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Just a week removed from the World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ assault on the local late model field, the sprint cars will now be forced to defend their home turf on the Action Track as the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions roll into town this Friday April 25 for an early season Duel in the Dirt!
Widely recognized as the elite regional touring series in the realm of 410 sprint car racing, the All Stars will have their hands full Friday Night as the field of local sprint car pilots is ready to do battle. Local drivers Ed Lynch Jr., Rod George, Bob Felmlee and the recently unretired Jimmy Hawley all have All Star Feature wins on their resume. Back-to-back Track Champion Kevin Schaeffer was an entire straightaway ahead of the field, (which included Lynch, George and Felmlee, as well as All Star Brian Ellenberger and Outlaw veteran turned All Star Paul McMahan), last Friday Night during the Commercial Truck & Trailer Sprint Car feature. All will be ready to turn back the tide of the All Star invaders.
Four-time Lernerville Track Champion Ed Lynch Jr. has over 200 wins to his credit and eight have come against the All Stars over the years at Lernerville, Sharon, PPMS and most recently last summer at Eldora. Lynch’s biggest career win came in 2002 with the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup victory against the World of Outlaws. Anybody who wants to win Friday Night’s feature will in same way, shape or form, have to go through “The Apollo Rocket”!
Rod George nearly sprung the upset against the All Stars last spring. Danny Smith was the eventual winner, but if sprint cars had mirrors, Smith’s would have been full of Rod George’s silver #4. George was not able to crack the top five last Friday Night, but will certainly be a favorite to close the deal he nearly sealed last year.
Local driver Bob Felmlee has not committed to running the entire All Star schedule in 2008, but he currently sits seventh in points. Felmlee set the third quick time, won the dash and finished sixth in the most recent All Star race earlier this month at Attica. A win Friday night at Lernerville Speedway might convince him to hit the road full time in 2008.
Meanwhile, All Star tour regulars Dale Blaney and Brian Ellenberger cut their teeth at the 4/10 mile Sarver oval, and both continue to make occasional visits to the Friday Night program on off weekends of the All Star schedule.
1991 Lernerville Track Champion and three-time All Star Champion Dale Blaney, was in the pits on April 4 in his part time ride, (the Rudzik #94), but rain kept him off the track. Few sprint car drivers in the country know their way around the Action Track better than Dale, who finished second last fall in the Sonia Bullis Memorial at Lernerville Speedway.
Brian Ellenberger, (winner of the last CTT Sprint feature of 2007), was in action last Friday, finishing fourth behind Lynch, Felmlee and Schaeffer. Ellenberger has never run an entire season at Lernerville, but his combination of All Star equipment and Lernerville experience makes him a favorite anytime he pushes off onto the Action Track.
PA Posse Member, turned All Star Lance DeWease is also no stranger to the Lernerville Speedway. Throughout the years, Lance seldom passed at an opportunity to make the trip west to run at Lernerville when the All Stars or Outlaws stormed into Sarvertown. DeWease is the current All Star Points leader and won the most recent All Star race April 5 at Attica Raceway Park.
Two-time, defending All Star Champion Greg Wilson can never be excluded from a discussion of favorites to win an All Star race. Wilson’s eighth place standing in All Star Points is somewhat misleading; as the races in Volusia and North Florida were peppered with World of Outlaws drivers. However, as the season drags on, Wilson will certainly ascend up the standings and with six races in the bag with no wins, he is well overdue to take the checkers.
The Friedman’s Freshmarkets UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models and Advance Auto Parts UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks will also be on the card, with both divisions competing in a regular show with Budweiser Points on the line. Five-time Track Champion Lynn Geisler and six-time Track Champion Joe Kelley won Opening Night features in their respective divisions. Both drivers will have to work their way from the 12th starting position if they want to repeat, easier said than done in those divisions! Reigning Track Champion Alex Ferree and “Back in Black” John Flinner will be hungry, as will be Jared Miley, Gregg Satterlee, Matt Lux, Allan Dellinger, Gary Lyle and a deep field of Super Late Model gas mashers.
In the Advance Auto Parts UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks, Reigning Track Champion Mike Pegher Jr. was fast last week and certainly knows the way to Victory Lane. Bob Egley, Jason Fosnaught, Greg Beach and Wayne Carbo will all be on the gas trying to get their cars where Joe Kelley’s #66 was last week!
The Ferrante Motor Cars DIRTcar Modifieds will not be in action this week with the All Star Sprints in town. They will be back next week with a full Fab Four Racing card scheduled for May 2, North Hills Toyota Night.
For more information about the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions, log on to their website www.ascoc.allstarsprint.com. For more details about this Friday Night’s All Star Sprint show with UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models and Street Stocks, log on to Lernerville.com. |
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