Lernerville PR BigE

I'll pass on that.  I have, and will continue to, direct my concerns, opinions, and suggestions to Mike.   I appreciate the offer tho. BTW.  The fish went downhill in the last couple years, and is now too pricey for whatcha do get. It used to be the best thing on the menu

 

And we are all still waiting on an explanation of what went on in tech after the race.  And if the car in fact DID fail the droop rule, why was the win still awarded to the 4 car, and not the 1c ?  That should be public information to all of us that pay to watch fair and equal racing. 

I figured as much, but respect your decision.

I still think the fish is perfectly fine, I do think it depends greatly on who makes it and when.  Even an extra 30 seconds in the fryer makes a big difference, fresh grease at the beginning of the night or grease that's been used for a few hours, it all factors in.  I've never thought it was the best thing on the menu, but it's a tradition and a fine one at that for me.  I still miss the Action Track Snack, the greasy, cheesy goodness will never be forgotten, but the vendor doesn't make them anymore.  The cost of everything has increased, food, utilities, fuel costs, etc., but the price of admission remains at $15 and pit pass at $30, plus the purse was increased across the board.  Concessions are a convenience and optional.  You can still bring in your own food and water/soft drinks, but the cost of that at Walmart, Giant Eagle, Sprankles, Sheetz, Vocelli's, wherever you shop has gone up too.

The public information is, ultimately, Johnny won the race, period.  

Wow !!  Thats a little extreme.  The ever famous "Big E" is the one who runs the FB page.  I've been banned from liking or commenting on their posts for years thanks to him.  He thinks he owns the place. Poor representation

I'm real easy to find, and even easier to talk to, if you want to stop hiding behind a screen name on a message board.  And I dare you to find anyone other than Don Gamble that not only represents the history of Lernerville Speedway, but also the entire Western PA racing community than me.  Hell I'll even buy you a fish sandwich and a Marburger Iced Tea if you'd like to have an adult conversation before or after the races.  

For as good as they are in every other area, Lernervilles twitter feed is lacking in getting results out quickly and almost at times are rather lacking in content. ULMSs feed did all the late model work last night. The Outlaws and Lucas have multiple rundowns before during and after every hotlap, qualifying, heat and feature with accompanying videos within seconds.

Not sure what Twitter feed you were looking at but Twitter is updated all night from MyRacePass with lineups and results, plus other visual content.  There had to be 50+ tweets throughout the night if not more.  Go look at the feed.  The exception Friday Night was with ULMS, as they handled their own registration and pill draw, but it didn't get entered into MyRacePass.  I have already addressed that and even though they will handle registration and pill draw, we'll get everyone into MyRacePass next time ULMS is on site.  I didn't know Friday night until it was way too late, but it'll be right next time, same with BRP this week.  They handle registration and pill draw, but we'll get them into MRP.

I agree. Lernerville was once one of the top tracks in the country. I spent every friday there, but the facility has gone downhill. Dirty bathrooms, open sewage pipe behind the bathroom, at the gate entrance, and just not up to what it was. Car counts are down, for various reasons.

Now i know why I only go once a year, place is not the top notch track it was.

Hell, the announcer didn't even know the correct class that was next or how many laps the race was.

I knew the running order, I misspoke in the midst of a 16-hour workday, sue me! I work 60 hours a week and coach three baseball teams, but go ahead and call me out behind a screen name.  If you came more often, maybe you'd notice all of the new bleacher boards, new concrete wall on the front stretch, expanded and leveled out pit area, TVs in all the concession stands to watch LernervilleTV while you're in line, etc.   If you ever want to chat in person, I'm pretty easy to find. 

They don't, we opened up the Hoosier tire rule, no longer on strictly on LMs.

I don't know what their stake would be in this, but then I don't know how they still get to dictate the weekly latemodel rules at a track they no longer own, either. 

You heard wrong.

I have heard it was more of a dirtcar WRG decision with lernerville management.

Super Lates aren't being dropped, y'all can calm down with your polls and fake news!

Dan and Danny still have cars and motors, but Danny is taking some time off to focus on starting a family and earning a degree.

Rain has finally moved in with more to come forcing tonight's Fab4 Fueled by Turner's racing program to be CANCELED.

The Dow Carnahan Tribute has been rescheduled for Friday, May 20 when Fab4 Racing returns on Armed Forces Night.

Next Friday, Tony Stewart's Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints invade the Action Track led by former Track Champions Dale Blaney, Tim Shaffer and Danny Holtgraver. Our Pic-A-Part Crate Sportsman and RUSH Sportsman Modifieds will also be in action.

