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By Eric J. Westendorf
Sarver, PA (May 18, 2007) In the cool crisp air of a rather chilly May evening, Brian Swartzlander (#83) of Leechburg avoided early collisions in the MEI/Budweiser TEO Chassis and led the way to Victory Lane for the second consecutive week and three of the last four. Despite starting 12th, by way of winning last week’s feature, Swartzlander moved through the field with precision and patience. He did not crack the top five until lap eight, and hung around fifth until a lap 14 caution involving leaders Kevin Bolland and Jim Weller Jr., opened the door for Swartzlander. He was first across the start/finish line on lap 16, and never relinquished the lead, taking the checkered flag at Lernerville Speedway for the 51st time in the Ferrante Motor Cars Modifieds. The incident involving Bolland (#777) of New Brighton and Weller (#31) of Hubbard, OH began at the start/finish line as they battled for the lead and ended with a handful of cars stopped and entangled at the end of the front straightaway. In between, Bolland and Weller made contact, causing Bolland to spin wildly in front of the entire field. Tom Winkle (#28) of Mars had nowhere to go, no time to stop and T-Boned Bolland. Despite the heavy contact, Bolland continued on, but had to be towed off the track with a broken rear end. Winkle also was towed off with heavy front-end damage. Bolland was credited with a 14th place finish, Winkle 15th. Weller escaped the incident with minor damage and actually challenged Swartzlander for the win during the last four laps before settling for second. Del Rougeux (#20D) of Frenchville ran string and up front all night long. He started third in the feature, avoided the early carnage, ran as high as second, and finished third. Dave Murdick (#61) of Slippery Rock and J.R. McGinley (#66) of Fairmount City rounded out the top five. Del Rougeux and Dave Murdick claimed heat races.
The Commercial Truck & Trailer Sprints pushed off second with Mike Shearer (#25) of Freeport starting from the pole position and leading the first 15 laps of the race. Brent Matus (#33) of Wampum slipped below Shearer in lapped traffic to take the lead, only to give it up the next lap to eventual feature winner Rod George. Rod George (#4) of Kittanning started ninth in his Dr. John Crawford/Notary Express Maxim Chassis and meticulously made his way to the front. In the top five for the first time on lap 11, George took advantage of a lap 18 restart to take the lead and cruise on into Victory Lane for the first time since August 19, 2005. Carl Bowser (#10) of Sarver made a late race charge moving from seventh on lap 18 to a second place finish at the checkered flag. Matus raced home third for his best finish of the season. Reigning Track Champion in the CTT Sprints “Cool” Kevin Schaeffer (#9) of Kittanning also made a late race charge from 10th on lap 17 to a fourth place finish. Scott Priester (#11) of Rimersburg hung around the lead pack all race and finished fifth ahead of Ed Lynch, Jr. (#2L) of Apollo. Rod George and Mike Shearer won their respective heat races.
The cool spring air gave way to some serious on-track heat as the Friedman’s Supermarkets Late Models rolled onto the Action Track. With a loaded field of Western PA’s finest and fastest Late Model drivers, it seemed unlikely that Budweiser Points leader Alex Ferree would be able to overcome the obstacles between his Butler Pre-Owned Rocket/ADC Rocket Chassis and Victory Lane. But somehow, someway, when the dust settled, he was on the roof of his car in Victory lane waving the checkers for the fifth time in six races. Ferree didn’t make a lightning flash to the front like in weeks’ past. In fact, he broke into the top five for the first time on a lap 19 restart after lead pack drivers Dutch Davies (#40) of Warren broke a drive shaft and David Scott (#361) of Garland pulled into the pits during the caution. With the field tightened back up, Ferree used the high side while the cars ahead of him played follow-the-leader around the bottom. Pole sitter Keith Barbara (#17) from Pittsburgh led the first 18 laps of the race before losing the lead on the lap 19 restart to Matt Lux (#21) from Franklin. Lux led the next six laps and appeared to be on his way to his first win of the season at Lernerville. That is until Ferree hammered the top cushion, stood on the gas and used every inch of the track. He scraped the wall coming out of four towards the flag stand and threw sparks in the air as he rocketed past Lux to steal the win away. In Victory Lane, Ferree climbed out of his car, stood on the roof in utter disbelief and waved the flag at the cheering crowd! Lux was credited with second, early leader Barbara was scored third. Jared Miley (#H1) of South Park ran a very strong race, never falling out of the top five, and finished fourth. Sammy Stile (#2S) of Charleroi, (the only other driver to win a Friedman’s Supermarkets Late Model feature this season), raced home to a fifth place finish. Lynn Geisler (#1C), Mike Blose (#5), John Mollick (#4J), John Garvin Jr. (#J4), and Kenny Schaltenbrand (#29) rounded out the top ten in an ultra competitive feature event with action all around the track! David Scott and Dutch Davies who were in the lead pack most of the race were officially scored 20th and 21st. Miley, Lux, and Davies saw the checkers wave in their heat races.
