Flick Holds Off Lynch For Sixth Win Of 2018 At Lernerville
Story By: GARY HEEMAN / LERNERVILLE SPEEDWAY – SARVER, PA – The inaugural Sprint Car Spectacular took to the clay at The Action Track on Friday night with warm temperatures and sunny skies, and over 100 cars in the pits as the postseason slate of events got underway. Fans were treated some thrilling feature finishes on a very racy surface and a very rare visit from the 270cc Micro Sprints which capped off another entertaining Friday night of action.
AJ Flick showed no signs of slowing down after having clinched his third track championship in four seasons on Friday night. The newly crowned champion managed to draw the pole for the 25 lap Peoples Natural Gas DIRTcar Sprint main event, and early on, looked virtually unbeatable as he stretched out a straightaway advantage over the field in the first four laps. Behind him, George Hobaugh, Brandon Matus, and Dan Shetler jockeyed for positions two through four in the early going, with Shetler emerging from the three pack in second place following his pass of Hobaugh on lap five. Meanwhile, Sye Lynch began moving forward with authority from his ninth starting spot, and used a pair of restarts and some extra speed he’d found in the second half of the race to track and pass Shetler for second place with 18 laps down.
Lynch erased Flick’s lead with each subsequent lap down the stretch, drawing very close to Flick’s tail tank, but was unable to wrest the top spot away from Flick as he wound up just a fraction of a second behind him as the checkered flag waved. For Flick, it was the sixth appearance in Terry Bowser Victory Lane in 2018 and the win locked up a provisional for the upcoming Commonwealth Clash for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars.
In Allegheny Sprint Car Tour action, Chad Hill made a statement in keeping the field on hand behind him in the 20 lap main event. Hill started on the pole and led the first six laps as Jonathan Jones managed to make his way around him briefly. Hill kept Jones in his sights and took the lead back just two laps later and was smooth in lapped traffic the rest of the way en route to a very popular win that saw a jubilant Hill in victory lane afterwards.
Garrett Krummert’s successful first season in the RUSH Sportsman Modifieds kept on rolling to another level on Friday night. Krummert took the lead from Tony Tatgenhorst following a lap seven caution while the red hot Chas Wolbert began to move forward at a blistering pace from his 12th starting spot. Wolbert made his way past Tatgenhorst for the second spot just past the halfway point and started running down Krummert when the caution flag waved with eight laps to go. Krummert and Wolbert would then battle the rest of the way as Wolbert drew to the leader’s bumper several times over the remaining laps, but Krummert had the answers for every charge Wolbert threw as Krummert crossed the finish line first at the end of twenty laps for the victory, his first at Lernerville since 2015.
In the RUSH Sprint main event, Zach Morrow looked to have the field under his complete control early on as he set a torrid pace with the lead while Scott Hawkins and Chad Ruhlman battled for the second spot. Following a red flag for Brian Woodhall who tagged the front stretch wall hard on lap five, Ruhlman saw the opportunity to take the lead and did so following the ensuing restart while Shawn Smith and Gale Ruth Jr. battled for the third spot.
Meanwhile, Ruhlman would have to survive a lap 11 restart and then hold off Morrow who would not let Ruhlman out of his sights while throwing the kitchen sink at the leader, desperately searching for a way around him as the laps wound down. Morrow would make one last ditch effort to come up with the win as his attempted turn four slide job on the final lap would come up just short as Ruhlman enjoyed his second feature win at Lernervillle in 2018.
A field of 26 Micro Sprints were on hand on Friday night and when the dust settled, fourth starting Austin Pasquerelle found himself in victory lane at the end of a very stout performance that saw him keep the field behind him after making the pass for the lead on lap four.
Peoples Natural Gas DIRTcar Sprint Main Event (25 Laps)
1. (2) AJ Flick
2. (2L) Sye Lynch
3. (7K) Dan Shetler
4. (13) Brandon Matus
5. (23J) Jack Sodeman Jr.
6. (08) Dan Kuriger
7. (33) Brent Matus
8. (40) George Hobaugh
9. (27K) Jeremy Kornbau
10. (4N) Jimmy Morris
11. (41) Vinny Dougherty
12. (44L) Pete Landram
13. (38) Leyton Wagner
14. (1R) Gale Ruth Sr.
15. (4K) Bill Kiley
16. (G1) Mike Miller
17. (55) Gary Kriess Jr.
18. (51) John Garvin Jr.
19. (91) Sadie Siegel
20. (76) Davey Jones
Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 RaceSaver Sprint Main Event (20 Laps)
1. (21) Chad Hill
2. (12J) Jonathan Jones
3. (4J) Jacob Gomola
4. (88) Greg Dobrosky
5. (17K) Steve Kenawell Jr.
6. (79W) Will Fleming
7. (34) Glenn Noland
8. (22) George Frederick
9. (12H) Eric Husick
10. (29B) Robbie Bartchy
11. (2) Erin Statler
12. (X7) Andy Cavanaugh
13. (37) Pete Landram
14. (27) Vinny Dougherty
15. (28) Brian Wright- Did Not Start
RUSH Sportsman Modified Main Event (20 Laps)
1. (10S) Garrett Krummert
2. (C3) Chas Wolbert
3. (63T) Tony Tatgenhorst
4. (8) Kyle Martell
5. (83) Rocky Kugel
6. (17) Brandon Ritchey
7. (5) Brian Sadler
8. (9D) Josh Deems
9. (2) Kyle Holden
10. (11J) David Kalb Jr.
11. (29) Steve Slater
12. (35W) Jeremy Weaver
13. (41) Brian Shaffer
14. (132) Brandon Michaud
15. (JD57) Jordan Ehernberg
16. (22) Kevin Long
17. (63) Jessica Kriegisch
18. (33G) Todd Gabriel
19. (048) Jason Hufnagel
20. (4S) Amelia Clay
21. (29S) Dain Gallagher
22. (A51) Lexi Couch
RUSH Sprint Car Main Event (20 Laps)
1. (87R) Chad Ruhlman
2. (27) Zach Morrow
3. (1C) Gale Ruth Jr.
4. (36) Shawn Smith
5. (18) Arnie Kent
6. (19) Brad Blackshear
7. (27H) Brandon Hawkins
8. (9J) Joe McEwen
9. (21) Steve Pedley
10. (56) Steve Cousins
11. (72B) Jim Kurpakus
12. (37) Scott Hawkins
13. (49) Brian Ruhlman
14. (35T) Phillip Thornton
15. (8B) Brian Woodhall
16. (27D) Dave Hawkins- Did Not Start
270cc Micro Sprint Main Event (15 Laps)
1. (11Z) Austin Pasquerelle
2. (15) Sean McAndrew
3. (12) Todd Reusser
4. (133) Brian Borawiec Jr.
5. (64) Levi Peck
6. (17X) Noah Wirginis
7. (3) Ryan Beatty
8. (11) Brandon Fredericks
9. (22) Ryan Fredericks
10. (31C) Chase Metheney
11. (61) Jeff Haefke Jr.
12. (10L) Wesley Libert
13. (27) David Hawkins
14. (25D) CJ Davis
15. (2) Chris Kennedy
16. (3H) J.T. Horwat
17. (27C) Lonnie McConahy
18. (4J) Johnny Walker
19. (37) Scott Hawkins
20. (33) Tanner Price
21. (14E) Allyn Cavoto III
22. (iL) Ivan Johnson
23. (1JR) Ricky Tucker Jr.
24. (21) Dustin Young
25. (8H) Jacob Isenhart
26. (47J) Brett Brunkenhoefer
Peoples Natural Gas DIRTcar Sprint Heat 1
1. (55) Gary Kriess
2. (40) George Hobaugh
3. (51) John Garvin Jr.
4. (23J) Jack Sodeman Jr.
5. (27K) Jeremy Kornbau
6. (4K) Bill Kiley
7. (154) Shamus O’Donnell
8. (C1) Clay Riney
Peoples Natural Gas DIRTcar Sprint Heat 2
1. (13) Brandon Matus
2. (08) Dan Kuriger
3. (7K) Dan Shetler
4. (33) Brent Matus
5. (41) Vinny Dougherty
6. (G1) Mike Miller
7. (38) Leyton Wagner
8. (76) Davey Jones
Peoples Natural Gas DIRTcar Sprint Heat 3
1. (2L) Sye Lynch
2. (2) A.J. Flick
3. (4N) Jimmy Morris
4. (91) Sadie Siegel
5. (44L) Pete Landram
6. (1R) Gale Ruth Sr.
