Sarver, PA...July 9, 2004
Late Model chauffeur Lynn Geisler of Cranberry reached a milestone at Lernerville Speedway Friday evening; he became only the second driver in its history to eclipse the 100 win mark in any single division. The "action packed" night provided continual bizarre encounters that resembled movie scripts of tragedies and ecstasies as previous 2002 track champion New Brighton's Kevin Bolland garnered the first leg of Ferrante Motor Cars "Modified Magic Twin 20's; former 1994 track champion Mark Flick captured the second part of the event which was his first win in ten years. Ed Lynch Jr continued to change the St Barnabas Health System chronicles as he journaled his 71st track win into the archives. Overcoming a two year drought, Butch Lambert experienced fortune in the controversial 15-lap Dingbat Restaurant Pure Stock main event. It was Landstar Inway Night at the speedway.
Lynn Geisler's 100th win in the Friedman's Supermarkets/Bi-Lo Foods Late Model victory placed him second in the Lernerville All-Time Late Model Win List behind Bob Wearing Sr. who has 117. He ranks third in all divisions behind famed Wearing Sr who has 179 and legendary Lou Blaney with 118; Geisler, unlike the others, has driven in only one class and has had the same sponsor #1 Cochran Automotive and crew for 24 years. Geisler said, "This is really a nice deal tonight. I know there are people sitting up there tonight when I couldn't win a race. They stuck with me the forever. This race is for the fans. That's what racing is about." He further added, "It been a good trip." Last week Geisler couldn't buy any luck and his season has been one of ups and down but Geisler persevered and it has put him into the winner's circle. At the start of the race the first incident that brought the race to a halt was when Bob Puz took out a large part of the safety fence on the front straight. Puz got squeezed in the fence and wildly flipped his #33, and fortunately the "Silver Fox", who has raced for 35 years, was able to walk away from the incident. When the race resumed Jeff Henry was the initial leader, but Rob Kosecki and Lynn Geisler, who started fifth, was in intense wheel-to-wheel pursuit. Rob Kosecki raced pass the flag first on lap 5 but it see-sawed back to Henry on lap six. After a lap seven caution for Dick Swartzlander, Geisler, via the inside line used his superb driving skills to make the winning pass on lap seven and continued to put daylight between him and runner-up John Flinner to the checker. Flinner and Wearing Jr had moved into second and third by lap 14 but was never able to catch the fleeting Geisler's Tri-State Hose, Marshall Stamping #1C. In victory lane Geisler was presented with a Landstar Inway trophy, a track commemorative shirt, #1 Cochran cake and plaque, and an e-mail from his son, Busch Grand National driver Travis Geisler. Travis' congratulatory ended with the fact that they had both won two feature races at different tracks on the same night and was hopeful that it would happen again. Geisler replied, "That would be the greatest thing of all!" Rob Kosecki's fourth place was his best showing of the season. Fifth through tenth place went to Nick Jones, Keith Zimmerman, Jeff Henry, Chuck Kennedy, Tom Kitchen, and Gary Lyle. Budweiser Point leader Flinner and Geisler won the preliminary events.
Revin' Kevin Bolland won the first feature race of the Twin-20 Ferrante "Modified Magic" that produced fan controversial discussions during the main event. From the pole position, Swartzlander quickly darted into the lead. On lap seven, Bolland passed JR McGinley for the second position and the three drivers ran side-by side. On lap 13, battling for the lead, Bolland went high in turn four and got a little loose; Swartzlander dove low, and his car appeared to have a push. The two cars met resulting in Swartzlander spinning and collecting the fourth place car of Jim Weller however, Bolland escaped the melee. Once in front, Bolland's Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe, Bolland Machine, Northland Ford, Cintas #777 not only kept the lead but eventually "checked into a different zip-code." Bolland said, I lost the power steering box and the car was a little sluggish in the corners." JR. McGinley second place was a career best. Dave Murdick's third catapulted him into the Budweiser Point lead. Fourth through tenth spot went to Tommy Marshall III, George Hobaugh, Del Rougeux Jr, Mark Flick, Chad Reitz, Chandra Reitz, and Tom Winkle. Gary Risch Jr, T. Marshall III, and Josh Skarzenski were the heat winners.
After ten years on asphalt, former 1994 track title holder Mark Flick returned to his "roots on dirt" driving the Steve Solari #152 to a spectacular triumph in the Ferrante Motor Cars Modifieds. Flick, Dave Murdick and Del Rougeux swapped the lead several times before Flick took total control on lap 12 to the checker. Murdick passed Rougeux on the last lap for the runner-up position. Rougeux's third was his career best finish at the track. Bolland was fourth followed by Chanda Reitz(a career best), Swartzlander, Chad Reitz, Joe Crawford, Jim Weller Jr and Carl Murdick.
"It was the same new car as last week but a different attitude this week," said, Ed Lynch Jr. after scoring his 7th win of the season, 71st overall in the car nicknamed 007. Although Lynch Jr led the distance, young Kevin Schaeffer closed in on Lynch midway through the race and looked to have a shot at winning. Unlike the Kenny Roger's song, The Gambler, you have to know when to hold them and know when to fold them, Schaeffer prematurely surprised Lynch and showed him the nose of his car as he pulled along side him. The startled Lynch's Indy Recycling 2L bolted forward darting through lapped traffic, relegating the strong running Schaeffer to a distant second. Third through tenth spot went to Gary Kriess Jr, Mike Shearer, Arnie Kent, Jim Weller III, Rod George, Gary Rankin, Mike Lutz and Jody Keegan. Heat winner Chad Hill's wreck caused his to lose ground in the Budweiser Point race and Ed Lynch Jr now is "King of the Hill." Shearer and Lynch won the other prelims and Dan Shetler won the B-Main. Another frightening moment of the evening occurred when Mike Dehner's Sprint flew off the track on turn three, and crashed hard into the guard rail at the bottom of the hill. He was taken from the track by Life Flight to Allegheny General Hospital. Mike did have feeling in his extremities and was talking but complained of shoulder and neck pain.
Lernerville's favorite Martian Butch Lambert overcame a two year draught to win another controversial Dingbat's Restaurant Pure Stock Race. From lap one, using the cushion, Mike Pegher and Rob Shook were running one-two and Lambert's Austin A-1 Bleach, Bagel bites, TGI Fridays, Frozen Snacks #27 hugged the inside line in third. On lap 8 Shook made a bid for the lead and the two cars collided. Lambert just missed the mayhem! Pegher went to the rear of the field, the Flagman sent Shook to the pits for aggressive driving and Lambert was now in charge to the checker. In the winner's circle, Lambert said, "It is about time! The pill draw has been killing us for a year and a half but we finally did it tonight. Mike Pegher Jr ran a good race. He gave me a scare coming out of turn 4. He is going to win one here before long." On the last lap, Joe Kelley passed Greg Beach for third place. Fourth place went to Dave Spangler, Mike Turner,(Stover's Net Connection Hard Charger- won B-Main, started 19th finished 5th). Sixth through tenth went to Doug Graham, Nick Reges, Jeff Bastin, Lenny Wright, and Wayne Carbo. Beach, Fosnought, and Kelley garnered the heat races.