By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Pat Cannon of Etters was back in winning form Saturday night, taking the checkered flag in convincing style in the 25-lap 358 sprint car feature at Selinsgrove Speedway.
Cannon’s win was his third of the season and the 35th of his career at the Snyder County oval driving the Highlands’ Tire Service No. 3. With the victory, he strengthens his points lead over Jason Shultz of Carlisle in the chase for the track championship.
Dylan Yoder of Selinsgrove held off point leader Jeff Rine of Danville for his third win of the year in the 25-lap model feature. In doing so, Yoder tied up Rine in the feature win category and tightened the points battle entering next weekend’s action.
In the 15-lap pro stock feature, former champion Jason Smith of Williamsport drove to his first victory of the season. The win in the 12-lap roadrunner race was awarded to Dustin Snook of McClure when Ricky Bender’s race car failed a post-race technical inspection.
Selinsgrove Speedway’s half-mile track will be operation two times next weekend, beginning with a rare Friday night race (June 29) featuring the fourth event in the inaugural Mach 1 Chassis Mid-Atlantic 358-360 Sprint Car Championship Series at 8 p.m. The 25-lap main event will pay $2,500 to win out of a $15,000-plus purse. Track gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening.
Following Friday’s race, the speedway will swing back into action at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 30, with the annual running of the Middleswarth Potato Chips Firecracker 30 for 358 sprint cars plus late models, pro stocks, and roadrunners. The 30-lap main event for 358 sprint cars will pay $2,000 to win.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 23 June 2012
358 Sprint Cars: 21 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1)3 Pat Cannon 2)99B Nyle Berkes 3)1 Mark Smith 4)23 TJ Stutts 5)2 Jason Shultz 6)77 Derek Locke 7)19 Colby Womer 8)5b Josh Beard 9) 99K Cody Keller 10)81 Bob Beidleman 11)21 Duane Mausteller 12)14 Brian Nornhold 13)11 Joel Vanbuskirk 14)67 Jason Cherry DNF 15)1w Eric Tomecek DNF 16)5W Phil Walter DNF 17)66 Ryan Kissinger DNF 18)38 Scott Wilson DNF 19)3Z Brock Zearfoss DNF 20)55 John Troxell DNF 21)76 Larry Kelleher DNF
Heat Winners: Colby Womer, Scott Wilson, Pat Cannon