Brandon Matus: Making a Name for Himself While Carrying on the Family Name

Brandon Matus ready to hit the track at Lernerville on opening night. (Pat Miller photo)

"I just love working on sprint cars."

That statement alone shows what it means to Brandon Matus each week when he unloads his car at the track.

It is a passion that started at a young age when he would travel to the races weekly with his father Brent and work on his number 33 sprint car with him.

"I was my dad's crew chief starting when I was about nine or ten years old," Matus said. "I knew what I was doing and he trusted me working on his car. My dad, my granddad and my great granddad were all involved with it so I kinda knew I would be too."

The driver of the number 13 Sobczak Electric, Miller Masonry, Ken Shiderly Construction, AR Motorsports, Allied Rubber Supply backed sprinter is coming off a year where had a victory at Lernerville and finished just 10 points behind Brandon Spithaler taking second in the Sarver tracks points title chase. That final race was an intense night for Matus.

"We really don't pay attention to points really, but we kinda fell into the points battle last year," Matus said. "I won my heat race that night and put the pressure on (Spithaler) a bit. Then he went out and won his too. It made it pretty hectic going into the feature, but he got a little better starting spot than me and it worked out for him."

So far this season Matus has two top five finishes in the young western PA season. He finished 5th opening night at Lernerville and picked up a 4th place finish last weekend at Mercer. Even though Matus doesn't necessarily think about points when he is at the track he would like to get the track title at Lernerville this season. Something that his grandfather Jerry Matus accomplished three times.

"Since I was so close to winning it last season it is something that I would definitely like to get this year," Matus said. "When you're in the car you're not thinking about a points battle. It's just not a race car drivers nature. If you get top fives you'll be there at the end of it."

This won't be an easy feat to accomplish and the young driver knows that. He respects how tough the racers are that he runs against weekly across the area.

"When you go to Lernerville or Mercer there are at least 10 to 12 cars that can win any on night," Matus said. "I think it is pretty cool how the competition is growing around here."

Matus first found victory lane in a sprint car at the age of 16 . It was a well earned win at Lernerville as there was an intense battle from start to finish. Matus had to fend of challenges by several drivers in that race, and ultimately prevailed.

"I remember that race like it was yesterday," Matus said. "I think I started on the front row and just took off that night. It seemed like someone new was sticking their nose under my car every other lap and I remember thinking man they are really chasing me. You can't think about it too much though. Whether you are first or tenth you have to run your own race."

While that was a big night for the teenager, he was able to pick up his biggest win to date at the Sharon Speedway during the All Stars Ohio Speedweek in June of 2012. The win came on a drama filled night where he was one of a few drivers who was able to save their tires for the entire race.

"Everyone that knows me knows I like a dry slick track," Matus said. ''You could tell in hot laps what the track was going to be like all night. I still think about winning that race and get butterflies in my stomach. Everyone was there from my family to my sponsors. It was an awesome feeling for sure."

Matus's car in the pits at Lernerville (Pat Miller photo)

While Matus has had success in the winged sprint car he also has taking a liking to racing non winged sprints and midgets. He made his first start at the Chili Bowl this year after being a spectator there the year before. He also has a feature win in a midget in the past at the Montpelier Speedway in Indiana.

"The Chili Bowl is unbelievable," Matus said. "It is like a different world out there. I will definitely be back there every year I can even if I am not racing in it."

Matus first gave wingless sprint car racing a shot when the B.O.S.S series started coming to western PA.

"I am really glad those guys race in our area," Matus said. "They pay out the money and you've got to support those who do that."

Wingless racing is something that he really enjoys for many reasons and feels it puts a lot more emphasis on the driver.

"I don't think you need as much motor when you run without the wing," Matus said. "It is more about throttle control and you really have to drive the car."

Looking back through Matus's first four seasons it is amazing how fast he was able to adapt to sprint car racing. Something that amazes the driver himself.

"I never thought my career would take of as fast as it did with winning races and all," Matus said. "I know how hard it is and how long it can take to get there."

No one should be surprised now. Look for this young driver to have a long and successful career in racing wherever it leads him.

For more information you can follow Brandon on Twitter @BrandonMatus_13.

NE Modified April Rankings; Sheppard Finds Way to the Top; Swartzlander Supreme in West

Well now we have the first month of racing in the books in the North East Modified ranks as a few big races have taken place and most of the home tracks have fired up for the season.

Now, it's time to give out the marks for the month of April!

So what we have for criteria is pretty much the following:

1. How many races did the driver partake in
2. How big are the purses
3. What's the level of competition at home tracks or in special events
4. Bad luck factor wrecks, mechanical problems..etc

Basically, WRG events including home tracks, ROC events and 358 modified in both Niagara region and Eastern PA/NJ are all taken into account as well as the new Short Track Super Series events. Sail panels or not, Hoosier or American Racer, it doesn't matter.



This is for entertainment purposes only, we like to have fun, but if you object to the order of the list, leave a comment, just remember though, we don't tolerate vulgarity.

April NE Modified Rankings:

1. Matt Sheppard- Good ROC Results including a win at Five Mile Point in the Hansell 357 while taking a Fonda win early on.

2. Brett Hearn- Solid wins at Lebanon Valley and Albany-Saratoga early on.

3. Stewart Friesen- Great early ROC results with a win and a win at Fonda as well.

4. Billy Decker- Might be a matter of weeks before he vaults into the top 3.

5. Andy Bachetti- He's here for the Hard Clay Open win at OCFS as his Lebanon Valley finishes have been diminished. It's early yet and perhaps some wins over Hearn on Saturday nights will keep him here, we'll see.

