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Sunday, August 26, 2001

By Chris Dolack, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Rod George knew it wasn't going to be easy. He had battled Jimmy Hawley for the sprint car points lead all season at Lernerville Speedway, even though both said they were more concerned with winning races than accumulating points.

George was one of the most consistent drivers all season, winning only once but finishing in the top three 11 times. Hawley took the checkered flag seven times and had 13 top-three finishes. Heading into Friday night, the final points night of the season at the Sarver oval, the two were tied in the standings.

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But Hawley was the least of George's problems Friday. First, George was returning to Pittsburgh from a business trip when his flight was delayed in Atlanta. He arrived at the track shortly after 7:30 p.m., gained a point advantage on Hawley in the heats and was hanging tough in the feature when his fuel pump broke. Although some lengthy caution periods allowed him enough time to fix the problem, he was three laps down when he re-entered the race.

Even though Hawley finished second to Ed Lynch Jr. in the race, he clinched the championship when he completed lap 17.

"We were really relaxed going into it, and I know Rod was too," said Hawley, who won his third season title at Lernerville with 488 points. "I think the biggest thing on both of our minds was just going out there and winning. A points championship is nice for my car owner, but the bottom line is just going out and winning the race.

"But it was definitely a good points race. It was good for the fans. It got the fans really interested in watching more than one just one car out there."

George figured it was only a matter of time before trouble found him.

"I kept saying all along that we're going to have a DNF sooner or later," said George, who finished 22 points behind Hawley. "Well, it was tonight."

Lynch's victory was his fifth this season and 49th overall in a sprint car at Lernerville. It ties him with Lou Blaney, six wins behind Johnny Beaber.

"I'd love to set a mark like that for somebody else to go after before I'd be done with my sprint car career," Lynch said. "It puts you on another level."

In the late models, John Flinner started 12th, worked his way to the front with smooth passes and took the checkered flag for the sixth time and clinched his first track championship. He finished with 401 points, 23 more than David Scott, who was the runner-up for the second consecutive season.

Flinner tried taking a cautious approach to protect his points lead but decided it wasn't his style.

"I can't go slow," he said. "I tried to go slow in the heat race and I couldn't."

Flinner is excited to be included among the list of former track champions such as Dick Swartzlander and Bob Wearing and Lynn Geisler.

"I'm up there with the guys. I don't care if I never do it again," he said. "I did what I planned on doing."

Brian Swartzlander won his second consecutive and third overall modified track title. He finished second to Lonny Riggs in the feature but held off rival Dave Murdick to wrap up the crown.

"You can't ever get tired of [winning championships] or you get out of it," said Swartzlander, who had five victories and beat Murdick by seven points. "The thing about a championship is that you try not to put pressure on it, but that was our goal this year."

Even though Joe Kelley won only one pure stock feature this season, he became only the second driver to win four consecutive track titles when he clinched the pure stock division with 465 points, 13 more than Jeff Walters. Only Lou Blaney in sprints, who won track championships from 1972-75, had achieved that mark.

"Four in a row, that's special," he said.

Geisler wins at Motordrome

He had been close all season, but Travis Geisler finally won a late model feature at Motordrome Speedway Friday night. He held off Jeff Dunmyer and points leader Mark Cottone for the victory.

Paul Fess won in pro trucks, Mike Bakalon took the checkered flag in the 35-lap modified feature, Todd Knight won in street stocks and Jason Fritz was the winner in chargers.

Chris Dolack can be reached at cdolack@post-gazette.com.