By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Selinsgrove Speedway will present the 2010 season opener
for the A&A Auto Stores 358 sprint cars at 6 p.m. this Saturday, March 27,
marking the first of 25 events for the track’s headline open wheel division
this year.
Joining the 358 sprint cars will be the Salem RV Center pro stocks in the
division’s first of 22 events this season. Track gates will open at 4 p.m.
The 358 sprint cars will compete in heat races and a 25-lap main event
paying $1,500 to win, which continues to be the highest weekly winner’s
share for limited sprint car racing in Pennsylvania. The pro stocks will
also compete in heat races and a 15-lap feature. Drivers will draw for
their starting positions for qualifying.
Nate Snyder of Halifax is set to begin defense of his 2009 track
championship. Last season Snyder became the division’s sixth different
champion without a victory. His consistency coupled with 12 top five
finishes in 19 races propelled him to his first-ever track championship.
Several other drivers are also expected to be serious title contenders in
2010. Pat Cannon of Etters was last year’s leading feature winner with
seven victories even though it was an abbreviated season for Cannon at
Selinsgrove due to a brief stint in 410 sprint car racing. Cannon announced
he will return to Selinsgrove full-time in 2010.
Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove started off the season with a victory in the
northeast opener at Williams Grove Speedway last Friday night. Heimbach,
the division’s all-time leading winner with 29 victories, will be seeking
his third career track championship at Selinsgrove in 2010.
Phil Walter of McClure will be celebrating his 25th anniversary in racing
in 2010 and will be gunning for his first career track championship at
Selinsgrove Speedway. Walter, a former champion at Clinton County Speedway,
won two features last season and finished fourth in the standings.
Scott Flammer of West Milford, N.J., is the defending opening day winner
for 358 sprint cars at Selinsgrove Speedway. Flamer set a new 25-lap track
record of 7:50.942 in last year’s opener.
In pro stock racing, Jason Smith of Williamsport became the speedway’s
ninth different track champion in 2009. Smith stated he will be return to
defend his title in the pro stock division in 2010.
The speedway will hold its first open practice session of the season on
Wednesday, March 31 from 6:30 until 9 p.m.
Selinsgrove Raceway Park, the one-fifth mile oval located inside of the
half-mile track, will also open its season at 12 p.m. with a program of go
kart racing. Track gates will open at 10 a.m. Weekly Friday night
competition featuring go karts and the Selinsgrove Ford micro sprint cars
will begin April 2.
For the latest information and a complete schedule, visit
selinsgrovespeedway.com.