Sarver, PA...June 18,2004
There were spectacular Zambelli fireworks rocketing in the sky over Lernerville Speedway Friday evening after young Alex Ferree put his "Rocket" into victory lane in a strange Friedman's Supermarkets/Bi-Lo Foods Late Model feature. Ed Lynch Jr raised the bar in total Lernerville triumphs to 69 in the St. Barnabas Health System Sprints. Garnering their first feature wins of 2004 was Slippery Rock's Dave Murdick in the 20-lap Ferrante Motor Cars Modifieds and Scott Bochek of Cheswick in the 15-lap Dingbats Restaurant Pure Stocks. With this victory, Bochek tops the Pure Stock All-Time Win Chart with 28 victories. It was #1 Cochran Automotive Night at the speedway.
Alex Ferree of Saxonburg drove an impressive race to win his second 20-lap Friedman's Supermarkets/Bi-Lo Foods Late Model feature. A year ago at the track, Ferree won a Mid-Atlantic Championship Series race that posted a most unusual ending; his wrecked car was pushed across the checkered line by the second place car for a career first. Last night, Alex's second victory occurred after a strange twist of events. Three drivers that included Matt Gaston, Mike Blose and John Flinner, each had the lead in the race and developed mechanical problems that forced the to make a pit stop. In the beginning of the race, Blose took the lead from Gaston on lap two and Gaston then exited to the pits. Blose guided the field until lap five when a caution flag waved for Lynn Geisler, whose car spun in turn two. When the cars were being aligned, Blose discovered his #5 had a flat tire and he headed for the work area, leaving John Flinner in charge, Ferree's Franklin Racing Supplies/Butler Pre-owned Cars & Credit /Moody Sales had made its way to fifth place and then moved into second, on lap11. The yellow flag waved the next lap for Jeff Henry's #J7 and on the restart leader Flinner made an unprecedented move and chose the inside line. When the race resumed, Flinner's #48 went high in turns one and two. Ferree, took advantage of this and crossed over to the inside groove. It was uncanny that Ferree passed Flinner and took the lead on lap 13. Three laps later, running second, point leader Flinner's #48 trailed grey smoke and the engine suddenly blazed like an inferno in turn three. Flinner was not injured. When the race resumed, Ferree was chased to the checker by hard charging Chuck Kennedy. This was the Kennedy/Osmer's #6A's best finish. Ferree said, "This is great, we've been struggling this year; maybe this will get us going!" He further added, "I had a lot of fun, I hope we put on a good show for you. Happy birthday Mom, this is my gift for you." Mike Johnson placed third ahead of Bob Wearing Jr. Geisler came from the rear of the field to earn fifth, keeping Nick Jones at bay. Gary Lyle, having started 16th took seventh. Blose changed his tire, returned to field the same lap and gathered the eighth position. Rob Kosecki, in another remarkable run, came from 24th to earn the ninth spot. Likewise Tom Kitchen, who started 23rd, reeled in tenth place. Blose, Jones, and Johnson won the heat races.
The "Apollo Rocket" Ed Lynch Jr triumphed in another thrilling St. Barnabas Health System Sprints main for the fifth time the season. Coming twelfth Lynch used lapped traffic to weave his way through the field and stalk leader Rod George by lap l4. Using the cushion Lynch passed George on lap 15. With two laps to go, a caution flag was thrown for Butch Beasley. When the race restarted George surged ahead, passing the flagman first on lap 19. Rounding turn four for the checker Lynch nipped George at the line to claim the victory. Lynch said, "Old Rod was pretty good, but his American Racer Tires are good on restarts, and my Hoosiers work better in the long run. That's why we chose a harder compound." He further added, "I think that this was his feature to win tonight, but being second helps sometimes when you're picking off your opponents." He further stated, "There were multi-groves on the track and whenever you are able to use the whole track…that's a race!" Lynch now has five 1st place and one second at the track. Last year's holiday victor Mike Shearer placed third. After leading the feature for two laps Arnie Kent settled for fourth with Jim Weller III fifth. Point leader Chad Hill earned sixth and was trailed by Gary Kriess Jr. Caleb Griffith, Gary Rankin, and Dan Shetler. Weller III, Kent, and Kevin Schaeffer scored in the preliminary events and Scott Priester claimed the B-Main.
Dave Murdick was "hot as a firecracker" as he "zoomed" to his first 2004 Ferrante Motor Cars feature win. At the beginning of the race, Murdick took a gamble and used different American Racer tires and those tires made the difference! It gave him the necessary traction to use the inside line to pass early leader Kevin Bolland on lap seven. Once in front the poised Murdick in his Armstrong Zoom Internet Service/Rittenour Equipment /Bravo Pizza /Murdick's Auto Parts #61 never faltered. He was continuously pressured by runner-up Jim Weller, third place finisher Bolland, and Brian Swartzlander in fourth place. Murdick was focused on the win and is very happy with his new 2004 Troy Experimental car. His goal is to win the track championship and he is currently leading the Budweiser Point Standings with this ninth career win, two second place finishes and three thirds. He also has three heat wins. Fifth through tenth place went to Tommy Marshall III, Tom Winkle, Carl Murdick, Mike Sutton, JR McGinley and Gary Risch Jr. Swartzlander and Winkle captured the heat victories
Cheswick's Scott Bochek's first 2004 Dingbat Restaurant Pure Stock win elevates him to the top of the Pure Stock All-Time Win list with 28. He supercedes Bruce Milbert's record set in 1997. Although Bochek's Collision Center/Dunc's Racing Engine's #75 started 14th, he used several restarts in the early part of the race to whittle away the competition. Rob Shook passed early leader Doug Graham on lap two and Bochek was now in the fifth spot. The next lap Bochek passed Graham and moved into second. He capitalized on a caution event for Matt Rubright's #35X on a lap four restart to surge into the lead, keeping slightly ahead of Shook. Once in front it was Bochek's race to conquer and that he did driving a superb race. Bochek said, "This is great! I have to thank my crew and Happy fathers Day dad. This one's for you!" The real race became a four car battle for second and Shook prevailed over Mike Turner. Coming from 21st, Budweiser point leader Joe Kelley placed fourth with Rick Burris trailing. Sixth through tenth place went to Butch Lambert, Dave Spangler, Doug Graham, Greg Beach and Jeff Bastin. Beach, Shook, Jason Fosnaught and Lambert secure the preliminary wins and Joe Kelley was the victor of the B-Main. Kelley was the Stover Net Connection Hard Charger collecting $25.
Note: The staff at Lernerville Speedway send our condolences to the family of Larry Peters who passed away Friday evening at the Alley-Kiski Hospital Center in Natrona Heights. Larry was an avid race fan and enjoyed working on cars. He presently was a crew member of the Rob Kosecki Late Model 35D team. He is also fondly remembered for the days that he teamed up with Blackie Watt for numerous Late Model victories.
Larry was a hydraulic specialist and machinist, at Armco Steel for 38 years and also taught hydraulics at Armco. He retired in 1997. Larry was a life-long member of Zion United Methodist Church in Sarver.
Friends will be received from 7 - 9pm Monday and 2-4 and 7-9pm Tuesday at the Fox Funeral Home Inc. where services will be held Wednesday at 10:30am. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Praise Full Gospel Fellowship Food Band % Ron Kosecki, P.O. Box 216, Cabot, PA 16023