Sr. Holds Off Jr. In Battle Of The ‘King’ Family Friday Night At Lernerville Speedway

Story By: GARY HEEMAN / LERNERVILLE SPEEDWAY – SARVER, PA – Another wild race night, typical of the 2020 season to this point went in the books on Friday night as the story lines thickened in the Fab4 weekly racing divisions.

Meanwhile, a convoy was forming behind the scenes as some fantastic looking Trucks from the area were polished to perfection as the annual Big Rig Night saw a very healthy turnout indeed.
On the track, it was business as usual as fans were treated to a little of everything from bizarre and dramatic features, photo finishes, a dominating performance and a family affair at the front of the field.

The red hot AJ Flick won his second consecutive Peoples Natural Gas Sprint car main event, coming from the ninth starting spot in the process. Flick wasted little time in getting to the front of the field, and around the solid running car of George Hobaugh. And after pegging a restart with 14 laps in the books. Flick put to bed any questions on who had the fastest car in the field as he weaved though lapped traffic with ease and put the field behind him for good, facing no serious challenge along the way en route to the victory.

Jared Miley had yet to taste victory lane at Lernerville in 2020 before the night began in the Precise Racing Products Late Models. And a fast running Russ King, racing in a second car provided by Colton Flinner Racing, almost kept it that way. King bolted out to the early lead and held off stiff challenges from Will Thomas and Miley and a hard charging Mike Pegher Jr. Behind them, Colton Flinner advanced to the fourth spot until he jumped the cushion in turn four and looked to be a strong candidate for the win until misfortune struck. Meanwhile, Pegher Jr. made his way to the second position and overtook King for the lead coming out of turn two with 10 laps to go. However, Pegher’s night went sour just a few seconds later when he and King made contact on a King slidejob bid to retake the lead. During the ensuing yellow flag period, Pegher made contact with King’s car and was disqaualified from the race. The stage was set for a 10 lap showdown with King and Miley and after the green flag waved, Miley wasted no time in taking the lead and kept the field behind him the rest of the way with King and first time Lernerville racer Drake Troutman rounding out the podium.

It took Garrett Krummert just three laps to establish himself as the leader of the race in the Diehl Automotive Big Blcok Modified Main Event. Krummert brought the points lead with him into the night of racing and early on, it looked as if his car was in a completely different zip code in therms of speed. However, when the track changed later on in the 25 lap main event, Rex King Sr. and Rex King Jr knew exactly what to do and where to go as the two drivers made for the top of the speedway and battled lap after lap with Jr. catching Sr. just a little more every lap. Behind them, title contender John Mollick had been moving forward with authority, dispatching of 8 time track champion Brian Swartzlander for the fourth position during the middle section. King SR was able to keep his son behind him. Mollick would make his way up to third but could get no closer to the duo out front as King Sr edged King Jr. at the line for his first Lernerville win of 2020.

Mike Miller started on the front row in the Millerstown Pic-A-Part Pro Stock feature and early on looked to have the 20 lap main event under control having won the top spot in the running order from Corey McPherson in the early going. Miller would slip over the banking, dashing any chance for victory, but behind him, Joey Zambotti and Tyler Dietz would put on a close racing clinic as Zambotti established himself as the new leader until Dietz got his way around him forth lead with six laps to go. However, all was not salted away. Zambotti refused to go away and kept creeping closer and closer to Dietz’s bumper until he drew wheel to wheel with the defending track champion during the final two laps as he edged Dietz at the line for his second win at The Action Track in 2020.

Fab4 Racing Revved up with Marburger Farm Dairy returns to The Action Track next Friday night with gates opening at 5:30 and racing at 7:30

Peoples Natural GasDIRTcar 410 Sprint Feature: (25 Laps)

(2) AJ Flick
(40) George Hobaugh
(23Jr) Jack Sodeman Jr.
(11) Carl Bowser
(C1) Clay Riney
(7K) Dan Shetler
(22) Brandon Spithaler
(42) Sye Lynch
(13) Brandon Matus
(33) Brent Matus
(J4) John Garvin Jr.
(55) Gary Kreiss Jr.
(46) Michael Bauer
(38) Leyton Wagner
(08) Dan Kuriger
(19) Steve Haefke
(76) Davey Jones
(36) John Trenca
(14H) Jeremy Hill
(27) Zach Morrow

Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models Feature: (25 Laps)

(10M) Jared Miley
(48R) Russ King
(*7) Drake Troutman
(81) Mike Miller
(77) Tyler Dietz
(15*) Kelvin Kohan
(9) Clayton Kennedy
(11) Joshua Powell
(9Y) Levi Yetter
(01H) Ron Hall
(14R) Clay Ruffo
(91) Tommy Beck
(48) Colton Flinner
(9T) Will Thomas
(12) John Myers
(29) Ken Schaltenbrand
(92) Jayme Beck
(10) Gary Lyle- Did Not Start
(72) Michael Norris- Did Not Start
(28C) Clate Copeman- Did Not Start
(1C) Mike Pegher- Disqualified

Diehl Automotive DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modified Feature: (25 Laps)