Ryan Watt Wins ROC opener at Bridgeport

6. Ryan Watt- Scored a big ROC tour win at Bridgeport on Easter Sunday and took checkers at Big Diamond too. Worth keeping an eye on.

7. Gary Tomkins- Alright we admit, he's here for the Corcoran Memorial win which most fans completely enjoyed. But still, that was a long race and great competition. He just might stay in the top 10 for a while.

8. Jimmy Phelps- Nice early season results, still in search of first 2014 win. (it's coming soon)

9 Ryan Godown- Took home nice prize in ROC opener at New Egypt. We'd love to see him do complete SDS tour.

10. Billy Pauch- Even at the same track, 3 wins are 3 wins. Too bad a DQ negated the 4th. We'll see what he ends up doing next week, it'll be interesting to see.





Billy Pauch won 3 in a row at NES and had 4th win stripped with a  DQ

Honorable Mention:

Mike Mahaney- Beat a stacked field at Utica-Rome Sunday 4/27, and took a top 10 in Corcoran Memorial.  Look for big things.

Billy Dunn- 2013 Syracuse winner has just started up regular season festivities but took home 2nd at Corcoran Memorial

Anthony Perrego- Some top 10's early on against good fields and his Volusia performance put him on the watch list for more passive NE Modified followers.

Justin Haers- Is this the year he becomes a household name outside of the Northeast?

Doug Manmiller- Always keeping an eye on Manmiller, took win at Grandview 4/26 and lots more wins to come in 2014.

Brian Swartzlander

Western PA/Eastern OH (Western Frontier)

1. Brian Swartzlander. Held off charge from Williamson opening week at Lernerville to secure opening night win.

2. Mat Williamson. Figures to continue epic and clean driven battle with Swartzlander for area mod supremacy.

3.  Erick Rudolph. Okay, so he's not a part of the traditional geography. We're still glad he came down and took part in April action in the area. Two podiums in two attempts at Lernerville and Sharon.

4. Rex King Jr. Cooter takes checkers at Sharon Speeway 4/26 with Swartzlander and Shingledecker in the house

5. Jeremiah Shingledecker. New engine gremlins opening week at Lernerville, but solid 2nd at Sharon the following week.

6. Rex King Sr. Opening week winner at Sharon

7. Dave Murdick. Will we see him go on a tear the likes of 2013 this year? It's a good bet.

8. Brad Rapp. At some point, good luck will have to shine on the Doctor!

9. Jim Weller Jr- Top 5 car every week at Sharon it seems. Wish he'd find a way to Lernerville more often.

10. Frank Guidace. Mercer legend can still bring it with week 2 win at Mercer.

 

 

Babb Shoots to Driver of the Week; Saldana, Swindell, Hodnett named Honorable Mentions

When you list off the premier dirt late model drivers in the country, it doesn't take long for Shannon Babb to enter the conversation. His most most recent win in his home state earned him top honors for the 'Driver of the Week' award. Babb's "Illini 100" victory at Farmer City Raceway over the weekend with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series certainly proved that the Moweaqua, Ill. native is back into form. After battling up from his fourth-row starting spot, Babb snatched the lead from series points leader Darrell Lanigan on a restart just shy of the halfway mark and never looked back. The $20,050 triumph was the biggest payday to date in dirt racing so far this year.
**Interesting note: Babb's last WoO win also paid $20,000 to win (7/27/13)


Honorable Mentions:

Joey Saldana:
Saldana and the Motter Motorsports team are finally stride in just their 2nd season together. The $10,000 win at Salina Highbanks for the #71M this past weekend marks his third of the year and second on the WoO tour this season, raising his career total to 86. His 10 quicktime awards and recent hot streak have earned Saldana and co. the World of Outlaw points lead as they meet the 1/5th point of the season.

Follow the story HERE



Sammy Swindell:
Germantown, Tenn. native Sammy Swindell added another World of Outlaws victory to his illustrious career Saturday night when he fought off charges from a handful of drivers at Federated Auto Parts Raceway in Pevely, MO. Despite a rough start to the season, Swindell has managed a top 5 finish in four of his last six starts. The win Saturday was his first of the season and 293rd WoO triumph of his career.

Read the full report HERE



Greg Hodnett:
Hodnett, of Thomasville, PA., defeated the field of 36 drivers at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday to claim the $12,900 All Star Circuit of Champions sanctioned "Bob Weikert Memorial". The feat marked Hodnett's first win of the season with Heffner Motorsports and was his 17th career with the regional series. After a rough start to the season down in the Sunshine State, Hodnett has turned it up a notch with already three podium finishes in the rain-dampened Central PA season.

Catch up on the story HERE



Races to keep an eye on this weekend:

• LOLMDS at Macon, Tri-City (IL), and Paducah
• WoO Sprint doubleheader at Eldora
• WoO Late Models at Fayetteville and Lavonia
• USAC Sprints at Eagle Raceway and Junction Motor Speedway
• ASCS National at Outlaw Motorsports Park and Riverside Intl.
• POWRi Midgets at Valley Speedway and Lucas Oil Speedway
• Three State Flyers Late Models at Bedford and Selinsgrove

Previous TDN 'Driver of the Week' Winners:

Week 7 (4/14-4/20): Bobby Pierce

Week 6 (4/7-4/13): Jonathan Davenport

Week 5 (3/31-4/6): Dale Blaney

Week 4 (3/24-3/30): David Gravel

Week 3 (3/17-3/23): Kyle Strickler

Week 2 (3/10-3/16): Rico Abreu

Week 1 (3/3-3/9): Chris Madden

Let's Go Racing!

