JENNERSTOWN, Pa. – After lacking the speed he's been accustomed to for much of the summer, Jimmy McCune capped his fourth-straight Must See Racing Sprint Car Series championship run just the way he started it: celebrating in victory lane.

McCune put together a stunning flourish during Saturday night's season-ending David D. Mateer Memorial Race at Pennsylvania's Jennerstown Speedway, charging from fourth to the race lead in two laps and then holding open-wheel ace Bobby Santos III at bay for the remainder of the 30-lap distance.

Jimmy McCune hoists the milk in victory lane after winning Saturday night at Jennerstown Speedway. (Jacob Seelman photo)

The Toledo, Ohio native had Santos at his rear flank for most of the night, with Santos within a half-second for most of the first half, but Santos caught traffic at the wrong spot entering turn one on lap 15 and dropped a second adrift of the No. 88 Abe's Auto Parts/B&B Machinery Movers/Rev-X Oil machine.

After that, Santos spent the second segment of the race trying to play catch-up, but could only watch as McCune stretched his advantage to 1.3 seconds inside of seven to go and then to two full seconds with three laps left.

Just after the twin sticks were displayed from the flag stand, however, a vicious three-car incident in turn one – involving fifth-running Tom Jewell and the slower machines of Joshua Sexton and James Rader – broke out just in front of the leaders and forced a red-flag stoppage for cleanup.

That erased McCune's two-second lead and set up Santos on his tail tank with one final shot to pounce on a green-white-checkered finish, but Santos simply couldn't keep pace on the restart.

McCune jetted out to a six-car length advantage off turn two and never looked back from there, crossing underneath the twin checkers 1.637 seconds clear of Santos in the end.

Jimmy McCune (88) races under Bobby Santos (22a) en route to winning Saturday night at Jennerstown Speedway. (David Sink photo)

The victory, which came after several dances through slower traffic, was worth $4,000 to McCune. It also featured a ceremonial drink of chocolate milk, courtesy of track sponsor Allied Milk Producers, in victory lane.

"The traffic was intense, it was insane and there were a few times in turns one and two where I was up in the marbles and didn't know what was going on," noted McCune of his battle with Santos. "It was fun; the closing rate was just a little crazy at times. We kept it in one piece, though, and held off a pretty darn good driver to get the job done here. It feels really good."

Saturday night's win marked McCune's series-leading fifth of the year and the record-extending 29th of his Must See Racing career. He'll go for an even 30 during the 2019 season kickoff next spring.

However, the focus in victory lane was celebrating a season's worth of accomplishments.

McCune cinched up his fourth title in a row simply by turning a lap of practice and earning the 25 'show-up' points that came with doing so, but he wanted as much hardware as possible at the end of the night and accomplished that goal to perfection.

"There's nothing more special than winning and taking home a championship on the same night," he said. "It's honestly too bad that it's the end of the season, because I think we've finally gotten the car back to where it's been the last few years. She was pretty sporty tonight; I think we've found the issues we had over the summer and ... next year will be pretty good."

Santos came home as the runner-up after leading practice and setting fast time to kick off the day. He said he just didn't have anything left after the final green flag waved.

"We had a couple shots at him, but we just couldn't quite pull it off," said Santos. "We were close. I feel like he and I were pretty evenly-matched tonight; it was just a matter of who could get out front first and he did that. Like I said, I had a couple looks on him through traffic, but he just got away in the end. That's racing, though. I really enjoyed my first trip here to Jennerstown."

Charlie Schultz completed the podium, followed by Ohio veteran Jerry Caryer, who was the final car on the lead lap in fourth. Schultz's teammate Adam Biltz finished fifth, both in the race and in points.

Of note, McCune and Santos finished the four-race Engine Pro Fast Car Dash mini-series tied in points, with 15 apiece following Saturday night's eight-lap sprint.

The bonus money for the Dash program, which includes a $500 bonus for the points champion, will be distributed at the 2018 banquet in January.

Must See Racing's 2019 schedule will be announced in the near future.

