5, 2007
Mercer, PA…Mercer

           On opening night 17-year-old Danny Holtgraver held off last week’s winner and western Pa. great Rod George for his first career Sprint Car win.  Last week saw Holtgraver take a nasty series of flips in turn three getting upside down for the first time in Sprint Car.  Fast forward to Saturday night and it was Holtgraver once again holding off a hard-charging Rod George without power steering for the victory in the 20-lap Luxaire Heating & Cooling feature.

“Wow I’m surprised,” expressed Holtgraver.  “The power steering went out on lap five.  My arms are about to fall off.  I was almost stopping in the corners just to get through.  That was my first flip (last week) and I was a little nervous about coming back, but I just tried to hold on and race the same away I always have.”  

With teenage rookie Cole Duncan choosing to start on the tail, Holtgraver moved to the outside pole for the start and was able to have just enough momentum off the topside of the speedway to take the lead from Brent Matus.  George, who started seventh, made his way to fourth on the opening lap.  The laps ticked off caution-free as Holtgraver maintained a comfortable lead over Matus. 

At the halfway point, Bryan Grove and George closed on Matus making it a three-car race for runner-up.  One lap later, Arnie Kent entered the fray as the foursome put on a good race for second.  Duncan spun and brought out the event’s only caution with 14 laps completed.  George finally was able to work his way under and past Grove for third on lap 16, while Kent followed one lap later taking fourth.  George then caught and quickly disposed of Matus for second with a slider in turn four.

George stormed around the 3/8-mile oval on the final lap quickly cutting Holtgraver’s lead from more than a one-half straightaway as he was right on the youngster at the finish, but ran out of time for the second time this year.  Holtgraver’s third career Mercer win came in his West View Motors/Martin Auto/Kargo Sales & Storage-sponsored, Blackshear-powered #D4. | Photo 1 | Photo 2 |