The All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint cars will visit Lernerville Speedway for the Duel in the Dirt tonight.

This elite group of professional drivers will be trying to capture the $5,000 top prize.

Four-time Sprint champion Ed Lynch Jr. was the last area driver to win the event in 2004 at the Sarver oval. Rod George, Bob Felmlee and Jimmy Hawley all have won All-Star features at various Western Pennsylvania tracks.

A contingency of other area Sprint pilots, including two-time defending Sprint titlist Kevin Schaeffer, Charlie Holben, Ralph Spithaler, Brent Matus, Scott Bonnell and Mike Lutz, are waiting for their chance to battle for the first-place money.

The Modifieds will not be at the track this week, but the Late Models and Pure Stocks will be ready for action.

In other racing news:

n What does a World of Outlaws driver do when he's not racing on a Friday evening? The veteran Tim Shaffer, former 1980 Lernerville track champion, was in the Sarver pits helping young Danny Holtgraver set up his Sprint. Holtgraver, 18, is due to have a break out year.

• Late Model driver Davey Johnson is teamed up with owner Bill Stile for 2008. They have two cars; one will be run at Lernerville, and the other at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. Both cars are numbered 1J.

• Andy Priest will take a year's hiatus in 2008. He sold his two Modifieds and parked the Sprint car.

• Morgan Hughes, owner and promoter of Williams Groves Speedway in Mechanicsburg, died last week at 88. He was actively involved in the track's day-to-day operations. Under his leadership, the facility, which opened in 1939, remained one of the most famous dirt tracks in the United States.

• Russ King won the 2007 BRP Modified Tour Championship but he will be switching his focus this season. Russ and his family bought a Late Model and a hauler from veteran World of Outlaws driver Chub Frank. The 19-year-old has been at Chub's shop the last couple weekends and has been learning about setups and tire preparation. Equipped with his Rocket chassis, King not only will be competing at Lernerville Speedway and Eriez Speedway, but he also will be running in the MACS series, attempting to earn the 2008 rookie honors.

• World of Outlaws Late Model pilot Steve Francis captured the $50,000 Circle K Colossal 100 title last Saturday at Lowes Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. He started on the pole and fended off all challengers.

• Sharon Speedway will kick off the 2008 racing season Saturday with the inaugural Rick Glass Pure Stock 50 extravaganza, paying $1,200 to win.

• The green flag also will wave for the start of a new season at Roaring Knob, with the Super Late Models, Late Models, Street Stocks, Modifieds and the V8 Chargers.

• Mercer Raceway Park hosts Saturday Night Live Sprints, Modifieds, FASTRAK Late Models, Mod Lites, Mini Stocks.

• As a result of the rain last Sunday, Challenger Raceway's UFo State Short Track Late Model Championship is set again for Sunday. A $5,000 check awaits the victor.

Carol Gamble is the racing columnist for the Butler Eagle.