(65) Rex King Sr.
(165) Rex King Jr.
(4J) John Mollick
(83) Brian Swartzlander
(29) Garrett Krummert
(61) Dave Murdick
(18) Colton Walters
(45) Steve Feder
(13) Rick Regalski
(18G) Eric Gabany
(32R) Chris Rudolph
(83T) Tom Glenn
(88) Shawn Fleeger
(5) Brian Sadler
(35) Steve Slater
(22) Kevin Long
(25L) Jordan Little
(37MD) Jeremiah Shingledecker
(96) Mike Turner- Did Not Start

Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Pro Stocks Feature: (20 Laps)
1. (948) Joey Zambotti
2. (27) Tyler Dietz
3. (C33) Corey McPherson
4. (22JR) Chase Lambert
5. (26) Mike Bordt
6. (35b) John Hartman
7. (25) Brett McDonald
8. (19M) Ryan Maglione
9. (5) Gary Churchfield
10. (81) Mike Miller
11. (21) Jeff Miller
12. (4*) Douglas Eck
13. (4) Brett Hutira
14. (99T) Teddy Baumgartner

Amick Associates Heat 1 for Peoples Natural Gas Sprint Cars:

(40) George Hobaugh
(23jr) Jack Sodeman Jr.
(42) Sye Lynch
(46) Michael Bauer
(38) Leyton Wagner
(27) Zach Morrow
(87) Jim Perricone
(21J) Jeffery Neubert
(4K) Kip Edwards

Glassmere Fuel Service Heat 2 for Peoples Natural Gas Sprint Cars:

(55) Gary Kriess Jr.
(08) Dan Kuriger
(13) Brandon Matus
(33) Brent Matus
(19) Steve Haefke
(1LEFT) Ivan Johnson
(31C) Chase Metheney
(22) Brandon Spithaler
(76) Davey Jones

Ferguson Heating and Air Conditioning heat 3 for the Peoples Natural Gas Sprint Cars
1. (4J) John Garvin Jr.
2. (C1) Clay Riney
3. (2) AJ Flick
4. (11) Carl Bowser
5. (7K) Dan Shetler
6. (36) John Trenca
7. (14H) Heremy Hill
8. (16) Jimmy Morris
9. (3) Ryan Beatty

BMain for the Peoples Natural Gas Sprints- Top 5 to Main Event
1. (22) Brandon Spithaler
2. (27) Zach Morrow
3. (36) John Trenca
4. (76) Davey Jones
5. (14H) Jeremy Hill
6. (87) Jim Perricone
7. (4K) Kip Edwards
8. (31C) Chase Metheney
9. (21J) Jeffrey Hubert
10. (16) Jimmy Morris
11. (3) Ryan Beatty
12. (1LEFT) Ivan Johnson

GetPhil.com Late Model Heat 1 for the Precise Racing Late Models

(1C) Mike Pegher Jr.
(48R) Russ King
(10M) Jared Miley
(*7) Drake Troutman
(81) Mike Miller
(9) Clayton Kennedy
(81) Mike Miller
(11) Joshua Powell
(10) Gary Lyle

American Steel Procesing Heat 2 for Precise Late Models:

(48) Colton Flinner
(9T) Will Thomas
(15*) Kelvin Kohan
(77) Tyler Dietz
(29) Ken Schaltenbrand
(91) Tommy Beck
(92) Jayme Beck
(12) John Myers
(9Y) Levi Yetter
(01) Ron Hall- Did Not Start

McCutcheon Enterprises Heat 1 for Diehl Modifieds:

(165) Rex King Jr.
(4J) John Mollick
(45) Steve Feder
(35) Steve Slater
(18G) Eric Gabany
(32R) Chri Rudolph
(22) Kevin Long
(88) Shawn Fleeger
(25L) Jordan Little
(18W) Colton Walters

Thermo Twin Windows Heat 2 for Diehl Modifieds:

(29) Garrett Krummert
(65) Rex King Sr.
(37MD) Jeremiah Shingledecker
(13) Rick Regalski
(61) Dave Murdick
(83) Brian Swartzlander
(83T) Tom Glenn
(96)Mike Turner
(5) Brian Sadler

Steighner Crane Services Heat 3 for Diehl Modifieds
1. (61) Dave Murdick
2. (45) Steve Feder
3. (165) Rex King Sr.
4. (35) Steve Slater
5. (3K) Shawn Kozar
6. (5) Brian Sadler
7. (27R) Dave Reges

Thoma Meat Market Heat 1 for Pic-A-Part Pro Stocks:

(27) Tyler Dietz
(4*) Douglas Eck
(22JR) Chase Dietz
(21) Jeff Miller
(5) Gary Churchfield
(4) Brett Hutira
(35b) John Hartman- Did Not Start

Hovis Auto and Truck Supply Heat 2 for Pic-A-Part Pro Stocks:
1. (81) Mike Miller
2. (C33) Corey McPherson
3. (948) Joey Zambotti
4. (26) Mike Bordt
5. (19M) Ryan Maglione
6. (25) Brett McDonald
7. (99T) Teddy Baumgartner

Car Count Total: 81
Peoples Natural Gas Sprints: 27
Precise Late Models: 21
Diehl Modifieds: 19
Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar/RUSH Pro Stocks: 14