From Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Pat Cannon’s winning streak in central Pennsylvania
continued Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway when the Etters driver
claimed his fourth victory at the track in the seventh annual Joe Whitcomb
Memorial for 358 sprint cars.
For the second year in a row, Cannon won the Whitcomb Memorial and earned
$1,771 for his eighth win overall in 2010, having also won at Williams
Grove Speedway on Friday night. The victory marked the 21st of Cannon’s
career at the Snyder County oval driving the Highlands’ Tire & Service
Center No. 3. Cannon set fast time in qualifying with a lap time of 18.101.
At the start of the Joe Whitcomb Memorial for sprint cars, polesitter Phil
Walter grabbed the early lead with second-place starter Colby Womer racing
in his shadow. A two-car crash in turn three involving Matt Horst and Matt
Heimbach stopped the race on lap four. All drivers escaped injury.
On the lap five restart, Womer made an outside pass by P. Walter on the
backstretch for the lead. Then defending track champion Nate Snyder slowed
in turns three and four and was forced to withdraw from the race. The
restart saw P. Walter rocket back into the lead while eighth-place starter
Pat Cannon made it a close three-car battle at the front of the pack.
Cannon made the winning pass using the outside lane while racing off turn
two on the seventh circuit. Once in front, Cannon checked out from the rest
of the field while Womer, Walter, seventh-place starter TJ Stutts, and
fifth-place starter Blane Heimbach raced in the top five.
At the halfway point, 14th-place starter Davie Franek and 19th-place
starter Mike Walter streaked to the front of the pack. Franek took over the
runner up position from Womer on lap 15 and attempted to reel in Cannon in
traffic. Meanwhile, a three-car battle unfolded for the third position
between Stutts, Womer, and M. Walter.
On lap 22, the caution flag came out for B. Heimbach when his sprinter
rolled to a stop in turn three. With lapped cars separating Cannon from
Franek on the restart, Cannon was able to quickly distance himself from the
pack and go on to post a 3.2 second margin of victory over Franek, M.
Walter, Womer, and Stutts.