So yesterday was a washout for many of us. Won't be the first, won't be the last. But here's what we do have going on in within reasonable driving distance tonight.

The Lucas boys are in town to tangle with some of the region's best at the lovely Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex tonight. Should be a great time, might want to get there a bit early and reserve a nice spot on the hill! Racing starts around 6:45. RUSH crate late models and street stocks will also run on the card.

Check out our preview here: Recommended Racing- Roaring Knob/LODLM

Roaring Knob Website

 

Tonight, history will be made as the RUSH Sportsman Modified Series makes it's debut at Sharon Speedway, and there's a decent expected car count as some of the New York sportsman modified contingent will look to take part and take the money back over the border.

DIRTcar Modifieds headline tonight's regular program along with Emods, Street Stocks, 4 Cyls, and EconoMods, plus RUSH Late Models. Tickets are $13, it's a good idea to get there around 6pm to avoid parking in the field across the road, unless you were looking for the extra exercise. For those that love the roar , the noise factor is at it's height under the covered grandstand seating.


Sharon Website

It's another Saturday Night Live at Mercer Raceway Park tonight as the weekly 6 division show is in action. 410 Sprints, Unsanctioned 358 Modifieds, Stocks, Mini Stocks, 305 Sprints and Mod Lites grace the dirt there this evening. Tickets are $13 and there's not a bad seat in the house. Check out the likes of the legend Rod George, Jack Sodeman Jr, Eric Williams, and Brandon Matus battling for the prized 410 sprint win while Frank Guidice, Jimmy Holden and company try to hold off Makayla Guidice, Kyle Fink and others in 358 modified action.

Mercer Raceway Park Website

 

PPMS brings a regular show to the fans this weekend consisting of Super Late Models, RUSH crates, Sportsman Stocks, Hobby Stocks, and Young Guns (4cylinders). The RUSH crate racing is some of the best around and the racy surface lends itself to multiple grooves and high speeds. Tickets are $15 and if you're in that neck of the woods, go early, make a day of it and get some dinner in Robinson and some shopping done at the same time.

PPMS Website

Okay, so you don't mind a drive, or you're a diehard sprint fan, or....you want to see the All Stars take on the PA Posse! You'll want to be at Port Royal tonight for the $10,000 to win Bill Weikert Memorial ASCoC race tonight. Watch Haud, Holtgraver, Blaney, Shaffer and company take on Dietrich, Hodnett, Kreitz Jr, and friends. 355 Late Models and xtreme stocks also appear on the card tonight. Racing starts at 7, but you'd probably want to get there an hour early at the very least. Tickets are $22 for adults.


Port Royal Website


So get out there and support your local dirt tracks! Weather looks great for today!

Rain Rain Go Away!



As of this Afternoon, the following tracks in PA and OH have fallen victim to a slow moving cold front! And while this sucks as we were all looking forward to heading on to our destinations of choice, it's good to know as soon as possible.

So, we'll keep this page updated with cancellations as they come in:

Cancellations for Friday 4/25:

Lernerville Speedway

Bradford Speedway

Limaland (OH)

Hagerstown (MD) LODLM - No Rain Date- Event Cancelled

Attica Raceway Park

Bedford Speedway

Williams Grove

12:48 PM: As of right now, Attica and the Grove are still on though the former looks a little better than the latter. Stay tuned to see where you might get to travel if you're in the market for a race tonight.

1:06 PM: Attica has now cancelled too. Not looking good for the Grove either but they're still in play as of this minute. If you like late models and covered grandstands, Bedford Speedway has not cancelled yet. We'll post it here if /when they do.

2:38 PM: And Bedford calls it a night. Williams Grove is still running as of right now. Hardest precip looks like it'll arrive around 7 ish tonight. Big Diamond (PA) is still racing tonight but from this area you'd have to haul the mail at around 85 mph to get there in time to get your monies worth.

3:30 PM: Williams Grove thinks better of it and packs it in for the night, not exactly sure if the All Star Sprints/ARDC Midget show will be re-scheduled, we can only hope.

So far it's a total washout for the immediate area. Better luck next Friday.

But Saturday is a new day. Be sure to check Raceday Weather for the latest weather forecasts for area tracks.

Maybe we should organize a DTR2 rainout club for these nights..........do some keyboard racing.

Stay Dirty Everyone!

Lernerville Week 2; Get out that Silver Jacket....and bring your lady while you're at it

Mother nature's going to give a good effort to crash the party out in Sarver today, but it doesn't necessarily mean she's going to be successful. With all eyes on the forecast, week two at Lernerville is still very much running as scheduled until you hear otherwise.

Tonight is Silver Jacket and Ladies night! But the guys aren't totally out of the mix, especially if you've got one of those legendary satin, silver Lernerville jackets. Either way whether you're a lady or a guy with a jacket, you're in for $7 tonight if you can get there by 7:00 pm.

So, check in on the weather, and also get Lernerville's Rained Out app if you've not done so already. It can save you time and gas money. Rained Out Alerts-Lernerville


Things to be looking at tonight. (aside from that babe that just sat down next to you)


SPRINTS:

Last week's winner, Danny Holtgraver, finds himself in central, PA this week and we're not totally sure about Logan Wagner's or Andre Layfield's or Sheldon Haudenschield's plans, but most of the gang should be back in action this week, and perhaps a few other cars that weren't ready last week or had rain change their plans and sent them in Lernerville's direction.

