5 day forecast
Johnson: Holiday weekend presents fans with stock of races
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As the 2012 racing season winds down and some track titles already have been decided, we look to the holiday weekend to kick off the postseason at most local tracks where special events take center stage.
Don Martin's Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Butler County, crowned the '12 Champions on Friday night as Kevin Schaeffer picked up his fourth Sprint Car Championship.
Schaeffer finished 25 points ahead of runner-up Rod George, both from Kittanning.
Schaeffer said before the start of the season that this would likely be his last in the Schaeffer family No. 9 -- while George has hinted this could be his last in his car.
Schaeffer and George will battle Lernerville's latest winner, Danny Holtgraver, along with other travelers from the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars as they make their annual holiday weekend stop at Lernerville Speedway.
Two former Lernerville Champions will be battling for two of the three All-Star Circuit titles still up for grabs.
Tim Shaffer leads Dale Blaney by 229 points in overall National points while Blaney has the lead over Shaffer in the Ohio Region by 62 points.
Several former World of Outlaw regulars, Daryn Pittman, Paul McMahan and Stevie Smith along with Lernerville regulars Brian Ellenberger, Carl Bowser, Eric Williams and Ed Lynch Jr., are just a few drivers capable of pulling off a win tonight.
Time trials for the All-Star Sprints are scheduled for 7:15 p.m. followed by qualifying races for the All-Stars, the 305 Sprint Warriors and the Sportsman/Stocks.
A Labor Day weekend tradition continues at Steel City Raceway in Delmont as the AMA Pro Racing Motocross makes stop No. 11 of 12.
The 24th annual event is highlighted by newly crowned 450 Class Champion Ryan Dungey's quest for his ninth-consecutive win.
In the 250 Class, Blake Baggett riding a Kawasaki is looking to close in on his first career professional title.
Local racers will be looking to use the home-field advantage to pull off upsets racing in front of their fans.
Dylan Slusser of Uniontown, along with Steve Roman of Apollo, Michael McDade of Beaver, Monroeville's Roy Holt and Billy Kibler of Hastings, near Johnstown, have their sights on making a difference this weekend in Delmont.
Opening ceremonies for the 24th annual Pro Motocross Championship at Steel City Raceway begin at 12:40 p.m. Saturday.
NBC Sports picks up the broadcast at 3:10 p.m. with Moto two.
Another long-standing holiday weekend event is the 23rd annual Jook George Memorial Classic, for the Pro-Late Models runs Saturday at Pittsburgh's PA Motor Speedway near Imperial.
Jook George started racing in the 1960s at Heidelberg Raceway and in 1990, George, owner of a body shop in Midway, organized an event for the division now known as the Pro-Late or Crate Late Models.
The George family will be on hand for the 40-lap, $2,012 to-win event that will see as many as 32 cars start the race.
Racing for all divisions starts at 7 p.m. and PPMS will utilize Sunday in the event of rain.
Motordrome Speedway in Smithton presents Big 5 Friday with half-priced admission and fireworks after 5 divisions of racing. ... Corey McPherson is the Sportsman/Stock division Champion at Lernerville Speedway for 2012. ... The Patriot Sprint Group based in New York will make their way to Mercer Raceway Park on Saturday for a special event for the 360 Sprint Cars. MRP's Mike Lutz will be one of the local drivers that will compete with the travelers. Racing for all divisions gets underway at 7 p.m., along with bike races for kids.
First Published August 31, 2012 12:00 am