7. (23C) Jerry Hairhoger
8. (24) Jeremy Hill
Peoples Natural Gas DIRTcar Sprint BMain- 8 Laps
1. (G1) Mike Miller
2. (4K) Bill Kiley
3. (1R) Gale Ruth Sr.
4. (76) Davey Jones
5. (38) Leyton Wagner
6. (154) Shamus O’Donnell
7. (23C) Jerry Hairhoger
8. (24) Jeremy Hill
Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 Sprint Heat 1
1. (29B) Robbie Bartchy
2. (12H) Eric Husick
3. (88) Greg Dobrosky
4. (34) Glenn Noland
5. (X7) Andy Cavanaugh
6. (2) Erin Statler
7. (37) Pete Landram
8. (79W) Will Fleming
Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 Sprint Heat 2
1. (27) Vinny Dougherty
2. (12J) Jonathan Jones
3. (21) Chad Hill
4. (4J) Jacob Gomola
5. (22) George Frederick
6. (28) Brian Wright
7. (17K) Steve Kenawell Jr.
RUSH Sportsman Modified Heat 1
1. (63T) Tony Tatgenhorst
2. (5) Braian Sadler
3. (8) Kyle Martell
4. (29S) Darin Gallagher
5. (29) Steve Slater
6. (83) Rocky Kugel
7. (JD57) Jordan Ehrenberg
8. (11J) David Kalb Jr.
9. (132) Brandon Michaud
10. (22) Kevin Long
11. (AS1) Lexi Couch
RUSH Sportsman Modified Heat 2
1. (9D) Josh Deems
2. (C3) Chas Wolbert
3. (10S) Garrett Krummert
4. (41) Brian Schaffer
5. (35W) Jeremy Weaver
6. (2) Kole Holden
7. (17) Brandon Ritchey
8. (63) Jessica Kriegisch
9. (4S) Amelia Clay
10. (33G) Todd Gabriel
11. (048) Jason Hufnagel
RUSH Sprint Car Heat 1
1. (56) Steve Cousins
2. (9J) Joe McEwen
3. (36) Shawn Smith
4. (87R) Chad Ruhlman
5. (35T) Phillip Thornton
6. (27H) Brandon Hawkins
7. (21) Steve Pedley
8. (18) Arnie Kent
RUSH Sprint Car Heat 2
1. (1C) Gale Ruth Jr.
2. (49) Brian Ruhlman
3. (27) Zach Morrow
4. (37) Scott Hawkins
5. (19) Brad Blackshear
6. (27D) Dave Hawkins
7. (8B) Brian Woodhall
8. (72B) Jim Kurpakis
270cc Micro Sprint Heat 1
1. (15) Sean McAndrew
2. (133) Brian Borawiec Jr.
3. (64) Levi Peck
4. (3) Ryan Beatty
5. (25D) CJ Davis
6. (2) Chris Kennedy
7. (27C) Lonnie McConahy
8. (37) Scott Hawkins
9. (47J) Brett Brunkenhoefer
270cc Micro Sprint Heat 2
1. (12) Todd Reusser
2. (11) Brandon Freericks
3. (17X) Noah Wirginis
4. (22R) Ryan Ferdericks
5. (33) Tanner Price
6. (14E) Allyn Cavoto III
7. (1L) Ivan Johnson
8. (21) Dustin Young
9. (1JR) Ricky Tucker Jr. – Did Not Start
270cc Micro Sprint Heat 3
1. (11Z) Austin Pasquerelle
2. (31C) Chase Metheney
3. (3H) Jim Horwat
4. (61) Jeff Haefke Jr.
5. (27) David Hawkins
6. (4J) Johnny Walker
7. (8H) Jacob Isenhart
8. (10L) Wesley Libert
Peoples Natural Gas DIRTcar Sprints: 24
Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 RaceSaver Sprints: 15
RUSH Sportsman Modifieds: 22
RUSH Sprint Cars: 16
270 cc Micro Sprints: 26
Total Car Count: 103
