After two weeks off, Fab Four Racing returned to Lernerville Speedway Friday night beneath cloudy but dry skies. The recent rains lent themselves to a tacky surface and thrilling action on the track. Dan Kuriger kept All Star Sprint invader, Andrew Palker behind him for 25 laps to collect his second win of the season in the People's TWP Sprints while John Flinner outlasted the competition in a bizarre Precise Late Model Feature. Diehl Automotive Group Modified points leader Mat Williamson found his way past a determined Jeremiah Shingledecker to take his second win in 2015 and in the Sportsman Stocks, Wayne Carbo edged Mike Miller for his first victory since 2011.
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| Pat Miller Photo |
People's TWP Sprints:
Dan Kuriger tamed a 21 car field with his performance in the People's TWP Sprints, and though he started on the pole, keeping the pack behind him would be no easy chore.
Kuriger and Jim Morris led the field to the green flag as Kuriger jumped out to the early lead. After an early caution for Brandon Spithaler who spun in turn four, Andrew Palker, taking in a night at the action track during an off night for the All Star Sprints, made it clear that he came to win. Palker vaulted forward to the second spot on the ensuing restart. The two drivers then began to separate themselves from from third and fourth running Brandon Matus and Ed Lynch Jr in the early portion of the race
Meanwhile, behind them, Brandon Matus, Ed Lynch Jr and Jack Sodeman Jr ran nose to tail behind the leaders as Kuriger managed to gain some distance between himself and Palker as the two began to enter lapped traffic at the seven lap mark. The cushion for Kuriger was also assisted by the battle between Palker and Matus who traded the second spot briefly in the middle portion of the race before Palker asserted himself firmly in the position. Up front, Kuriger was setting a torrid pace while dispatching one lapped car after another. But as the traffic started to become heavier, Palker inched closer to the lead. As the laps wound down, Palker found himself in a position to make a pass until cautions lap 19 and 21 slowed his progress. On the ensuing restarts, Kuriger refused to be caught and he was the driver to beat on this night as he collected his second sprint feature event of the season.
"I never imagined that I'd even win a feature with my past here, but it feels really great to win a second one," Kuriger remarked in victory lane. "I thought Palker was going to get by me, I saw him a couple of times on the inside so I just tried to keep my momentum on the top. I was just trying to stay calm out there, the track was pretty tough but I think the outside worked the best so I just stayed up there and kept it going."
Top 10:
1. Dan Kuriger
2. Andrew Palker
3. Brandon Matus
4. Ed Lynch Jr
5. Eric Williams
6. Jack Sodeman Jr
7. Brandon Spitaler
8. Dan Shetler
9. Brent Matus
10. Rod George
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| Pat Miller Photo |
Precise Racing Products Late Models
John Flinner had not won at the action track since April of 2011. The veteran late model pilot had managed a few starts over the years following, but hadn't looked particularly strong in any of them. But on this night, it was as if Flinner had rolled back the clock, scoring a victory in a caution marred late model feature.
Mike Pegher Jr and Matt Lux, driving in the Detman #111 made up the front row and it was Pegher Jr who took the early lead. Two cautions in the early going slowed the action, but on the second restart Flinner charged forward to the top three. He then went to work on the bottom of the surface to overtake Lux for second with Kenny Schaltenbrand and Chuck Savrer in hot pursuit. Lux bobbled on lap four and dropped back to sixth while Flinner set out to work on the leader as the caution flag flew for a slowing Alex Ferree on lap five.
On the restart, Schaltenbrand got a great jump and made his way underneath Flinner for a brief time to challenge for second but Flinner found his way back around and then sets his sights on Pegher Jr for the lead. Behind them, Michael Norris moved from the mid pack into the top three on lap 12. Flinner and Pegher Jr were neck and neck for the lead when they made contact on the backstretch, causing Pegher to suffer a flat tire much to his chagrin. Pegher would then make light contact with Flinner under caution, bringing a rise from the crowd on hand. Pegher would not be a factor the rest of the way, but Matt Lux would be as he managed to race clean and take advantage of attrition to make his way back to the second spot.
After another round of cautions, a wild and scary moment occured following a lap 20 restart when Chuck Sarver, Todd Bachmann, Andrew Wylie and Clayton Kennedy all went over the cushion in turn one simoutaneously which sent Bachmann flipping onto his roof. The final restart of the night saw Flinner maintain his lead, but Lux would not give up and hunted the leader furiously but could not catch the eventual winner in the handful of remaining laps.
