Sarver, PA...June 6, 2003
Don Martin's Lernerville Speedway lived up to its name-"The Action Track," Friday evening as Apollo's Ed Lynch Jr, came from the rear of the field to collect $1,950 for winning the St. Barnabas Health System/ Bill Steinbach Memorial Sprint Race. With another superlative performance, John Flinner looked invincible as he collected his third Friedman's Supermarket/Bi-Lo Foods Late Model main. Jim Weller Jr carved a two in the Ferrante Motor Cars win list. Cheswick's Scott Bochek garnered both "legs" of the Dingbat Restaurants Pure Stock features as he attempts to make it a "triple crown" next week. The pits were a "beehive" of activity with a 2003 record of 117 cars in the pits.
The last shall be first and the first shall be last! Ed Lynch Jr thrilled the fans by winning the awesome 20-lap St. Barnabas Heath System/Bill Steinbach Memorial Race. Having won three consecutive races in-a-row, Lynch's Commercial Truck and Trailer, Indy Recycling/Red Devil Brakes #2L was forced to start at the rear of the field. Last years victor Jamie Smith was leading for 19 laps as the poised Lynch methodically whittled his way through the pack and had moved into second at this point. Using the outside line as he rounded turn four, Lynch raced Smith to the remarkable finish, passing him at the stripe! Only one early caution event assisted Lynch, when several cars collided on the initial lap erasing the hopes of pole sitter Gary Kriess, Chad Hill and Scott Priester in the 34-car field. Lynch said, "I didn't think I could do it, but it opened up and I took advantage of it!" Point leader Lynch owns the Sprint Record with 61 victories and he tied Ralph Quarterson for sixth place in the All-Divisional Win Chart. Scott Bonnell ran a solid third and was followed by the great run of Charlie Holben, Brent Matus, Rod George, Brian Woodhall, Davey Jones, Dan Shetler and Ricky Ferkel. George, Lynch Jr, and Priester claimed the preliminary events and Kevin Schaeffer garnered the B-Main.
The "Weekend Warrior" John Flinner continued to be the man to beat as he dominated the 20-lap Friedman's Supermarkets/Bi-Lo Foods Late Model top event. In victory lane, Flinner laughed and said, "My owner John Johnson won't let me retire. He says I have at least five good years left!" This was Flinner's third win of the season on his Hoosier Tires and he now has a grand total of 28 Late Model victories. This places him fourth in the Late Model All Time record book, behind Ben Miley who has collected 34 wins. Flinner also tied retired driver Jack Sodeman Sr for 14th in the All-Divisional records with a impressive total of 33. Having embarked from fifth, Flinner said, "The first five or six cars (Gary Lyle, Ken Schaltenbrand, point winner Nick Jones, David Scott and Dave Hoffman) were "bad" fast tonight." He further added, "On any given night anyone of them could win. There are 24 cars that are good but there's a handful that were awesomely fast up front." The John's Towing/Flinner Signs/Rocket Chassis #48 took the lead from Gary Lyle on lap three. A single file restart on lap 14 gave Scott an opportunity to challenge Flinner but Flinner finished five lengths in front of the hard charging Scott. Scott said, "The leader really has the advantage on single-file restarts. You can't go until he starts to move. Just with human reaction time, I think you lose two or three car lengths, and that is hard to make up." In victory lane Flinner pointed to the decal on his right quarter panel of the late race car driver and Auction Barn owner "Pappy" Kessler's face and said, "This is a tribute to him." Kessler's funeral was last week. It was a hard fought battle for the next three positions and placing third with a career best was the young Alex Ferree, 4th Gary Lyle, and fifth Dave Hoffman. Six through tenth place went to Doug Eck, Nick Jones, Jeff Henry, Tom Kitchen, and Tom Tuite. Johns and Ferree checkered the preliminary events.
Jim Weller Jr has shaken his early nemesis and driving an excellent race, he picked up his second 20-Ferrante Motor Cars win of 2003. Weller held off young Gary Risch Jr who was challenging him side-by-side for most of the event, looking for that illusive career first victory. With two laps to go, Risch was in second when a shock broke and his racer lost a spring, dropping him to tenth. Weller said, "Gary (Risch) has been going good this season and we're lucky to have gotten around him. I think it was because of lapped traffic." When reflecting on the season, Weller said "We're not doing as well as we'd like, but tonight is a definite improvement." With 24 victories overall, Weller further added "We've done real well at Lernerville. It's a fun racetrack and you've got the greatest fans." After leading Risch Jr laps 1, 3 and 9, point leader Brian Swartzlander tangled with a back-marker approaching lap ten. On the restart, Weller got the advantage over Risch, leading the distance to win over last week's victor Lonny Riggs, Dave Murdick, Bob Wearing Jr, Mike Sutton, Tom Winkle, Andy Priest, J R McGinley, and John Braymer. George Hobaugh, Braymer and Wearing Jr scored in the heat events.
Scott Bochek became the seventh different winner in the make up rain delayed15-lap Dingbat Restaurant Pure Stock feature. From the front row, the Bochek's Collision Center/Dunk's Competition Engines #75 passed Rob Shook the first lap, took command, leading the rest of the way to collect his first victory since August of 2001. Two caution events tightened the field, but each time, Bochek rocketed his car out to the front. He kept Gregg Beach, Jeff Walters, Robert McCall and Joe Kelley respectively, at bay. This was Bochek's All-Time Pure Stock 22nd win. He said, "Championships are not important to me. It is the All-Time Win record that I'm after." Presently, he is 5 wins behind the leader Bruce Milbert. Point leader Chris Schneider was sixth and was trailed by Herman Bertolini, Jake Ayers, Mike Turner and Chuck Kremer.
Doubling his pleasure, Scott Bochek was the first repeat victor in the regular Dingbat Restaurant Pure Stock main event. Bochek drove a strong race to outclass the 34-car field. In victory lane he said, "This is amazing! I didn't think we could do it tonight. I'm speechless!" Bochek became one of the few people to win two features in the same division on one night. Joe Kelley was the leader for six laps and then Chris Schneider took the helm for lap seven. Having ascended from a twelfth place berth, Bochek passed Schneider on the next lap. Once Bochek took the helm, he was relentless, never relinquishing it to defeat Schneider. Kelly leads Schneider in the championship quest by one digit. Bochek said "Dunk (Pakdozi-engine builder), you're the man. This car ran like you wouldn't believe. "This triumph puts him within four victories of tying the Pure Stock All-Time Win Record. Rick Burris was third and was followed by Greg Beach, Joe Kelley, Bob Lipinski, Robert McCall, Mike Turner, Jeff Walters and Bob Egley. Bochek, Schneider and Walters claimed the heat races and Beach garnered the B-Main.