BUFFALO TWP — All night long, Brian Ellenberger was being introduced to an overflow crowd at Lernerville Speedway as the track's points leader.

No mention of Carl Bowser — who shares the Sprint points lead at the Sarver oval — during the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup event Tuesday evening.

Not that it matters — the Freeport graduate is sneaking up on everybody in the Sprint division, even his own race team.

"We need to win more races before I can make any claim like that," crew chief Mike Shick said, when asked if Bowser was primed to reach the head of the class among sprint cars at Lernerville.

"I like where Carl's at right now. He's been consistent and we've got a good car. But we need victory lane," Shick said.

Bowser enters Fab Four racing this Friday with 245 points, tied with Ellenberger for the top spot. He also has six top-five finishes this season, matching Ellenberger in that department. No other sprint driver has more than four.

But Bowser only has one feature win this year — July 1 — and has found victory lane at Lernerville only four times in his six-year career.

He's finished second twice and third once this season. He's also missed races with a concussion and a banged-up car.

"If we could stay out of trouble this year, I'd like to see where we are right now," Bowser said. "It's all part of the game, I guess.

"This new car has been tremendous. The shock program we've got in here is really working."

Only 24, Bowser has been fighting to break through at Mercer Raceway Park as well. He has a second place and a pair of third-place finishes there.

"We're at the point where we need to get over the hump," Bowser admitted.

His long-term goal is to do this for a living. He may have already picked up a ride at the next level toward the end of this season.

"It's in the works. ... We'll see," he said.

The Bowser race team has gotten more effective as it's picked up more contacts in the industry and since Terry Bowser, Carl's father, parked his sprint car in 2008.

"Cartl is experienced now to the point that he can give us better feedback on how the car's performing out there," Shick said. "I talk to (Silver Cup champion) Tim Shaffer's crew chief regularly and draw advice from him. That stuff makes a difference."

Terry Bowser gave up racing during the 2008 season when his car rolled over a hill and he sat back in the trailer "not being able to remember a thing that happened.

"I felt like I should probably give it up at that point," the elder Bowser said.

Now he helps out fulltime with his son's team.

And Carl Bowser appreciates having his father's ear at all times now, while at the track.

"We'd talk racing in the past, but the opportunity wasn't always there when he had his own car to worry about," Carl said. "I feel like we're totally on the same page now."

Terry Bowser is one who believes his son is primed to make a move in the sport.

"I've timed Carl in a heat race at 109 miles per hour, easily the fastest car on the track," he said. "He's an up and comer. He's just had a string of bad luck.

"I raced a sprint car for four years and it was the nost exhilirating thing I've ever done in my life. You bet I miss it. I used to think going hunting in Colorado was the most thrilling thing I've ever done. I'd give up a lifetime of that for just one more year in a sprint car."

Lernerville Points Standings(top 15 through July 16)SprintsCarl Bowser 245, Brian Ellenberger 245, Rod George 226, Brandon Matus 207, Kevin Schaeffer 202, Brent Matus 172, Danny Holtgraver 168, Gary Rankin 145, Brian Steinman 143, Jack Sodeman Jr. 135, Sheila Rankin 123, Andy McKisson 110, Bobbi Rankin 92, Brandon Spithaler 88, Pete Landram 85

Late ModelsDave Hess Jr. 281, Jared Miley 198, Gregg Satterlee 198, John Garvin Jr. 196, Doug Eck 181, Ken Schaltenbrand 173, Dave Murdick 170, Boom Briggs 168, Lynn Geisler/Mike Pegher Jr. 154, Tommy Beck 135, Gary Lyle 131, Jim Detman/Brian Swartzlander 128, Garrett Krummert 126, Chuck Sarver 113, Bryan Force 112

ModifiedsJeremiah Shingledecker 252, Kevin Bolland 244, Dave Murdick 238, Brian Swartzlander 218, Dean Pearson 186, Phil Evans Jr. 168, Steve Feder 158, Mike Turner 158, Carl Murdick 155, Mark Frankhouser 133, Shawn Fleeger 117, Brad Rapp 113, Don Brown 98, Jim Weller 91, Dave Reges 88

Sportsman StocksMike Miller 243, Corey McPherson 224, A.J. Flick 215, Rob Shook 214, Joe Kelley 211, Jim Fosnaught 196, Wayne Carbo 189, Paul Schreckengost 188, Bob Egley 185, Brett McDonald 185, Mark Sanders 146, Terry Young 132, Troy Jeuther 125, Randy Hanovick 120, Jeff Miller 98