SARVER, Pa. — Brad Sweet pieced together a dominant performance to win Tuesday night’s Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup XXX at Lernerville Speedway.
Sweet earned $25,000 for his 14th World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series triumph of the season aboard the No. 9 Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb entry.
Sweet started third and took the lead from polesitter Sye Lynch on the 12th lap before pulling away to win by 5.381 seconds after 40 laps of the four-tenths-mile track.
However, all night long, the story throughout the pits, in the nearly sold-out crowd, and on social media was Lynch.
The 23-year-old Apollo, Pa., native entered the 40-lap feature with a perfect night under his belt. He had set Slick Woody’s QuickTime, won his heat race and dominated the dash to put the No. 42 on the pole.
To the Lernerville locals, it was beginning to feel all too similar to the 2002 Silver Cup which sent Sarver into pandemonium. On that July night 19 years ago, it was Sye’s father Ed Lynch Jr. defeating the Outlaws and earning his first career victory at their home track. On this night, it was about the next generation and Sye’s golden opportunity.
He commanded the opening lap of the feature, but the crowd really came to life when Lynch fought Sweet for the top spot. The two-time and defending World of Outlaws champion tossed four different sliders at him, but Sye continued to rally back with his crossovers becoming savvier by the lap as the roars only echoed louder.
Eventually, Sweet made his turn one slide job stick on the 12th circuit as Lynch was unable to find the drive off turn two to counter him. From there, The Big Cat never saw another challenge.
It’s his 72nd career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series triumph.
“I about gave it away when I drove off the backstretch with five or so to go,” Sweet said as the rain came down. “I had a really good car, we just got too free at the end. This NAPA Auto Parts car is fast right now. Excited for the rest of summer.”
Donny Schatz made a late charge to put the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, Ford Performance, Carquest No. 15 in the runner-up position.
Aaron Reutzel ran second for most of the race but eventually slipped back to finish third aboard the Roth Motorsports No. 83.
After starting on the outside pole, David Gravel brought the Big Game Motorsports No. 2 home with a fourth-place finish. Rounding out the top five was James McFadden.
Citing the wrong setup decision, Lynch’s No. 42 faded in the late going and ultimately ended up 15th, but his remarkable run through the beginning of the night lost no luster.