Look for Carl Bowser to remain a threat, as well as Cory Good while Brandon Spithaler and Eric Williams look to rebound from an unfortunate week 1. Brandon Matus should be in the mix as he always seems to be. But look for Jack Sodeman Jr and Mike Lutz to crash the top 5 tonight, Lutz looked particularly impressive last week.


LATE MODELS:

Russ King took home the prize last week so if he's there, he'll have to start towards the middle. And climbing to the front in late models can be difficult without some restarts. Look for the same cast of characters to be battling for the win tonight as Mike Pegher Jr, Jared Miley and Alex Ferree look to take home their first win of the season.

You might want to keep the eyes on Kenny Schaltenbrand, always a dark horse threat, but the more comfortable he gets in old/new piece he brought last week, the better he might be. Also, we'd not be surprised if Brian Swartzlander took his first career late model win this season, and tonight might be as good as any.

MODIFIEDS:

In terms of invaders not being there this week, only Erick Rudolph will not be gracing us with his presence as Ransomville and the Fulton SuperDIRTcar Series show on Saturday will find him doing battle there. The modified tour opener tomorrow will also find Swartzlander and perhaps Jeremiah Shingledecker, so there'll be some local competition traveling on Saturday to take their shot at some big money against the best of the best.

What to look for this week? Probably what has emerged as a weekly battle for Lernerville modified supremacy as Swartzlander will have to come from mid pack where he'll have to chase 2013 champion Mat Williamson. The two have already waged some epic, and very clean, battles for the win over the last year and one race into this one and that probably looks to continue here.

But, having a say on the matter will be Dave Murdick, Jeremiah Shingledecker, and Brad Rapp as well as Rex King Sr and Jr. And it might just be a week where the winner comes from this group.

One thing's for sure, the depth of the top level of modified competitors at the ville has stretched beyond 3 or 4 cars. And it's great to see.



SPORTSMAN:

So, how long will it take Corey McPherson to get to the lead this week? It's a question many ask right around 10:00 pm or so on most Friday's at Lernerville. It's a good question too as he has seemingly mastered the place the last three seasons.

But last week, even though the question was answered fairly quickly, he still had one last car to pass. Terry Young was it, and he didn't give an inch in an impressive opening week win.  It'll be harder this week perhaps, or will it? A much improved Mark Sanders, and Brett McDonald might have something to say here this year, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

We don't need to tell you to watch out for Jim Fosnaught, Joe Kelly, Bob Egley, and Rob Shook who looks ready to once again find a place in the top 5 on a weekly basis.  But the honest to god truth here is that 15 or so different drivers can get it done here and it's what makes it the feature to watch on many Fab Four Fridays.



That's it, see you at the track!

Reccomended Racing: Great Action and Panoramic Views- LODLM takes on Area's best at Roaring Knob

So who really goes to a Lucas Oil Late Model Series race for the scenery? Well, to be quite honest you should!



The likes of Jimmy Owens, John Blankenship, Earl Pearson Jr and the rest of the Lucas boys will be invading the area Saturday night at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex to take on some pretty stout local competition, more on that later.

But first, a little about the place....

Built in the late 1990's, "the Knob" is situated on top of a substantial hill between Uniontown, PA an the Maryland border on US highway 40. And the view is simply fantastic. In 360 degrees you can see some picturesque scenery. The facility almost looks as if it was airbrushed into the hillside. It's a steep place, be prepared to go up and down but if you'd rather just stay in the car, the park and watch area offer great views of the action.

The drive up for most is impressive too. If you have the time to travel out early and you're a history buff, be sure to check out Fort Necessity as you climb the passes on US 40. By the way for those going home towards Uniontown, the drive down the mountain is as good as some roller coasters. There's also quite a bit to do near Nemacolin Woodlands Resort just a few minutes ahead of the track approaching from the north west. If you want make a real weekend out of it and you've got some cash to burn, it'd make a great weekend getaway.

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Once you get closer you'll discover that many of the buildings are all painted red with green roofs and almost resemble log cabins. The same goes for the track's buildings too, even down to the concession stand. There's a children's play area and a go kart track on site too. And for those that love to camp, it's a bit chilly this weekend so be prepared. But if you love the sight, sound and smell of a campfire after watching a full night of racing, it's recommended.


Oh, about that race this Saturday...

When: Saturday April 26; Hot Laps at 6:45, Racing at 7:15 or thereabouts

Tickets: $32 for grandstands; $45 for pits; $25 for park and watch (first come first served)

Also on the Card: RUSH Late Models and Street Stocks

Weather: As of now, it looks good, but check @RacewayWeather on Twitter or click Raceday Weather To stay up to date.

So what we have here is actually a good chance for some local/regional drivers to earn a nice payday. There'll be a strong contingent of competition for the Lucas tour regulars to face including Gregg Satterlee, Dan Stone, Kenny Pettyjohn, Austin Hubbard, and Jamie Lathroum.  Although it's a standard $10,000 to win purse, there's a little added incentive this week as a bonus of an additional $1,000 will be awarded.

From lucasdirt.com "Promoters Ernie Davis and Rick Jones have also added a $1000 bonus for this weekend’s events. The highest finishing driver in the LOLMDS event at Hagerstown Speedway that participates in both LOLMDS events this weekend and has competed at least twice at either Hagerstown Speedway or Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex will earn an additional $1000 cash."

The track itself is unique. It's a 3/8 mile clay surface with an uphill front stretch and a downhill back stretch. And while turns 1 and 2 offer a wide entry as you build momentum, turns 3 and 4 are just a bit tighter as you carry that force downhill.

