51 replies to this topic

[flash49]

The car count was a little light tonight at Lernerville, but the track was in super shape, and there was close racing in all divisions.  There were 11 Sprints (some sort of boycott going on apparently), 16 BB Mods, 11 Super Late Models, and 13 Pro Stocks.  Results as follows:

 

 

 

SLM A-Main:

 

 

1.        Michael Norris (72) 

2.        Tommy Beck (91)

3.        Kelvin Kohan (15*)

4.        Mike Miller (81)

5.        Clay Ruffo (14R)

6.        Tony Burke (23)

7.        Tyler Dietz (77)

8.        Jayme Beck (92)

9.        Colton Flinner (48) DNF

10.      Jared Miley (10) DNF

11.      Ken Schaltenbrand (29) DNF

 

 

BB Mod A-Main:

 

 

1.         Rex King Jr. (165)

2.         Brian Swartzlander (83) from 10th

3.         Dave Murdick (61)

4.         Garrett Krummert (29) from 9th

5.         Rex King Sr. (75) from 8th

6.         Rick Regalski (13)

7.         Steve Feder (45)

8.         John Mollick (4J)

9.         Jeff Miller (75)

10.       Chris Rudolph (25)

11.       Travis Walsh (12W)

12.       Colten Walters (18) DNF

13.       Kevin Long (22) DNF

14.       Dave Reges (27R) DNF

15.       Bill Barr (51) DNF

16.       Jeremiah Shingledecker (37) DNS

 

 

410 Sprint A-Main:

 

 

1.          Sye Lynch (42)

2.          Jack Sodeman Jr. (23jr)

3.          Ralph Spithaler (56)

4.          Jim Morris (4N)

5.          Bill Kiley (4K)

6.          Michael Bauer (46) DNF

7.          Sadie Siegel (91)

8.          Todd Burgard (6)

9.          Chad Hill (92) DNF

10.        A. J. Flick (2) DNF

11.        Brandon Spithaler (22) DNF

16.       Jeremiah Shingledecker (37) DNS

 

 

Pro Stock Feature:

 

 

1.          Joey Zambotti (948)

2.          Tyler Dietz (27)

3.          Ryan Moyer (13X)

4.          Corey McPherson (c33)

5.          Mark Sanders (32)

6.          Joe Kelley (66)

7.          Mike Bordt (26)

8.          John Hartman (10)

9.          Dale Tuche (310)

10.        Brett McDonald (25)

11.        Chase Lambert (22jr)

12.        Jake Dietz (35B)

13.        Terry Young (28Y) DNS

 

 

Heat races tonight went to Michael Norris and Jared Miley in the Super Late Models, John Mollick and Rex King Jr. in the BB Mods, Jim Morris and Jack Sodeman Jr. in the Sprints, plus Ryan Moyer and Brett McDonald in the Pro Stocks.

Edited by flash49, 17 May 2019 - 10:38 PM.

[bobvogtjr30]

Yikes! I don't usually get down there much, but have the car counts been usually that bad? Raceway 7 had 20+ in every class but SS.

[flash49]

Yikes! I don't usually get down there much, but have the car counts been usually that bad? Raceway 7 had 20+ in every class but SS.

 

 

 

Last Friday night there were 26 Sprints, 19 Super Late Models, 18 BB Mods, and 15 Pro Stocks.

[Justin314]

The way ppl on twitter sounded , the sprints ain't happy with the payout so they kinda protested by not racing .

[Hans Solo]

Keep protesting and we'll be watching crate late models on friday nights instead of 410's.  

[Justin314]

Rumor is crates in '20 and it wont be at the cost of the sprints, i hope they just raise the 410s purse and axe the UMP  tire rule before bringing in the crates. 

[flash49]

As long at the big 3 race every Friday night at Lernerville (which has always been a big draw), the purse probably won't go up.  And if you eliminate one of the big 3, you run the risk of alienating a sizable part of your fan base.  And how can you just raise the 410 purse and not the other purses?  

[Walt Wimer]

Flash.......Pretty much my thinking as well!!!    In total purse, Lernerville probably pays out more than any other western PA aera weekly track!!

 

GOOD RACING!!!

 

Walt

[Stock Stroker]

Walt nailed it. If you compare Lernerville’s loyal purse to dirt track not only western Pa. but across the country, I think you will find them toward the top.
JMO

[D1RT]

Walt nailed it. If you compare Lernerville’s loyal purse to dirt track not only western Pa. but across the country, I think you will find them toward the top.
JMO

If you compare their 410 and LM purse across the country they are mid-pack at best.

[Sparkler]

They're not going to drop the late models for the last time. This came straight from the owners mouth to me. There is way more behind the scenes with the World of Outlaws in late models then anybody knows. That is why the tire rule is still in effect as long as the Outlaws are involved with Lernerville Speedway.

What most people don't understand is if you eliminate the Sprints or the late models you're eliminating that fan base also. That is why they get such a great crowd because they draw from those three top divisions which people are fans of.

[dirtstudent2]

What percentage did the raise the fan admission cost?

 

answer:  20%

 

 

I don't mind the raised admission cost and they could do more, but dang it give some of it to the racers.

 

Looks like Big Blocks have been pushed out of Sharon and all they need to do is push them out of Lernerville and RUSH will have the whole local big block type car all to itself.

 

No support class sales pitch to fans anymore it's looking more and more like a take over.  Stocks are strong so switch gears and go after the weakest.  

