SELINSGROVE, Pa. — In a final lap showdown, Pat Cannon of Etters passed
Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove racing off turn four to take the checkered
flag in Saturday night’s 25-lap 358 sprint car feature at Selinsgrove
Speedway.
Marking the third win of the season at the track for the Highlands’ Tire
Service No. 3 team, Cannon had to start at the rear of the field for a lap
13 restart when he was forced to pit to change a flat tire. Then he
rocketed back to the front of the pack to score his 20th career win in
dramatic fashion.
Polesitter Cody Keller drove into the lead at the start of the sprint car
feature and was chased by fourth-place starter Matt Horst and second-place
starter Matt Heimbach. Blane Heimbach, who started 10th, powered into the
fourth position by the completion of the first lap.
The first caution flag unfurled on lap eight when Wes Irwin’s car rolled to
a stop in turn three. On the restart, Keller continued to set the pace as
B. Heimbach moved into third. Point leader TJ Stutts and Colby Womer both
stopped in turn four following contact with other cars and were forced to
withdraw from the race.
When the race resumed, B. Heimbach passed Horst for second and began to
reel in Keller at the front of the pack. On the 12th circuit, a wild melee
unfolded on the backstretch when Horst’s car did several 360-degree spins
before flipping over and collecting several other cars. All drivers escaped
injury. Under the red flag, 12th-place starter Pat Cannon pitted to change
a flat tire and rejoined on the rear of the field.
The ensuing restart produced a wheel-to-wheel duel for the lead between
Keller and B. Heimbach, who made a pass for the lead using the inside lane
entering turn one. On the 15th circuit, eighth-place starter Larry
Kelleher began to show some speed when he moved into the second position,
while Keller, Cannon, Nate Snyder, and Phil Walter raced in the top five.
The red flag stopped the race on lap 24 when Keller’s motor expired and
caused a brief fire in turn three. Keller escaped injury. The incident set
up a one-lap chase to the checkered flag between B. Heimbach and Cannon,
who had moved into second on lap 19.
Entering turn one on the restart, B. Heimbach moved to the top of the race
track to block Cannon’s charge. Racing through turns three and four, Cannon
moved to the bottom of the track and took the lead racing off turn four.
Cannon was victorious by just .11 of a second over B. Heimbach at the
checkered flag. B. Heimbach, Kelleher, Snyder, and Walter completed the top
five.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 12 June 2010
358 Sprint Cars – 27 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 3 Pat Cannon 2) 12 Blane Heimbach 3) 76 Larry Kelleher
4) 56 Nate Snyder 5) 5 Phil Walter 6) 7 Joey Borich 7) 769 Steven
Nederostek 8) 66 Ryan Kissinger 9) 71 Jessica Anderson 10) 21 Duane
Mausteller 11) 42 Alan Spriggle 12) 71C Charlie Anderson 13) 99K Cody
Keller DNF 14) 4R Davie Franek 4R DNF 15) 16H Matt Horst DNF 16) 81 Bob
Beidleman DNF 17) 14 Matt Heimbach DNF 18) 63 Mike Walter DNF 19) 1N
Brian Nornhold DNF 20) 5B Josh Beard DNF 21) 2T TJ Stutts DNF 22) 19
Colby Womer DNF 23) 9 Wes Irwin DNF 24) 21M Shannon Maustellar DNF
Heat Winners: Cody Keller, Josh Beard, Matt Heimbach
Consolation Winner: Ryan Kissinger