Post by LMR on 06/18/11 at 1:28am
Lernerville Speedway
June 17, 2011
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Briggs holds off Lanigan for Mid-Season Championship and Firecracker provisional
SARVER, Penn. (June 17) - Fab Four Racing was highlighted by Mid-Season Championships Friday Night with track provisionals on the line for the biggest race of the season in each respective division! “Double Duty” Dave Murdick started the night off with his second win of the season in the Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Northeast Big Block Modifieds. Brian Ellenberger followed Murdick’s lead winning from the pole and leading all 25 laps in the Ti22 Performance DIRTcar Sprint Feature. Rick “Boom” Briggs bested another stellar field of Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models to secure a guaranteed starting spot in next weekend’s 5th Annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com. Last, but certainly not least, Mike Miller picked up his second feature win of the season in the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman feature. The wins lock Murdick into the BRP Finale at the Steel City Stampede, Ellenberger into the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup and Miller into the Sportsman/Stock Spectacular portion of Autumn-Motive Fest 2011.
While it was the third feature of the night, the most anticipated race of the Mid-Season Championships was the Precise Late Model feature as several national and regional stars were on hand and the winner would be locked into next weekend’s Firecracker 100 A-Main. 10 lucky fans participated in the feature redraw and were tied to their driver for a chance to win a ticket for the Firecracker 100 weekend. The fans randomly put Kenny Schaltenbrand and Doug Eck on the front row and Schaltenbrand led the first eight laps. The first caution of the race waved on lap nine for a cone that got kicked into the racing groove exiting turn four. Schaltenbrand elected to restart on the outside of the front row, putting second place runner Boom Briggs on the pole. When the green came back out, Briggs rocketed down the front stretch and threw it hard into the bottom of turn one, taking the lead as he exited turn two.
Caution slowed the race again on lap 11 when Doug Eck was the odd man out after a four-wide battle with Garrett Krummert, Dave Murdick and Darrell Lanigan. Krummert also sustained heavy damage and retired to the pits. Briggs restarted on the inside and held his lead, but World of Outlaws star Darrell Lanigan took second away from Dave Hess Jr. on the restart and began to hunt down Briggs. By lap 18 Briggs had stretched his lead to almost a half straightaway, but Lanigan appeared to be ready to make his move as they entered turn three on lap 21. Lanigan took a look underneath Briggs in three & four, but didn’t have enough forward bite to make the pass. By the time they reached the back stretch, Lanigan had drawn even with Briggs, but the lapped car of Jayme Beck was in the groove Lanigan needed to make his move. Briggs took advantage and rung the top cushion around Beck and away from Lanigan to score the $2,500 Mid-Season Championship and Firecracker 100 provisional.
For Lanigan, it was another near miss and second place finish, his sixth at the speedway in the past few seasons. Lanigan will look to finally solve the mystery and find his way to Sheetz Victory Lane during the 5th Annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com. Defending Track Champion Dave Hess Jr. is also locked into next week’s Firecracker 100 A-Main as the Budweiser Points leader by virtue of his third place finish and three point lead over fourth place finisher Gregg Satterlee. Had their finishing positions been reversed, the four point turnaround would have put Satterlee into the A-Main! Outlaws star Chub Frank finished fifth ahead of Kenny Schaltenbrand in sixth, Outlaw touring drivers John Lobb and Ron Davies Jr. in seventh and eight respectively, Dave Murdick in ninth and Mike Johnson in tenth. National Guard heat races were checkered by John Garvin Jr., Gregg Satterlee and Darrell Lanigan.
Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models Feature (25 Laps)
Winner - (99B) Rick “Boom” Briggs
(29L) Darrell Lanigan, (44) Dave Hess Jr., (22) Greg Satterlee, (1*) Chub Frank, (29) Ken Schaltenbrand, (1) John Lobb, (71D) Ron Davies, (1J) Dave Murdick, (2J) Mike Johnson, (J4) John Garvin Jr., (10) Gary Lyle, (31) Bryan Force, (91) Tommy Beck, (03) Doug Eck, (92) Jayme Beck, (27J) Jeff Jones, (4J) John Mollick, (29K) Garrett Krummert, (1JJ) Davey Johnson,
National Guard Heat Race Winners: John Garvin Jr., Gregg Satterlee, Darrell Lanigan
Ti22 Performance DIRTcar Sprint Feature (25 Laps)
Winner - (22) Brian Ellenberger
(23JR) Jack Sodeman Jr., (4) Rod George, (9) Kevin Schaeffer, (10) Carl Bowser, (08) Dan Kuriger, (45) Todd Bauer, (7A) Andrew Albrecht, (24S) Brian Steinman, (22B) Brandon Spithaler, (13) Brandon Matus, (33) Brent Matus, (66) Chris Best, (7W) Eric Williams, (44) Pete Landram, (B6) Bobbi Rankin, (6) Shelia Rankin, DNS: (16) Gary Rankin, Renfrew
National Guard Heat Race Winners: Kevin Schaeffer, Rod George