The door-to-door action continued as the Advance Auto Parts Pure Stocks took the track for the Main Event. Three-time and Reigning Track Champion Butch Lambert (#27) from Mars has endured a slow start to the 2007 season with just two top five finishes and one heat race win entering tonight’s action. A seventh place pill draw behind three 2007 feature winners seemed to fit into Lambert’s 2007 fate thus far. Despite the long odds, Lambert gained three spots on the opening lap in his Bagel Bites/Stover Net Connections SS Chassis. He was running second behind Mike Pegher Jr. on lap five and in the lead on lap six. Pegher (#09) from Wexford led the first five laps then was joined by Jason Fosnaught (#J19) from Creighton in the pursuit of Lambert the rest of the way. Pegher and Fosnaught repeatedly swapped second place and took turns trying to get by Lambert. The trio was three wide many times in the 15-lap feature. In the end, Lambert prevailed, followed by Fosnaught for second and Pegher for third. After crossing the scales, Pegher snuck into the back of Victory Lane to congratulate Lambert on a very close, extremely clean race. Bob Lipinski (#55L) from Pittsburgh came from his 11th starting spot to finish fourth. Terry Young (#28Y) from Butler and “The Road Warrior” Jake Ayers (#4) from Elkton, MD battled back and forth all race for fifth place with Young prevailing over Ayers who finished sixth. Last week’s feature winner Joe Kelley (#66) from Greensburg sustained significant damage early in the race was credited with a 14th place finish. Mike Pegher won his sixth heat race of the season to remain perfect in heat races during the 2007 season. Terry Young and Bob Egley (#30) from Kittanning also won their heat races.
Up next at the Lernerville Speedway is Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night next Friday May 25 for another Fab Four Racing session. The following week, June 1, will be the Modified Tour ’07 (Mod Challenge) with Late Models and Pure Stocks, but no sprints. The sprints, however, will take the track four days later along with the UMP Modifieds as the All Star Circuit of Champions make their only official appearance at the Action Track in 2007. Approaching ever quicker is the Inaugural Firecracker 100 and Uncle Sam 30 on June 29/30 and the Cleveland Brothers Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup XVI on July 17. Both the Firecracker and Silver Cup will be World of Outlaws sanctioned events. Tickets for all three special shows are on sale now by contacting the track office at (724) 353-1511 or log on to www.lernerville.com for more details.
Lernerville Speedway
Race Results
5/18/07
313 N. Pike Road Sarver, PA 16055
Phone (724) 353-1511 Fax (724) 353-2650
www.lernerville.com
Commercial Truck & Trailer Sprints Feature (25 Laps)
1. (4) Rod George, Kittanning
2. (10) Carl Bowser, Sarver
3. (33) Brent Matus, Wampum
4. (9) Kevin Schaeffer, Kittanning
5. (11) Scott Priester, Rimersburg
6. (2L) Ed Lynch Jr., Apollo
7. (16) Gary Rankin, Renfrew
8. (98) Dan Shetler, Johnstown
9. (42G) Charlie Holben, Cabot
10. (56) Ralph Spithaler, Evans City
11. (49) Jody Keegan, Fremont, OH
12. (25) Mike Shearer, Freeport
13. (D4) Dan Holtgraver, Pittsburgh
14. (15) Arnie Kent, Wampum
15. (08) Dan Kuriger, Freedom
16. (76) Davey Jones, Warrendale
17. (4K) Bill Kiley, Cabot
18. (29) Rob Bartchy, Saxonburg
19. (6) Shelia Rankin, Butler
20. (3) Bud Watt, Wampum
21. (96) Lindsay Enscoe, Petrolia
22. (7) Rich Reinhart, Freedom
Heat Race Winners: Rod George, Mike Shearer
Friedman’s Supermarkets Late Models Feature (25 Laps)
(4) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg
(21) Matt Lux, Franklin
(17) Keith Barbara, Pittsburgh
(H1) Jared Miley, South Park
(2S) Sam Stile, Charleroi
(1C) Lynn Geisler, Cranbery Twp.
