Fizzano Brothers Concrete Products holds the 2014 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Regional Competition

Words: John PaciThe 2014 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Regional Competition for Philadelphia, PA Northeast Region was held at Fizzano Brothers, in Crum Lynne, PA on October 9, 2014. 11 teams of brick masons and tenders vied for a competition spot in the 2015 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 World Championships held in Las Vegas, Nevada. There, they will compete for over $100,000 in cash and prizes including a new 2015 Ford F-250 4x4 Super Duty XLT truck.

Ray Byers, a mason with Arch Masonry, Pittsburg, PA, and his mason tender Adam Byers, edged out the rest of the competition to take home first place. His net count of 482 brick got the job done. Not only did first place carry the opportunity to compete in the 2015 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 in Las Vegas for Byers, but it also came with $1000 in cash, Marshall town tool kit with various items, a 5 foot level and various sponsor’s hats and shirts, etc.. The SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN Award went to, yes you guessed it, Ray Byers, of Arch Masonry, Pittsburg, PA. Leonard Lester, of Dooley and Kretschman, Cimminson, NJ finished as runner up taking home $800 in cash and sound system donated by Craftsman Tool Supplies. Third place went to mason Bryan Ayres of Bricklayer and Allied Craftsman Local 1 Union, Philadelphia, PA who received $400 in cash.

Fizzano Brothers hosted the event and offered the perfect venue to give back to the local masons and their families. The weather was perfect, the food was great, and the games were fun for all. If you have ever wanted to watch eleven teams give it all they have for one hour, then this was the competition to see. At the end of the day, backs were sore, smiles were big, and there was physical proof of a job well done.

Final Results

First Place

Mason — Ray Byers - 482 Brick Tender — Adam Byers
Arch Masonry, Pittsburg, PA

SPEC MIX TOP CRAFTSMAN

Mason — Ray Byers-482 Brick Tender — Adam Byers
Arch masonry, Pittsburg, PA

2nd Place

Mason — Leonard Lester - 450 Brick
Tender — Fransisco Meirelles
Dooley and Kretschman Masonry, Cinnaminson, NJ

3rd Place

Mason — Bryan Ayres- 282 Brick
Tender — Andrew Sauko IV
Bricklayers and Allied Craftsman Local 1 Union, Philadelphia, PA

For more information on the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER Regional Program call 888-SPECMIX or go to www.specmixbricklayer500.com.
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