Beautiful weather over the weekend meant lots of racing action and several champions crowned as season-long point battles at several local tracks were decided.
(Photo: Brian Swartzlander clinched his record-setting eighth Lernerville track championship Friday. Photo by Rick Rarer.)
With his second win in as many weeks, Sye Lynch won the battle, but Jack Sodeman Jr. won the war by clinching the second Lernerville championship of his career. In the modified feature, it was Jeremiah Shingledecker of Polk who scored his fourth win of the season.
With his runner-up finish, Brian Swartzlander was able to secure his unprecedented eighth track championship, which is the most of any driver in any division in the history of the track. It was a great night for stock car driver Tyler Dietz who also scored his fourth feature win of the season and with the win collected his first career track championship.
This weekend the action at Lernerville will switch from Friday to Saturday evening with the Sprint Car Spectacular which will feature five classes of sprint cars in action. The 410 sprint cars will highlight the show and be joined by the RUSH wingless sprints, 305 RaceSaver sprints, along with the 270 and 600cc micro sprints with racing slated for 7:30 p.m.
It was “Race for a Cure Night” at Thunder Mountain Speedway this past Friday, and it was a surprise visitor and former World of Outlaws regular Chub Frank scoring the win. Frank would win driving Chad McClellan’s late model and crossing the line ahead of second-place Matt Lux of Franklin. Other winners Friday included Jeff Huber in the four cylinders, Ray Hickok Jr. in the street stocks, Jon Lee in the semi lates, while Mike Anderson was the winner of the pure stock feature.
This Friday will be an action-packed doubleheader as the BRP Modified Tour will return to Thunder Mountain along with the super late models. Joining them will also be the semi lates and four cylinders. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with racing scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The popular BRP Modified Tour will join the super late models at Thunder Mountain Speedway this Friday. Photo by Penny Kay.
Michaels Mercer Raceway also brought their 2019 point championships to a conclusion this past Saturday. After a spirited battle with his son Rex King Jr., Rex King Sr. wrapped up the big block modified championship with a feature win. It was the second title for the modified veteran after winning his first Mercer title back in 1995. After the win King was quoted “I’m not going to give son anything and he’s not going to give me anything. It’s 110% for both of us. I’m sure that my wife was having a fit back there when we were close, but you know what, its good racing!”
After missing a couple of weeks, Greg Dobrosky returned to win the 305 RaceSaver feature. But a fourth-place finish was enough for Jake Gomola of Seneca to clinch his first Mercer championship over Kyle Colwell of Knox.
Vivian Jones became the first woman to win a track championship at Mercer with her mod lite title. Jones who said to win the championship was surreal also said she hopes to move up to sprint cars in the future.
Like King, Brian Schaffer would clinch the limited modified points by winning the feature for his first Mercer title. Joe Campbell was crowned the mini stock champion for the 2019 season with his runner-up finish to Johnny Bruce Sr. in the feature.
There will be no racing this Saturday at Mercer but the track will return to action the following weekend with the “End of Season Blow Out” featuring a return of the 410 sprint cars.
This weekend late model fans will want to be at Sharon Speedway where the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will invade this Friday and Saturday for the inaugural “Battle at the Border.”
On Friday the late model winner will take home $6,000. Then on Saturday, $15,000 will go to the winner. RUSH Modifieds will also be in action Friday and the econo mods will join the late models on Saturday.
Dave Shagla was the big winner Saturday at Hummingbird Speedway where he won the Ina Caltagarone Memorial for the street stocks.
There are now just two races left on the season at Hummingbird. This Saturday will be season championship night with double points going to all divisions as the season champions are decided. This Saturday will also be Apraxia Awareness Night at the Speedway.
Rick’s Racing Roundup is brought to you by:
Bauer Truck Repair
Red Bandana Winery
Zacherl Motors
Allegheny Grille
Kerle Tire Company
Redbank Chevrolet
About Rick
Rick Rarer, a Franklin resident, is the owner of Racestud.com and SprintCarNews.com. He has been covering racing for 19 years, taking racing photos for 14 years, and has covered races at over 100 tracks in 15 states. Most recently, Rick won the Bill Steinbach Media Award at the Lernerville Speedway Annual Awards Banquet.
Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.
