Lynch, Ferree record impressive victories
BUFFALO TWP — Ed Lynch Jr. showed he's ready for the Outlaws. Alex Ferree showed he's ready for anybody.
Both drivers scored impressive feature victories Friday night at Lernerville Speedway.
Lynch posted his second Sprint feature win of the season, coming from the fifth starting position to take the lead from pole-sitter Scott Priester on the 11th lap.
The Apollo driver of the No. 2L easily outdistanced Dan Shetler and Priester to the checkered flag.
Lynch was driving the same car he'll be using during the World of Outlaws Commonwealth Clash here May 15.
"We're not quite there yet,"Lynch said. "We're still trying some things. This car has a new engine, new front end, this was my first time driving on these new (Hoosier) tires.
"There's still a lot of stuff I have to get used to."
Lynch increased his Sprint feature win record at Lernerville to 84.
Priester's No. 11X car was one of Lynch's vehicles last year. The Rimersburg driver bought it from him during the off-season.
"I'm very encouraged by what happened tonight,"Priester said. "This was only our third race with this car and we had mechanical problems during the first two."
Priester hopes to run in the Outlaws event, but hasn't committed to it yet.
Saxonburg's Ferree won his third Late Model feature in four tries at Lernerville this season. He took the lead from Jared Miley on the second turn of the 18th lap and never gave it up.
Ferree finished second in the Late Model feature last week. He started from the 11th spot Friday.
"It's still early, but everything's going good right now,"Ferree said. "This car is just loving this track."
Miley started up front and finished third as Gary Lyle claimed the second spot. Miley was trying to win the feature in honor of his uncle, James "Red"Miley, who died of cancer Thursday at age 53.
Red Miley was the owner of Motordrome Speedway. The Miley family owns Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.
"We came racing tonight because Uncle Red would have wanted us to,"Miley said. "I thought we might be able to win one for him tonight. It just didn't work out.
"Alex is really strong this year. I kept looking for his car to come up to the front and it did."
Jeremiah Shingledecker won the Modified feature after starting 10th. He watched Del Rougeux Jr. and Dave Murdick swap the lead six times before taking the lead on the final lap.
It was Shingledecker's second win at Lernerville this year and his third win of the racing season overall. He leads the DIRTModified Western Region point standings.
"(Rougeux and Murdick) were on the move,"Shingledecker said. "I was just happy to hang with them."
Seneca Valley graduate Mike Pegher Jr. appeared headed for victory in the Pure Stock feature. He started seventh and grabbed the lead on the sixth lap, only to get nosed out at the finish line by Kittanning's Bob Egley.
The No. 09 of Pegher and No. 30 of Egley bumped each other at the checkered, with Egley's bumper crossing the line first.
"I didn't mean for that to happen at the end, but if I didn't hammer down off that back turn, he was gonna get me,"Egley said. "I slid up a little and came into him. I didn't mean to do that."
Egley had to pit his car with a flat tire during the first lap, only to return and go from worst to first.
Notes: There were 87 cars in the pits. ... Lynch now has 85 overall feature wins at Lernerville, including one Modified win, and passed Blackie Watt for fifth place on the track's overall all-time victory list. Bob Wearing Sr. has 179 wins, Lou Blaney 118, Lynn Geisler 106 and Lou Gentile 89.
