It was a serendipity evening last Friday at Lernerville Speedway for the Larry and Brett McDonald’s No. 25 Sportsman race team located in Saxonburg.

It was one of those nights when things align in wonderful ways you would never anticipate.

After nine years, the team won a feature in possibly one of the most competitive events run at the track. But Brett, the driver, was not there. His work place — Kenahan Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning — had sent him to school for a week in Arkansas. At the airport, Brett was receiving updated texts about the feature, but with four laps to go, his plane was ready to take off for his return flight and the phone shut off.

Larry’s supportive wife Linda was at a conference in Columbus, Ohio, and her grandson Cole had missed a ride to the track.

So who was the replacement driver at the big event? Brett and Larry had chosen Jason Fosnaught.

Larry said, “Jason was close in size to Brett and we didn’t have to make too many changes. But most important I respect and trust him as a driver and he was never hard on equipment.”

Jason had not driven a race car since October of 2014.

With four laps to go, four drivers were side-by-side vying for the victory and Jason emerged in front of Terry Young, Corey McPherson, Mike Miller, and his brother Jim (2014 DIRTcar Sportsman Champion) at the checker.

Larry said, “This was a morale builder for our race team.”

In victory lane Jason said, “This was such an exciting race. I don’t know who all the sponsors are to thank.”

Each year the McDonald team learned more and kept getting better. Brett had won a heat and a B-Main, and finished second in a main event, but that one little element — a feature win — was missing. When Jason came to the garage, he asked Larry if he minded him making a few changes to fit his style of driving and that made the difference.

Larry said, “Jason did a heck of a job. I appreciate him driving and I will use what I learned from him.”

Life is good.

In the 1970s, Larry had driven a Claimer, Semi-ate and Late Model and won features is each division, but cars and times change.

New engine rule

Lernerville general manager Gary Risch Jr. has announced that the newest rule for next season will be Crate Engines for the DIRTcar Sportsman.

Larry said, “In the long run it will probably be better, but I wish they would introduce it in 2017. I just bought a new engine from Mike Ingram and have a spare engine.”

Hall of Famers

Dave Hoffman was posthumously inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame last month.

Hoffman raced for four decades, securing 299 wins and numerous track championships.

Pittsburgh Circle Track Club initiated the following into its 2015 class: Shawn “Sheets” McGarvey, Late Model driver; Vicki Emig, former Mercer Promoter and current Rush Series Promoter; Dave Martinelli, long time sponsor of Motordrome Speedway racers; Jimmy Steigerwald, Racer’s for Tots, founder; and Ben Miley, Late Model Champion at Motordrome, Lernerville, and Pa Motor Speedway.

Lernerville Speedway inducted the ensuing group into its 2015 HOF; Don Gamble, local media icon, driver and car owner, President of Speedway Productions; Nick Petrishen, founder of Nick Chevrolet who was an avid fan of racing sponsoring many drivers; Sprint champions Mark Cassella, and Bob Felmlee.

College racing grads

College racing graduates this month include third generation Sprint driver AJ Flick, who will officially become a Gas and Petroleum Engineer.

This Friday will be Penn State’s graduation. but Flick has sent word to send the diploma.

“I am racing at Lernerville,” he said.

Flick has not suffered the typical sophomore jinx that plagues many. Instead, his new GF-I Chassis qualified for the recent Lernerville UNOH All Star Sprint show where he placed 10th and finished second to Ed Lynch Jr. in another Sprint feature.

His father Mark said, “He might be doing a lot better if we knew what we were doing last year. No one in the family had ever raced Sprints.”

AJ’s grandfather Pee Wee Flick was the 1973 Late Model champ and his father secured the 1994 Modified crown.

The following week, Sprint chauffeur Michael Bauer will receive a Math and Physics Degree from Clarion University. Associated Software Engineering and CA Technology have hired him. This season. Bauer has switched from the 305 Sprints to the 410 GF-I Chassis.

Bauer said, “I will probably spend most of the year learning in this new division.”

His girlfriend, Shannon Bernier, will receive a Physics and Nuclear Engineering degree from Clarion University. She will work as a Nuclear Scientist for Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation (BMPC), which is responsible for developing advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology for our nation’s naval nuclear reactors.

What amazes the twosome is how physics and racing have come together.

Former Lernerville employee and my son, Donnie Gamble. will receive his Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of San Francisco.

Free admission

College Students with ID will be admitted free to PA Motor Speedway this Saturday. The Precise Winged Sprints will be on the racing card. Mercer and Lernerville will host regular shows.

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle