6/29/2017
Lernerville Speedway
Lernerville Preview: Buckeye Ohio Sprint Series And RUSH Touring Events Highlight Friday Action
Patrick Miller Photo
Sarver, PA (June 28, 2017) The second half of the 2017 season comes to life this Friday night at Lernerville Speedway with a little something different. Â The action packed Buckeye Ohio Sprint Series bring their wingless beasts to tangle with some of the weekly drivers from our Peoples Natural Gas Sprints who will take off the wing and prepare to battle in a 25 lap main event.
The RUSH Late Models and RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will be on hand in two touring events with extra money on the line, while the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar/RUSH Pro Stocks will take the track in a regular points program to round out the action.
Pits will open at 4 PM with grandstands opening at 5 PM and racing starting at 7:30 PM. Adult general admission will be $14 with children 10 and under entering free of charge as always. Â Pit passes will be priced at $25 for DIRTcar members and $30 for non-members.
Patrick Miller Photo
Dustin Smith Leads BOSS Sprinters Into Battle
Harrison, Ohio's Dustin Smith leads the 18 full time series regulars into the weekend, which includes a stop Saturday night at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania's Motor Speedway. Smith has one on the season, taking the honors at Fremont Speedway in May. Also with one win on the season is Justin Owen who took a thrilling victory at Lernerville in 2016, emerging from a wild, four car battle in the waning laps to cross under the flag stand first with current winged points leader AJ Flick finishing second.
Expect Flick to be joining the action this Friday as well as Jack Sodeman Jr. who has found Terry Bowser Excavating Victory Lane twice in the last four years in action with the BOSS Wingless Sprints at Lernerville. 2017 weekly feature winner Dan Shetler managed a top 10 finish a year ago and could be in the mix for the win as well as a few other regular drivers
Buckeye Ohio Sprint Series Current Point Standings (Top 5)
Dustin Smith- 908
Justin Owen- 900
Michael Fischesser- 897
Chad Wilson- 848
Steve Little- 839
Big Money On The Line for RUSH Late Models
$2,000 will be up for grabs as the RUSH Late Models compete in their sixth touring event of the 2017 season. So far, it's been a pack of drivers New York that have control of the top of the standings led by Bryce Davis who bested a stout, 34 car field last year. He is followed in the standings by Jeremy Wonderling, the most recent winner in touring action and a two time winner this year, Â who took the checkers on Sunday night at Tri City Raceway Park.
When the RUSH Late Models last graced the Lernerville surface, John Mollick found himself in victory lane at the 2016 Steel City Stampede. Jacob Hawkins and Chad Mclelland are also previous winners in touring event action.
Current RUSH Late Model Touring Standings (Top 5)
Bryce Davis- 386
Jeremy Wonderling- 376
John Waters- 364
Jason Knowles- 351
J.J. Mazur- 350
Martell Looks To Continue Hot Streak in RUSH Sportsman Modifieds
For the largest part of the last two seasons, it's been the Rocky Kugel show when it comes to RUSH Sportsman Modified action at Lernerville. The veteran pilot currently owns a three race winning streak, taking the honors at last year's Steel City Stampede and both weekly events so far in 2017.
It will be the third touring event for the series this Friday night, and so far, Kyle Martell has been a perfect two for two, sweeping both previous events at Thunder Mountain Speedway and Tri City Raceway Park. Anthony Gillespie and Nick Ritchey remain within striking distance of Martell so far and each of the first two races has seen 26 cars take part.
Chas Wolbert, Josh Deems, Nick Ritchey, Brian Schaffer and Kole Holden have each won events at Lernerville within the last two years.
Bicknell RUSH Sportsman Modified Touring Standings (Top 5)
Kyle Martell- 200
Anthony Gillespie- 185
Nick Ritchey- 184
Jeremy Weaver
Brandon Ritchey
McPherson Stands Tall Over Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar/RUSH Pro Stocks
Corey McPherson has completed a trio of feature wins in recent weeks, taking three consecutive Pro Stock features. The defending track champion now has a sizable lead over Aaron Easler and Tyler Dietz heading into the second half of the season.
Easler and Dietz have won the other two features this season up to this point, while Joey Zambotti has also looked impressive in the early going with consistent finishes in the front of the field, including three podium finishes thus far. Â Fans may also want to keep an eye on a resurgent Brett McDonald who was very close to his first career three weeks ago and has two consecutive top five finishes.
DIRTcar/RUSH Pro Stock Point Standings (Top 5)
Corey McPherson- 223
Aaron Easler-185
Tyler Dietz-184
Joey Zambotti- 175
Joe Kelley- 155