Carl Bowser Wins Thriller Over Brandon Matus At Lernerville

Sarver, PA (June 8, 2014) Usually the best storylines come from the races themselves, but that wasn’t the case this Friday Night. Each feature winner had an extra incentive to win. It started with Carl Bowser who won on the same night his sister Micheala graduated from Freeport High School. Jeremiah Shingledecker will turn 37 years old this week, (the same number that is on the door panel of his race car), while Jared Miley had an extra $600 on the line as the Eracers Bonus Bucks driver of the night. Finally, Corey McPherson drove the 20-lap feature win an engagement ring on a chain around his neck and dropped to one knee in Sheetz Victory Lane to propose to his girlfriend, now fiancé, Jennifer. Congratulations to all, both on and off the track!

Mike Lutz and Dan Shetler brought the Peoples TWP DIRTcar Sprints to the green flag, with Lutz sprinting out to the early lead. A pair of cautions slowed the race early, but the third restart set the table for Brandon Matus. Matus was absolutely flying around the tops of both turns, but ironically, he took the lead low in three & four under Lutz. Little did he know, however, that Budweiser Points Leader Carl Bowser was coming fast. By lap 17, Matus and Bowser were into heavy lapped traffic and Bowser’s run appeared to come to an end on lap 20 when he made what appeared to be significant contact with the front stretch wall coming off of turn four. Despite the contact, Bowser continued to reel in Matus and used lapped traffic to his advantage as he rocketed around the top of turn four and into the lead at the flagstand. Matus tried to battle back, but to no avail as Bowser rolled into Sheetz Victory Lane for the second time this season and celebrated by chugging the Turner’s Premium Iced Tea provided to all feature winners; Turner’s is also an associate sponsor on Bowser’s car.

Matus chased Bowser to the checkers in second for his best finish of the season. Jack Sodeman Jr. and Eric Williams also got around early leader Mike Lutz mid-race and beat him to the checkered flag to finish third and fourth respectively. Despite some bad luck mid-race, Lutz salvaged a top five finish ahead of Billy Dietrich, AJ Flick, Dan Shetler, Brent Matus and Bill Kiley who scored a top ten in his 2014 season debut. Bowser and Sodeman won heat races earlier in the season.

Jeremiah Shingledecker, who will turn 37 years old this week, celebrated his birthday a few days early by rolling his #37MD car into Sheetz Victory Lane in the exact same way that Jared Miley did; from the outside pole, taking the lead around the top of turns one & two on the opening lap and leading the whole way to the checkered flag after 25 non-stop laps of green flag racing. His first win of the season is the 16th of his career.

Swartzlander came to second from the outside of the second row on the second lap of the race, but was never able to reel in Shingledecker as he had his hands full with Rex King Sr. for most of the race. Behind King Sr. in third was his son and Budweiser Points revival Rex King Sr. who came from 10th on the grid after winning last week. Defending Track Champion and May 23 feature winner Mat Williamson rounded out the top five in the Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modifieds. Dave Murdick was sixth, Brad Rapp seventh, Tom Winkle eighth, Jim Weller Jr. ninth and Steve Feder was tenth. Rex King Sr. and Brian Swartzlander were heat race victors.

Speaking of birthdays, while Shingledecker is turning 37 this week, the man who has turned more laps than probably any other driver in the 45+ year history of the Lernerville Speedway just turned 77 years young! Happy Birthday Carl Murdick, you can’t imagine the respect and admiration we all have for what you continue to do on a weekly basis!

As the 8th Annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com draws near, the action in the Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models is really heating up! In the past three weeks, Alex Ferree, Mike Pegher Jr. and Russ King have all stood victorious in Sheetz Victory Lane, but Friday Night was all Jared Miley. Unbeknownst to him, Jared had an extra $600 on the line as the randomly selected Eracers Bonus Bucks driver. The Eracers Bonus Bucks adds $100 each week, but had yet to be claimed this season. After winning his heat, Miley also “won” the redraw to start on the outside pole and then won the race to the backstretch by rocketing around the top of turns one & two and into the lead. Twenty five green flag laps later, Miley won the race and an extra $600 without being seriously challenged for his first win of the season.

The action behind Miley, however, was thoroughly entertaining as World of Outlaws Late Model Series star Chub came from the fourth row of the starting grid to finish second, while Russ King and Alex Ferree followed him from row five to finish third and fourth respectively. Ken Schaltenbrand turned in his third fifth place finish of the season ahead of Michael Norris, John Garvin Jr., Boom Briggs, Garrett Krummert and Gary Lyle. Heat races were checkered by Krummert, Miley and Schaltenbrand, while Tommy Beck won the B-Main.

