Twice as Nice
BUFFALO TWP — Alex Ferree's No. 10 car picked up a significant checkered flag Friday night — twice.
The Saxonburg driver allowed Bobby Hoffman to drive his Late Model car one lap around the track before the Fab Four racing program began at Lernerville Speedway. Saundi Hoffman, his sister, waved the checkered flag at the lap's conclusion.
They were honoring their father, Dave Hoffman, who died last October, by giving him his symbolic 300th victory. Hoffman had 299 wins during his career, including 19 wins and four points championships at the Sarver oval.
The ceremonial victory lap was part of Nostalgia Night at Lernerville.
“I had no problem doing that,” Ferree said. “Dave Hoffman was a great driver and a great man.”
Ferree followed up the gesture by winning the Dave Hoffman Memorial Late Model feature later in the evening. He started seventh, took over second place on Lap 15 and grabbed the lead when pole-sitter Garrett Krummert bobbled on the top cushion off Turn 2 of Lap 21.
“He hopped the cushion and I just went for it,” Ferree said.
Ferree cruised to the win from there, beating Russell King and Jared Miley to the checkered flag and the $1,700 check. Krummert, who led the first 20 laps, faded to fifth.
Hoffman worked for Ferree's father, Ed, and their family business for years. Incidentally, Ferree's win Friday was his 22nd Late Model win at Lernerville, snapping a tie with his father.
“This win means more to me than any I've had in a very long time,” Ferree said. “Dave Hoffman and my father turned me into a race car driver.
“Car setup, knowledge, driving style — they taught me all of that stuff. I'm not even doing this if it wasn't for those two.”
Ferree, who leads the Late Model points race, said he wouldn't have been in victory lane on this night had Krummert not bobbled.
“I could race with him, but passing him was another matter,” he said. “I was right there, but we were running the same outside line and I don't think I would have gotten him.
“I tried dropping down low a couple of times off Turn 2, but that wasn't getting it done.”
Butler's Krummert has never won a feature at Lernerville. His fifth-place finish marked his season's best.
“The way this year's been going, I was thrilled just to finish,” Krummert said. “The bobble was my fault. I just slid up too high off the turn.
“Every time I've been out in front this year, either something happens to the car or the driver makes a mistake.”
Still, Krummert was encouraged by his run.
“Before tonight, I just wanted the season to be over,” he admitted. “Now, I can't wait to race tomorrow.”
Miley said Friday's feature meant more since Hoffman's name was attached to it.
“He was one of the greats and he deserved to be honored like this,” Miley said. “I remember watching him race when I was young, I've raced against his son ... Dave Hoffman accomplished a lot here.”
In other features:• Brandon Matus, 19, began the Sprint feature in the front row and led from wire to wire, winning the 25-lap race with no restarts.The win was only the third of Matus' career anywhere and his second at Lernerville. He won at the Sarver oval in 2011.“I was trying not to push the issue,” Matus said. “I've had horrible luck leading races. I'm just thrilled to get here, finally.“I've been waiting for this for a while, that's for sure.”• Slippery Rock's Dave Murdick started on the pole for the Modified feature and led the race throughout. He crossed the finish line with a full straightaway lead over runner-up Jeremiah Shingledecker.“My crew worked really hard on the car. I have to thank them for that,” Murdick said. “They do 98 percent of the work on this car.“We set up the car loose, ran it outside and it worked.”Murdick's win was the 28th of his career at Lernerville, tying him with Dick Rankin for eighth on the track's all-time list. He also won an extra $1,000 as the selected Eracer's bonus bucks driver.• Chicora's Mike Miller started sixth, grabbed the lead on Turn 2 of the 13th lap and won his third Sportsman Stock feature in four weeks. It was his fourth win this season.Miller held off a hard-charging Corey McPherson on the final lap to secure the win.“This is a four-week old motor and it's got three wins out of four,” Miller said. “I kept plugging away at that high line.“You just can't overdrive. The cushion can be your friend. It can be your foe, too.”<B>Notes: </B>There were 92 cars in the pits, including 32 Sportsman Stocks. ... Three violent crashes occurred during the heat races. Ron Davies of Warren sailed his No. 71 Late Model airborne into the fence off Turn 3. The car landed upside down and Davies was taken to a hospital, complaining of wrist and shoulder pain. Eric Williams of Greenville slammed his No. 7 Sprint car sideways into the concrete wall off Turn 4. He was wobbly, but walked to the ambulance on his own power and was taken to a hospital for observation after having the wind knocked out of him. Sprint driver Charlie Cornelius of Ellwood City flipped his No. C9 Sprint car off Turn 3, but was unhurt. ... Rod George turned a lap in 12.88 seconds during his Sprint heat race, the fastest lap turned by any driver in a Fab Four race this season. ... Evans City's Brandon Spithaler (Sprints) and Apollo's AJ Flick (Sportsman Stocks) had their respective points leads shaved to six with two Fab Four racing nights remaining.
