Alex Ferree, Rex King Jr. & Jim Fosnaught All Repeat At Lernerville

Ed Lynch tied Lynn Geisler for 3rd all time on Lernerville win list

Sarver, PA (May 31, 2014) For a variety of reasons, Peoples TWP DIRTcar Sprints All Time Wins Leader Ed Lynch Jr. has only been an occasional competitor the past few seasons, but on Friday Night he was in prime form winning both his heat and the feature to score his 109th Career Feature win to tie Lynn Geisler for third on the Overall All Time Wins List; trailing only Inaugural Hall of Fame Class Inductees Bob Wearing Sr. (179) and Lou Blaney (118). Prior to Lynch’s historic win, Alex Ferree pushed his career win total to 27 with his second win of the season. In doing so, Ferree extended his points lead. Rex King Jr. and Jim Fosnaught also became repeat winners and took over the Budweiser Points leads in their respective divisions.

Alex Ferree and Russell King led the Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Model field to green as they sat in the Budweiser Point Standings just one point and one starting position apart. They drag raced down the front chute with Ferree having a slight edge through turns one & two. A handful of early cautions slowed the race, but each time, Ferree rocketed off the bottom of turn four to beat King to the preferred line entering low into turn one. A longer green flag run mid-race allowed the leaders to reel in lapped traffic, but again, Ferree was game for the challenge. Despite some great racing behind him for positions three through six, Ferree was never seriously challenged, though he could never put a whole lot of space between himself and second place Russ King. Ferree’s second win of the season was his 27th career Lernerville feature win and extended his points lead from one to three over King.

As mentioned above, King chased Ferree the whole way to the checkered flag, but could never muster enough forward bite in a different line to make up any time on, much less pass Ferree. World of Outlaws Late Models Series traveler Morgan Bagley and Jared Miley battled each other for third most of the race, but last week’s feature winner Mike Pegher Jr. joined them mid-race when Miley slid off the top of the back straightaway. Pegher briefly passed Bagley for third, but had to check up for a lapped car and Bagley pounced on the opportunity and beat him into turn three and held the position to the finish. Pegher finished fourth ahead of a hard-charging Michael Norris who started 11th, while Miley had to settle for sixth after looking like a contender early. Positions seven through ten went to John Garvin Jr., Ken Schaltenbrand, Dave Murdick and Garrett Krummert. Heat races fell to Pegher, King and Ferree, while Doug Eck made a triumphant return after a horrific wreck in turn four just last week by winning the Precise Late Model B-Main.

Polesitter Eric Williams had the distinct pleasure of being flanked by Future Hall of Famer and All Time Division Wins leader Ed Lynch Jr., but undaunted by the foe, Williams held the low line into turn one and led the first 14 laps until the only caution of the race. On the restart, Williams won the race into turn one, but Lynch snookered him into turn one the following lap and never looked back on the way to his first win of the season and 108th in a sprint car. Please recall that Lynch also has one feature win in a modified to give him 109 all time. Ever a polarizing figure, Lynch was met with a healthy mix of cheers and boos in Sheetz Victory Lane, but by far the biggest “pop” of the night. During his Sheetz Victory Lane interview, Lynch did acknowledge tying Geisler for third on the All Time Wins List and the significance in his eyes of doing so.

While he certainly let one slip away, Williams scored his best finish of the season and will surely build on the momentum heading into the coming weeks. Budweiser Points Leader Carl Bowser came from eighth on the grid to finish third on a slick track that didn’t allow for much passing. Jack Sodeman Jr. finished fourth ahead of Brandon Matus in fifth. Dan Shetler, Mike Lutz, Brent Matus, AJ Flick and Scott Priester rounded out the Peoples TWP Top Ten. Billy Dietrich, Jack Sodeman Jr. and Ed Lynch Jr. won their respective heat races.

Rex King Jr. entered Friday’s event in a tie with his father for the Bud Points lead in the Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modifieds, but drove back to Bristolville, OH as the outright points leader after posting his second win of the season and the family’s fifth already this season at the Action Track. But while taking the lead from the pole and stretching out a healthy lead by the time the first caution waved on lap 10, King eventually had to fend off a hard-charging Mat Williamson who came from 10th on the grid after winning last week’s feature. To his credit, Williamson raced him extremely clean, but King prevailed for his second win of the season.

Williamson wasn’t the only hard charger at the end of the race as “Double Duty” Dave Murdick also passed Rex King Sr. late to finish on the podium and relegate King Sr. to fourth. Brad Rapp was fifth ahead of Jeremiah Shingledecker, Brian Swartzlander, Mike Turner, Ralph McBride and Rodney Beltz. Heats were checkered by Rex King Sr. and Dave Murdick.

With the first three feature winners coming from the front row, Polesitter Mark Sanders and Jim Fosnaught had to be licking their chops as they rolled the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar to the green flag. Unfortunately, they rolled to the green flag five times before they were able to log more than a lap, as the action behind them was much more akin to a demolition derby than a Sportsman/Stock feature. SS Chassis guru Chris Schneider was the primary beneficiary of the early cautions as he advanced from fifth on the grid to take the lead when lap two officially counted. Schneider, (behind the wheel of the Scott Bowman #19 this week), led up until lap nine when Fosnaught came charging off the bottom of turn two and into the lead down the back straightaway. Another caution on lap 14 gave Schneider one last chance to score back-to-back wins in two different cars, (he won last Friday in Terry Young’s #28Y), and he did sneak by Fosnaught to lead lap 15, but Fosnaught would not be denied his second feature win of the season. The win also put him back into the Budweiser Points lead by nine markers ahead of Corey McPherson.