Past winners include Scott Bloomquist, twice, and most recently Jimmy Owens. Reigning Lucas Oil Series champion Jimmy Owens currently finds himself in 5th place in the early season standings and might be primed to break out of a mini slump by his standards.

However, Dan Stone has been impressive in competition at the Knob before, setting the quick time in 2011, and Lathroum has taken down some stacked fields there in 3 State Flyers action and is more than capable of dealing with the top Lucas entries.

Here's what we have for expected drivers so far. (not a guarantee of appearance) We'd expect a good field of possibly 35-40 cars or more

Lucas Oil Drivers;

Don ONeal
Earl Pearson Jr
Eddie Carrier Jr
Steve Francis
Jimmy Owens
Scott Bloomquist *yes we know he may or may not chase the whole thing
John Blankenship
Brian Shirley
Jared Landers
Dennis Erb Jr
Randy Weaver

Top Regional/True Outlaw Competition:

Gregg Satterlee
Dan Stone
Jamie Lathroum
Austin Hubbard
Kenny Pettyjohn
Chuck Harper
Mike Benedum
Jared Miley
Jared Hawkins
Jacob Hawkins
Doug Drown
Tim Senic

So there you have it, get to the Knob this Saturday and make a day of it! You'll be glad you did.

Bold Predictions:

1. Big Brother Dan Stone winds up on the podium
2. Don ONeal will not bend any steel this weekend as he's kept his nose clean so far in 2014
3. Scott Bloomquist continues his strong season with a win
4. DARKHORSE: Kenny Pettyjohn, and if he wins, here's a good bet a nice chunk goes back to the wounded warrior project!

Illini 100 Preview; Pierce Takes on the WoO; Eckert Makes Rocket House Car Debut

World of Outlaws Illini 100 Preview

What: World of Outlaw Late Model Series offers up it's first big money show of the 2014 campaign. This weekend brings the complete make up event which rained out earlier this month.

Where: Farmer City Raceway-Farmer City, Illiois

When: 2 day show with time trials and heats on Friday April 25 and consolations plus the "100" on Saturday April 26th.

At Stake: $20,000 to win

Track: Farmer City Raceway is a 1/4 mile, fairly wide surface that can be abrasive to tires and is not always forgiving of bad decisions. The flag stand is in the infield, and the seating is unique.

 

 

Who's in the house?:

 

In addition to the WoO regulars, probably at least these drivers: Shannon Babb, Ryan Unzicker, Bobby Pierce,Jason Feger, Brian Shirley, Jimmy Mars, Brady Smith, and other notables within 500 miles. The Lucas Oil Series will be in action at Hagerstown and Roaring Knob as well this coming weekend, so any of those tour regs who've participated in years past won't be in the running in 2014.

 

 

Media:

 

Will be available with free audio at dirtvision.com. Follow along on twitter via @WoOLateModels  OR you can follow race chaser/updater extraordinaire Patrick Davis who gives some of the best updates in the country! @pdavis18491988  Be sure to follow him if you're not doing so already!

 

Weather: Check out our companion weather site, run by fellow contributor to the DIRT Network, Penn State Weather Graduate Trever Steele's Raceway Weather here: http://rdwx.blogspot.com/ He'll have the weather eye open all week!

 

Previous Winners:

2008: Billy Moyer

2009: Shane Clanton

2010: Billy Moyer

2011: Rain

2012: Jimmy Mars

2013: Billy Moyer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to Expect:

 

In 2013 Jason Feger won, and then lost. In an unprecedented circumstance for both driver and the race itself, Feger was disqualified for chemically altered tires. He'll be looking for something to prove heading into this year's contest.

But he'll have company. Including Billy Moyer who's won this event before in the past, and the always tough Babb who's still in search of the elusive win.

This weekend also serves as a proper debut of Rick Eckert in the Rocket house car. Eckert was penciled in to replace Brandon Sheppard, who originally replaced Josh Richards who's currently out of action. (We have no idea what the circumstances are any better than anybody else but hope Josh can return as soon as he is able).

One driver that can't be overlooked is the 17 year old standout Bobby Pierce. He's been the hottest driver in the Midwest the last several weeks. The eyes of the late model world have been on him lately, and they'll be paying even closer attention this weekend. It's hard to call him a dark horse here too. He stands as much a chance of winning as any other driver you can think of.

Meanwhile, Darrell Lanigan will keep his Club 29 entry at the forefront of the pack. Lanigan's quietly been going about his business this season, collecting wins and keeping atop the World of Outlaw standings. This could be his first big victory of the 2014 season.

 

 

Other than the aforementioned drivers, Mars and Brady Smith always have decent chances at the podium. Smith, who was one of the hottest super late model drivers in Florida this past February, should be there and should be in the top 5, he'll need some luck, but could easily win this.

 

 

Bold Predictions:

 

1.  Pierce takes home a top 5 finish unless a wreck or mechanical gremlins dictate otherwise.

2.  Shane Clanton gets a podium finish

3.  When the dust settles...Babb collects his first Illini 100 win

Pierce Reels in Driver of the Week; O'Neal, Pittman, Tomkins Honorable Mentions

Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill. has become more than a fierce competitor. At the ripe young age of 16, Pierce has seated himself among the elite group of drivers that are considered favorites in every race they enter. The "Smooth Operator" won two races this past weekend and added another top 10 finish en route to collecting his first career TDN "Driver of the Week" award. His two most recent wins were part of a personal five-race win streak, with each win coming at a different track. Adding to his already long list of accomplishments was the checkered flag that he took home after winning the "Slocum 50" at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA. On a side note, Bobby Pierce already has 7 wins in just 18 starts this year.