"That's John Flinner, so you don't forget who that is," Flinner said following the win. "I like Mikey a lot, the kid's a good racer but he turned down on me, what was I supposed to do?
Top 10:
1. John Flinner
2. Matt Lux
3. Alex Ferree
4. Gary Lyle
5. Dan Swartzlander
6. John Garvin Jr
7. Chuck Sarver
8. Sam Eichelberger
9. Clayton Kennedy
10. Todd Bachmann
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| Pat Miller Photo |
Diehl Automotive Group Modifieds:
As had been the case at different points of the season, Jeremiah Shingledecker seemingly had the fastest car in the early portions of the night. On most of those occasions, he ended up suffering mechanical failure while watching the rest of the feature. But on this night, Shingledecker's car held out and it set up a fantastic finish with points leader Mat Williamson.
Shingledecker started on the outside pole and assumed the early lead while behind him, pole sitter Dave Murdick, Tom Winkle, and Steve Feder would take up positions two through four. Shingledecker made the most of the top side of the speedway while stretching out an early cushion over Murdick. Williamson, Brian Swartzlander and Garrett Krummert would then make up a formidable chase pack that put Feder and Winkle behind them. Then on lap six, defending modified champion Rex King Jr stopped outside of turn four to bring out the first caution of the race.
On the ensuing restart Murdick takes a good look at the lead on Shingledecker's inside but could not make the attempted pass work. Williamson, who had been running primarily on the bottom, suddenly took to the high side on lap 9 and would begin his charge to the front which allowed Shingledecker to gain some separation from Murdick. As lapped traffic approached on lap 14, Williamson made his move on Murdick for second, finally completing the pass on lap 18. Shingledecker then found himself in a precarious situation with six laps to go, two lapped cars in front of him side by side, and a hard charging Williamson behind him. The combination proved to be his undoing, as WIlliamson went back to the bottom and started turning the fastest laps of the race while taking the lead from Shingledecker lap 23. Swartzlander would eventually get around Murdick for third, but once in the lead, Williamson never looked back as Shingledecker would have to settle for a hard fought second place finish.
"It's been a while since we've been back in victory lane here," Williamson said. "We've been consistent, but there's always been one or two cars a little better than we were. The car came around towards the end, the track was a little different, on top it felt really slick and I almost spun going into turn three, but you had to be free to pound the cushion up there. We went with new tires tonight and everything just played in our favor."
Top 10:
1. Mat Williamson
2. Jeremiah Shingledecker
3. Brian Swartzlander
4. Dave Murdick
5. Garrett Krummert
6. Steve Feder
7. Tom Winkle
8. Rex King Sr
9. Rodney Beltz
10. Rick Regalski
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| Pat Miller Photo |
Millerstown Pic-A-Part Sportsman Stocks:
Like Flinner earlier, Wayne Carbo had not enjoyed the spoils of victory in quite some time, August of 2011 to be exact. And after 20 laps of racing, he found it was worth the wait as he turned momentum from some eye opening recent performances into a sportsman stock victory at the action track.
Terry Young sprinted out to the early lead as front row mates Brandon Wearing and Scott Byers were dispatched by the veteran in one lap. Carbo then emerged from his fifth starting spot to take the lead from him on lap three. After a caution on lap four for Adam Lipinksi, spin in turn four and also after Joe Kelley broke on lap five, Carbo and Young would put on an intense battle for the lead with Young working up top and Carbo finding grip down low.
A lap nine melee involving Jeff Miller and Brian Stivenson in turn four slowed the pace for a brief period, but when the race resumed, Carbo appeared to be shot out of a cannon, getting a good jump on the field. It was the sort of restart that Mike Miller also used to his advantage, as he passed Young to wrest away the second spot. Miller, who'd been hungry for a win himself, and Carbo battled for the lead as Miller looked to be in a position to pass on lap 16 when the final caution flag of the night waved.
On the final restart, Miller got off the second corner with a great deal of momentum and took the lead from Carbo, but he would not go away quietly. Carbo would dive underneath Miller in turn four with two laps to go to retake the lead en route to the victory.
Top 10
1. Wayne Carbo
2. Mike Miller
3. Chris Schneider
4. Terry Young
5. Jim Fosnaught
6. Corey McPherson
7. Brett McDonald
8. Bob Lipinski Jr
9. Brandon Wearing
10. Scott Byers
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