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Eric Westendorf
SARVER, Penn. (April 15) - After three disappointing rainouts, the Fab Four Racing season finally came to fruition and Opening Night 2011 was well worth the wait.
Race Photos - Late Models at Lernerville Speedway
Between nine scintillating National Guard Heat races and Cole Duncan's win was the Precise Racing Products Late Model B-Main which looked more like an A-Main as Dave Hess Jr., Jared Miley, Jared Hawkins, John Mollick and John Garvin all had to battle just to make the feature! But running the B-main turned out to be a blessing in disguise, more on that in a moment! After transferring through the B-Main, Defending Track Champion Dave Hess Jr. came from 18th on the starting grid to win a thrilling A-Main over Gregg Satterlee who appeared to have the race in hand. Jared Miley and Jared Hawkins also came from the B-Main to record top five finishes in third and fifth respectively. Sandwiched between them in fourth was Boom Briggs. Satterlee's heat race win and second place finish put him atop the Budweiser point standings.
Cole Duncan started the night off by running away with the Ti22 Sprint feature. Ti22 Ace Dale Blaney reeled in Duncan late in the race in lapped traffic but couldn't find a line around him. Blaney finished second ahead of Carl Bowser, Kevin Schaeffer and Brian Ellenberger. Blaney and Duncan are tied for the lead in Budweiser points with 38 a piece.
The best race of the night was arguably in the Diehl Mods as Dave Murdick seemed to have the race in the bag until a handful of cautions let restarts factor into the equation. Jeremiah Shingledecker swapped the lead back and forth with Murdick, but on a Green-White-Checker restart, Defending Track Champion Kevin Bolland got his elbows up and shot off the top of turn two from the outside of the second row and stole the win away from Murdick and Shingledecker. NY traveler Brian Weaver finished fifth ahead of Brad Rapp. Shingledecker heads into next week as the Bud points leader.
Mike Miller and Corey McPherson also waged battle for the lead in the Millerstown Pic-A-Part Sportsman feature. But McPherson jumped the cushion exiting turn two and sailed off the top of the backstretch, allowing Miller to cruise into Sheetz Victory Lane. Rounding out the top five were Rob Shook, Jim Fosnaught, Drew Koteles and Paul Schreckengost. Mike Miller is the only driver in any division to walk away from Opening Night 2011 with a perfect point total of 40 after winning his heat race prior to winning the feature.
Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models Feature (25 Laps)
1.(44) Dave Hess Jr., Waterford
2.(22) Greg Satterlee, Rochester Mills
3.(H1) Jared Miley, South Park
4.(99B) Rick "Boom" Briggs, Bear Lake
5.(37) Jared Hawkins, Fairmont, WV
6.(4T8) John Flinner, Zelienople
7.(2V) Chad Valone, Warren
8.(03) Doug Eck, Corry
9.(21) Matt Lux, Franklin
10.(J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver
11.(2J) Mike Johnson, Imperial
12.(56) Denton Boyer, Punxsutawney
13.(1J) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
14.(1C) Mike Pegher Jr., Wexford
15.(25Z) Mason Zeigler, Chalkhill
16.(29) Ken Schaltenbrand, Sarver
17.(4J) John Mollick, Toronto, OH
18.(56K) Russell King, Bristolville, OH
19.(91) Tommy Beck, Jeanette
20.(14) Corey Conley, Wellsburg, WV
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