Lernerville Speedway
Ferree rolls on, captures Steel City Stampede
Alex Ferree takes the checkers. (Howie Balis)
SARVER, Pa. (Oct. 25-26) — Track champion Alex Ferree of Saxonburg, Pa., clicked off his fourth straight victory at Lernerville Speedway on Saturday in winning the NDRL's ULMS Racing Series portion of the fifth annual Steel City Stampede. | Slideshow
Starting sixth, Ferree collected $3,000 for his third series victory of the season as he outran hometown driver John Garvin Jr. Brian Swartzlander of Leechburg, Pa., who won the event’s big-block modified feature, was third in the ULMS main ahead of Jared Miley of South Park, Pa., and Matt Lux of Franklin, Pa. Polesitter Russ King of Bristolville, Ohio, finished 19th.
King jumped inot the lead at the outset over Garvin with two caution slowing the action over the first two laps, and Ferree made early progress to grab the second spot by the fifth lap after Miley and Lux made hard contact two laps earlier.
After another pair of cautions, Ferree took the lead on a lap-seven restart and pulled away while King and Garvin battle for second. Two late cautions appeared in the 25-lapper, and King made a hard charge after a lap-21 restart that saw his No. 56 jump the cushion in turns one and two. Garvin held the second spot but Ferree won the race to the checkers.
Ferree’s previous ULMS victories in 2013 came at Lernerville and Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, the tracks where he swept DIRTcar-sanctioned Late Model championships.
Notes: Ferree’s Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Range Resources, Frankland Rear Ends and ADC. … Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y. had already wrapped up the ULMS title; he didn’t attend the Steel City Stampede. … Russ King, seventh in ULMS points entering the event, was the highest points earner on hand. … Dennis Lunger Jr. won the event’s Crate Late Model feature for the Sweeney Chevrolet-Buick-GMC RUSH Series.
Steel City Stampede: (1) Alex Ferree, (2) John Garvin Jr., (3) Brian Swartzlander, (4) Jared Miley, (5) Matt Lux, (6) John Britsky, (7) Tommy Beck, (8) Colton Flinner, (9) Dan Swartzlander, (10) Chris Rhodes, (11) Bill Davis , (12) Doug Eck, (13) Derek Stefanick, (14) Ryan Christoff, (15) Herman Bertolini, (16) Shawn Thorn, (17) Jim Struble, (18) Greg Kent, (19) Russ King, (20) Joe Zalisky, (21) Jim Kupakias, (22) Ken Schaltenbrand, (23) Garrett Krummert. Heat race winners (among 23 cars): Lux, Garvin.