(5) Mike Blose, Dayton
(4J) John Mollick Toronto, OH
(J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver
(29) Ken Schaltenbrand, Sarver
(6A) Chuck Kennedy, Mars
(67) Jim Kurpakus, Hyde Park
(17T) Tom Kitchen, Saltsburg
(1J) Jimmie Pitkavish, Tarentum
(15) Nick Jones, Pittsburgh
(22) Greg Satterlee, Rochester Mills
(88) Chuck Sarver, West Sunbury
(111) Jim Detman, Leechburg
(10) Gary Lyle, Hyde Park
(361) David Scott, Garland
(4) Dutch Davies, Warren
(5M) Shane McMeans, Dayton
(3) Dan Swartzlander, Freeport
(7X) Herman Bertolini, Creighton
(28C) Clate Copeman, Greensburg
(11J) John Garvin, Sarver, DNS
Heat Race Winners: Jared Miley, Dutch Davies, Matt Lux
Ferrante Motor Cars Modifieds Feature (25 Laps)
(83) Brian Swartzlander, Leechburg
(31) Jim Weller Jr., Hubbard, OH
(20D) Del Rougeux Jr., Frenchville
(61) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
(66) JR McGinley, Fairmount City
(6) Carl Murdick, Butler
(96) Mike Turner, Butler
(38) Phil Evans, Greensburg
(45) Steve Feder, Butler
(8F) Doug Fleeger, Buter;
(17M) Skip Moore, Jackson Cente
(72) Mike Miller, Chicora
(27R) Dave Reges, Butler
(777) Kevin Bolland, New Brighton
(28) Tom Winkle, Mars
(34) John Durci, Sarver
Heat Race Winners: Del Rougeux Jr., Dave Murdick
Advance Auto Parts Pure Stocks Feature (15 Laps)
(27) Butch Lambert, Mars
(J19) Jason Fosnaught, Creighton
(09) Mike Pegher Jr., Wexford
(55L) Bob Lipinski, Pittsburgh
(28Y) Terry Young, Butler
(4) Jake Ayers, Elkton, MD
(380) Pat Hanley, Monroeville
(30) Bob Egley, Kittanning
(54) Wayne Carbo, Saxonburg
(20J) Jim Fosnaught, Bairdford
(33X) Greg Beach, Chicora
(38R) Nick Reges, Butler
(9R) Roger Stivenson, New Castle
(66) Joe Kelley, Greensburg
(7) Eric Piotrowski, Cranberry Twp.
(11X) Ed Emerick, Sarver
(25) Brett McDonald, Saxonburg
(1) Randy Hanovick, Mars
(84R) Todd Puz, Natrona Heights
(17) Chuck Gebauer, Cheswick
(3S) Paul Schreckengost, Creighton
(17R) Stan Riggle, Ford City
(12) Shawn Thorn, Murrysville
(2) Dave Baker, Rural Valley
(74) Paul Petrovich, Gibsonia
Heat Race Winners: Mike Pegher Jr., Bob Egley, Terry Young
Car Counts:
Total: 91
Sprints 22
Late Models 26
Modifieds 16
Pure Stocks 27
Coming Events
May 25 Fab Four Racing (Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Night)
June 1 Modified Tour ‘07 w/ Late Models & Pure Stocks (Mod Challenge), No Sprints
(Ferrante Motor Cars Night )
June 6(Tues). ALL STAR CIRCUIT OF CHAMPIONS SPRINTS & UMP Modifieds
June 8 “Fab Four” Racing (All-State Career Night)
June 29/30 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Firecracker 100, Uncle Sam 30 |
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