9/23/2010
Sprint Source
Previewing The Commonwealth Clash at Lernerville Speedway
Sarver, PA—September 23, 2010— A Saturday night showdown is in store at Lernerville Speedway as the World of Outlaws return to the historic track in Western Pennsylvania in the fall for the first time since 2001 for a full night of racing on Saturday, September 25, which will play an instrumental role in helping determine the 2010 World of Outlaws champion.
Heading into the weekend, which begins at Eldora Speedway on Friday, Jason Meyers holds a slim three-point lead over Joey Saldana in the closest-ever battle for the championship, with 20-time series titlist Steve Kinser third, only 48 markers back and four-time and defending series champion Donny Schatz fourth, 115 out of the lead. All four of those drivers have won with the series at Lernerville over the years.
Meyers, the current World of Outlaws point leader, was victorious with the World of Outlaws for the first time at Lernerville in 2008 and has six consecutive Top-10 finishes at the track. He finished third and fifth in the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30’s back in July. He has two career triumphs at the track, also scoring a Gumout Series win there in 2000.
Joey Saldana, who is second in points, was the most recent winner with the series at Lernerville, taking the top spot in the finale of the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup back in July, which was his first career win A-Feature at the track. He picked up a preliminary feature win at Lernerville in 2005. The second generation driver is the track record holder at Lernerville, a mark he set in time trials in 2002.
Kinser has won a series-best 17 times over the years at Lernerville, with the most recent of those coming in the 2008 Silver Cup. He has over 50 career Top-10 finishes with the series at the track with over 40 of those being Top-Five performances. The Hall of Famer leads the series in Top-10 and Top-Five finishes this season as he chases his record 21st title.
Donny Schatz, the four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion, claimed the overall title in the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup in July, after finishing second in the opener and fourth in the finale. The North Dakota native has three career wins at Lernerville to go along with nearly 20 Top-10 finishes.
Danny Lasoski won the opener of the 2009 Silver Cup to score his first win at Lernerville and went on to win the overall title in the event. He has 26 career Top-10 finishes at the track in 30 starts, with 13 of those being Top-Five performances.
The World of Outlaws visited Lernerville Speedway for the first time in 1979 with Steve Kinser picking up the checkered flag in that event. The series has returned to the track each and every year since. A total of 23 drivers have visited Victory Lane with the series at the always racy high-banked four-tenths-mile.
The Buzz:
* All of the title contenders have won at Lernerville Speedway and traditionally run strong at the high-banked four-tenth-mile.
* Steve Kinser leads all drives with 17 wins with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville dating back to the series debut at the track in 1979 and has competed in nearly every event the series has ever contested at the track.
* Joey Saldana scored his first A-Feature win and second overall win at Lernerville back in July and looks to carry momentum from a win last weekend in Minnesota as he chases his first title.
* Jason Meyers won his first race as a touring driver at Lernerville Speedway in 2000 with the Gumout Series and won for the first time with the World of Outlaws at the track in 2008.
* Donny Schatz has three career wins at Lernerville and enters the Commonwealth Clash as the reigning winner of the Silver Cup.
* Danny Lasoski, who won the 2009 Silver Cup has a very strong record at Lernerville, scoring Top-10 finishes in 26 of his 30 career starts at the track.
* Jason Sides has finished sixth or better in three of his last four starts at Lernerville, including a runner-up performance in the opener of the 2009 Silver Cup in which he led a majority of the race as he looks for his first win at the track.
* Paul McMahan finished fourth and fifth in the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30’s in July and has 13 career Top-10 finishes at Lernerville as he looks for his first win at the track.
* Craig Dollansky has also finished sixth or better in three of his last four starts at the track with a runner-up finish in the finale of the Silver Cup in July. The veteran has 13 career Top-10 finishes with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville.
* Jac Haudenschild has 24 career Top-10 finishes with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville Speedway as he looks for his first win at the track, where he competed for the first time with the series in 1982.
* Sam Hafertepe Jr. was one of the most consistent drivers at the Silver Cup in July, finishing seventh and eighth in the Twin 30’s. He has three career Top-10 finishes at Lernerville.
* Ben Gregg and Toni Lutar continue their battle for the 2010 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year at Lernerville. Each made their first visit to the track back in July for the Silver Cup.
* A strong contingent of drivers from Western Pennsylvania will do battle including Tim Shaffer, who won this year’s Knoxville Nationals and has won with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville in the past, as well as perennial contender Ed Lynch Jr. and 2010 track champion Danny Holtgraver.
By the Numbers: The Commonwealth Clash at Lernerville
0.4- Miles around Lernerville Speedway
1- Driver competing full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2010 that hails from Pennsylvania- Lucas Wolfe
2- Drivers that have been victorious with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville this season- Joey Saldana and Lance Dewease
3-Points that separate leader Jason Meyers and Joey Saldana entering this weekend; Races for the World of Outlaws at Lernerville this season
4- Drivers that have led laps in feature events with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville in 2010
5- Drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws that have won with the series at Lernerville
6- Drivers that finished in the Top-10 in both ends of the Twin 30’s at the track back in July
10- Total races for the series in the state of Pennsylvania this season
12.334- Track record established by Joey Saldana in time trials in 2002
13- A-Feature wins for Joey Saldana this season to lead the series
17- Wins for Steve Kinser at Lernerville with the series to lead all drivers
23- Drivers that have won A-Feature events with the World of Outlaws at Lernerville dating back to 1979
25- Laps led by Joey Saldana en route to winning the finale of the Silver Cup this season
37- Drivers that competed in the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup earlier this season at Lernerville; Top-Five finishes this season for Steve Kinser to lead all drivers
53- Top-10 finishes for Steve Kinser in World of Outlaws events at Lernerville Speedway to lead all drivers; Top-10 finishes this season for Steve Kinser to lead all drivers
327-Miles from Eldora Speedway where the World of Outlaws competed on September 24 to Lernerville Speedway
368- Laps led in main events by Joey Saldana this season to lead the series
1979- Year the World of Outlaws first competed at Lernerville Speedway
10,000- Dollars the winner will receive on Saturday, September 25
51,690- Dollars in the total purse on Saturday, September 25
Tickets: Advance Reserved tickets will be $28 for adults and $24 for students 17-under, with kids 10-under are admitted FREE into General Admission. Advance Reserved tickets include a FREE pit pass upgrade. This offer expires Friday, September 24. On the day of the show, adult general admission tickets will be $26, with general admission tickets for students (Ages 11-17) $22, with kids ages 10-under admitted free of charge. Adult reserved tickets will be $28 with reserved tickets for those ages 17-under $24. Tickets can be purchased online at www.Lernerville.com or by calling the track at (724) 353-1511,
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Chizmark & Larson Insurance, Goodyear Tires (Official Tire), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, Jake’s Custom Golf Carts, KSE Race Products, Penske Shocks, R2C Performance, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo; Engine Builder's Challenge participants Don Ott Racing Engines, Kistler Engines, Shaver Specialties and Speedway Engines; and Chassis Builder’s Challenge participants J&J Auto Racing, Maxim Racing and XXX Race Company.
Submitted By: Tony Veneziano