Remembering USNA At Mercer & Lou Blaney Showing Everyone How To Get It Done
Story By: JIM BALENTINE / MICHAELS MERCER RACEWAY – MERCER, PA – In July of 2000, Mercer’s owner, Vicki Emig, brought in the new USNA Modified group, which was formed against Glenn Donnelly and the DIRT organization.
The USNA featured many of the biggest names in Modified racing as they came to probably the smallest track they raced on…Mercer.
Many thought they would dominate, except for one thing. They forgot that one of the masters of Mercer, Lou Blaney, was still racing and still winning.
In their 20 lap heat race, Lou and Billy Decker swapped paint as they battled back and forth for the $2,000 win.
This photo is the white flag lap as Decker is leading but Lou, who used the corners at Mercer like no one else, got around Decker in turn 3 and went on for the immensely popular win.
Lou rarely showed emotion after a win but boy did he show it here!
The 2nd date was rained out and was never made up.
This was one of my favorite wins Lou had and I was so proud to take photos of the night. I, and many, many others, still miss Lou to this day, and Modified racing hasn’t been the same.