Superlatives have been exhausted to describe Corey McPherson’s recent success over the past two and half seasons. Yet after another dominant feature win, (the 16th of his career which ties Mike Blose for 11th in the division), McPherson managed to find a way to top his previous feature wins . . . he dropped to one knee, pulled an engagement ring off a necklace he was wearing under his firesuit and proposed in Sheetz Victory Lane. Of course his girlfriend Jennifer Walborn said yes!

Despite leading the final 18 laps of the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman feature, McPherson was kept in sight by Mercer regular Tim Bish, Rob Shook, Jim Fosnaught and Mike Miller. The top ten rounded out with Aaron Easler, Joe Kelley, Mark Sanders, Terry Young and Pat Hanley. Shook, Sanders and McPherson claimed heat races earlier in the evening. While Corey McPherson just popped the question, sophomore stocker Joey Zambotti tied the knot on Saturday, June 7.

Fab Four Racing rolls on next Friday, June 13 with Holiday Races with Fireworks on #1 Cochran Fan Appreciation Night. The Mid-Season Championships presented by McCutcheon Enterprises, Inc. and the JDRF Benefit follow 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. (10) Carl Bowser, Sarver
2. (13) Brandon Matus, Wampum
3. (23Jr) Jack Sodeman Jr., N. Jackson, OH
4. (7) Eric Williams, Greenville
5. (5M) Mike Lutz, Wampum
6. (27) Billy Dietrich, Biglerville
7. (2) AJ Flick, Apollo
8. (7K) Dan Shetler, Johnstown
9. (33) Brent Matus, Wampum
10. (4K) Bill Kiley, Cabot
11. (11) Scott Priester, Rimersburg
12. (44) Pete Landrum, Jeanette
13. (40X) Cory Good, Smicksburg
14. (22) Brandon Spithaler, Evans City
15. (52) Jim Shuster, Punxsy
16. (1R) Gale Ruth Sr., Pleasantville
17. (2s) Francis Sesco, New Bethlehem
18. (49) Mallie Shuster, Punxsy
Heat Race Winners: Carl Bowser, Jack Sodeman Jr.

Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models Feature: (25 Laps)
1. (H1) Jared Miley, South Park
2. (1*) Chub Frank, Bear Lake
3. (56) Russ King, Bristolville
4. (10) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg
5. (29) Ken Schaltenbrand, Sarver
6. (72) Michael Norris, Sarver
7. (J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver
8. (99B) Boom Briggs, Bear Lake
9. (29K) Garrett Krummert, Butler
10. (10L) Gary Lyle, Hyde Park
11. (1C) Mike Pegher Jr., Wexford
12. (1) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
13. (111) Brian Swartzlander, Leechburg
14. (02) Brandon Burgoon, McDonald
15. (3) Dan Swartzlander, Freeport
16. (91) Tommy Beck, Murrysville
17. (88) Chuck Sarver, West Sunburry
18. (7X) Herman Bertolini, Creighton
19. (57) Bo Lockwood, Brookville
20. (75) Colton Flinner, Pittsburgh
Heat Race Winners: Garrett Krummert, Jared Miley, Ken Schaltenbrand
B-Main Winner: Tommy Beck

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

Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman Feature: (20 Laps)
1. (C33) Corey McPherson, Tarentum
2. (415) Tim Bish, Ringgold
3. (64) Rob Shook, Creighton
4. (20J) Jim Fosnaught, Bairdford
5. (81) Mike Miller, Chicora
6. (11) Aaron Easler, Butler
7. (66) Joe Kelley, Mt. Pleasant
8. (32) Mark Sanders, Lowellville, OH
9. (28Y) Terry Young, Butler
10. (380) Pat Hanley, Monroeville
11. (7) Eric Piotrowski, Cranberry Twp.
12. (21) Jeff Miller, Natrona Heights
13. (9S) Brian Stivenson, Freeport
14. (29B) Scott Byers, Butler
15. (73) Neal Tristani, Tarentum
16. (17R) Stan Riggle, Ford City
17. (67) David Sugar, Petersburg, OH
18. (75) David Betush, Tarentum
19. (3S) Paul Schreckengost, Creighton
20. (948) Joe Zambotti, Kittanning
DNS (23) Colin Burke, Sarver
DNS (42) Jeff Chittester, Cabot
DNS (25) Brett McDonald, Saxonburg
Heat Race Winners: Rob Shook, Mark Sanders, Corey McPherson