Who are the “G.O.A.T.s” at Lernerville Speedway?

Everyone has an opinion, usually backed by some impressive stats. If you’re a Lernerville race fan veteran, these names should be at or near the top of your list.

The “Greatest of All Time” in the Lernerville Late Model class is Bob Wearing Sr. with 117 victories. He also had 62 feature wins in the Modified Class for a grand total of 179 in both divisions. The Hall of Famer’s nickname was “Mr. Invitational” for all the big races he captured.

He won track titles in 1971,72, 74, 79, 81, and 97. In 1981 Wearing Sr. won 13 Lernerville features. Short track auto racing history was made on July 7, 1990 when Wearing Sr. scored double feature wins at PA Motor Speedway for a grand total of 601 lifetime victories. Wearing Sr. and engine builder Dunk Pacdozi made an unbelievable team!

Lynn Geisler is second on the Late Model All-Time Win List with 109 at the Sarver oval. He won titles in 1989, 92, 93 and 94. He may have had more Lernerville championships, but Geisler joined the MAC Series and followed their schedule, winning titles there. In 1993, Geisler won 10 main events at Lernerville. He and #1Cochran are the longest combined sponsorship at Lernerville, spanning 43 years.

Now look at two drivers currently racing and still collecting wins. Alex Ferree has been racing for 27 years and now is partnered with Geisler. Ferree has point titles in 2007, 08, 09, 13, 14, and 15. He has 40 feature victories and in 2007 Ferree had nine wins. Ferree is still looking for his first feature win at Lernerville in the 2023 season.

Mike Norris has won 35 Fab 4 races at Lernerville plus two sanctioned main events. His racing goal parallels with owner Joe Corrado, “Just win races!”

Norris said he figures that he has won over 50 races total at various tracks. “Right now, I am blessed to be where I am. As a kid, I can remember enjoying watching Lynn Geisler and John Flinner racing and admiring their success. Now I am the one on the track that is competing in the late Models.” Norris has won four features in 2023.

Ed Lynch Jr. is the G.O.A.T. in the Sprint class with 111 feature wins. He won Championships in 2003, 04 and 05. He may have had more, but many times he followed All- Star Sprint events and some of the bigger paying races elsewhere. His World of Outlaws feature win in 2002 was one of the highlights of his career. In 2004, Lynch had 10 victories.

Johnny Beaber is second on the Sprint class list with 55 wins. He was the track champion in 1982, 85, and 87. In 1981 Beaber won nine features, usually hugging the inside groove on the track.

The “young lion” Sprint driver, AJ Flick, is a third-generation competitor at the Sarver oval. His dad Mark competed in then Modifieds, winning a Lernerville point title in 1994 and his grandfather Pee Wee was a Late Model chauffeur earning a Lernerville point championship in 1973.

AJ has won six Lernerville Sprint titles and is working on the seventh in 2023. This season, Flick has won 10 features, five of them at Lernerville.

He has won a total of 34 features at Lernerville and could keep climbing that ladder of success! AJ just wants to continue winning features. He said, “I want to do well and maybe I can gain more sponsors. Perhaps someday, an owner would want me to drive his race car.”

Others still racing Sprints with high victory totals are Bob Felmlee-30, Carl Bowser-28 and Jack Sodeman-23.

Brian Swartzlander not only leads the Modified All-Time Win list with 101 triumphs, but is still racing in 2023. He won Lernerville championships in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, and 2008. In 1998 and 2000, Swartzlander won nine main events. He is in several Halls of Fame. Lou Blaney was second with 69 wins. He also had 49 Sprint wins for a total of 118 combined. Blaney won six Sprint titles and three Modified championships.

Current Modified drivers with lofty totals are Dave Murdick and Mat Williamson-32, Rex King Jr-30 and Jeremiah Shingledecker- 29.

Joe Kelley is the Pro Stock G.O.A.T, but is in danger of being dethroned!

Kelley has 52 feature wins. He won Championships in 1998. 99, 00, 01, 03, 04, and 10. Kelley has not raced at Lernerville this season. Retired driver Scott Bochek was second with 29 features, but current driver Corey McPherson passed him with 50 and Chris Schneider moved into third with 32 wins. Tyler Dietz is fifth on the All-Time List with 27.

You make your own pick for the “Greatest” but remember the bar has been set pretty high.

Sad goodbyes

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lernerville Late Model, Sprint and Modified legend Dick Swartzlander, age 92. He passed away peacefully on Monday. He was a lot of things to a lot of people; a racer, a mechanic, a Marine, a dancer, a storyteller, but first and foremost, he was always a family man. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Swartzlander family.

Our sympathy is also extended to the Flinner family. Mark Flinner passed away last Friday after a brave battle with brain cancer. Mark is the father of Late Model driver Colton Flinner and the brother of retired Late Model driver John Flinner.

Three Lernerville rained out features are rescheduled as follows:

Aug. 4- Pro Stock Feature plus Fab4 racing

Aug. 11-Autism Awareness 50' $10,000-to-win - Late Models plus Fab4 racing.

Aug. 18- Sprint Car feature plus Fab4 racing (Championship Night)

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle