7/2/2018
Lernerville Speedway
The Story From Lernerville: Gulick Scores Buckeye Outlaw Series Win; Dobrosky Tops 305 Field; Ruhlman Wires RUSH Sprints
Patrick Miller Photo
Sarver, PA (July 1, 2018)Â Current Empire Super Sprint Series points leader and former USAC Sprint competitor Coleman Gulick won the battle for wingless supremacy at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night. Gulick inherited the lead following a early race spin and roll over from 2017 race winner AJ Flick and then survived several restarts down the stretch while fending off a stiff challenge from Dan Shetler on the last lap to take his first career victory with the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series.
"It was pretty gnarly you know," Gulick said in victory lane referring to Flick's misfortune on lap five. "I saw the leader (Flick) get turned over there and I was working on my line in one and two just to kind of diamond it off and maybe I could have caught him, maybe not but we're sitting here in victory lane." On that restart my motor stumbled so bad and I was on the throttle screaming at the car and I knew somebody was coming on the bottom so I just kind of stuck it up on the top and hoped for the best. I was glad I was able to get around him because it was really slick off the top of two. I'm doing ESS 360 Sprints up in New York state and we're leading the points there so we're just going to stick with that and fill in around it and we have a Silver Crown Car this year and we've been traveling a little bit but this is what I love the most, the non-wing cars. I can really hustle the race car and with the wing, everybody's fast so you have to look for the moisture with the non-wing stuff."
Flick drew the pole after winning his heat race in dominant fashion earlier in the night and quickly drew away from the field behind him followed by previous race winner Jack Sodeman Jr., third starting Gulick and Bill Rose. Flick then stumbled in turn two on top of a formidable cushion and made a thrilling attempt to keep the car on all four tires with a wheel stand and pirouette, however the car rolled onto it's side and the field saw the red flag. Flick was able to return briefly, but his car was not much of a factor after a trip to the work area and retired after officials denied him a second trip to continue to work per B.O.S.S. policy.
When racing resumed, Gulick quickly assumed control of the field as he made his way past Sodeman while behind them, B-Main winner Kory Crabtree was coming forward with authority from his 16th stating spot to fifth. Meanwhile, two more assaults on the leaders were coming from Carmen Perigo and Dan Shetler. The two would battle for position in the middle portion of the race with Shetler emerging as the strongest challenger to Gulick who was setting a torrid pace at the front of the field.
Veteran wheel man Mike Miller brought all progress to a halt when he wound up on his side in turn four with 12 laps in the books and on the ensuing restart, Gulick and Shetler looked to decide the outcome of the race with Shetler getting close enough to take looks on the leader. By lap 17, Gulick had amasses a near straightaway advantage from Shetler who was in the midst of a challenge for his position from Crabtree but Shetler was able to shut the door and retain the spot. Behind them Crabtree and Perigo began to both challenge Shetler for second with action sometimes going three wide when a pair of late race restarts would set the stage for a one lap battle for the win.
Crabtree suffered a hearbreak when he had a tire go down after contact with one lap remaining and on the ensuing restart, Shetler threw the kitchen sink at Gulick in turns one and two however his bid to slide under the leader came up just short as Gulick remained ahead for the rest of the lap. Bill Rose rounded out the podium while local driver Andy Feil managed to finish strong, stealing the fourth spot from Tyler Tilton on the final set of turns.
Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series Main Event (25 Laps)
- (14G) Coleman Gulick
- (7K) Dan Shetler
- (6) Bill Rose
- (08) Andy Feil
- (42) Tyler Tilton
- (21) Carmen Perigo
- (19) Matt Cooley
- (87) Paul Dues
- (1R) Gale Ruth Jr.
- (14) Chad Wilson
- (76) Davey Jones
- (40) George Hobaugh
- (91X) Aaron Middaugh
- (5) Bob McMillin
- (86) Rick Holley
- (41) Cole Ketcham
- (77) Kory Crabtree
- (23J) Jack Sodeman Jr.
- (82) Mike Miller
- (2) AJ Flick
- (12) Ted Hines
- (18) Arnie Kent- Did Not Start
Fleming's Error is Dobrosky's Gain
The Allegheny Sprint Tour 305' Sprint Cars were thirty pounds on Will Fleming's car away from having their fifth different winner in their last five races at The Action Track. Fleming looked to have certain victory in hand in the Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 main event following a thrilling battle with Kyle Colwell for the lead during the middle portion of the middle portion of the 20 lap feature.
Colwell took the lead from Fleming, who started on the pole, but gave it back to Fleming after Colwell emerged with a flat tire following a lap 16 restart. Fleming held off Greg Dobrosky who ran in the top three the entire night and appeared to have his first career victory at Lernerville in hand, but came up light at the scales following the conclusion of the race, handing the victory to Dobrosky, his second feature victory at The Action Track in his past five appearances.
Allegheny Sprint Tour 305 Sprint Main Event (20 Laps)
- (88) Greg Dobrosky
- (27) Vinny Dougherty
- (12J) Jonathan Jones
- (880) Drew Ritchey
- (75) Dylan Shatzer
- (26) Ryan Lynn
- (34) Glenn Noland
- (12H) Eric Husick
- (00s) Randy Sterling
- (36P) Rod Ort
- (22) George Frederick
- (X7) Andy Cavanaugh
- (29B) Robbie Bartchy
- (28) Brian Wright
- (41) Matthew Gardina
- (11) Don Blaney
- (80J) Kyle Colwell
- (4J) Jake Gomola
- (86) Ron Aurand
- (154) Shamus ODonnell
- (5J) Jim Kosnosky
- (36) Jaremi Hanson- Did Not Start
- (21) Chad Hill- Did Not Start
- (79W) Will Fleming- DQ
Ruhlman Rules Rush Sprints
Chad Ruhlman paid a visit in something other than a Late Model as he wired the field of 11 RUSH Sprint Cars on hand in a stout performance. It was the veteran wheel mans third series victory of the season and broke up the early season dominance of both Gale Ruth Jr. and Arnie Kent. Brandon Hawkins completed a strong performance that saw him running second at times as he came home third on the podium.
RUSH Sprint Car Main Event (15 Laps)
- (87R) Chad Ruhlman
- (18) Arnie Kent
- (27H) Brandon Hawkins
- (1C) Gale Ruth Jr.
- (27) Zach Morrow
- (36) Shawn Smith
- (37) Scott Hawkins
- (56) Steve Cousins
- (9J) Joe McEwen
- (35) Tyler Powell
- (27D) Dave Hawkins- Did Not Start