Honorable Mentions:

Daryn Pittman:

Owasso, Oklahoma's Daryn Pittman notched his 3rd win of the year with the World of Outlaws when he topped the 30 car field at Devil's Bowl Speedway to claim the "Ted Johnson Memorial". This feat, worth $20,000, was ran in honor of the first ever race for the sprint series, and first at the Mesquite, Texas dirt oval in over a decade. The win for the reigning series champion also gained him the lead for the first time in 2014.

Don O'Neal:

O'Neal is beginning to find success in his first year with the Clint Bowyer owned super late model team, and it all came to fruition this past weekend with the National Dirt Racing League at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS. Don O'Neal started off the weekend with a runner-up on Friday at "The Mag" in The NDRL's $7,500 event and continued on to win the $12,500 finale Saturday night. The win was the Indiana native's 2nd of the season - his first coming in March with LOLMDS.

Gary Tomkins:

The second major big block modified race of the season in the state of New York took place on Saturday at the Canandaigua Motorsports Park. After the dust had settled it was Gary Tomkins, of Clifton Springs, NY, that found himself in victory lane. The "Land of Legends" special event, titled the Jan Corcoran Memorial, was a 64 lap event that would pay $6,400 to the winner. Tomkins took command of the race on lap 20 and never looked back en route to the impressive victory.

Races to keep an eye on this weekend:

• Lucas Oil Late Models at Hagerstown and Roaring Knob
• USAC Sprints at Gas City and Tri-State (Haubstadt)
• WoO Sprints at Salina Highbanks and I-55.
• WoO Late Models at Farmer City Raceway
• Super DIRTcar Series at Fulton Speedway (NY)
• ASCoC Sprints at Williams Grove and Port Royal
• ASCS National at Outlaw Motorsports Park & Riverside Intl. Speedway

Previous TDN 'Driver of the Week' Winners:

Week 6 (4/7-4/13): Jonathan Davenport

Week 5 (3/31-4/6): Dale Blaney

Week 4 (3/24-3/30): David Gravel

Week 3 (3/17-3/23): Kyle Strickler

Week 2 (3/10-3/16): Rico Abreu

Week 1 (3/3-3/9): Chris Madden

Holtgraver Completes Western PA Sprint Car Sweep and Picks up $4,000 at Mercer Raceway Park

Coming into last night the last five times that Danny Holtgraver had raced at Mercer Raceway Park he found victory lane. Last night was no different as the driver of the 10H Hunter Racing sprint car made it six for six, leading wire to wire to pickup $4,000 in the Bonnell’s Rod Shop special event.

“This is a fun place to race around at,” Hoitgraver said. “I have a lot of laps here and it really suits my driving style.”

Holtgraver in Victory Lane

Jack Sodeman, Jr and Holtgraver brought the field to green, but as they took off Rod George around mid pack didn’t get a good start and it stacked up the field. This caused Adam Kekich to flip. Arnie Kent and Jac Haudsenchild piled up into Kekich's car after it had landed on its lid. Everyone was ok from the wreck, but Kekich, Kent and George were done for the night. Haudenschild’s crew made repairs to his car and he was able to continue.

Safety Crews respond to the opening lap incident involving Kekich and Kent.

The cars got pushed off and lined up again, but once they went back to green John McCracken, Jr flipped in turn three and collected Scott Priester. Brandon Matus and CJ Jones both spun to avoid the wreck and neither car was damaged. McCracken and Priester were ok, but finished for the night.

The third time was the charm as the field took the green and raced off into turn one it was Holtgraver who got the advantage from Sodeman and shot out into the lead. Sodeman would stay within a few car lengths the first five laps of the race but as Holtgraver got into the early part of lapped traffic he would pull away while Sheldon Haudenschild challenged Sodeman for second.

Holtgraver was able to stretch his lead as far as a straightaway over the field in the mid stages of the 30 lap race. Haudenschild continued to hound Sodeman for second until a mechanical issue in the late stages of the race that forced him to go to the infield.

Sodeman would start to catch Holtgraver late, but it wasn't enough as Holtgraver was able to cross the checkered flag about five carlenghts ahead of the 23jr sprinter.

“I think lapped traffic had a lot to do with me reel him back in,” the runner up Sodeman said. “I’m not sure what I could have done with him if I would’ve got close to him. He’s so good on the bottom here and it would've taken a really good run around the top to pass him.”

Jared Zimbardi finished third, followed by Lee Jacobs, who made a late race charge to fourth from his 10^th starting spot and Carl Bowser after a second the previous night at Lernerville finished out the top five.

The races were delayed by a leak in turn three that caused a large puddle to build up there and a power failure that caused the lights in turns three and four to go out. The track crew was undeterred and was able to make the necessary repairs to get the races back going. This was something that Sodeman and Holtgraver were both appreciative of.

“You can’t say enough about Bill (Altman) and Frank (Benic),” Sodeman said. “I've never seen them not work on the track when it gets bad. They worked their tails off tonight when the easy thing to do would've been to reschedule this thing and be done with it. They persevered and came through it.”

Jacobs, Zimbardi and Holtgraver won the heat races and Brandon Matus won the B-Main.

For Holtgraver it was a weekend sweep of western Pennsylvania sprint car races as he was victorious at Lernerville the night before. He will look to carry the strong results into next weekend’s All-Stars at Williams Grove and Port Royal.

“We got us some momentum for us going now I think,” Holtgraver said. “We figured out some stuff this weekend. It was nice to come and race local this week.”

In the 358 modified portion of the event it was Frank Guidace who found victory lane. He was followed by the 28h of Jimmy Holden and last week’s winner Kyle Fink.

