Dale Blaney Becomes Third Former Track Champion To Earn Silver Cup

Sarver, PA (July 21, 2015) The Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup XXIV Twin 30s presented by GottaRace.com is a World of Outlaws sanctioned race, but All Stars Dale Blaney and Cody Darrah swept the Twin 30-lap A-Mains Tuesday Night at The Action Track. With a better average finish than Darrah, Blaney was crowned Silver Cup Champion and in doing so became the third Former Track Champion to claim the Silver Cup; joining Ed Lynch Jr. and two-time winner Tim Shaffer. Blaney ran down and passed the current measuring stick in sprint car racing and two-time defending Silver Cup Champion Donny Schatz to win the first A-Main. Darrah did the same to early leader Joey Saldana in the second feature and then drove away from the field, as Blaney made his way from 19th on the grid to finish eighth.

Speaking of former Track Champions and Silver Cup winners Ed Lynch Jr. and Tim Shaffer, both had success early in the evening, but found bad luck later in the night. Lynch thrilled the crowd by winning the Dash over Donny Schatz and was scheduled to start on the pole for doing so. However, within minutes of returning to the pits, it was announced that he scratched from the event due to motor issues. Outlaws drivers Jason Johnson offered to lend Lynch a spare engine for the race, but Lynch declined due to being too short on time to make the race. Shaffer was originally scheduled to start the first feature fifth, but was bumped up to third due to Lynch scratching and then bumped to the pole when Sheldon Haudenschild was penalized for jumping the initial start. Shaffer was racing within the top five when he and Haudenschild got hooked together in turn four as a caution flag waved for Darrah and Brandon Spithaler who got together in turn one.

Local drivers Carl Bowser, AJ Flick, Dan Kuriger and the aforementioned Brandon Spithaler all made the Twin 30-lap A-Mains, with AJ Flick posting the best finish of the night with a top ten in the second 30-lapper after starting on the outside pole.
Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup XXIII presented by GottaRace.com A-Main #1 (30 Laps)
1. (1B) Dale Blaney, Fowler, OH
2. (15) Donny Schatz, Minot ND
3. (9) Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK
4. (1Z) Lucas Wofle, Mechanicsburg
5. (48) Danny Dietrich, New Oxford
6. (2) Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK
7. (1S) Logan Schuchart, Hanover
8. (7S) Jason Sides, Bartlett, TN
9. (29) Kerry Madsen, St. Marys, New South Wales, Australia
10. (93) Sheldon Haudenshild, Wooster, OH
11. (49) Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA
12. (89) Cody Darrah, Red Lion
13. (1) Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN
14. (51) Paul McMahan, Elk Grove, CA
15. (10H) Chad Kemenah, Alveda, OH
16. (27) Greg Hodnett, Spring Grove
17. (7) David Gravel, Watertown, CT
18. (2AJ) A.J. Flick, Apollo
19. (71M) Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN
20. (49X) Cole Duncan, Lockbourne, OH
21. (22) Brandon Spithaler, Evans City
22. (10) Carl Bowser, Sarver
23. (1A) Jacob Allen, Indianapolis, IN
24. (41) Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA
25. (45) Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa
26. (98H) Dave Blaney, Fowler, OH
27. (08) Dan Kuriger, New Brighton

Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup XXII presented by GottaRace.com A-Main #2 (30 Laps)
1. (89) Cody Darrah, Red Lion
2. (27) Greg Hodnett, Spring Grove 15.246
3. (71M) Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN
4. (7) David Gravel, Watertown, CT
5. (49) Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA
6. (10H) Chad Kemenah, Alveda, OH
7. (1S) Logan Schuchart, Hanover
8. (1B) Dale Blaney, Fowler, OH
9. (29) Kerry Madsen, St. Marys, New South Wales, Australia
10. (2AJ) A.J. Flick, Apollo
11. (9) Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK
12. (15) Donny Schatz, Minot ND
13. (7S) Jason Sides, Bartlett, TN
14. (51) Paul McMahan, Elk Grove, CA
15. (49X) Cole Duncan, Lockbourne, OH
16. (93) Sheldon Haudenshild, Wooster, OH
17. (2) Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK
18. (1Z) Lucas Wofle, Mechanicsburg
19. (1) Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN
20. (45) Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa
21. (10) Carl Bowser, Sarver
22. (1A) Jacob Allen, Indianapolis, IN
23. (08) Dan Kuriger, New Brighton
24. (41) Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA
25. (48) Danny Dietrich, New Oxford
26. (98H) Dave Blaney, Fowler, OH
27. (22) Brandon Spithaler, Evans City
Fast Qualifier: Dave Blaney – 14.441 seconds
Heat Race Winners: D.Pittman, B.Sweet, K.Madsen, D.Schatz
Last Chance Showdown Winners: Lucas Wolfe, Cole Duncan
Turner’s Premium Iced Teas Dash Winner: Ed Lynch Jr.

Car Count Total: 44

Contact: Lernerville Speedway
Eric J. Westendorf, Public Relations Director
(724) 664-1075 / ewestendorf@dirtcar.com
Photos Courtesy of John Stivason/Stivason Photos