From Lernerville Speedway
Sarver, PA (May 11, 2012) Carl Bowser has had a rough start to the 2012 season, fighting a new Eagle Chassis that just couldn’t get along with the Action Track. So Carl went back to the drawing board this week and broke out the J&J Chassis that he piloted to the 2011 Track Championship. The end result; his first feature win of 2012! Chub Frank, Dave Murdick and Mike Miller all followed suit with their first feature wins of the season in their respective divisions on Twin State Auto Racing Club Night. Friday night was also Breast Cancer Awareness night; our annual homage to mothers and grandmothers whom have battled breast cancer. The “Finest Race Fans in the World” generously donated $800 to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure; a record amount as nearly perfect weather conditions helped us fill the stands!
As mentioned above, Carl Bowser had suffered through the first three weeks, chasing the setup on a brand new Eagle Chassis. And while the team hasn’t given up on the Eagle Chassis, they did break out the J&J Chassis that carried “The Boggsville Bullet” to a personal best three feature wins in 2011 on the way to his first career Lernerville/Budweiser Track Championship. It was clear right from hot laps and during his heat race that the J&J Chassis was hooked up.
As luck would have it, Carl hit the jackpot on the redraw and started on the pole of the Ti22 Performance DIRTcar Sprint feature alongside Opening Night winner Kevin Schaeffer. Bowser jumped out to a quick lead at the drop of the green flag and stretched out to a comfortable lead by the time the first caution waved on lap 17 for Adam Miller. The restart was a mere formality for Bowser as he matted the loud pedal and drove away with his first feature win of the season as those behind him battle for position.
From Sheetz Victory Lane, Bowser lamented, “I was ready to fire myself after these first three weeks, but we went back to the J&J (Chassis). That’s what we won the championship with last year and it was on a rail!” When asked about the restart on lap 17 that allowed some talented drivers to pull right up to his back bumper, Bowser stated, “I knew I had to go and I felt confident in the car, which I haven’t felt yet in the new car.”
Kevin Schaeffer ran another solid race to finish second as Danny Holtgraver, Brian Ellenberger, Brian Steinman and Cap Henry battled for position in the top five. Holtgraver, Ellenberger and Steinman finished in the third, fourth and fifth respectively, while Henry, (whom had moved up as far as third on lap 20), brought out a caution on the final lap, but after Carl Bowser and others had taken the checkered flag. Henry scored a disappointing 12th place finish after running one of his best Action Track races. Spots six through ten went to Daryl Stimeling, Brandon Matus, Rod George, Eric Williams and Brent Matus. Ti22 Heats were checkered by George and Stimeling.