RESULTS: Must See Racing Sprint Car Series; Jennerstown Speedway; Sept. 15, 2018

American Racer A-Feature (30 laps): 1. #88 – Jimmy McCune [4]; 2. #22a – Bobby Santos [6]; 3. #9s – Charlie Schultz [5]; 4. #75c – Jerry Caryer [3]; 5. #8a – Adam Biltz [1]; 6. #81 – Johnny Petrozelle III [8]; 7. #7 – Tom Jewell [2]; 8. #85 – Rick Holley [9]; 9. #32 – Todd McQuillen [10]; 10. #90 – Joe Speakman [13]; 11. #4L – Anthony Linkenhoker [15]; 12. #15 – Tim Henthorne [12]; 13. #51s – Joshua Sexton [11]; 14. #99 – James Rader [14]; 15. #26 – Jeff Bloom [7]; 16. #8 – Anthony McCune [16].

Lap Leader(s): Biltz 1, J. McCune 2-30.

Hard Charger: #22a – Bobby Santos (+4)

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JENNERSTOWN, Pa. – Bobby Santos kept his dreams of sweeping the David D. Mateer Tribute Race alive by leading the way in Hamilton Trucking Time Trials on Saturday afternoon at Jennerstown Speedway.

Santos, the 2010 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, earned his second fast time of the season with the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series by posting a time of 15.550 seconds (120.849 mph) in the No. 22a Mayhew Tools sprinter for veteran car owner Dick Fieler.

He earned $500 for his leading qualifying time, a bonus put up by American Racer Tires in honor of their late past president Mateer.

Saturday's effort marked the sixth time in Santos' Must See Racing career that he has topped qualifying, tying him for fifth all-time with Jason Blonde. He was less than a quarter of a second off the all-time sprint car track record of 15.320 seconds (122.663 mph) set by Jeff Bloom in 2005.

"We had a good car all the way through practice. I just spent most of the day trying to get comfortable around this place, seeing as how it's my first time here," said Santos. "This is a neat race track ... really fast, and I'm really excited to race here tonight after hearing so much about it.

"It's a nice, smooth race track. I'm honestly still learning it as we go, but I'm having a lot of fun," Santos added. "We won at another half-mile (Madison Int'l Speedway) earlier this summer, so hopefully that bodes well for us later on tonight.

Second-fastest in qualifying was Berlin (Mich.) Raceway winner Charlie Schultz, who toured the flat, .522-mile oval in 15.611 seconds (120.377 mph) with the No. 9s Perfection Fabricators entry for John Reiser.

Schultz was followed by newly-crowned four-time series champion Jimmy McCune (15.634/120.200). The top three drivers were the only ones to break the 120 mph threshold in qualifying.

Jerry Caryer and Tom Jewell completed the Fast Five.

Sixth through 10th were Adam Biltz, Jeff Bloom, Johnny Petrozelle III, Rick Holley and Todd McQuillen.

Heat races for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series are slated to begin at approximately 7 p.m. The David D. Mateer Memorial Race will take the green flag shortly after 9 p.m.

QUALIFYING RESULTS: Must See Racing Sprint Car Series; Jennerstown Speedway; Sept. 15, 2018

1. #22a – Bobby Santos III, 15.550
   2.       #9s – Charlie Schultz, 15.611
   3.       #88 – Jimmy McCune, 15.634
   4.       #75c – Jerry Caryer, 15.923
   5.       #7 – Tom Jewell, 16.185
   6.       #8a – Adam Biltz, 16.442
   7.       #26 – Jeff Bloom, 16.521
   8.       #81 – Johnny Petrozelle III, 16.614
   9.       #85 – Rick Holley, 17.947
   10.   #32 – Todd McQuillen, 18.524
   11.   #51s – Joshua Sexton, 18.592
   12.   #15 – Tim Henthorne, 19.423
   13.   #90 – Joe Speakman, 19.745
   14.   #99 – James Rader, 19.905
   15.   #4L – Anthony Linkenhoker, 20.686
   16.   #8 – Anthony McCune, NT

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Jacob Seelman
Freelance Writer
Series Announcer for Must See Racing