Sarver, PA...April 25, 2003
The "son" shined in Don Martin's Lernerville Victory lane Friday evening. Second generation drivers Ricky Ferkel (Tiffin, Ohio) captured a career first in the St. Barnabas Health System Sprints; Bob Wearing Jr (Renfrew, PA) garnered his first Friedmans Supermarkets/Bi-Lo Foods Late Model main since July 2001, and Brian Swartzlander (Leechburg, PA) was the only repeat winner in the Ferrante Oldsmobile Modifieds. Chris Schneider (Tarentum, PA) claimed a season first victory in the Dingbats Restaurant Pure Stocks. Father's Rick Ferkel, Bob Wearing Sr, and Mel Swartzlander's combined career wins tallied over 1,000.
"Lady Luck" smiled on the jubilant 22-year-old Ricky Ferkel in the 20-lap St. Barnabas Sprints. On the last lap Ferkel's Zeis Development/Gambler Chassis #0 Sprint car "sputtered' as he ran out of gas but managed to cross the finish line in what was a most exciting finish. Leading for 13 laps, Eric Smith looked like he would collect a career first, but Ferkel was not to be denied. Starting third Ferkel drove the race of his career, chasing Smith until he reeled him in on lap 14. Running third Roger Bennett also passed Smith who bobbled his Sprint and did a pirouette at this point. Ed Lynch Jr was in an accident in the heat race and started 19th. On lap 14, Lynch also passed Smith and sat in third. On lap 15, the third caution event came out for Mike Kaminsky, #8 that spun in turn four. When the race resumed, the field tightened. On the last lap, with Ferkel riding the outside line, Lynch dropped to the inside, passed Bennett at the checker and the twosome then touched and tangled. Lynch was in Ferkel's shadow, but Ferkel remained supreme to make his career first stand. In victory lane Ferkel said, "The first win and at Lernerville Speedway, that has such great people here. I'm just ecstatic. This is awesome! I'm at an advantage with my Dad's 30-year experience here to help me. That is why I am here." Fourth through ten went to Jamie Smith, Kevin Schaeffer, Gary Kriess Jr, Eric Smith, Brian Woodhall, Jack Sodeman Jr, and Rod George. George, Chad Hill and Woodhall claimed the preliminary events and Lynch Jr nabbed the B-Main.
The luck of the Irish, Kelley Chevrolet was with Bob Wearing Jr as he picked up his first 20-lap Friedman Supermarkets/Bi-lo Foods Late Model since July of 2001. From the pole position Wearing Jr led from sunrise to sunse, winning by a straight-away lead over Gary Lyle. Wearing drove an impeccable race to ward off outstanding competition for career Late Model win # 21. This ties Ed Ferree for sixth place on the All-Time Late Model Win List and places him 12th with 37 victories on the All-Time Win chart. Lynn Geisler was third and was trailed by Doug Eck, Nick Jones, Ken Schaltenbrand, Joe Johnson, David Scott, Rob Kosecki and John Flinner. Scott and Geisler checkered the heat races and Geisler leads the point list over Wearing Jr by six.
Flying Brian Swartzlander was the first repeat victor in the 20-lap Ferrante Oldsmobile Modified main. At the start of the race, pole sitter Jim Weller took command for two circuits as Swartzlander draw placed him fourth. Gary Risch Sr brought out the first caution after lap two and on the restart Swartzlander used the outside line to easily pass Weller, taking control. Once in front Swartzlander's McCutcheon Ent/Straub Beer/Precise Tool & Die #83S used its power to ward off all contenders in the great Modified talent pool. Weller, running second, dropped out of the race on lap twelve. Davey Murdick came from 11th to the second position at this point. A lap fifteen caution for Gary Risch Sr. erased Swartzlander's sizable lead. Swartzlander said, "I kept telling myself no cautions. It tightened the whole field up and you don't want those guys on your bumper." Swartzlander used his skills to keep Murdick, Lonnie Riggs, Gary Risch Jr and Jim Weller III, respectively, at bay. Six through ten went to Tom Winkle, JR McGinley, Carl Murdick, George Hobaugh, and Mike Sutton. Weller and Dave Murdick won the prelims. Kevin Bolland did not start the feature and Swartzlander now leads the 2003 point list over Gary Risch Jr by 11 digits. Swartzlander's 39tht career win also tied Ed Lynch Sr for fourth place on the All-Time Modified Win List and places him 11th on the All-Time Winner's Chart.
Chris Schneider "covered the cushion" and drove an awesome race to capture the 15-lap Dingbat Restaurants Pure Stock main and take charge of the Point race. With two laps to go Schneider's Three River's Trucking #55 took the high road to pass defending champion Butch Lambert, who hugged the inside line and that made the difference. The race had six lead changes starting with Lambert, Joe Kelley, Herman Bertolini, back to Lambert before Schneider claimed the checker. Following Schneider closely across the line was runner-up Lambert, Kelley, Paul Schreckengost, Jeff Walters, Greg Beach, Rob Shook, Scott Bochek, Nick Reges and Bob Egley. Schneider, Schreckengost, and Neil Tristani won the heat events. The point race is as follows: Schneider-73, Kelley-72, and Lambert-71.