Chris Schneider held on to finish second, while Pat Hanley recorded his best finish of the season in third. Polesitter Mark Sanders finished fourth and Rob Shook was fifth. The Pic-A-Part Top Ten rounded out with Bob Egley, Corey McPherson, Brett McDonald, Mike Miller and Joey Zambotti. Heats were won earlier in the evening by Corey McPherson, Terry Young and Rob Shook.

Fab Four Racing rolls on next Friday, June 6 with Fire, Police & EMS Night, then the following weeks are Holiday Races with Fireworks on #1 Cochran Fan Appreciation Night on Friday, June 13 and Mid-Season Championships presented by McCutcheon Enterprises, Inc. and the JDRF Benefit on Friday, June 20.
June will then conclude with the biggest racing weekend of the season in Western Pennsylvania with the 8th Annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com on Thursday-Friday-Saturday, June 26-27-28. Advance Reserve tickets are on sale 24/7 at Lernerville.com by clicking the “Buy Tickets” icon. All advance ticket purchases include a FREE fan pit pass upgrade for Thursday and Friday Nights plus priority access to the driver autograph session on Saturday afternoon.

Peoples TWP DIRTcar 410 Sprint Feature: (25 Laps)
1. (2L) Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo
2. (7) Eric Williams, Greenville
3. (10) Carl Bowser, Sarver
4. (23jr) Jack Sodeman Jr., N. Jackson, OH
5. (13) Brandon Matus, Wampum
6. (7K) Dan Shetler, Johnstown
7. (5M) Mike Lutz, Wampum
8. (33) Brent Matus, Wampum
9. (2) AJ Flick, Apollo
10. (11) Scott Priester, Rimersburg
11. (22) Brandon Spithaler, Evans City
12. (5K) Adam Kekich, Hermitage
13. (27) Billy Dietrich, Biglerville
14. (08) Dan Kuriger, New Brighton
15. (46) Michael Bauer, Clarion
16. (44) Pete Landrum, Jeanette
17. (49) Mallie Shuster, Punxsy
18. (2s) Francis Sesco, New Bethlehem
19. (52) Jim Shuster, Punxsy
20. (1R) Gale Ruth Sr., Pleasantville
21. (G1) Mike Miller, Chicora
DNS (3E) Billy Eash, Johnstown
Heat Race Winners: Billy Dietrich, Jack Sodeman Jr., Ed Lynch Jr.

Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models Feature: (25 Laps)
1. (10) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg
2. (56) Russell King, Bristol, OH
3. (14M) Morgan Bagley, Longview, TX
4. (1C) Mike Pegher Jr, Wexford
5. (72) Michael Norris, Sarver
6. (H1) Jared Miley, South Park
7. (J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver
8. (29) Ken Schaltenbrand, Sarver
9. (1) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
10. (29K) Garrett Krummert, Butler
11. (03) Doug Eck, Corry
12. (111) Brian Swartzlander, Leechburg
13. (88) Chuck Sarver, West Sunburry
14. (CR9) Chris Rhodes, Windber
15. (10L) Gary Lyle, Hyde Park
16. (27X) Sam Eichelberger, Level Green
17. (66) Todd Bachman, Natrona Heights
18. (57) Bo Lockwood, Brookville
19. (B1) Brandon Wearing, Callery
20. (3) Dan Swartzlander, Freeport
DNS (91) Tommy Beck, Murrysville
Heat Race Winners: Mike Pegher Jr., Russ King, Alex Ferree

Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Big Block Modified Feature: (25 Laps)
1. (165) Rex King Jr., Bristol, OH
2. (6M) Mat Williamson, St Catharines ONT
3. (61) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
4. (65) Rex King Sr., Bristol, OH
5. (11R) Brad Rapp, Shippenville
6. (37MD) Jeremiah Shingledecker, Polk
7. (83) Brian Swartzlander, Leechburg
8. (96) Mike Turner, Herman
9. (R13) Ralph McBride, Valencia
10. (64) Rodney Beltz, Ellwood City
11. (96B) Bob Warren, Slippery Rock
12. (75) Jeff Miller, Sarver
13. (83T) Tom Glenn, Barkeyville
14. (6) Carl Murdick, Butler
15. (13) Rick Regalski, Slippery Rock
16. (28) Tom Winkle, Mars
17. (3K) Shawn Kozar, Renfrew
DNS (45) Steve Feder, Butler
Heat Race Winners: Rex King Sr., Dave Murdick

Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman Feature: (20 Laps)
1. (20J) Jim Fosnaught, Bairdford
2. (19) Chris Schneider, Springale
3. (380) Pat Hanley, Monroeville
4. (32) Mark Sanders, Lowellville, OH
5. (64) Rob Shook, Creighton
6. (30) Bob Egley, Kittanning
7. (C33) Corey McPherson, Tarentum
8. (25) Brett McDonald, Saxonburg
9. (81) Mike Miller, Chicora
10. (948) Joe Zambotti, Kittanning
11. (9S) Brian Stivenson, Freeport
12. (11) Aaron Easler, Butler
13. (73) Neal Tristani, Tarentum
14. (21) Jeff Miller, Natrona Heights
15. (17R) Stan Riggle, Ford City
16. (29B) Scott Byers, Butler
17. (23) Colin Burke, Sarver
18. (55S) Adam Lipinski, Valencia
19. (77) Bryan Shaffer, New Castle
20. (3S) Paul Schreckengost, Creighton
21. (75) David Betush, Tarentum
22. (66) Joe Kelley, Mt. Pleasant
23. (7) Eric Piotrowski, Cranberry Twp.
Heat Race Winners: Corey McPherson, Terry Young, Rob Shook