CONNEAUT — The night was chilly, as many opening nights are, but Raceway 7 was able to open their 2008 season with a full night of racing, including the Joslin-Landis Street Stock Race of Champions, won by former Raceway 7 Street Stock Champion Rob Blair.

In his first visit to Raceway 7, Ischua, N.Y.’s Rich Michael powered his way to the win in the Applebee Motorsports E-Mod feature. Jay Watson, past E-Mod champion, won the Precision Weld Fab FASTRAK Late Model feature. Ed Huge picked up his first ever win in the Challenger Mini Stock feature.

Jay Watson took off with the lead at the start of the Precision Weld Fab FASTRAK Late Model feature with Dennis Lunger quickly coming from his 4th starting berth challenging early, running side-by-side at times.

By the time caution flew at lap 13 for a hard hit into the third turn wall by Jack Nutter, Lunger was experiencing challenges from Bobby Powell at every turn but was also having air escape from his left rear tire. He headed to the pits for new rubber during the caution period, leaving Powell right on Watson’s bumper for the restart. At the restart the top three were Watson, Powell, and Max Blair, up from eleventh. After three more cautions, Watson drove to the win over Powell and Blair. Bob Williams wound up fourth with Scott Jones fifth

After three tries the Applebee Motorsports E-Mod feature got underway with Dan McDonald leading the way until Rich Michael worked his way to the front. Jack Young, starting 14th, made his way to third after a hard charge through the field. Heat winner Gary Eicher was fourth with Gerry Kielar fifth.

The Joslin-Landis Street Stock feature was red flagged before all the cars were able to pass the starter, with Mike Cross, Charlie Beck, and Jamie

Duncan crashing on the front straight. Starting in the front row were the class powerhouses Rusty Wheeler and Ken Zimmer. At the start Wheeler took off with the lead with Zimmer second. While the leaders distanced themselves from the rest of the field, the race was on for third with Steve Horvath having the position over Dan Lewis and Tin Deutsch. Lewis took over third at lap six and Deutsch came to fourth one lap later.

At lap ten, Deutsch slapped the wall, but was able to continue at a reduced pace, allowing Jamie Brown to get by for fifth. The finish was Wheeler by over half a straight ahead of Zimmer, who was over half a lap ahead of Lewis in third. The only remaining cars on the lead lap, Horvath and Brown, were fourth and fifth.

Ed Huge parlayed his pole starting position into the early lead in the Challenger Mini-Stock feature with Warren Draggett and Jim Hamblin chasing. Hamblin took over second at lap four but was unable to catch the leader. The top three were Huge, Hamblin, and Draggett, Chris Pildner was fourth with Kyle Dickenson fifth, bringing out the red flag.

Precision Weld Fab FASTRAK Late Models:

Heat 1: Bobby Powell, Max Blair, Jay Watson, Bob Diver, Alex Anderson, Bob Williams, Bert Blackson

Heat 2: Dennis Lunger, Jon Law, Scott Jones, Dave Ostrander, Jack Nutter, Roger French, Bob Dorman

Feature: Jay Watson, Bobby Powell, Max Blair, Bob Williams, Scott Jones, Dave Osterberg, Dennis Lunger, Bob Dorman, Bob Diver, Alex Anderson, Jon Law, Jack Nutter, Bert Blackson, Roger French.

Applebee Motorsports E-Mods

Heat 1: Gary Eicher, Ron Roncaglione, Craig Bedell, Gerry Kielar, Nathan Hill, Hugo Litwiler, Mike Potosky, Bill Taylor, Kyle Bedell