[Vigoda Motorsports]

They're not going to drop the late models for the last time. This came straight from the owners mouth to me. There is way more behind the scenes with the World of Outlaws in late models then anybody knows. That is why the tire rule is still in effect as long as the Outlaws are involved with Lernerville Speedway.

What most people don't understand is if you eliminate the Sprints or the late models you're eliminating that fan base also. That is why they get such a great crowd because they draw from those three top divisions which people are fans of.

In other words, youre basically confirming that Lernerville is so terrified to alienate its perceived bread and butter, that being the two World of Outlaws sprint races, that its willing to forego the Firecracker being sanctioned by a superior Late Model touring series that is interested in bringing its series to the track and regularly have fields of 10 or less cars in the Super Lates rather than probably 25-30 crates l all in order to appease Dirt?

I can understand because its what theyve always done and people dont like change. Im not a crate fan at all but I think theyd be better off with eliminating the tire rule, adding the crates, replacing the sanctioning of the Firecracker to the Lucas series and rolling with the All Stars as the sprint series. This isnt the glory days of WoO with Kinser and Swindell. Nobody would care.

[Walt Wimer]

Correct!!  Lernerville has a "problem" that other racks don't have, they have many fans that come so they can see all three top classes, but also  many that might stop coming if one of the classes was dropped to raise the purse for the other two.  Sort of between a rock and a hard place!!   Most of you know that there are many Sprint Car fans who wouldn't walk across the street to see a Late Model race and there are Late Model fans that feel the same way about the Sprint Cars.  Both seem to "accept" the big block Modifieds.  Western PA is sort of in the unique position as being about the only area in the country that has all three running weekly at several tracks.  

 

GOOD RACING!!!

 

Walt

[FanJim24]

In other words, youre basically confirming that Lernerville is so terrified to alienate its perceived bread and butter, that being the two World of Outlaws sprint races, that its willing to forego the Firecracker being sanctioned by a superior Late Model touring series that is interested in bringing its series to the track and regularly have fields of 10 or less cars in the Super Lates rather than probably 25-30 crates l all in order to appease Dirt?

I can understand because its what theyve always done and people dont like change. Im not a crate fan at all but I think theyd be better off with eliminating the tire rule, adding the crates, replacing the sanctioning of the Firecracker to the Lucas series and rolling with the All Stars as the sprint series. This isnt the glory days of WoO with Kinser and Swindell. Nobody would care.

Dropping a crowd-drawing division in favor of crate filler is a very bad idea. Otherwise I think that would work. 

[flash49]

If you compare their 410 and LM purse across the country they are mid-pack at best.

 

 

 

That's because they also have to pay another top division, the BB Mods.  The total purse at Lernerville per night is very competitive.

[Racer17L]

Lets say 25% of the fans hard stop coming to the track if they drop SLM. Assuming that is even true, whats that maybe 100-125 people on an average non special night? Thats $1500.

Add 20-25 Crates, plus the kick back from Rush, at $30 each plus 4 guys on average in the crew, and a reduced payout, its a no brainer from a business sense.

Agree with the WoO sanctioning points above. Whats the firecracker get nowadays - 35 cars?

Edited by Racer17L, 18 May 2019 - 02:23 PM.

[jo73]

As everyone knows the paying of the big 3 is a struggle. You drop anyone of those divisions and your going to see a deep decline in attendance. Sharon dropping the BB mods should give lernerville and mercer all the BB they want. 26 sprint cars on opening night was a great count, in fact the big 3 all had good numbers week 1. Down from week 1, 15 sprints, 7 SLM, +2 BB mods. So those 15 sprints could go where ? The extra money it would cost teams to travel to say Fremont or the Grove on a Friday just doesn't add up. So park them Friday and tow to port royal on Saturday? Your still not coming out ahead. I want to ask what happened to the SLM guys that were there week 1 ? 7, didn't come back for week 2, did they just burn off tires they had ? Why, ha we all understand why, tire kickbacks, they must be very helpful to lernerville. In the end there is 2 tracks that run the BB guys. Mercer is standing on a banana peel. I hope they can make it, but they need cars and fan support. The strong SLM guys in western pa have decided to run special only shows. Dog Hollow I believe I read somewhere had only 5 SLM show up week 1. Yet eriez/stateline have the strongest field of SLM on a weekly basis. What is the pay out compared to lernerville ?

[FanJim24]

Lets say 25% of the fans hard stop coming to the track if they drop SLM. Assuming that is even true, whats that maybe 100-125 people on an average non special night? Thats $1500.

Add 20-25 Crates, plus the kick back from Rush, at $30 each plus 4 guys on average in the crew, and a reduced payout, its a no brainer from a business sense.

Agree with the WoO sanctioning points above. Whats the firecracker get nowadays - 35 cars?

Eyeballs! No eyeballs, no boards and banners. Drop the content and add filler, you lose eyeballs, and sooner or later you lose the racetrack. 

 

How far do you think the pitch to sell space in the bathroom stalls and in the troughs for yet another crate race will go? 

Edited by FanJim24, 18 May 2019 - 03:26 PM.

[Hans Solo]

It's still very early  in the year to say counts are down.  Even with low counts,  the racing very was entertaining for only $15.  Racing for the lead late in all divisions.  Murdick vs. King jr.  Deitz vs The Body How about the way Chase Lambert (22jr) held off C33 for a few laps. Best I've seen him run!!  Flinner, Beck, Miley for 2 thru 4 in the lates till the breakdowns.  Read what Racer17L writes above,  because it is a buisness.    Dog Hollow is 1000 to win with less than 19 cars.