Published August 29, 2008 07:45 am - The Labor Day holiday weekend brings a busy slate of action to the Selinsgrove Speedway.
Motorsports: Selinsgrove to host eight divisions in three nights
By The Daily Item
SELINSGROVE -- The Labor Day holiday weekend brings a busy slate of action to the Selinsgrove Speedway.
The racing begins at 7 tonight with the Selinsgrove Raceway Park hosting go-karts, micro sprints and slingshots. A four-division programs of 358 sprint cars, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners will be featured Saturday night.
Entering the next-to-last weekend of points, Selinsgrove's Blane Heimbach trails points leader Pat Cannon, Etters, by 330 points for the 358 sprint car title. Danville's Jeff Rine leads Steve Campbell by 185 points in the late model division while Troy Miller is 220 points ahead of Chad Davis in the pro stock division. Miller and Davis have combined to win 10 of the 21 pro stock races in 2008. Despite his 10 wins, Keith Bissinger only leads Ricky Bender by 135 points in the roadrunner division.
The fifth annual Paul Long Memorial for late models is set for 7 p.m. Sunday. Monday will be used as a rain date if needed. The gates will open at 4:30 Sunday for a driver autograph session that is scheduled to take place behind the track's covered grandstand.
The pro stocks and Tobias SpeedSTRs will join the racing card on Sunday. According to SpeedSTR race organizers, Ray Evernham and Erin Crocker are tentatively scheduled to compete. Evernham, a former crew chief for Sprint Cup star Jeff Gordon from 1992-1999, is the current NASCAR team co-owner for Gillett Evernham Motorsports drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, and Patrick Carpentier. Crocker most recently competed in ARCA and the Craftsman Truck Series and is a former World of Outlaws sprint car driver. Crocker was the first woman to qualify for the Knoxville Nationals in 2003.
TWINS: Along with Twin 20s for the 410 sprint cars tonight, Williams Grove Speedway is tentatively set to host the Billy Kimmel Memorial on Sunday.
Tonight's program, with no time trials, includes fireworks after the race. On Aug. 15, the Triple 20s produced three different winners: Fred Rahmer, Doug Esh and Brian Leppo.
Sunday is reserved as the rain date for the Twin 20s. If the rain date is not needed, then the Billy Kimmel Memorial will be presented on Sunday night, beginning at 7:45. This program offers a rare open-wheel tripleheader featuring sprint cars, 358 sprints and the super sportsman.
In 2007 Billy Kimmel was fatally injured during the running of this event and this year's version has been named to honor his memory.
DOWN THE STRETCH: With just two weeks left in the points season at Clinton County Raceway, Neil Petock enjoys a 258-point lead over Bobby Howard with Matt Miller, Matt Heimbach and last week's winner, Daryl Stimeling, rounding out the top five in the 410 sprint car division. The points battle ends on Sept. 5.
Along with the sprint cars, the pro stocks, late models and 4-cylinders are in action tonight as the track is hosting camera and autograph night. Racing begins at 7:30.
COALCRACKER: With the 2008 points season over, Big Diamond Raceway presents the 28th edition of the Coalcracker weekend, beginning at 7:45 tonight with the sportsman modified 50. The Coalcracker 100 for the 358 modifieds is scheduled for 6:30 Sunday. The rain date is Monday (at 6 p.m.).
The ARDC Midgets join the racing card tonight as they make their third appearance of the year at the coal region oval. Points leader Randy Monroe, Jr., and Ryan Smith won the first two events. The midgets are in a tight points battle with the top five drivers separated by 53 points. Selinsgrove resident Steve Lenig is ninth in points while Bloomsburg driver Eric Hydenreich is in 11th place. Rounding out the three-division card tonight is the 358 modified non-winners race. The roadrunners join the racing card Sunday.