Rest in Peace Dow Carnahan

Sarver, PA (May 1, 2016) It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of a beloved member of the Lernerville Speedway family; longtime PA Announcer Dow Carnahan.  Dow passed away suddenly Friday Night, April 29.  We ask that you pray for Dow’s immediate family and the Lernerville Speedway family that loved and will miss him dearly.

Of Dow’s passing, Lernerville General Manager Gary Risch Jr. stated, “Our racing family is as strong as ever, but it will take all of us to get through this and move on as he would want us to do.  It will be hard, but we will persevere just as he did last summer when his beloved Nancy passed away in a similar, sudden manner.”

Dow’s viewing is Wednesday 1-3 and 6-8 PM at Hartman-Graziano Funeral Home, Inc. 1500 Ligonier Street, Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650, Phone: 724-537-5575

On his Facebook page, Rappin’ on Racin’ founder and host Don Gamble posted the following biography of Dow Carnahan:

Dow Carnahan the voice of Lernerville Speedway and the former announcer from Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway and Motordrome Speedway. In 2011 Dow was inducted into the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Hall of Fame.

Dow was the Operations Manager at 1489 WCNS Radio in Latrobe PA. His responsibilities included news and sports. Carnahan's Corner was a weekly segment where Veteran announcer and host Dow Carnahan interviewed people in the know about sports and other topics

During his 30-year career in radio, Carnahan has had the opportunity to broadcast many sporting events. The station where he works in Latrobe carries all Latrobe High football and basketball games and St. Vincent College baseball games.

Carnahan never envisioned being involved with motor sports in any capacity. He said "I was just a fan, somebody who sat in the grandstands," Carnahan said. "That was it. This announcing wasn't something that I planned to do. I got the opportunity and I've been doing it ever since."

Through his work at the radio station, Carnahan met Bruce and Nancy Rhinehart who were the promoters of Motordrome in the early 1980s. He began announcing at Motordrome in 1984 and then started at PPMS when the Miley’s took over in 1989. In 2004 Dow became the voice of the Lernerville Speedway

Even though he has announced both dirt and asphalt racing, dirt racing was what he preferred. "I grew up on the dirt," Carnahan explained. "I grew up going to dirt track races primarily at Schmucker's, Jennerstown and Motordrome. I've always been more familiar with dirt.

Carnahan was very professional about his announcing. When the gates open each weekend at the track, Carnahan could be seen walking through the pit area speaking to many of the drivers. He kept rosters on all of them and updates it with new information every week.

He enjoyed what he did but admitted that the hardest part is something that is out of his control. "It's not a hard job at all when things are moving smoothly and the races are good," he said.  "When you have an hour and a half rain delay and you are trying to keep people entertained and informed, that is when it gets tricky."

Dow was not only the PA Announcer, but was truly an ambassador for the sport of dirt track racing in Western Pennsylvania.  He exuded class and professionalism with a cool and easy demeanor that is truly unrivaled.  His knowledge of local racing was immense and his passion for the sport came through in everything he did; from calling the races themselves and victory lane interviews to emceeing banquets and just casual conversations.

His class and professionalism were never better on display than they were last fall when his longtime girlfriend and life partner Nancy Henry suddenly passed away.  Despite the sudden and tragic loss, Dow was at the track the next day; doing what he loved and surrounded by people that loved him.  The best way we can honor his memory is to do the same for him next Friday Night.  We know it won’t be easy and Fab4 Fridays will never be the same without him, but he would want us to push forward with business as usual and that’s exactly what we’ll do.  The show must go on and so it shall, with Dow and Nancy watching from above.

Rest in peace Dow Carnahan, we are all better for having known and worked with you.  God speed!

Contact: Lernerville Speedway                      

Eric J. Westendorf, Public Relations Director

Contribution by Don Gamble/Rappin’ on Racin’

(724) 664-1075 / ewestendorf@tsmlernerville.com

2015 Lernerville Speedway Schedule Release

Local Racing Icon Don Gamble Headlines 2015 Hall of Fame Class

Sarver, PA (February 4, 2015) It’s been a long cold winter already and that pesky groundhog in Punxsy saw his shadow once again; nevermind the fact that it was snowing and overcast.  So while there are still six more weeks of winter it’s time to take a look at the 2015 Lernerville Speedway Schedule.  Of course, as the season draws near, we look towards the Pre-Season which starts with the Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 14 where we will induct the Class of 2015 into the Lernerville Speedway Hall of Fame.

This year’s class is headlined by local racing media icon Don Gamble.  Best known for the beloved Rappin’ on Racin’ Don also hosted a weekly Lernerville Pre-Race show and announced for many years.  He also continues to coordinate and host Nostalgia Nostalgia, just to name a few of his lofty contributions to Lernerville Speedway.

