Jun 4, 2010 11:02 PM EDT

Jason Knowles Scores First Late Model Feature Win, Ray Bliss Collects First Black Rock Win Since 1989

Jason Knowles came so very close to his first Insinger/ Sunoco Race Fuels Late Model win two races ago, but lost it on the final set of corners to his father, Larry. To kick off the month of June, he got out in front again and had another tough challenger ready to knock him off, but was unsuccessful.

Knowles, of Painted Post, scored his first Late Model Feature win in convincing fashion, leading from flag to flag in his No. 41 and holding off a hard-charging Jeremy Wonderling in the late stages of the event. Knowles knew Wonderling was lurking behind him, but was also confident that he had a stronger race car.

Knowles and Wonderling were first and second for the majority of the event, each blasting the cushion to keep the momentum going in their late models.

As the top two scooted away, Mike Wonderling was solid for a third place showing. Point leaders J.J. Mazur and Rich Karlnoski rounded out the top-five.

On a night when the Black Rock Speedway was fast and passing was at a premium, veteran Ray Bliss made a bold move on the top of the speedway to thrill the crowd and put himself back in Victory Lane for the first time in more than two decades.

Bliss, of Warsaw, used a lap 15 restart to bolt his No. 12 from third into the lead around the outside of Loren Lincoln for second and then by Rob Richmond Jr. to get in front and stay there for his first win at Black Rock since 1989.

The modest driver, known as “Zeke the Streak”, started in 12th and started off using the bottom, where he plastered the left-side door with mud on his Hoselton Automall Sportsman car on the second lap after dipping low on the track. After sorting through a mess of traffic, he would get up to the top and then take the opportunity given to him on lap 15.

Rob Richmond had jumped out in front early on and was committed to the inside lane. Loren Lincoln would stay close in tow, also running on the inside, his customary groove. Bliss took the notes he could see in the duo in front of him and hooked the cushion to get out in front.

After years of running modifieds to success at Black Rock but coming up just short in the winning department, his first win at Black Rock in Ray Smith’s sportsman ride was just a situation of everything going right, as Bliss explained in Victory Lane.

As Bliss was collecting the double checkered flags, Richmond would hang on for second. Lincoln would ride to third with Fran Hilton in fourth. Nate DeLong would make his first start at BRS in 2010 count as he ran up to round out the top-10. Point leader Donnie Lawson cut a tire down on lap nine while battling for fourth but would rally up to sixth.

Chris Fisher continued his dominance of the American Racer Street Stock Division this season, but he had his work cut out for him as he had to survive five late race restarts in which he had to hold off defending Track Champion Frank Guererri Jr. on each one of them.

Fisher moved from 11th into second early in the race and then began to work over race leader Nate Peckham. On lap 14, he finally got his Fisher’s Tree Service No. 37 to the inside and took the lead. Two laps later he would finally clear Peckham and hold on for good.

Guererri would settle for second place, with Nate Daggett pressuring him at the end, finishing in third. Carl Cleveland was fourth and Larry Fenton Jr. would come from last to round out the top-five.

Terry Povoski had his bad luck from last race carry over in his heat, forcing him to start 12th in the Signs Plus of Kanona 4-Cylinder feature. It would not be an issue for “The Tornado” though, as he would quietly carve his way to the front and score his fourth win of the season.

Povoski took second on lap seven but had to take another seven laps to chase down Ray Speicher for the race lead. After the only caution of the race on lap 14, Povoski was able to set up the No. 14 on the restart and drive underneath him coming off the fourth corner and complete the pass for the lead a circuit later.

Zach Teed had been extremely close to picking up his first career Home Necessities Bandit Feature win in the opening month of the season, and was able to break through and make it to Victory Lane to kick off the night.

Teed made a move by Cody Clemens just after half way and then checked out on the pack by running the bottom groove to perfection. Clemens would hold on for second and point leader Noah Herington was third.

The monster trucks wowed the crowd as well as a prelude to their massive event on Saturday. For more information, visit www.BlackRockSpeedway.com.

Black Rock Speedway Results: 6/4/2010-
Home Necessities/Goodrich Autobody/Trout’s Auto Night

Hoselton Auto Mall Crate Sportsman Feature (20 Laps)- RAY BLISS JR., Rob Richmond Jr., Loren Lincoln, Fran Hilton, Nate DeLong, Donnie Lawson, Serenity Sutherland, Randy McCulloch, Trevor Sutherland, John Juhl, Brady Fultz, Joe Cook Jr., Aaron Carl, Bryan Faulkner, Jeff Frasier, Steve Swarthout, Matt Richmond, Katelyn Kane, Josh Butler, Rob Parker, Ron Cartwright Jr., Chris Comstock (DNS).

Lap Leader- Richmond 1-15, Bliss 16-20.
Heat Winners- Lincoln, R. Richmond, Cartwright.

Insinger/Sunoco Fuels Late Model Feature (20 Laps)- JASON KNOWLES, Jeremy Wonderling, Mike Wonderling , J.J. Mazur, Rich Karlnoski, Quinn Sutherland, Dave DuBois, Chris Peacock, Chris Comstock, Jared Hill, Bryce Davis (DNS), Dale Welty (DNS), Brandon Smith (DNS).

Lap Leaders- Knowles 1-20.
Heat Winners- Karlnoski, J. Wonderling.

American Racer Tire Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- CHRIS FISHER, Frank Guererri Jr., Nate Daggett, Carl Cleveland, Larry Fenton Jr., Jim McAfee, Scott Sebring, Jimmy Grant, Ralph Champion Jr., Nate Peckham, Jeremy Perkins, George Parker, Andy Fisk, Rich Bixby Jr., Brad Rathbun, Rich McIntyre, Dave Yehl, Jared Hill, Todd Hayward, Bob Buono, Jason White, Les McCann, Mike Jackson (DNS).

Lap Leaders- Peckham 1-13, Fisher 14-20.
Heat Winners- Guererri, Fisher, Buono.

Signs Plus of Kanona 4-Cylinder Feature (20 Laps)- TERRY POVOSKI, Ray Speicher, Rich Sharpsteen II, Chad Ayers, Scott Bradley, Val Stephens, Jeff Clarkson, Chad Winslow, Del Cummings, Russ Wassner, Brent Ayers, Chris Ayers, Brian Thompson, Kailey Wassner, Dylan Cecce, Erica Bell, Rob Wilcox (DNS), Tyler Siri (DNS).

Lap Leaders- Clarkson 1-3, Speicher 4-14, Povoski 15-20.
Heat Winners- Bradley, Chad Ayers.

Home Necessities Bandits (10 Laps)- ZACH TEED, Cody Clemens, Noah Herington, Lisa Cornish, Allison Teed.

Lap Leaders- Clemens 1-5, Z. Teed 6-10.