From Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Selinsgrove Speedway will present the first four division racing program of the season at 6 p.m. this Saturday, April 9, featuring the A&A Auto Stores 358 sprint cars, late models, Salem RV Center/Byers Built Engines pro stocks, and Collier Paving & Construction roadrunners. Track gates will open at 4 p.m.
This Saturday will mark the season debut for the popular late model stock cars at the historic Snyder County oval. And like last year, defending champion Jeff Rine of Danville is in a position to make history once again in 2011.
In 2010, Rine became the first driver in the speedway’s 65-year history to win five consecutive late model races. In fact, those victories occurred in the first five races of the season. If he matches his nine-win season totalfrom a year ago, he will pass Bobby Croop of Nescopeck as the all-timecareer leading late model feature winner at the track. Rine has 64 career
victories entering this season and needs just five more to tie Croop’s 69-win record.
Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove, the all-time career leading 358 sprint car winner at the track, opened the division’s season last weekend with his 31st career victory. Heimbach set a new 25-lap track in the opener and leads the early-season point standings entering this weekend’s action.
While racing a close second to Heimbach in the feature, defending champion Pat Cannon of Etters was forced to withdraw from the race with mechanical problems with just three laps remaining.
After two events, defending pro stock champion AJ Hoffman of Richfield leads the standings by 80 points over AJ Stroup of Evendale. Hoffman won the division’s season opener on March 13, while Jason Smith of Williamsport scored his first win of the year in last Saturday’s race.
Bob Bussey of Northumberland scored a long overdue career first victory in the 12-lap roadrunner season opener and leads the standings over Eric Pinkerton of Tower City.
Selinsgrove Raceway Park will open the 2011 season for go karts and micro sprint cars at 7 p.m. this Friday, April 8. Track gates will open at 5:30 p.m.
NOTE: The practice session that was scheduled for tonight (Wednesday, April 6) at Selinsgrove Speedway has been rescheduled for tomorrow evening (Thursday, April 7) from 6:30-9 p.m.