Taking on the big guys
BUFFALO TWP — Just get to the show.
That's what Lernerville Speedway Sprint car drivers have in mind as the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup XIX takes place Tuesday night at the Sarver oval.
The World of Outlaws Sprint show sports two 30-lap features with each paying $15,000 to win. The driver with the best combined finish will be declared the Silver Cup champion.
"Just getting into the show would be a great accomplishment for a local guy," Sarver's Carl Bowser said. "I wouldn't equate it to winning a feature, but it'd be pretty darn good.
"Once you get into the show, you want to prove you belong in the show," he added.
Bowser's team put a new engine in the car and planned to run new tires Tuesday.
However, Bowser hit the wall and flipped the car Friday night, leaving its status for Tuesday in question.
Danny Holtgraver of Pittsburgh leads the Sprint points race so far at Lernerville. He's never won a feature here, but has finished in the top five eight times this year.
Holtgraver won his first feature at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Imperial July 10.
"That was a big confidence booster for me," he said. "I've run against the Outlaws maybe seven times and I feel like (making a Silver Cup feature) is a realistic goal for me now."
Ed Lynch Jr. of Apollo is Lernerville's all-time Sprint feature win leader with 103 and is the only area driver to win the Silver Cup. He did so in 2002.
Lynch put a new car on the track Friday night to see how it handled. He finished second in the feature while running the bottom groove throughout.
"I'm trying to get a feel for things tonight, see what works and what doesn't," Lynch said. "Just because this is a new car doesn't mean it's my best car.
"To do well against the Outlaws, your car has to be fast every time you hit the track that night, during time trials, heats, whatever," he added.
Kittanning's Rod George won't race Tuesday despite sporting two Lernerville feature wins and sitting third in the points race.
"We've been too inconsistent this year to be able to compete with those guys," George said. "I'll be at work Tuesday night."
Seven drivers have combined to win Outlaws points championships over the past 32 years. Five of those drivers, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Donny Schatz, Danny Lasoski and Dave Blaney, will be in the pits Tuesday.
Lasoski captured the Silver Cup last year, winning the first feature and finishing seventh in the nightcap. Stevie Smith won the second feature last year.
Kinser and Joey Saldana are battling for the Outlaws points lead this year. Saldana has eight wins in the series while Kinser has four.
Saldana owns the track record of 12.339 seconds, but he has never won a feature here. He also will be in action Tuesday.
Pit gates open at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The grandstands open at 5, hot laps are at 6:30, time trials at 7:15. Racing begins at 8.
<b>Year - Driver</b>2009 - Danny Lasoski2008 - Steve Kinser2007 - Donny Schatz2006 - Donny Schatz2005 - Tim Shaffer2004 - Sammy Swindell2003 - Rained out2002 - Ed Lynch Jr.2001 - Mark Kinser2000 - Sammy Swindell1999 - Mark Kinser1998 - Mark Kinser1997 - Mark Kinser1996 - Mark Kinser1995 - Stevie Smith1994 - Steve Kinser1993 - Jeff Swindell1992 - Sammy Swindell