Don is joined by Nick Petrishen, Mark Cassella and Bob Felmlee.  Of the four, Nick Petrishen is probably the least known name of the group, but the fact that he joins the “Mayor of Lernerville” Jack Crowell as just the second member of the Hall of Fame for his contributions to sponsoring the speedway, speaks volumes of his commitment to and impact on Lernerville Speedway on behalf of Nick Chevrolet.

Mark Cassella and Bob Felmlee spent many Fridays Nights battling wheel-to-wheel in sprint car action; most notably in the late 80s and early 90s.  Cassella won a pair of Track Championships (1989 and 1994) and won 19 feature events.  Felmlee has more career wins (30), but despite winning more races, he somehow won just one title in 1995.  Ironically, each driver’s career was cut short by a tragic on-track accident.  Both eventually returned to racing, but their respective accidents surely cut into their win and title totals.

Between the banquet and Opening Night, Lernerville Speedway will provide fans of Fab Four Racing with a sneak peak at their favorite drivers’ new schemes for 2015 at the Clearview Mall and Pittsburgh Mills Car Shows.  Cars will be on display at Clearview Mall Thursday through Saturday, March 19-21 and then roll south along Route 28 to the expansive Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills Thursday through Saturday, March 26-28.  We will finally re-open the gates to the Action Track on Saturday, April 11 for a Test & Tune practice session.

Fab Four Racing takes the green flag on Friday, April 17 for the first of 16 nights of Budweiser Points; though the Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman will have three additional points races on Friday, May 1 and July 3 & 24 as a support division for special events.  For the third straight season, Lernerville Speedway proudly boasts the same lineup of division sponsors; Peoples TWP DIRTcar Sprints, Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models, Diehl Automotive Big Block Modifieds and the aforementioned Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman.

As tradition dictates, the World of Outlaws Sprints and Late Model Series headline our marquee events, along with the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints.  The newly acquired All Star Sprints by three-time NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart make their annual stop at the Action Track on Friday, May 1.  The 9^th Annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com is scheduled for Thursday-Friday-Saturday, June 25-26-27 featuring the World of Outlaws Late Models Series.  The Outlaw Late Models returns to kick off Labor Day weekend with the Working Man 50 on Friday, September 4.  The World of Outlaws Sprints will bring the Greatest Show on Dirt back to the Action Track for the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup XXIV Twin 30s on Tuesday, July 21.  However, the September Commonwealth Clash is on hiatus for the 2015 season.

Both the RUSH Late Model and Sportsman Modified Series will return in 2015 as will the BOSS Wingless Sprints and Renegades of Dirt Modifieds.  The BOSS Wingless Sprints and RUSH Lates will be in action on Friday, July 3 and the RUSH Lates return for the season ending DIRTcar Round Up Steel City Stampede.  The RUSH Mods will compete at the Action Track on May 1, July 3, July 24, September 19 and for October’s Steel City Stampede.  The Renegade E-Mods will join the Diehl Big Block Mods and RUSH Mods on Friday, July 24 for “Modified Mania”.

As has been the case for the last six seasons, we’ll end 2015 with the DIRTcar Round Up Steel City Stampede featuring Fab Four Racing divisions along with RUSH Lates & Mods, UMP E-Mods, 4-Cylinders and an Enduro 100.  Fan favorite events like the Holiday Races with Fireworks on #1 Cochran Fan Appreciation Night, Mid-Season Championships, School Bus & Kids Bike Races, Autumn-Motive Fest and Nostalgia Night are all on the schedule as well.  To view and download the entire 2015 schedule, log on to Lernerville.com and click the Schedule tab on the top of any page or click here:  2015 Lernerville Speedway Schedule.

Contact: Lernerville Speedway                      

Eric J. Westendorf, Public Relations Director

(724) 664-1075 / ewestendorf@dirtcar.com

Michael Norris returns to Sheetz Victory Lane for the first time in 2014

Future Hall of Famers George and Swartzlander add to lofty totals

Jim Fosnaught notches third win of the season

Sarver, PA (July 12, 2014)  The last time we saw Michael Norris on a Fab Four Friday, he was doing automotive gymnastics in turn three, but he avenged his bad luck with his first win in the season by holding off Budweiser Points Leader and Defending Precise Late Model Track Champion Alex Ferree.  On either side of Norris’s win, a pair of future Lernerville Speedway Hall of Famers padded their Action Track resumes as Rod George made his 2014 Lernerville debut in style with his 44^th career feature win in the Peoples TWP Sprints and then Brian Swartzlander scored his 84^th feature win in the Diehl Mods.  Jim Fosnaught capped off the night with his personal best third feature win of the season to extend his Budweiser Points lead over Defending Track Champion Corey McPherson. 

