Dietz bidding for history at Lernerville
BUFFALO TWP — Tyler Dietz admits he’s walking — racing, actually — a fine line.
But the tight-rope act is worth it.
Dietz, 34, a Knoch graduate and Saxonburg resident, is trying to become the first driver in 41 years to win points championships in two different divisions in the same year at Lernerville Speedway. He entered Friday night’s Fab4 race card at Lernerville wth a scant one-point lead (67-66) over Michael Norris of Sarver. He has a commanding 70-point lead over Cody Koteles in the Pro Stocks.
“It’s hard racing for points because it does affect what you’re doing on the track,” Dietz said. “You want to win, obviously, finish as high as you can, but you don’t want to run the risk of making a move that may bust something up.
“It’s a tricky way to race, but we’re so close ... We have to go for it.”
The Fab4 points season wraps up this Friday at Lernerville.
Dietz owns the Pro Stock he’s driving and he’s been dominant with it. He’s looking to wrap up his fourth points title in five years in that division. He has six Pro Stock feature wins at the Sarver oval in 2023.
He is driving a Late Model owned by Dan Huston. While Dietz has only one Late Model feature win on the season, he’s been consistent enough to lead the points race against Norris in a battle that’s surely going to come down to the final weekend.
“We don’t have the financial backing or respect in the Late Model division like a Michael Norris or Alex Ferree does,” said Todd Yerkins, the crew chief for the Dietz-Huston race car. “We’re trying to get to that point. Tyler’s come from nowhere to have a real shot at that points title.
“Believe me, we know the significance of it, winning both divisions. We’re doing everything we can to try to get it done.”
Only two other drivers have ever won two points titles in one season at Lernerville. Blackie Watt was the last to do so, winning Late Models and Modifieds in 1982. Ralph Quarterson won titles in Sprints and Modifieds in 1971.
David Scott came within a whisker of winning Sprints and Late Models at the Sarver track in 2000. He won the Sprints, but lost out by a point to Nick Jones in Late Models. Ironically, Scott gave Jones a needed part for the latter’s car on the final night of points racing and wound up falling short.
“Having a chance to make history at this track means the world to me,” Dietz said. “It’s so hard to win here, especially in today’s racing, where everybody is competitive and running close to the same stuff.
“Lernerville has been my life. I love this place. To have my name attached to it in such a historical perspective ... I can’t even describe what that would be like.”
At times, the Late Model and Pro Stock features run back-to-back, meaning Dietz has to jump out of one car and into another right away. He did win Late Model and Pro Stock features on the same night at Lernerville late last season.
“It’s hard on the driver, it’s hard on the team,” Yerkins said of nights where the features run back-to-back. “We have to have both cars ready and Tyler gets no break. But that guy loves to race and he’s having an incredible year.”
When Dietz jumps into a race car and ventures out on to the track, he admits he has one thing in mind.
“Win. I always want to win. That’s the natuire of racing, of any sport,” But this thing we have going on with points ... I’d love to pull that off. We’re just gonna go out there, race to win, and where it falls, it falls.“
