By Eric Westendorf
Sarver, PA (August 15, 2012) Rain threw another yellow flag on the 2012 Fab Four Racing season last Friday Night, leaving just two Fast Fridays left to crown the 2012 Budweiser Track Champions. The rain actually sealed the deal for 2012 Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models Track Champion Jared Miley as he carries an 82 point lead into the final two weeks; the maximum total a driver can earn one night is 40 points. In doing so, Jared and his uncle Ben Miley, join Dick & Brian Swartzlander as the only Uncle/Nephew Track Champion duos.
Jared Miley will be joined at the head table at the 2013 Awards Banquet with a pair of multi-time Track Champions and a fellow first time Track Champion. In the Ti22 Performance DIRTcar Sprints, former three-time Track Champions Kevin Schaeffer and Rod George are each seeking their fourth, (and in all likelihood final), Budweiser points title. At last year’s banquet, Kevin announced that 2012 would be his final season and Rod George was talked out of retiring by his daughter Kelsey who put together the retro #CIII as a surprise “thank you” to longtime sponsor/partner Dr. John Crawford. While both drivers have one feature win on the season, Schaeffer (392) carries a 19 point lead into Friday night with a consistent foundation of top five finishes; 10 in 12 races. George (373) has been resurgently fast the second half of the season, but the recent string of rainouts have prevented him from potentially making up ground. Eric “Turkey” Williams and Defending Track Champion Carl Bowser have not yet been mathematically eliminated from contention, (they are both 60 points behind Schaeffer), but for all intents and purposes they are out of the championship chase.
Despite the recent announcement that the Goodyear tire rule will not be renewed for the 2013 season, the Ti22 Sprints will remain on the Goodyears for the remainder of the 2012 season including the final two weeks of Fab Four Racing.
The Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modifieds Championship is shaping up to be a last lap showdown between former multi-time Track Champions Brian Swartzlander and Dave Murdick, with Defending Track Champion Jeremiah Shingledecker still very much in the picture. Swartzlander’s win and Murdick’s DNF on Friday, August 3 put Swartzlander (368) in the lead 12 points ahead of Murdick (356), while Shingledecker (344) sits just 12 points behind Murdick. Swartzlander and Murdick each have three feature wins in 2012; Shingledecker has scored just one victory this far. Steve Feder is still mathematically in the picture, but is 78 points behind Swartzlander, so short of all three missing the next two weeks, Feder will have to be content with a top five finish in Bud Points.
The other first time Track Champion will come from the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman division where Corey McPherson and Jim Fosnaught have pulled away from the rest of the ultra-competitive pack to make it a two-car race for the 2012 crown. McPherson, along with Miley, leads all drivers in Fab Four Racing with five feature wins and of course Jim Fosnaught scored his first feature win on Friday, August 3. McPherson (413) rolls into Friday night with a 17 point lead over Fosnaught (396). The battle for third behind them will probably come down to the last turn of the last lap as Rob Shook, Mike Miller, Greg Beach and AJ Flick are separated by just eight total points from third to sixth!
The Pittsburgh Circle Track Club’s Night has been rescheduled for this Friday, August 17 and it’s also Scout Night. All scouts in uniform will be admitted free of charge! Next Friday, August 24 is Championship Night of Fab Four Racing and then we’ll close out the month of August with the annual Labor Day weekend lid lifter featuring the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints along with the 305 Sprint Warriors and Pic-A-Part Sportsman/Stocks.
Once we reach September the Action Track will switch gears and transition to our Saturday specials starting with Autumn-Motive Fest 2012 featuring the Sportsman/Stock Spectacular on September 8, the “Back to School” Bus & Kid’s Bike Races on September 15 and the World of Outlaws Sprints Commonwealth Clash on September 22.
Then after a month of darkness, Lernerville’s gates will open one last time in 2012 for the finest race fans in the world of the Fourth Annual DIRTcar Round Up Steel City Stampede on Thursday-Friday-Saturday, October 25-26-27.