History is within reach for Lernerville Speedway Pro Stock driver Corey McPherson.

After returning to racing following a hiatus, McPherson recently earned his 51st career feature victory, tying Joe Kelley for the most wins in division history.

Kelley, who is retired, has held the record for nearly two decades, and McPherson now needs just one more victory to become the division's all-time winningest driver.

“When I first saw that list, my whole career I wanted to knock him off that top spot and be the No.1 all-time winner at Lernerville,” McPherson said. “I'm so close, and I want to strive to accomplish that.

“I didn’t have much expectation before the race, mainly because I have had so much adversity with engine problems and other things. So, my goal was just to go out and finish the race in any place. Once I strapped my helmet on and went out for the green flag, I felt like I really had a good car. I am a natural-born racer, so I went out and raced the best I could, and thankfully, it ended up in victory lane.”

McPherson’s connection to Lernerville Speedway runs deep. He grew up attending races at the Sarver oval when he was a youngster and later met his wife Jennifer there.

Years ago in victory lane, he celebrated a win by getting down on one knee and proposing.

“My kids grew up there,” he said. “It’s always been a special place that is near and dear to my heart. To become the top winner at Lernerville makes it even greater.”

A few years ago, McPherson stepped away from racing to focus on family. He and Jennifer chose to spend more time traveling with their daughters — Skyler, 12, and Adriana, 9 — who compete in dirt bike racing through Grand National Off-Road Racing on weekends.

Working a full-time job while balancing family responsibilities made the physical and mental demands of racing increasingly difficult for McPherson.

The family’s schedule remains busy. Both daughters now play basketball and volleyball for Deer Lakes School District, and both are also members of the school band. Each girl is currently in contention for dirt bike championships.

“We try our best and are very familyoriented,” McPherson said. “We are old-fashioned. I don’t believe in sitting in the house playing video games or being on tablets. Every night we sit at the dinner table together, eat and pray. I believe in those values, and they are important to me and my wife.”

Jennifer works as a project manager at Carnegie Mellon University, while Corey is employed as an auto mechanic in the university’s facilities department. One benefit they appreciate is the university’s free tuition assistance program.

“I hope that one day both of my girls will go there,” he said.

Although stepping away from racing was difficult, McPherson believes the break helped him regain perspective. “Taking a couple of years off and coming back was a lot harder than I thought it would be,” he said. “When I left, we were at the top of racing. I thought we would eventually resume, but I didn’t know when. I thought we would be able to pick up where we left off, kind of like riding a bicycle. It was a lot harder than I thought.”

Despite the challenge, the veteran racer has adapted and once again found success. Competition is so keen — on any given night, there could be 10 drivers capable of winning a Pro Stock feature at Lernerville Speedway.

McPherson drives a Chris Schneider S&S Chassis, and the engine was designed by 955 Automotive in Erie.

“I couldn’t do this without the support of the Simms family,” McPherson said. “Sloan Mechanical and Lojack’s Cycle are a great help to the team also.”

The crew consists of Justin Nobilise, Kiel Ofele and Brian Lockhart.

The last time the McPherson team won a race was in 2021. He thought a return to the winner’s circle “might not happen” after spending years “putting all the magic into (my daughters’ bikes).”

“At some point in time that night, I looked over and my youngest daughter had her head bowed in the window of the cockpit area,” he said. “For 10 minutes she must have been praying and putting her special magic in the car.”

Kelley has six Lernerville track championships. McPherson has seven.

With 51 victories now beside his name, history is within reach. The next checkered flag would not only add another trophy to McPherson’s collection but would also cement his place as the most successful Pro Stock driver ever to compete at Lernerville Speedway.

“Since I entered racing Kelley has been the man to beat, not only for wins but track championships too,” McPherson said.

For a racer who grew up in the grandstands dreaming of victory lane, that achievement would make the journey even more rewarding.

Eldora Speedway’s 100-lap Super Late Model race “The Dream” paid $100,000 to the victor, Bobby Pierce. Max Blair was second.

Carl Bowser won the Sprint feature Friday. In victory lane, he thanked Sprint driver Dale and NASCAR’s Dave Blaney, who helped him with pointers about an Offset Wing setup and suspension. Dale does not drive his Sprint regularly, and the Blaneys want to keep up with the latest experiments for speed with Bowser.

Congratulation to Saxonburg’s Tyler Dietz, who recently captured his career first Super Late Model feature. He is enjoying competing in the Big Block Modified division also. John Garvin is doing double duty in the Late Models and Modifieds, too.

Darin Gallagher is driving his wife Chelsie’s Modified. She is still on maternity leave having delivered a baby girl, Blaire Elizabeth, in October. She plans to return to racing later this season.

Track manager Greg Geibel was cleverly peaking interest in the upcoming Brama Bull Riding event June 24 during the upcoming “Firecracker Fest” week.

Friday, June 12, is the popular Fab4 #1 Cochran Holiday races with “fireworks.”

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle