“Continuing the Legend” is written on the back of Chase Lambert’s race car.

Like his first name he literally “cut to the chase” in auto racing! The junior at Mars High School is a second year Pro Stock driver at Lernerville. He skipped the traditional path of competition and never competed in Go-Carts, quads, dirt bikes, or any other lead up class.

As a matter of fact, Lambert was 15 and didn’t even have a driver’s license when he got behind the wheel of his stock car. He had never tried using a three-speed transmission in any vehicle.

Then his “Pap” Bob Lambert bought a Senior Series car from Ron Spangler as an early birthday present.They had a lot of work to update this chassis. Even though Lambert was an inexperienced driver, he came from a racing family.

His dad, the late Bob McCall, was a talented Stock driver. His uncle Butch Lambert is a three-time Pure Stock champion with 27 victories. His cousins Jason and Jim Fosnaught (2014 Lernerville Pure Stock titlist) have raced for years.

Chase remembers watching his Uncle Butch and the Fosnaughts compete and then helping them in the garage during the week.

“I learned a lot as a youngster in the garage, but driving is a whole new ball game!,” he said.

After his rookie season, Chase said, “I learned that patience is really important. My uncle emphasized that to me.” He also added, “I listen to him a lot because he knows what happens out there! He tells me to go for a ride and learn something new!”

This year Chase’s best finish is a sixth in the feature.

“I would like to learn more and finish in the top five in points, but this division is so competitive,” Lambert lamented.

His crew consists of his “Pap”, Butch Lambert, Charlie Neeley, Cameron Lambert, Decoan Delong, James Barbour, and Ryan Skurka. Tyler Dietz’s car is also in the Lambert/Neeley stable.

At school, Lambert plays football and is a defensive back. He received an honorable mention on the area’s all-star high school football list.

He said: “Mars emphasizes keeping your grades up while playing football.”

He enjoys working with his hands, creating things in woodshop and welding. The two NASCAR drivers that he enjoyed watching have retired — Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Hall of Famer

The Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame has just announced that Leechburg native Brian Swartzlander will be an inductee as a member of the 2018 class.

Swartzlander, 58, is an active driver on the Western Pennsylvania Modified circuit, topping the Lernerville Modified list with 94 victories.

He began competing in 1978 at this track. His grandfather, Mel, father Mel, along with his uncle Dick Swartzlander and cousin Dan Swartzlander all have racing backgrounds.

”Flyin’ Brian” competed in stocks and Late Models, but has done most of his winning in Modifieds. He won the point titles at Lernerville, Tri-City and Sportsman’s tracks in 1998, winning 25 races.

Swartzlander has 171 career victories at 14 tracks in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. He has seven Modified point titles at Lernerville and a combined eight more at other speedways. The induction ceremony will take place July 26 at the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame and Museum in Weedsport, N.Y.

Condolences

Our sincere sympathy is extended the McCutcheon family, sponsor of Brian Swartzlander. Chad McCutcheon, age 36, died suddenly last week of a heart attack.

Opening delayed

Marion Center’s Saturday opening night is pending and not expected to occur prior to July 1 due to health reasons, according to co-owner June Potts.

Going forward, Dog Hollow’s owner Dan Savino has announced a move from Friday to Saturday nights effective immediately except for several contracted special events.

Savino said: “Friday evenings were saturated with four tracks, especially since they all run Super Late Models.” He added, “I have wanted to go on Saturday nights ever since I took over the track.”

Savino spent a lot of time as a young man at Lernerville where he said that he learned many things from the late Don Martin.

“He told me, if you do something every year to improve the track to make it better for the drivers and fans, they will reward you with their loyalty. That always stuck with me and its something I have always tried to do.”

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle