The Kings of Lernerville continue to Reign; Bandit wins, Russ repeats
Jared Zimbardi rewarded for good decision, wins first Lernerville Feature
Jim Fosnaught bests Sportman division in front of employers
Sarver, PA (May 18, 2014) 2014 has already been a banner season for the King family out of Bristolville, OH. Russ King won the Opening Night feature in the Precise Late Models, Rex King Jr. won the second Fab Four Racing feature of the season on May 2 in the Diehl Modifieds and this past Friday Night, their father Rex King Sr., (a.k.a. The Bandit), completed the King Family Hat Trick for their third feature win of the season in as many weeks of Fab Four Racing. But for good measure, Russ backed up dad’s win in the Precise Late Models to become the first repeat feature winner of 2014. That’s four feature wins for the King Family in just 12 Fab Four Racing features; someone might want to put one or any of them in a Sportsman/Stock car!
But before the Kings continued to reign, the Peoples TWP DIRTcar Sprints pushed onto the Action Track with the fine folks from Peoples Natural Gas/TWP on hand for their Second Annual Night at the Races. A CNG (Clean Natural Gas) Chevrolet Silverado paced the field along with the #1 Cochran Ram Pace Truck to help promote the advancement of Natural Gas Vehicles. Dan Shetler and Jack Sodeman Jr. led the field to the green flag with Shetler taking the quick lead down the frontstretch, but it would be shortlived as Sodeman took the lead down the back straightaway and into turn three. Sodeman was on rails and dusting the field, but began to blow smoke on lap seven or eight; eventually going up in smoke and then fire on lap 11 when he finally rolled to a stop in turn two. His front row mate Shetler ended up over the hill in turn two and was most of the way down to the junkyard/tire pile, but was wheels down and rejoined the field on the restart.
Jared Zimbardi inherited the lead on the lap 1 restart, but had Brandon Matus on his tailtank. Zimbardi almost didn’t come to Lernerville Friday Night. As tweeted midweek, Zimbardi was considering going to Oshweken Speedway to race 360 Sprints. Zimbardi’s decision paid off as he held off a few furious charges by Matus before pulling away and leading the high-speed freight train to the checkered flag for his first career Lernerville Feature win in the Peoples TWP DIRTcar Sprint Cars.
Carl Bowser extended his Budweiser Points lead with a last lap pass of Matus to finish second from 10th on the grid after winning May 2. Brandon Matus raced home third ahead of Cory Good in fourth and Mike Lutz in fifth. Brent Matus, Scott Priester, Dan Shetler, Wes McGlumphy and Francis Sesco rounded out the top ten. AJ Flick was well on his way to a podium finish, but while running third, Flick encountered a lapped car entering turn one and overcompensated. Flick’s front end dug in and almost sent him over, but he managed to stay wheels down despite a flat right front and damage to the suspension. Bowser and Matus scored heat races wins earlier in the night.
The ground pounding Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modifieds rumbled onto the speedway next with Rex King Sr. on the pole flanked by Mike Turner. King, the incumbent Budweiser Points leader, jumped out to the early lead, but All Time Modified wins leader Brian Swartzlander made quick work of Turner and set his sights on the leader. Swartlander passed King on lap eight, but couldn’t shake him as they sliced and diced their way through lapped traffic.
The turning point of the race came on lap 20 as Shawn Kozar spun to bring out a caution. On the ensuing restart, turn three reached up and bit Swartzlander as he got just a little bit too low and clipped the infield berm. King powered around Swartzlander to regain the lead at the flagstand. The second lap 20 restart gave Brad Rapp a prime opportunity to win his first career Lernerville feature as Zimbardi had done just minutes earlier. But the Kings wouldn’t have it and instead it was Rex King Jr. challenging his father for the lead. Despite the late charge, “Cooter” couldn’t get around “Bandit” and Rex King Sr. became the third King in as many weeks of racing to stand victorious in Sheetz Victory Lane.
Cooter held on to finish second ahead Rapp. Jeremiah Shingledecker finished fourth and Tom Winkle finished fifth ahead of Dave Murdick, Brian Swartzlander, Rick Regalski, Rodney Beltz and Mike Turner. Rex King Jr. and Jeremiah Shingledecker picked up heat race wins. Defending Track Champion Mat Williamson was a DNS for the feature after breaking in his heat race.
Ken Schaltenbrand bested Tommy Beck to the green flag to lead the opening lap of the Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Model feature. The Sarver veteran would lead the first four laps, but Russ King rocketed off the top of turn two, crossed under Schaltenbrand and beat him into turn three to take the lead officially on lap five. Once out front, King started to pull away, but the race was halted on lap 13 as Mike Pegher Jr. rolled to a stop in front of Sheetz Victory Lane with apparent steering issues. King chose the outside for the restart and a lapped car put Schaltenbrand inside of row two alongside Jared Miley. Miley took advantage of the preferred line to take second on the restart, but was never able to find a way around King who rolled to his second feature win of the season.
Miley was chased home by Alex Ferree who finished third from 10th on the grid for winning May 2. Garrett Krummert and Ken Schaltenbrand rounded out the top five. Brian Swartzlander was sixth, John Garvin Jr. seventh, Chuck Sarver eighth, Tony Musolino ninth and Tommy Beck tenth. Chuck Sarver and Alex Ferree captured heat race checkers.
Paul Scheckengost took the early lead from the outside of row one as the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman rolled to the green flag. Schreckengost led the first three laps before giving way to Opening Night feature winner Terry Young, but Two-Time Defending Track Champion Corey McPherson was on the move after having started twelfth. McPherson mad an aggressive move trying to split Young high and Schreckengost low through turns three and four. The crossover move resulted in heavy contact between Schreckengost and McPherson, which in turn resulted in a flat left rear and caution for McPherson. Schreckengost continued, but never fully recovered from the incident. With McPherson out of the picture, though he did return to tail the field, Jim Fosnaught reeled in and then passed Young for the lead on lap 12. Fosnaught pulled away as Young battled Rob Shook for second. Fosnaught did donuts on the front straightaway and then climbed on his roof to celebrate his second career Lernerville feature win in front of his employer Peoples Natural Gas. He was joined in Victory Lane, not only by his family, crew and fan club, but also by his co-workers from Peoples.
Rob Shook prevailed over Young for second. Aaron Easler scored his best Fab Four feature finish with a strong run to fourth ahead of All Time division wins leader Joe Kelley in fifth. The Pic-A-Part Sportsman top ten rounded out with Mark Sanders, Wayne Carbo, Pat Hanley, Brett McDonald and Joey Zambotti. Schreckengost battled an ill-handling car to a 12th place finish, one spot behind Corey McPherson. Joe Kelley, Corey McPherson and Mike Miller were heat race victors.
The Modifieds will take center stage next Friday Night as their division sponsor, Diehl Auto Group, and it’s employees will be on hand for their respective night at the races during Armed Forces Night. The 171st Honor Guard will present the colors and Steve Monteleone will be on hand representing “It’s about the Warrior” to honor active and retired members of the military. Anybody with a valid military ID will be admitted for just $7 and anyone in full uniform will be admitted FREE of charge.