7.12.14

Peoples TWP DIRTcar 410 Sprint Feature: (25 Laps)

1.      (8) Rod George, Kittanning

2.      (22) Brandon Spithaler, Evans City

3.      (23jr) Jack Sodeman Jr., N. Jackson, OH

4.      (13) Brandon Matus, Wampum

5.      (10) Carl Bowser, Sarver

6.      (35z) Jared Zimbardi, Bradford

7.      (5M) Mike Lutz, Wampum

8.      (2) AJ Flick, Apollo

9.      (27) Billy Dietrich, Biglerville

10.  (7K) Dan Shetler, Johnstown

11.  (1R) Gale Ruth Jr., Pleasantville

12.  (30) Daryl Stimeling, Lewistown

13.  (40) Geroge Hobaugh Jr. , Chicora

14.  (4K) Bill Kiley, Cabot

15.  (33) Brent Matus, Wampum

16.  (08) Dan Kuriger, New Brighton

17.  (76) Davey Jones, Baden

18.  (11) Scott Priester, Rimersburg

Heat Race Winners: Billy Dietrich, Jared Zimbardi

Precise Racing Products DIRTcar Late Models Feature: (25 Laps)

1.      (72) Michael Norris, Sarver

2.      (10) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg

3.      (H1) Jared Miley, South Park

4.      (J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver

5.      (111) Brian Swartzlander, Leechburg

6.      (1C) Mike Pegher Jr, Wexford

7.      (10L) Gary Lyle, Hyde Park

8.      (55) Chris Schneider, Springdale

9.      (88) Chuck Sarver, West Sunburry

10.  (29) Ken Schaltenbrand, Sarver

11.  (B1) Brandon Wearing, Callery

12.  (56) Russell King, Bristol, OH

13.  (1) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock

14.  (91) Tommy Beck, Murrysville

Heat Race Winners: John Garvin Jr., Alex Ferree

Diehl Auto Group DIRTcar Big Block Modified Feature: (25 Laps)

1.      (83) Brian Swartzlander, Leechburg

2.      (65) Rex King Sr., Bristol, OH

3.      (165) Rex King Jr., Bristol, OH

4.      (28) Tom Winkle, Mars

5.      (61) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock

6.      (88) Shayne Pierce, St. Catharines, ONT

7.      (37MD) Jeremiah Shingledecker, Polk

8.      (19W) Justin Wright, Piffard, NY

9.      (96B) Bob Warren, Slippery Rock

10.  (83T) Tom Glenn, Barkeyville

11.  (64) Rodney Beltz, Ellwood City

12.  (13) Rick Regalski, Slippery Rock

13.  (3K) Shawn Kozar, Renfrew

14.  (6) Carl Murdick, Butler

DNS (45) Steve Feder, Butler

DNS (29*) Eric Beggs, Slippery Rock

Heat Race Winners: Brian Swartzlander, Rex King Jr.

Millerstown Pic-A-Part DIRTcar Sportsman Feature: (20 Laps)

1.      (20J) Jim Fosnaught, Bairdford

2.      (11) Aaron Easler, Butler

3.      (66) Joe Kelley, Mt. Pleasant

4.      (C33) Corey McPherson, Tarentum

5.      (28Y) Terry Young, Butler

6.      (32) Mark Sanders, Lowellville, OH

7.      (380) Pat Hanley, Monroeville

8.      (64) Rob Shook, Creighton

9.      (23) Colin Burke, Sarver

10.  (948) Joe Zambotti, Kittanning

11.  (3S) Paul Schreckengost, Creighton

12.  (54) Wayne Carbo, Saxonburg

13.  (21) Jeff Miller, Natrona Heights

14.  (29B) Scott Byers, Butler

15.  (81) Mike Miller, Chicora

16.  (55S) Adam Lipinski, Valencia

17.  (25) Brett McDonald, Saxonburg

18.  (17R) Stan Riggle, Ford City

19.  (73) Neal Tristani, Tarentum

20.  (30) Bob Egley, Kittanning

DNS (42) Jeff Chittester, Cabot

DNS (7) Eric Piotrowski, Cranberry

Heat Race Winners: Corey McPherson, Rob Shook, Terry Young

Car Count Total: 71

Peoples TWP Sprints: 18

Precise Late Models:  14

Diehl Modifieds: 16

Pic-A-Part Sportsman: 23

Contact: Lernerville Speedway                      

Eric J. Westendorf, Public Relations Director

(724) 664-1075 / ewestendorf@dirtcar.com

Photos Courtesy of John Stivason/Stivason Photos

Jimmy Owens confirmed for the 8th Annual Firecracker 100!