By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Jason Shultz of Carlisle held off Pat Cannon of Etters for his first win of the season in the 25-lap 358 sprint car feature Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway. Shultz, driving the Mach 1 Chassis No. 2, became the fifth different winner in 358-360 sprint car competition at the track this year.
Dylan Yoder of Selinsgrove powered to his second win of the year in the 25-lap late model feature and became the division’s first repeat winner of the season.
In the Sixth Annual Collier Paving & Construction Roadrunner 20, Bob Bussey of Northumberland scored the victory in the division’s championship race for the first time in his career. The win for Bussey, who also set fast time in qualifying with a lap of 26.476, was his fourth of the season at Selinsgrove.
Selinsgrove Speedway’s half-mile track will be in operation two times over the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend with a four division show of 358 sprint cars, late models, pro stocks, and roadrunners at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 26, followed by the Keystone Cup Ray Tilley Classic for 410 sprint cars plus super sportsman at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 27.
Polesitter Colby Womer pulled into the lead at the start of the sprint car feature and was chased by third-place starter Duane Mausteller and second-place starter Cody Keller. On the second lap, Keller’s car fell off the pace while racing third and was able to rejoin the field at the back of the pack.
On the third circuit, fifth-place starter Phil Walter advanced to third and began to close in on Womer and Mausteller. On a lap seven restart, sixth-place starter Eric Tomacek spun in turn one while racing seventh. On the next restart, Womer continued to set a torrid pace until his car slowed on the backstretch on lap 13.
Mausteller inherited the lead as an intense race unfolded at the front of the pack in slower traffic during the second half of the event. Eighth-place starter Jason Shultz rocketed into the runner up position and raced wheel-to-wheel with Mausteller for several laps before securing the lead with an inside pass in turn two. With two laps remaining, 11th-place starter Pat Cannon stormed into second and made a last-ditch effort to snag the lead and win. At the finish, Shultz was victorious by just one second over Cannon, Mausteller, Walter, and TJ Stutts.
In the late model feature, polesitter Eric Hons darted into the lead and was chased by third-place starter Kenny Trevitz. Fifth-place starter Matt Cochran dueled with Trevitz for the runner-up position in the early laps of the race.
Sixth-place starter Dylan Yoder stormed into second and on lap six made the winning pass using the inside lane racing off turn four. D. Yoder set the pace while Trevitz kept the leader in his sites. On the 10th circuit, ninth-place starter Jim Yoder brought out the caution flag when his car turned sideways in turn one.
On the ensuing restart, D. Yoder and Trevitz began to pull away from the field. On the 18th circuit, seventh-place starter Jim Bernheisel advanced to third. The race’s final caution flag unfurled on lap 23 for Chad Davis. With two laps remaining, D. Yoder took the checkered flag by one second over Trevitz, who was later disqualified when his car failed to meet the minimum weight requirement in the post-race inspection. J. Bernheisel was awarded second, followed by Cochran, Jeff Rine, and Steve Campbell rounding out the top five.
Second-place starter John Fowler Jr. powered into the lead at the start of the Roadrunner 20 championship race. Fowler was chased by fourth-place starter Matt Lawrence and sixth-place starter Bob Bussey.
On the fifth lap, misfortune struck Fowler when his car broke exiting turn two. Lawrence inherited the lead as fifth-place starter Brian Johnson advanced to second. At the halfway point, Lawrence was leading Johnson, Bussey, eighth-place starter Dustin Snook, and seventh-place starter Ricky Bender.
With five laps remaining, Lawrence, Bussey, and Bender were locked in a three-car battle for the lead. On a lap 16 restart, Bussey took command of the field and Bender followed him into second. The race was red-flagged on lap 17 when Brandon Shultz’s car flipped over in turns three and four. Shultz escaped injury.
For the final restart, Bussey steered the field to the checkered flag, posting an .80 of a second margin of victory over Bender, Lawrence, Snook, and Ben Feree.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 19 May 2012
358 Sprint Cars – 21 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 2 Jason Shultz 2) 3 Pat Cannon 3) 21 Duane Mausteller 4) 5W Phil Walter 5) 23 TJ Stutts 6) 5B Josh Beard 7) 77 Derek Locke 8) 99K Cody Keller 9) 1W Eric Tomecek 10) 71 Jessica Anderson 11) 3Z Brock Zearfoss 12) 29 Matt Horst 13) 99B Nyle Berkes 14) 38 Scott Wilson 15) 71C Charlie Anderson 16) 6S Bill Sherman 17) 68 Jason Cherry 18) 45 Kevin Nagy DNF 19) 19 Colby Womer DNF 20) 11 Joel VanBuskirk DNF 21) 66 Ryan Kissinger DNS
Heat Winners: Josh Beard, Duane Mausteller, Jason Shultz