Andy Fiel bested a field of 24 305 sprint cars to score a $1,000 victory over 410 regulars Brandon Matus and Adam Kekich.

Tyler Fulton picked up the win in the mini stocks and Rusty Moore won  in the stock car class.

       

               Bonnell's Rod Shop $4,000 Sprint Car Special Results

              1.  (2) 10H Danny Holtgraver, Pittsburgh, PA

              2. (1) 23JR Jack Sodeman, Jr, North Jackson, OH                               

              3. (6) 35 Jared Zimbardi, Little Valley,

                                       4. (10) 81 Lee Jacobs, Dalton, OH

                                        5.  (3) 10 Carl Bowser, Sarver, PA

                                        6.  (6) 49 Cole Duncan, Lockbourne, OH

                                        7.  (14) 45 Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA

                                         8. (12) 7 Eric Williams, Greenville, PA

                                          9. (16) 33 Brent Matus, Wampum, PA

                                      10. (19) 13 Brandon Matus, Wampum, PA

                                      11.  (17) 9W Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, OH

                   12. (21) 22 Brandon Spithaler, Evans City, PA

                                      13. (7) 67 Steve Collins, Belfast, NY

                                      14. (24) 56 Ralph Spithaler, Evans City, PA

                                      15. (18) 25 Jimmy Seger, Morrisdale, PA

                                      16. (8) 49H Todd Hoddick, Buffalo, NY

                                      17.  (4) 93 Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH

                                      18. (23) 10J CJ Jones, Cortland, OH

                                      19. (15) 38 Dennis Wagner, Pulaski, PA

.                                     20. (9) 8 Rod George, Kittanning, PA

                                        21. (11) 5K Adam Kekich, Hermitage, PA

                                        22. (13) 18 Arnie Kent, New Castle, PA

                                        23.  (20) 15 Scott Priester, Rimersburg, PA

.                                      24.  (22) 79 John McCracken, Jr, New Castle, PA

                  Lap Leaders: Holtgraver (1-30)

                  Heat Winners: Jacobs, Zimbardi, Holtgraver

                  B-Main Winner: Brandon Matus

Lernerville Week 1; Young outduels McPherson; Holtgraver Cruises to Victory Lane

Familiar faces graced victory lane at Lernerville Friday night. One was a little less familiar than the others though...


In one of the better battles for the win out of the fab four features, veteran sportsman driver Terry Young went head to head with defending two time track champion Cory McPherson in a spirited duel to collect his first win since 2012.

Brian Swartzlander got the year started off on the right foot by exercising the touch on the gas pedal with precision. While Danny Holtgraver and Russ King dropped by for the season opener, both taking care of business in their respective divisions.

SPRINTS:

The evening opened up with some questions for the sprints Friday night. What surprise invaders might drop by? How would sportsman sensation AJ Flick fare in his sprint debut?

21 sprints, led by Lernerville regulars Brandon Spithaler, Eric Williams, Carl Bowser, Brandon Matus and Jack Sodeman Jr were joined by the more travelled Holtgraver and Sheldon Haudenschield.

AJ Flick's night ended abrubtly early on in the evening in the heats when he got tangled in turn two and rolled the car a few times beyond the cushion. Flick was un injured as Sodeman Jr and Logan Wagner took home heat wins.

As the field took the green for the feature, Holtgraver made his charge while Carl Bowser took the early lead on lap 6 from Cory Good. And for a brief moment it looked as if Bowser would be able to put space between himself and the pack with lapped traffic coming into play, but Holtgraver chased him through cleanly en route to a pass for the lead on lap 12 and proceeded to check out for his first win of the season.


Meanwhile in the middle of the pack, Brandon Matus scratched and clawed his way past Sodeman Jr, Haudenschield and Mike Lutz to pick up a hard earned top 5 finish.  Joining Holtgraver and Bowser on the podium Wagner who ran strong all night. Wagner, who's competing in his first season in 410 sprints following some successes in Central PA 360 sprint racing, looked comfortable from the get go and might prove to be some surprise formidable competition at Williams Grove, Port Royal and Lincoln speedway's later on this season.



1. (10H) Danny Holtgraver
2. (10) Carl Bowser
3. (RG3) Logan Wagner
4. (40X) Cory Good
5. (13) Brandon Matus
6. (35z) Jared Zimbardi
7. (5M) Mike Lutz, Wampum
8. (93) Sheldon Haudenschild
9. (23Jr) Jack Sodeman Jr
10. (33) Brent Matus

LATE MODELS:

 

Well, what can we say, it was a physical contest. Russ King and Mike Pegher Jr waged a battle that saw them swap the lead back and forth mid race. To say contact between the two was made would be an understatement but when the dust settled, King found himself in the lead for good.

Pegher Jr actually fell to third, but on the last lap found a way past Jared Miley at the line to finish a strong 2nd place showing. Longtime driver Kenny Schaltenbrand broke out a new piece and much to his chagrin managed to loop it a few times, sometimes during cautions just for good measure. But Schaltenbrand managed to get better as the night went on to take home a surprising top 10 finish charging from the back of the field.

2013 Champion Alex Ferree managed to sneak into the top 5 from deeper in the field while Gary Lyle picked up where he left off from a few years ago with a more than competitive top 10 finish.

Doug Eck and Todd Bachmann added to the physical side of the affair during a mid race tangle on the front straightaway that lead that made for some dented sheet metal and some one some unique salutations between the two drivers. 

