Moyer claims 4th Outlaws Late Model feature
BUFFALO TWP — "Nobody can win them all."
A sly smile came across Billy Moyer's face as he uttered those words after his victory in the 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model race Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway.
That's because he's winning most of them.
Moyer, 50, claimed his fourth OutlawsLate Model feature in six tries this season. He had a three-race winning streak snapped by a blown tire late in the race Friday night at Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, Va. He faded to 17th that night after taking the lead on Lap 35.
Moyer started third Tuesday night, took the lead from Shane Clanton on Lap 5 and was never challenged the rest of the way.
"He's in a zone,"Clanton said. "He's going to be tough to beat. When a team jells like that, you just keep getting better."
Clanton held off Chub Frank for second place, but the night — and perhaps the season — belongs to Moyer.
Scott Bloomquist holds the OutlawsLate Model series record of nine wins in a season, which was set in 2004. Moyer is on pace to eclipse that by mid-season.
"I've never had a streak like this at this level of competition," the Batesville, Ark., driver said. "But I know how quickly it can go away. We've had two or three years where we've been off and didn't win five races all season."
The feature had restarts on the 22nd, 34th and 35th laps, but no one gave Moyer a run on any of them.
"I think our car ran best on the restarts,"Moyer said. "Our tires were cold, but so were everybody else's.
"My only chance was to get into lapped traffic and hope he (Moyer) makes a mistake,"Clanton said. "But we never got into any lapped traffic."
Moyer's win was the second of his career at Lernerville. He won here in April 2005 and didn't run with the Outlaws at the Sarver track last year.
Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford was the highest finisher among area drivers, finishing 13th. He qualified for the feature by winning the first B-Main.
Hess also picked up a $12,000 check during a Victory Lane presentation Tuesday night. He won the Alltel DIRTcar All-Star balloting surrounding February's Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Florida.
Hess became eligible for the contest by winning a UMPDIRTcar Modified feature at Volusia.
"Winning a race in Florida was big for me,"Hess said. "We're off to a good start this year."
Hess won't be running at Lernerville full-time this year, but said "people will see me here a half dozen times or so."
Area driver David Scott of Garland qualified for the feature by finishing fourth in his heat, but managed only a 23rd-place showing. Defending track champion Alex Ferree of Saxonburg joined Gary Lyle as Lernerville provisionals in the feature and finished 21st.
Zelienople's John Flinner, a multiyear Late Model track champion here, sat out most of last season. He competed Tuesday night and will run for points at Pittsburgh (Pa.)Motor Speedway and Lernerville this year.
Flinner barely missed qualifying for the feature, finishing fifth behind Billy Decker in his heat race. The top four from each heat qualified to move on.
"Hey, I'm happy,"Flinner said. "This was our first time out. I treated this night as my hot laps."
Notes: There were 51 Late Models in the pits and 14 UMP Crate Late Models. ... David Lyon of Corry won the 20-lap Crate feature. Carl McKinney of Cranberry Township was fourth and 2007 Lernerville Pure Stock champion Mike Pegher Jr. of Wexford was fifth. ... Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., was fastest in time trials, turning a lap of 15.433 seconds, or 116.633 mph. He was well off the track record of 15.072, set by Darrell Lanigan April 29, 2005.
<B>TuesdayFeature (50 laps)1.</B> Billy Moyer (Batesville, Ark.), <B>2.</B> Shane Clanton (Locust Grove, Ga.), <B>3.</B> Chub Frank (Bear Lake), <B>4.</B> Steve Francis (Ashland, Ky.), <B>5.</B> Rick Eckert (York), <B>6. </B>Darrell Lanigan (Union, Ky.), <B>7.</B> Josh Richards (Shinnston, W.Va.), <B>8. </B>Brian Shirley (Chatham, Ill.),<B> 9. </B>Mike Balzano (Parkersburg, W.Va,.), <B>10.</B> Jeep Van Wormer (Pinconning. Mich.), <B>11.</B> Vic Coffey (Leicester, N.Y.), <B>12. </B>Clint Smith (Senoia, Ga.), <B>13.</B> Dave Hess Jr. (Waterford), <B>14. </B>Mike Knight (Ripley, N.Y.), <B>15.</B> Matt Lux (Franklin), <B>16.</B> Shannon Babb (Moweaqua, Ill.), <B>17.</B> John Blankenship (Williamson, W.Va.), <B>18. </B>Doug Horton Bruceton Mills, W.Va.), <B>19. </B>Gary Lyle (Hyde Park), <B>20. </B>Danny Johnson (Phelps, N.Y.), <B>21.</B> Alex Ferree (Saxonburg), <B>22.</B> Tim Fuller (Watertown, N.Y.), <B>23.</B> David Scott (Garland), <B>24. </B>Sean Beardsley (Central Square, N.Y.), <B>25. </B>Davey Johnson (Latrobe), <B>26. </B>Billy Decker (Unadilla, N.Y.)<B>Feature QualifiersHeat #1: </B>Billy Moyer, Steve Francis, Brian Shirley, Darrewll Lanigan<B>Heat #2:</B> Matt Lux, Rick Eckert, Chub Frank, David Scott<B>Heat #3:</B>Shane Clanton, Doug Horton, Tim Fuller, Shannon Babb<B>Heat #4:</B>Vic Coffey, Josh Richards, Mike Balzano, Jeep Van Wormer<B>B-Main #1:</B>Dave Hess Jr., Clint Smith, Mike Knight<B>B-Main #2:</B>John Blankenship, Davey Johnson, Billy Decker<B>Tim Trials (top 10)1.</B> Steve Francis 15.433 seconds, <B>2.</B> Allan Dellinger 15.571, <B>3.</B> Shannon Babb 15.608, <B>4. </B>Vic Coffey 15.680, <B>5. </B>Rick Briggs 15.687, <B>6.</B> Matt Lux 15.717, <B>7. </B>Shane Clanton 15.717, <B>8.</B> Josh Richards 15.726, <B>9.</B> Dutch Davies 15.740, <B>10.</B> Mike Knight 15.743
