Kelley

BUFFALO TWP — The names have become familiar — and have become associated with success.

Butch Lambert, Greg Beach, Wayne Carbo, Jason Fosnaught and Paul Schreckengost all scored 340 or more points last season. Bob Egley won last week's feature by a nose. Bob Lipinski has stepped up his game.

Welcome to the Pure Stocks division at Lernerville Speedway.

But it's time to add the names of Joe Kelley and Mike Pegher Jr. to that list.

All the 47-year-old Kelley has done is win 14 Pure Stock track championships in his career, including six at Lernerville. He's won five points crowns at Challenger Raceway and three more at Latrobe Speedway.

His last full season at Lernerville was 2004 — which also was his last points championship here.

"I've missed running here," Kelley said. "It's the best competition around."

Kelley is driving the No. 66 car owned by Terry and Carol Bank., who bought the car during the middle of last season.

Still not totally committed to running for points, Kelley admits to being intrigued by his quick start. His 103 points trail only Pegher, and he's already won a feature this spring at the Sarver track.

Kelley has 23 Pure Stock wins here. Only Scott Bochek (29) and Bruce Milbert (27) have more.

Pegher is a Seneca Valley graduate and Wexford resident. Only 21 years old, he already has 20 career Pure Stock victories.

After getting suspended from Lernerville for two weeks early last season after an incident in the pits, Pegher did not return here until the year's final race — and he won it.

"We wanted to run at some different tracks and try some things," Pegher said. "We ran fairly regularly at Sharon, Mercer and Tri-City."

Pegher finished fourth in points at Mercer last year despite missing four nights of racing. Like Kelley, he is uncertain whether he'll stay in the Lernerville points chase this year.

"It's so competitive here that if you miss a night or get one DNF, you're probably done in terms of winning the points title," Pegher said. "Then again, that is challenging. There is part of me that wants to go for it."

Pegher said he might travel to different tracks instead of racing every Friday night at Lernerville.

"This is the place for the best races in our division, though," he admitted. "Anywhere from 12 to 15 cars can win here on a given night. No other track can say that."

Kelley agreed.

"Everybody's gotten faster," he said. "The cars are the same. The difference is that more people are doing their homework."

Can the Pure Stock division get even more competitive?

"I wish Scott Bochek would come back," Kelley said, smiling. "I'm hearing that he might. Hey, the more, the merrier. You want to put on a show."

<B>Lernerville Points StandingsTop 15 through May 4Sprints</B>Ed Lynch Jr. 114, Kevin Schaeffer 106, Dan Shetler 87, Gary Rankin 85, Carl Bowser 81, Arnie Kent 80, Bob Felmlee 67, Rod George 64, Scott Bonnell 64, Dan Holtgraver 62, Scott Priester 60, Mike Shearer 59, Brent Matus 54, Ralph Spithaler 50, Charlie Holben 48<B>Late Models</B>Alex Ferree 116, Mike Blose 92, Gary Lyle 91, Dutch Davies 87, Jared Hawkins 84, Jared Miley 77, Sam Stile 73, Greg Satterlee 69, Lynn Geisler 67, Dan Swartzlander 64, Nick Jones 57, Chuck Sarver 54, Doug Ricotta 48, Jimmie Pitkavish 45m, Herman Bertolini 44<B>Modifieds</B>Kevin Bolland 105, Del Rougeux Jr. 103, Brian Swartzlander 97, Jeremiah Shingledecker 96, Tom Winkle 85, Jim Weller Jr. 81, Andy Priest 70, JR McGinley 66, Carl Murdick 61, Steve Feder 52, Shawn Kozar 48, Mike Turner 47, Skip Moore 34, Doug Fleeger 33<B>Pure Stocks</B>Mike Pegher Jr. 110, Joe Kelley 103, Bob Egley 102, Terry Young 90, Greg Beach 88, Paul Schreckengost 88, Jason Fosnaught 81, Butch Lambert 76, Jim Fosnaught 75, Bob Lipinski 63, Pat Hanley 54, Jake Ayers 46, Paul Petrovich 46, Bryan Shaffer 42, Stan Riggle 42

Pegher