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Lernerville Speedway
SARVER, Penn. (July 30) - Budweiser Points Leader Dave Hess Jr. laid in wait as Doug Eck led the 21 laps of the DIRTcar Late Model Feature. But in the end, the 44 car of Hess led the final four laps of the feature to capture his fourth win of the season.
On July 6, Dave Hess Jr. entered Fab Four Racing with a points lead equivalent to over two full nights of racing. But after back-to-back DNF's, he entered last night's event with a large, but suddenly attainable 50 point lead over Jared Miley. Hess returned to form last night and won his fourth DIRTcar Late Model feature of the 2010 season as he eyes first career Lernerville Speedway/Budweiser Track Championship!
For most of the 25-lap DIRTcar Late Model Feature, it looked like Hess would have to settle for second, as Doug Eck led from laps two to 21 and looked to be on the way to his first Lernerville Feature win since 2004. Both Eck and Hess were running the same line, and despite his best efforts, Hess simply could not find his way around Eck.
As the laps clicked off, Hess started to try different lines, high and low, but each move was thwarted by Eck as he powered off turns two and four. But on lap 22, Hess got into the back of Eck on the back straightaway just enough to wiggle him loose and get by. Once out front, Hess checked out and rolled unchallenged into Sheetz Victory Lane. "The car was great tonight," stated Hess from Sheetz Victory Lane, "I got to him, but I figured he'd get wide. We made a little contact, but I race with him a lot, so we'll talk about it. He's a good guy!"
After leading 20 laps, Eck would have to settle for second place. The battles behind Hess and Eck were every bit as heated as the battle for the lead! "Double Duty" Dave Murdick and Chuck Sarver battled for third most of the race, while Generation Now aces Alex Ferree, Jared Miley and Matt Lux spent most of the race swapping fifth through seventh places. The lapped car of Ray Kroll Sr. was the wild card in these battles and by the time Hess and Eck crossed under the checkered flag, it was Lux following them in third, Miley in fourth, Murdick fifth, Ferree sixth and Sarver seventh. The top ten rounded out with Michael Norris, Todd Bachman and John Garvin Jr. Matt Lux and Alex Ferree were heat race victors. Ferree picked up an extra $50 from the National Guard Heat Race Challenge.
Six Time Track Champion and Century Club member in Lernerville Speedway Feature Wins Lynn Geisler had a rare night off, though it was not planned. The Hall of Famer had mechanical difficulties while loading the famed #1 Cochran Late Model and did not make the tow from Cranberry Twp.
DIRTcar Late Models Feature (25 Laps)
(44) Dave Hess Jr., Waterford
(03) Doug Eck, Corry
(21) Matt Lux, Franklin
(H1) Jared Miley, South Park
(1J) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
(4) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg
(88) Chuck Sarver, West Sunburry
(72) Michael Norris, Sarver
(66) Todd Bachman, Natrona Heights
(J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver
(38R) Nick Reges, Butler
(15K) Ray Kroll Sr., Renfrew
(29) Ken Schaltenbrand, Sarver
(21M) Tony Musolino II, Pittsburgh
National Guard Heat Race Winners: Alex Ferree, Matt Lux
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