By The Daily Item

SELINSGROVE -- The United Racing Company is making the first of two stops in Selinsgrove on Saturday night with the running of the third annual URC/358 Jack Gunn Memorial Challenge race at 7 p.m.

The 30-lap feature will pay $3,500 to win. Joining the sprint cars will be the late models and pro stocks.

The prior two Jack Gunn Memorial events were won by Blane Heimbach and Dave Calaman.

Gunn, whose real last name was Gunnells, promoted Selinsgrove, Williams Grove, Hagerstown and Penn National speedways. He brought USAC's Silver Crown division back to Williams Grove in 1980 after a 21-year absence, and also promoted demolition derbies and rodeos. Gunn had a brief career as a pit crew member and driver before getting behind the microphone as a track announcer. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame posthumously with the inaugural class in 1990.

Time trials, heats, C-Main, B-Main and A-Main will be the format for the Gunn Memorial.

Over the years, some of the biggest names in sprint cars have won the prestigious Gunn Memorial. Lynn Paxton, Steve Kinser, Doug Wolfgang and, most recently, 358 sprint drivers T.J. Stutts and Chad Layton are a few of the past winners of the Gunn Memorial.

Curt Michael, the four-time defending URC points champion, is once again on top of the leaderboard through three races this year. He owns 36 career wins, tying him with Lou Johnson for eighth all-time. Dave Ely and J.J. Grasso have won the two other this season.

FULL FENDERS: The full-blown late models make their 2008 season debut at the 1/3-mile Clinton County Raceway tonight. It will be the first of eight appearances this year, with a $1,000 payday on the line. Defending champion Jeremy Ohl is expected to be back to defend his 2007 track title. Joining the late models will be the pro stocks, 270 microsprints and 4-cylinders. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m.

PACK THE HOUSE: Pottsville radio station T-102 FM will hold its annual Pack the House Night' at Big Diamond Raceway tonight.

Adult general admission is $8. A regular three-division show of 358 modifieds, sportsman modifieds and roadrunners is on tap. In the 358 modified division, defending track champion Jeff Strunk and Duane Howard are tied for the points lead.

MEMORY LANE: At last year's USAC sprint car race at Grandview Speedway, the midget series drew 39 cars for competition. That car count stirred memories of a series of Sunday night shows that the club ran at Grandview back in the 1970s.

Club president Ron Lauer recalled that "Back then, we would consistently pull 35-40 cars for those shows and you would see upwards of 60 for some of the special shows."

Steve Buckwalter and Randy Monroe Jr. have claimed victories in the two events of the 24 scheduled for ARDC in 2008.