By Eric Westendorf
July 5, 2011 (Sarver, PA) After much deliberation between World Racing Group, World of Outlaws and Lernerville Speedway officials, there will be a slight tweak in the way the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup is decided. In the first two editions, the Silver Cup Champion was determined by the driver with the best combined finish of the two 30-lap features.
In the inaugural event, Danny Lasoski won the first feature and the overall Silver Cup. Last year’s Silver Cup Champion was Donny Schatz, but even he didn’t feel as though the Silver Cup Champion should be crowned without winning a single race that night. As such, moving forward the Silver Cup Champion will be determined by the feature winner with the best combined finish.
Schatz finished second and fourth in the Twin 30s to capture the overall Silver Cup Championship, while feature #1 winner Lance DeWease finished ninth in the second feature and feature #2 winner Joey Saldana finished 11th in the first feature. In the new and improved format, Lance DeWease would have been the Silver Cup Champion!
As the Silver Cup approaches, 2009 World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year Brian Ellenberger has been the pre-eminent driver in Western PA this season after spending most of the past two seasons on the road with the Outlaws. With three feature wins at Mercer Raceway Park and a pair of wins at Lernerville Speedway, Ellenberger leads the circuit and could win the biggest race of his career in just two short weeks!
On the World of Outlaws tour, Defending Silver Cup Champion Donny Schatz leads the Outlaw point standings and has two feature wins. “The King of the Outlaws” Steve Kinser is tied for the most wins with Craig Dollansky with five each, while Sammy Swindell and Jason Sides have four wins apiece. Kasey Kahne’s drivers Joey Saldana and Paul McMahan have three and two wins respectively, while Defending Outlaws Champion Jason Meyers has yet to score his first of the season, but sits third in points behind Schatz and Saldana.
Former Lernerville Track Champions and multiple-time All Star Champions Dale Blaney and Tim Shaffer are always threats to win anytime they roll onto the Action Track. Blaney leads Shaffer by just 32 points as of Friday, July 1. Both drivers also have major World of Outlaws wins on their resume, including Shaffer’s 2002 Silver Cup victory. Blaney has not yet won the Silver Cup, but that could change on Tuesday, July 19.
Defending Track Champion Danny Holtgraver has joined the newly formed All Star Ohio region cast and rides fourth in points, while Pete Miller III is a full time All Star and is sixth in the overall All Star point standings. Both drivers know their way around the Action Track and could stamp their ticket as a national star on the sprint car scene with feature wins in the Silver Cup.
Tickets are available 24/7 at Lernerville.com by clicking the “Buy Tickets” icon!! Advanced/Reserved tickets are just $35 and include a FREE pit pass upgrade!