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Press Release Lernerville Speedway –
August 1, 2003:
Bolland Wins His Third 20-lap Ferrante Motor
Cars Modified Feature
It was a "sizzling" action packed night at Lernerville
Speedway as Bob Wearing Jr. of Renfrew captured the 30-lap Friedman's
Supermarkets/Bi-Lo Foods Summer "Sizzler" after an unusual
"twist" of fate. Overcoming a long dry spell since August
of 2000, Kevin Schaeffer "poured it on" to become the
big winner of the 20-lap St. Barnabas Health System Sprint feature.
New Brighton's Kevin Bolland checkered his third 20-lap Ferrante
Motor Cars Modified main. Scott Bockek's fifth 15-lap Dingbat
Restaurants Pure Stock win brings him within one of tying the
All-time Pure Stock Win Record set by Bruce Milbert in 1997. It
was Friedmans Supermarkets/Bi-Lo Foods Night and the Valvoline
Cup Challenge.
Bob Wearing Jr garnered the 30-lap Friedmans Supermarkets/Bi-Lo
Foods Summer Sizzler collecting $3,000 in a stellar field of 31-cars.From
the pole position, John Flinner was in charge at the start of
the race while Wearing Jr had drawn an eighth place berth.
Several caution events occurred but each time Flinner burned the
competition on the restart. By lap four, Wearing Jr was in third
behind Kenny Schaltenbrand. On lap 10 Wearing Jr passed Schaltenbrand
for the second position and set out to reel in Flinner. Lapped
traffic became a factor and the race tightened considerably by
circuit 17. With Wearing Jr hugging the inside line and Flinner
"pushing the cushion" the race had the fans on the edge
of their seat as the twosome went "dancing" around the
track. On lap 22, Flinner looked like he had the money banked
when his luck "soured" as the lapped car of Tom Tuite
spun 180 degrees in front of the flagman. Soaring down the front
chute, point leader Flinner, who was directly behind Tuite, had
no where to go and was collected in the accident and had to be
towed to the pits. The "luck of the Irish" was
with Wearing Jr 's Kelley Chevrolet #11 as he made a hard left
and escaped the incident by a foot to inherit the lead. On the
restart, Ken Schaltenbrand was directly behind and emerging from
a 14th place berth, Alex Ferree was now in third. On the white
flag lap Ferree got around Schaltenbrand for the runner-up spot
but did not have enough horses to catch the fleeting Wearing Jr
who carved out his third victory. This was Wearing Jr's 23rd Late
Model win and he ties Blackie Watt for fifth place on the All-Time
Late Model Records. In victory lane, Wearing said, "I
was sorry to hear about that John Flinner deal on the front chute.
You have to feel for him!" Dave Satterlee was fourth and
was followed by Russ Kolesar, Mike Blose, Gary Lyle, Joe Johnson
Jeff Henry and Doug Eck. Wearing Jr, Len Dobrosielski, and
Blose won the heat races.
"Revin" Kevin Bolland bested the "big blocks"
for the third time in the 20-lap Ferrante Motor Cars Modified
field. On the front of his Modified the tag says "Rolls Royce"
and Bolland who was "dialed perfectly" into the track
with a great run said, "It was a good set up that we
had. We dug deep into the stats, and my team did a wonderful
job." Bolland further added, "The car was going
about anywhere I wanted and the acceleration off the turns was
really good!" Carl Murdick was the early leader the
first circuit and was replaced at the helm by Dale Chronister
on laps 2 and three. Bolland made his ascent from seventh
to assert him at the point on lap four. Bolland's Brighton
Hot Dog Shop/Cintas Uniform/Butler Gas/ Bolland Machine #777 guided
the Modified domain to the checker. In victory lane Bolland said,
"I have to dedicate this win, my tenth, to a dear friend,
Bob Isenhuth, who passed away this week." Brian Swartzlander
has a 32 point edge over Jim Weller Jr in the chase to the 2003
Modified crown! Dave Murdick had been running in the second spot
but fire erupted under his car and the red had to be brought on
lap 16 sending him to the rear of the field. With two laps to
go, Weller Jr passed Carl Murdick for the second spot. Carl Murdick
has raced at Lernerville for all 36 years and this was his best
finish since 1999.
It was a perfect night for "Kool" Kevin Schaeffer who
captured his first St. Barnabas Health System win at Lernerville
in three seasons. From the front row Schaeffer set sail, leading
the distance in his Schaeffer Tire/Highland Tire/King Lanes/Dr.
Nosal #9. Even though the race was stopped three times for
various spins and accidents, Schaeffer put on a "driving
school" surging ahead of the others on the restarts and meticulously
working lapped traffic to keep some of the best in Sprint car
racing- Rod George, Ed Lynch Jr. Chad Hill and Dan Shetler, at
bay. Schaeffer said, "I owe this all to the crew. We've
been right there the last couple of weeks." The win
was dedicated to Schaeffer's 31-year old best friend and crew
member who recently lost his life to cancer. Sixth through tenth
spot went to Gary Kriess Jr, Charlie Holben, Roger Bennett, Davey
Jones and Gary Rankin. Bennett and Eric Smith won the prelims.
Smith's #7Z had a violent barrel roll in the feature but he was
uninjured. Lynch continues to top the point's chart by 98 points
over George.
One more win and Scott Bockek will tie Bruce Milbert with the
most victories in the Dingbat Restaurants feature win record book.
Bochek said, "I want to thank my crew members who give me
one hundred per cent every week." Bochek's Collision
Center/Dunk Competition Engines #75 passed Joe Kelley for the
lead on lap seven and made a "clean sweep" of the night's
competition. Runner-up Joe Kelley who is vying for his fifth Pure
Stock Championship registers two digits behind Chris Schneider
in his 2003 quest. If he wins, Kelley would tie Blackie Watt(Modifieds)
and Bob Wearing Sr(Late Models) who also have five championships.
Only Lou Blaney(Sprints) and Lou Gentile(Six-Cylinders) have earned
six in one division. Third through tenth place was taken
by Rob Shook, Robert McCall, Greg Beach, Chris Schneider, Jason
Fosnaught, Rick Burris, Jim Swezey, and Jake Ayers. Kelley, Bochek
and Schneider won the qualifying events and Bob Lipinski scored
in the B-Main.
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