By Shawn Brouse
Port Royal – Coming up September 9 and 10 at Port Royal Speedway, the racing season will conclude with the 44th annual Tuscarora 50 weekend as part of the 157th annual Juniata County Fair.
The races will also decide the 2011 sprint car, late model and pro stock track champions.
Friday night, it’s the Living Legends Dream Night Before The 50 with twin 20s for the 410 sprint cars in tribute to Living Legend Honorees Keith Kauffman and Walt Dyer. Pro stocks are also on the card.
The Kauffman 20 will pay $3,333 to win in honor of Kauffman’s early career No. K33 mount while the Dyer 20 will pay $4,610 to win in honor of his world renown No. 461 sprinter campaigned in the area for decades.
Dyer is one of the winningest car owners in Port Royal history while Kauffman is the winningest sprint car driver in the history of the oval.
Pre-race autograph sessions with Kauffman, Dyer and Kauffman car owners and Dyer drivers will take place in the infield between 5 and 6 PM on Friday. Numerous Kauffman and Dyer cars will be on display as well.
One-lap time trials are slated to get underway for the event at 7 PM. Fast time will be worth more than $1,000. Hard charger awards in both features will be worth over $1,000 each.
Thousands and Thousands in contingency money and prizes will be given away throughout the night with $5,000 in cash alone up for grabs aside from a full B Main purse and full feature purses for both mains. Heats and the first feature aligning dash will each pay $300 to win.
Friday’s twin 20 winners are guaranteed starters in Saturday’s 44th annual Tuscarora 50.
A $2,000 bonus sponsored by Lelands.com In Memory Of Marion Ritzman will go to one driver if he can sweep the Friday twin 20s. If not, the bonus will be in force for the Tuscarora 50 if either twin winner can claim the race.
Phoenixville’s Brian Montieth is the defending winner of the Tuscarora 50 while Stevie Smith is the defending Night Before The 50 winner.
Last year, Montieth waged a spirited battle with Fred Rahmer for the Tuscarora victory, giving way to Rahmer for several laps mid-race before reclaiming the lead for the prestigious payday.
The 2011 Jakes Carts Tuscarora 50 will pay at least $11,000 to win but with lap money of at least $25 per lap on the line, the winner could net well over $12,000.
Over the years, nobody has been able to win the 50 more than four times in their careers.
Four-time victors include Lance Dewease, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2006; Fred Rahmer, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2005; and Doug Wolfgang, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987.
Three time winners include Mitch Smith, who won the first three in a row, 1968, 1969, 1970; Lynn Paxton, 1972, 1974, 1980; Todd Shaffer, 1990, 1991, 1995; and Greg Hodnett, 1998, 2004, 2009.
AB Auto Glass Late models are also on the September 10 program, which gets underway at 7 PM.
There will be no time trials. Heats will be set by a seated draw with a dash determining the front starting rows of the 50.
Raindate for the Tuscarora 50 is September 11 at 6:30 PM featuring sprints only.
In the event of a Friday night twin 20 rainout, all contingency money and prizes and the Living Legends honors will default to the Tuscarora 50.
Jakes Carts is located along Rt. 522 South, McVeytown. Visit their website at jakesgolfcarts.com or call 717.899.6699.
Previous Tuscarora 50 winners: 9/21/68 No. 5 Mitch Smith, 9/27/69 No. 5 Mitch Smith, 9/11/70 No. 5 Mitch Smith, 9/11/71 No. 77 Smokey Snellbaker, 9/8/72 No. 1 Lynn Paxton, 9/7/73 No. 29 Kenny Weld, 9/7/74 No. 1 Lynn Paxton, 9/20/75 No. 19 Steve Smith, 9/10/76 No. 44 Jim Nace, 9/17/77 No. 1 Gary Howsare, 9/8/78 No. 33 Keith Kauffman, 9/7/79 No. 56 Smokey Snellbaker, 9/5/80 No. 1 Lynn Paxton, 9/11/81 No. 29 George Ferguson Jr., 9/9/82 No. 1A Bobby Allen, 9/9/83 No. 40 Dave Blaney, 9/7/84 No. 29 Doug Wolfgang, 9/6/85 No. 29 Doug Wolfgang, 9/5/86 No. 29 Doug Wolfgang, 9/25/87 No. 29 Doug Wolfgang, 9/9/88 No. 19 Stevie Smith, 9/8/89 No. 1A Bobby Allen, 9/7/90 No. 11 Todd Shaffer, 9/6/91 No. 11 Todd Shaffer, 9/11/92 No. 3K Len Krautheim III., 9/10/93 No. 69K Don Kreitz Jr., 9/9/94 No. 461 Lance Dewease, 9/8/95 No. 88 Todd Shaffer, 9/20/96 No. 77 Fred Rahmer, 9/5/97 No. 77 Fred Rahmer, 9/12/98 No. 12 Greg Hodnett, 9/11/99 No. 69K Don Kreitz Jr., 9/9/00 No. 77 Fred Rahmer, 9/8/01 No. 88H Lance Dewease, 9/7/02 No. 77 Lance Dewease, 9/6/03 No. 7 Keith Kauffman, 9/11/04 No. 12 Greg Hodnett, 9/10/05 No. 88H Fred Rahmer, 9/9/06 No. 25 Lance Dewease, 9/8/07 No. 30 Doug Esh, 9/7/08 No. 11 Mike Erdley, 9/12/09 No. 22 Greg Hodnett, 9/11/10 No. 21 Brian Montieth
Previous Night Before The 50 winners: 9/11/98 No. 12 Greg Hodnett, 9/10/99 No. 77E Dave Ely, 9/8/00 No. 88H Lance Dewease, 9/7/01 No. 88H Lance Dewease, 9/6/02 No.12 Greg Hodnett, 9/5/03 No.12 Greg Hodnett, 9/10/04 No. 88H Fred Rahmer, 9/9/05 No. 88H Fred Rahmer, 9/8/06 No. 7 Keith Kauffman, 9/7/07 No. 88 Todd Shaffer, 9/5/08 No. 88 Todd Shaffer, 9/11/09 rained out, 9/10/10 No. 1 Stevie Smith