100 laps vs. pros no small challenge
BUFFALO TWP — Russ King is never one to mince words.
“Anyone who thinks a local driver is going to show up and win a 100-lap race against these guys ... that person must be smoking something,” King said of this week's Firecracker 100 involving the World of Outlaw Late Model drivers at Lernerville Speedway.
The eighth annual Firecracker 100 event runs Thursday through Saturday at the Sarver oval.
King, a driver from Bristol, Ohio, currently second in Late Model points at Lernerville, has been involved in this race as a WoO and local driver. He is a former WoO Late Model Rookie of the Year.
“I've had experience driving with them, but my biggest benefit for this show will come from driving on this track all season,” King said. “I know it well.
“But the Outlaw drivers are pros. They're the best. They've seen it all. It won't take them long to figure out and adjust to whatever the track conditions are that night.”
The Firecracker 100 features a total purse of $172,000. That includes a $30,000 check to the winner of Saturday night's 100-lap race. The winner of the Uncle Sam 30 — a 30-lap feature for non-qualifiers to the main event — pays $3,000 to win. King won the Uncle Sam last year.
A 30-lap feature will run Thursday and Friday night as well, each paying $6,000 to win.
“Honestly, we local guys stand a better chance winning Thursday or Friday,” defending Lernerville points champion and current leader Alex Ferree of Saxonburg said. “Those races are more like the features we're used to around here.
“Get a decent starting spot and you've got a much better chance of holding off the (Outlaws) for 30 laps as opposed to hanging in for 100.”
Ferree has three feature wins, a second and two third-place finishes so far at Lernerville. He has 30 career feature wins here.
He finished second in last week's Late Model feature and won the previous week.“That kind of momentum could work against me,” Ferree said. “It's a false sense of security. I'm going to show up here expecting to do well and I'll be on that track against the best there is.”Regardless of qualifying, Ferree will receive a track provisional starting spot in the main event Saturday night. He will be joined by Dave Hess Jr, who won an automatic spot by winning Lernerville's Midseason Championship Late Model race last week.Between them, Ferree and Hess have won six of the past seven Late Model points titles at Lernerville. 2012 champion Jared Miley figures to be among the race field as well.“I wasn't expecting this,” Hess said of his automatic spot. “I'm still shaking the rust off. We've got a lot of work to do between now and then.”Because of family commitments, Hess has raced a limited schedule the past two years. Last week marked just his seventh race anywhere this year.Previous Firecracker 100 winners include Scott Bloomquist and Jimmy Mars (twice), Brian Birkpfer, Shane Clanton and Josh Richards.Richards won all three features last year, including two in one day as weekend rains wreaked havoc with the schedule. Because of an undisclosed medical condition, Richards, a three-time WoO champion, has not raced all season and is not expected to race this weekend. Rick Eckert has picked up his ride.Current WoO points leader Darrell Lanigan has a series-leading four feature wins so far in 2014. He has finished runner-up in the Firecracker 100 four times and took third place last year.Tim McCreadie finished second in last year's 100-lapper. The weekend featured a 61-car field.No local driver has come close to victory lane in the 100-lap feature. Former Lernerville local Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills finished fourth last year.
Schedule of Events<B>Wednesday</B>Noon — Reserved camping opens<B>Thursday</B>4 p.m. — Pit gates open5 p.m. — Main gates open6:50 p.m. — Hot laps7:15 p.m. — Time trials8 p.m. — Opening ceremonies8:05 p.m. — Heat races9:55 p.m. — 30-lap feature10:45 p.m. — Concert-Justin Fabus Band<B>Friday</B>Noon — Kick-It for Children Cancer KickBall Game4 p.m. — Pit gates open5 p.m. — Main gates open6:50 p.m. — Hot laps7:15 p.m. — Time trials8 p.m. — Opening ceremonies8:05 p.m. — Heat races9:55 p.m. — 30-lap feature10:25 p.m. — Fireworks10:45 p.m. — Concert-NOMaD and Vanessa Campagna<B>Saturday</B>Noon — Weiner Roast, driver horseshoe and corn-hole tournament3 p.m. — Pit gates open4 p.m. — Main gates open6:50 p.m. — Hot laps7:30 p.m. — Opening ceremonies7:35 p.m. — Heat races9:15 p.m. — Uncle Sam 309:45 p.m. — Driver introduction and fireworks9:55 p.m. — Firecracker 100
