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Lernerville Drivers size up Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Competition at Volusia Speedway Park
Barberville, FL (February 15, 2008)
The field of cars at Volusia Speedway Park throughout the two week extravaganza that is the 37th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals reads like a Who’s Who List of Dirt Track Racing. Not surprisingly, Lernerville Speedway has been well represented in all three divisions that have raced thus far. Last week, Bob Felmlee of Seneca, PA and Brian Ellenberger of Butler, PA dueled wheel-to-wheel with both the All Star Circuit of Champions and Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Cars. This week, Lernerville Speedway regular John Garvin Jr. of Sarver, PA is getting invaluable seat time racing against the UMP Super Late Model and World of Outlaws Late Model Series competition. Also behind the wheel of a Late Model this week is Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, PA. However, as he did a few nights at Lernerville last season, Dave pulled double duty earlier this week racing both his Late Model and his UMP DIRTcar Modified on Monday Night.
A winner at the Lernerville Speedway on Opening Night 2007, Bob Felmlee piloted his familiar #6 World of Wheels Sprinter to qualifying laps in the top half of the field. Felmlee was fast out of the box, qualifying 17th quick out of 52 cars with a time of 13.267 seconds on Opening Night last Tuesday February 5. He finished second in his heat, transferring directly into the A-Main feature where he finished 19th. Ever changing weather and track conditions hampered Bob later in the week. Felmlee, like a handful of other All Star competitors did, packed up and headed back north after Friday Night’s World of Outlaws Feature.
A winner on the final night of Lernerville/Budweiser points last season, Brian Ellenberger was in Volusia to begin his quest to win the 2008 O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Series Championship. Like Felmlee, Ellenberger was fast right out of the box, winning his first heat race of the season on Tuesday February 5. He qualified for three of the first four A-Main features of Alltell DIRTcar Nationals competition in fields with not only All Stars, but also Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws and Pennsylvania Posse drivers. Ellenberger took a nasty ride on Friday Night during the A-Main feature. After a day to recover and rebuild, the Don Ott Racing Engine/JEI Chassis #20E was back on the track Sunday for the final sprint car race of the Nationals.
A two-time winner at Lernerville Speedway in 2007, “Double Duty” Dave Hess Jr. is a threat to take the checkers every time his #44 takes the speedway. Be it in a Super Late Model or a UMP DIRTcar Modified, Hess can flat out mash the gas and has the confidence to put the car where it needs to be on the track to get to the front. Hess put himself in position to get a huge bonus to start the season by winning Friday Night’s UMP DIRTcar Modified feature. The win entered him into the Alltel All Star competition, where one feature winning driver will win $12,000 by way of online and text message voting by fans. To help Dave get the big check, log on to AlltelAllStar.com or send a text message with the letter “G” to 52191.
Unlike Felmlee, Ellenberger and Hess, John Garvin Jr. did not come to Volusia Speedway Park with aspirations of winning or even being a front-runner. Instead, he brought the Edge Racing Engine/Rocket Chassis #J4 to Florida for invaluable seat and track time against an elite field of Late Model superstars from all over the country. Garvin’s qualifying efforts have improved almost every night and while he has not qualified nor raced his way into any A-main feature events, the experience will surely pay huge dividends once the Lernerville season arrives. Look for John to have a solid year and possibly pick up his first feature win during the 2008 season.
Other area drivers in action at Volusia Speedway Park during the 37th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals the past two weeks have been late model drivers Chub Frank, Josh Richards, Dan Stone, Rick “Boom” Briggs, Chris Hackett and Jared Hawkins. Former Track Champions Dale Blaney and Tim Shaffer are regulars on the All Star and Outlaw circuits respectively. Finally, Jim Rasey is currently competing in the Advance Auto Parts Big Block Modified division.
Racing continues at Volusia Speedway Park as the 37th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals run through tomorrow Saturday February 16. For a full run down of the racing action, log on to Lernerville.com and click on the links to the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. |
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