From Lernerville Speedway
Sarver, PA — (February 27, 2012) — The 2012 Lernerville Speedway season is fast approaching and the pre-season festivities will kick off this Saturday Night in nearby Butler, PA at the Days Inn on Route 8 with the Annual Awards Banquet. In addition to honoring the 2011 Budweiser Track Champions in each of the Fab Four Racing divisions, we will also induct another impressive class into the Lernerville Speedway Hall of Fame.
Joining Lernerville Speedway General Manager Gary Risch Jr. and Track Announcer/Banquet Emcee Dow Carnahan at the head table will be 2011 Budweiser Track Champions Carl Bowser (Ti22 Performance DIRTcar Sprints), Dave Hess Jr. (Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models), Jeremiah Shingledecker (Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modifieds), Mike Miller (Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman) and their significant others.
This year’s Hall of Fame class, to be inducted as always by Hall of Fame Chairman Don Gamble, will include Sprint car great Johnny Beaber, legendary car owner Joe Pitkavish, media giant Bill Steinbach and #1 Cochran’s Jack Crowell; longtime sponsor of both Lernerville Speedway and future Hall of Famer Lynn Geisler.
Sprint car great Johnny Beaber won three Lernerville Track Championships (1982, 1985, 1987), 55 Sprint features and engaged in countless classic battles with 2011 Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Matus. Legendary car owner Joe Pitkavish will be joining his longtime driver Blackie Watt; a member of the Inaugural Hall of Fame class. Bill Steinbach revolutionized how tracks were covered in the local media, not only here in Western PA, but around the country and our annual Media Appreciation award is named in his honor. Jack Crowell is the longtime representative of #1 Cochran Automotive; sponsor of both Don Martin’s Lernerville Speedway and Late Model legend Lynn Geisler.
In addition to honoring the Track Champions and new Hall of Fame inductees, the top ten drivers in Budweiser points for each division of Fab Four Racing will be recognized and a wide array of awards will be given out for the accomplishments of the 2011 season.
While the 2012 season at Lernerville Speedway is just under two months away, with Opening Night scheduled for Friday, April 20, a handful of drivers have already got their feet wet and their racecars muddy as the green flag has already waved at tracks in Georgia and Florida.
Drivers including 2010 Track Champion Danny Holtgraver, 2011 feature winners Brandon Matus and Jack Sodeman Jr., Pete Miller III and former Track Champions Tim Shaffer and Dale Blaney have all logged laps in the Sunshine state along with Late Model pilots Gregg Satterlee, John Garvin Jr., Michael Norris, former Track Champion Ron Davies and regional stars Chub Frank, Boom Briggs, Dan Stone and Jared Hawkins. Two-time Defending Late Model Track Champion Dave Hess Jr. was also in action behind the wheel of his UMP Modified at Volusia Raceway Park during the 41st Annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit. Our local stars have also graced the dirt ovals at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL and Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, GA.
In the weeks following the banquet, some more of the heroes of Fab Four Racing will show off their 2012 cars at the car shows at the Clearview Mall in Butler and the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills along Route 28 near Tarentum. The Clearview Mall will host the Lernerville car show on March 8-10, while the Pittsburgh Mills plays host the following weekend on March 15-17.
As previously announced, Opening Night 2012 is scheduled for Friday, April 20; abandoning the “last Friday in March” tradition that has resulted in many more cancellations than races contested. The later starting date should lead to less disappointment brought on by the notorious “April Showers” and provide warmer weather for the opening acts of the 2012 Fab Four Racing Season. The transition from the pre-season to the regular season will take place on Saturday, April 14 at the annual Test & Tune practice session. The action will hit the track at noon and fans will be welcomed into general admission FREE of charge! The entire 2012 schedule can be viewed and printed on our website www.Lernerville.com.