By Eric Westendorf
Sarver, PA (May 7, 2014) Homecoming games and weekends are staples of high school and college sports. Lernerville’s version of Homecoming is when the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints roll into town as former Track Champions Dale Blaney (1991), Tim Shaffer (1993) and Danny Holtgraver (2010) headline Guy Webb’s America’s Series.
Between Blaney and Shaffer, they have accounted for the past six All Star Championships and eight total; four each. Blaney is the all time All Star wins leader and recently scored his 100th series win, while Shaffer is fifth all time with 53.
Holtgraver has been with the series just three years and already has seven feature wins including the most recent Lernerville race in September 2012. Shaffer won four of the previous six Lernerville All Star races with Blaney winning one of those other two. Blaney also won a Lernerville All Star race in 1996.
The only other local driver to win an All Star Race at the Action Track is multiple-time Track Champion and All Time Peoples TWP Sprint Car feature winner Ed Lynch Jr. Two of his 108 Lernerville wins came in 1994 and 2004 All Star Races.
Blaney leads the current All Stars point standings by 24 points over Shaffer and Holtgraver who are tied for second.
Blaney, Shaffer and Holtgraver return to the Action Track to do battle with current Budweiser Points leader and last Friday’s feature winner Carl Bowser, Defending Track Champion Brandon Spithaler, 2013 division wins leader Jack Sodeman Jr. and rising stars Eric Williams and Brandon Matus. Veterans Mike Lutz, Cory Good and Dan Shetler will be in the mix, while Cole Duncan was really strong last Friday Night and could be a major factor to score his second big money race at Lernerville; Duncan won the Inaugural Steel City Stampede.
The RUSH Late Model Series and Sportsman Modified Series will also be on the card Friday Night. Soon to be 13-year old Michael Lake leads the RUSH points over Chad McClellan and Nico Dabecco. 2014 Steel City Stampede RUSH Late Model feature winner Dennis Lunger Jr. won the most recent RUSH race this past weekend at Humberstone Speedway in Ontario, CANADA, while Lake won Friday Night at Roaring Knob. Josh Double won the July 5 RUSH race at Lernerville last season and according to his Facebook page, Double plans to be back at the Action Track this Friday Night.
The RUSH Sportsman Modified Series will make its Action Track debut this Friday Night with some familiar last names, but drivers who don’t have much experience at the 4/10 mile speedplant. Jordan Eck, son of Late Model veteran Doug Eck, scored the series debut race at Sharon Speedway on Saturday, April 26. Jeremy Paup, Jerry Schaffer and Michael Krystiak will also be familiar names to local Big Block Modified fans that might be in action this Friday Night.
Gates open at 5:00, All Star Time Trials begin at 7:15, with Opening Ceremonies followed by All Star heats at 8:00.
General Admission is $25 for Adults, $15 for students 11-17 and, as always, kids 10 & under will be admitted FREE with a paying adult. Pit passes are $30 for All Star, DIRTcar and RUSH members and $40 for non-members.
As race sponsor, Turner’s Premium Iced Tea will provide pre-race samples at the main gates direct from the trunk of the Turner TeaBird and as always, all feature winners will receive a carton of Turner’s Premium Iced Tea in Sheetz Victory Lane along with Snyder’s of Berlin Potato Chips and Thoma Meat Market Beef Sticks.