From Eric Westendorf
August 26, 2011 (Sarver, PA) The checkered flag waved on the 2011 season of Fab Four Racing at Don Martin’s Lernerville Speedway Friday with two incumbent champions crowned and two more decided on the track. Last Friday’s cancelation sealed the deal for Carl Bowser in the Ti22 Sprints and Dave Hess Jr. in the Precise Late Models. Jeremiah Shingledecker and Mike Miller, however, had to win their championships on the track, swarmed by fierce competition in the Diehl Mods and Pic-A-Part Sportsman!
The Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modifieds rumbled onto the Action Track with Jeremiah Shingledecker and Dave Murdick separated by just 9 points but side-by-side in row six. In front of them Brian Swartzlander broke in a brand new car in Sheetz Victory Lane while Mike Turner scored a career-best second place finish in his first ride since the tragic passing of his father earlier this month. Murdick finished third, while Shingledecker finished sixth. The six point differential was enough for Shingledecker to win the 2011 Budweiser Track Championship, his second in three seasons, by just three points!
Joe Kelley rolled to the green flag on the pole of the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman feature with a two point lead over fifth place starting Mike Miller. By the time they came around to complete lap one, Miller was already on Kelley’s bumper. A hard clean race between the two veterans ended after a pair of Green-White-Checkered restarts with Mike Miller holding true and coming through with his third feature win of the season and his career Track Championship. Both Wayne Carbo and Corey McPherson got by Joe Kelley on the final restart.
Earlier in the night, Andy McKisson held off a furious charge, particularly early in the race, by Rod George to win his first Ti22 Performance DIRTcar Sprint feature of 2011. As mentioned above, Carl Bowser secured his career Budweiser Track Championship last Friday Night when a freak storm lit up the skies and canceled Fab Four Racing. He was officially crowned Friday Night in the company of his wonderful family and devoted crew!
World of Outlaws star Chub Frank won the Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Model feature after passing Sarver’s own Kenny Schaltenbrand late in the race. Earlier in the race, Dave Hess Jr., like Bowser already locked in as Champion, took the lead from Russell King with a slider in turns one & two. But before Hess could rocket down the back straightaway, heavy contact from King shredded Hess’s right rear tire and crushed his quarter panel. Hess expressed his displeasure before limping into the pits for a new tire and some quick body work. Recall, that Hess also experienced heavy damage last year and accepted his Track Championship in Sheetz Victory Lane sans Late Model #44. Hess did return to the track, but King did not after being sent to the pits to repair his nose which was hanging on by a thread. Hess made his way back to seventh by the time the checkers waved.
During heat race competition, the Lynch Family Benefit auction was held, raising $1,505 dollars for the families medical and recovery expenses! The generosity of both the heroes of Fab Four Racing and the finest race fans in the world is greatly appreciated!!
1 Andy McKisson
2 Rod George
3 Danny Holtgraver
4 Kevin Schaeffer
5 Greg Wilson
6 Carl Bowser
7 Brian Ellenberger
8 Brandon Spithaler
9 Marty Perovich
10 Brent Matus
11 Scott Priester
12 Chris Bell
13 Luke Bowey
14 Eric Williams
15 Gale Ruth Jr
16 Pete Landram
17 Bill Kiley
18 Billy Eash
19 Jack Whitmore
20 Shelia Rankin