1. (56K) Russell King

2. (1C) Mike Pegher Jr
3. (H1) Jared Miley
4. (10) Alex Ferree
5. (J4) John Garvin Jr
6. (72) Michael Norris
7. (29) Ken Schaltenbrand
8. (91) Tommy Beck
9. (111) Brian Swartzlander
10. (10L) Gary Lyle

MODIFIEDS:

Mat Williamson had earlier announced that he'd intended to run Lernerville as his weekly Friday home track again in 2014. What wasn't announced, and almost never is, was that a special guest from the Niagara frontier would be invading the modified action Friday night.

Ransomville regular Eric Rudolph made the haul for opening night and shared the podium with Williamson. They both provided strong competition, but chasing down legend Brian Swartzlander from a front row starting spot at Lernerville takes a combination of luck and a strong car. And while both Rudolph and Williamson did their best to track and follow the #83, they both came up short as Swartzlander maneuvered thorough lapped traffic, some which didn't behave the way that Swartzlander completely appreciated. to keep his pursuers at bay.  Williamson had managed to whittle away Swartzlander's 4 second lead to just over a half second by the final lap but could get no closer as Swartzlander earned his ironic 83rd career victory at Lernerville

In other notable action, Jeremiah Shingledecker charged from the back of the pack, due to an earlier engine issue, to take home a top 10 finish. Shingledecker had to retire early from his heat to make adjustments.

Brad Rapp and Williamson took home relatively quiet heat wins earlier in the night.

1. (83) Brian Swartzlander

2. (6M) Mat Williamson

3. (25) Eric Rudolph

4. (65) Rex King Sr
5. (61) Dave Murdick
6. (11R) Brad Rapp
7. (165) Rex King Jr
8. (37MD) Jeremiah Shingledecker
9. (96) Mike Turner
10. (45) Steve Feder

SPORTSMEN:

If you love side by side racing for multiple laps and you didn't stay for the show ending sportsman stocks, then shame on you because you missed a great one.

Corey McPherson and Terry Young got to the front of the field early on in the action and engaged in duel to the finish, watched closely by the ever improving Mark Sanders who saw the activity from the third spot. At the mid race point, McPherson appeared to make the pass for the lead which involved some contact with Young. However, a caution flag on the lap gave Young the lead back and the contact appeared to awaken him. Young drove the rest of the race like a man possessed, slamming the door on McPherson whenever he could be seen, heard and felt in pursuit. The three drivers had to withstand multiple caution flags and subsequent restarts but when the checkered flag fell, it was young who Young who took home the victory.

1. (28Y) Terry Young

2. (C33) Corey McPherson
3. (32) Mark Sanders
4. (20J) Jim Fosnaught
5. (64) Rob Shook
6. (30) Bob Egley
7. (948) Joe Zambotti
8. (25) Brett McDonald
9. (17R) Stan Riggle
10. (21) Jeff Miller

For Full Results from the Lernerville Main Page Click here:

Lernerville Results 4/18/14

For Eric Westendorf's always well done press release of the night's action Click here:

http://lernerville.com/roktabsedit/801-opening-night-2014-race-report-4-18

Lernerville Opens Gates on 2014 Season

From Contributor Kristin Swartzlander


Lernerville Speedway Gearing Up to Go Green on the 2014 Season



At a Glance:


After a long winter, Western Pennsylvania race fans will finally be able to get their racing fix on Friday nights with the opening of Lernerville Speedway tomorrow, April 18th. Gates open at 5:00 and racing will start at 7:30pm. Local recording artist Justin Fabus will be on hand to sing the national anthem.



Opening night will feature the weekly Fab Four divisions, including the Peoples TWP 410 Sprints, Precise Racing Products Late Models, Diehl Auto Group Big Block Modifieds and Millerstown Pic-A-Part Sportsman, with Budweiser Points beginning as well. 



Fans can follow along with live lap time reporting this year via the Race Monitor app for both iPhone and Android phones. Although some races can be viewed for free, it’s in the race fan’s best interest to sign up for a monthly or annual subscription at $4.99/year or $.99/month to view all live races on the network.

Preview: 

In the sprint car division, defending track champion Brandon Spithaler will be competing against a number of local and regional drivers traveling to the area for the $4,000-to-win sprint car show at Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday night. Drivers anticipated to be on hand include 2013 runner-up Brandon Matus, 2011 Track Champion Carl Bowser, 2010 Track Champion Danny Holtgraver, and the always competitive teams of Jack Sodeman, Jr., Sheldon Haudenschild, and Eric Williams. 

Alex Ferree will look to defend his title in the late model division over John Garvin, Jr. and Jared Miley. Miley is coming off of a strong performance at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway last week, where he picked up his 25th career victory at the track. Brian Swartzlander made major improvements in the division in 2013, earning a fourth place spot in the points, and Mike Pegher, Jr. will be one to watch as well in the always-competitive Lynn Geisler #1 Cochran entry.

In the big block modifieds, defending track champion Mat Williamson is expected to go head-to-head again with seven-time champion Swartzlander. The Canadian driver made Lernerville his home for the first time in 2013 and is anticipated back in 2014. Veterans Jeremiah Shingledecker and Dave Murdick will give Williamson and Swartzlander a run for their money, but don’t count younger drivers like Brad Rapp and Steve Feder out as we continue to see improvements from both teams.




With the most competitive points battle of 2013, expect the sportsman division to be as exciting as ever. Defending track champion Corey McPherson won’t have runner-up AJ Flick to worry about as he has moved up to the 410 Sprint division, but competition will be stiff as long as veterans Joe Kelley, Mike Miller and Jim Fosnaught are around. Expect to see Brett McDonald in the mix this year as well, along with a number of other competitive teams.