Lernerville banquet completes transition for 2004

By JOHN ENRIETTO Eagle Sports Editor

March 08, 2004 Last Updated: June 13, 2005 04:38 PM Amateur

BUTLER TWP - Lernerville Speedway's annual banquet usually marks the beginning of a new dirt track racing season.

Saturday night, it marked the end of a 36-year legacy.

Lernerville's awards fete at the Butler Days Inn officially ended the era of the Martin family running the track. Co-owners Helen Martin and her daughter Patty Martin Roenigk are leasing the facility to longtime track employees Barb Bauman Bartley and Tom Roenigk this season.

"The world's finest race fans really do pass through our gates," said Don Roenigk, Helen Martin's grandson. "My family has received enough kindness, hospitality and generosity to last a lifetime."

"I respect and understand Helen and Patty's decision to retire from racing," Lernerville promoter Albert "Ouch" Roenigk said. "I love you girls.

"Whatever it takes to keep this track's success going, we're gonna do."

Late Model driver Lynn Geisler of Cranberry Township spoke of the family atmosphere at Lernerville.

"I remember racing there during its first year," Geisler said. "I was still in high school and my parents had to sign a release for me to ride around on that track.

"A lot of the same blood is still going to be running things. We all have something to uphold and that's the reputation of that speedway."

Lernerville's 2004 season is scheduled to begin March 26. The points race begins April 2.

"Tom and I are excited about the new season," Bartley said. "We both grew up at the speedway. You'll see a few new faces, but few changes in the program. The program runs great."

The biggest change on this year's schedule is the addition of a World of Outlaws Late Model show, scheduled for Aug. 13.

The annual World of Outlaws Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup race is July 20, with $30,000 to win and $1,000 to start. The Outlaws will also be at Lernerville May 25.

Highlights from 2003 reviewed at the banquet include:

Rick Ferkel, Mike Shearer and Chad Hill in Sprints, Doug Eck and Ken Schaltenbrand in Late Models, Gary Risch Jr. in Modifieds and Rob Shook in Pure Stocks all recorded career-first feature wins.

Scott Bochek won six features to tie Bruce Milbert for first in all-time Pure Stock wins at Lernerville with 27.

Ed Lynch Jr. increased his Lernerville Sprint feature wins record to 64 and received his fourth Cavalcade of Points Award for most points accumulated by a Sprint driver in Western Pennsylvania.

Lynch Jr. (Sprints), John Flinner (Late Models), Brian Swartzlander (Modifieds) and Joe Kelley (Pure Stocks) received their trophies as 2003 Lernerville points champion in their respective divisions.

Swartzlander won his fourth points title at Lernerville since 1998.

"It took me 13 years to win my first feature," Swartzlander said. "For years, I was just hoping to finish in the top 10 in points.

"There's no secret to our success. We're just surrounded by good people with our family, pit crew and sponsors."

Kelley won his fifth Pure Stocks title in six years. Bob Wearing Sr. is the only other driver to win five points titles in one division at Lernerville.

Since 1968, Lynch Jr. has recorded 155 overall feature wins - more than area racing legends Lou Blaney and Ralph Quarterson during the same period. He won his first points title at Lernerville since 1990.

Chantal Germek, who finished second in points at Jennerstown and fourth at Motordrome last year in the Chargers division, received the Western Pennsylvania Rookie of the Year Award.

Germek, 20, became the first woman in the 37-year history of the award to receive it.