By Todd Fisher
Newberrytown, PA (July 3, 2012) – Mark Watkins of McConnellsburg won the 20-lap PA Sprint Series feature event as part of the 7th annual Eichelberger’s U-Pull Super Show on Tuesday Night at the Susquehanna Speedway Park. Tyler Walton of Mifflintown claimed the 20-lap 600cc Micro Sprint Feature. Marysville’s Scott Houdeshell took the checkers in the extended 20-lap Legends Cars feature. Ben Murphy of Hunterville, North Carolina captured the Sidewinder Sprint Cars feature. Pete Neal of Taneytown, Maryland won an exciting 20-lap Classic Car 20-lap feature event. Mountville’s Al Kessock won his first Pro Sign & Design Mini Van feature event claiming the checkered in the 15-lapper. Richard Wolfe won the first ever Figure 8 feature event at SSP in the final race of the evening.
The 20-lap PA Sprint Car feature began with polesitter Mark Watkins taking the early lead and never looked back en route to the victory. Billy Ney had opportunities to challenge Watkins for the win after a few caution flags flew, but was unable to make the pass for the lead. Watkins led from the start to take the win in the full-size Sprint Cars. Ney took second place across the line. Logan Wagner came from seventh at the start to finish third. Tyler Lebo finished fourth, followed by Ryan Lynn in fifth. Tim Dietz, Matt Mountz and Wagner were the heat race victors. Dalton Dietrich was the consolation race winner.
In the 600cc Micro Sprint 20-lap feature event, Hannah Riser led the first lap until Shane Lewis moved by on the next lap to take command of the top spot. Tyler Walton challenged Lewis and took the lead from him on the sixth circuit. With the feature going non-stop, Walton took the win with Lewis finishing behind him. Polesitter Tanner Hunsicker finished third. Luke Thomas started 11th and finished in the fourth place spot. Early leader Riser settled for fifth place at the end. Hunsicker and Risser were heat race winners.
On the start of the 20-lap Classic Car feature, Bill Brown Sr. grabbed the early lead, but retired to the pit during the caution flag period on lap three. Matt Wallace inherited the lead and led until he received heavy pressure from Pete Neal in the second half of the race. Neal finally made the winning pass on lap 19 and held on for the victory by less than a car length over Wallace. Brandon Little finished close behind in third. Charlie Summers and Stvee Cantwell finished fourth and fifth respectively. Heats were won by Brown Sr. and Wallace.
The 20-lap Sidewinder Sprint Car feature event saw Ben Murphy take the lead on the start as he never looked back to wire the field fron start-to-finish to win the race. Jason Stahl was the runner-up, followed by Brandon Yarlett in third. Rounding out the top five in fourth and fifth respectively were Seth Kearchner and Reed Salony. Chris Crull and Keith Ford were the heat race winners.
In the non-stop 15-lap Pro Sign & Design Mini Van feature, Al Kessock took the lead from Jeremy Haines on lap 13 to win his first feature of the season. Zac Kitner regrouped after an early spin to finish second, followed by Donny Groff in third. Early leader, Haines settled for a disappointing fourth with John Kitner rounding out the top five.
The Central PA Legends Cars 20-lap feature event, extended from the normal 15 laps, was claimed by Scott Houdeshell over Scott Gobrecht. Early leader Robert Stough finished third, followed by Bill Diehl and Rich Miller. Heats were won by both Houdeshell and Gobrecht as well.
In the 20-lap Figure 8 feature event, Richard Wolfe took the lead on lap 16 to claim the victory. Greg Hicks was the runner-up with Dennis Dorosz finishing third.
From Wednesday, July 4 through Thursday, July 19, the Susquehanna Speedway Park will be closed for its annual Summer Break. No racing will take place during this time period.
On Friday night, July 20, the third race of the 9-race Summer Shoot-Out Series will be held at the SSP Outback Track for quarter midgets, karts, Adult Speedcars and lawnmowers. The 9-race Summer Shoot-Out Series will conclude on Saturday, September 1. The pit gates will open 5:45 p.m. Open practice begins at 7:00 p.m. and racing action begins at 7:30 p.m. There will be no sanctioning body affiliation for either karts or quarter midgets, but the technical/specification rules will be very similar to the major sanctioning groups for these types of cars (W.K.A. and QMA). The entry fees for each class will be $20.00 per entry for drivers with the seasonal (Spring/Summer) license. Pit pass fees for the driver are included in the entry fee. Non-license driver’s entry fees will be $25.00. Participants may enter more than one class on a raceday ($12.00 for each additional class). Trophies will be awarded to the top three in each class regardless of class entry count. No participants will be denied racing as SSP will make every effort to define a class for all drivers who wish to compete.
Pit pass prices for non-drivers at the Outback Track will be $8.00 for everyone ages 18 & older; Teens & Children ages 11 – 17 are $5.00; Children 10 years of age and under are $3.00. Ages 2 & under are admitted free.
Racing action returns to the Big Track at SSP on Saturday, July 21 with the 2nd Annual Silver Spring Speedway Racer Reunion featuring the Late Models, Street Stocks and a special appearance of the Super Sportsman Tour. The EMMR Vintage Cars will be also on display with an on-track exhibition during the night. The start time is 7:00 p.m. for racing action on Saturday night.
The night will also feature a pre-race autograph session for all track champions in the Super Sportsman, Late Models and Street Stock divisions from Silver Spring Speedway. A list of all drivers invited to participate are listed below. Each driver participating in the autograph session will receive a complimentary pit pass for themselves and a guest. Any track champion wishing to participate in the event should confirm with SSP management by contacting them at 717-292-1696 or sspracing@hotmail.com.
* = participated in the 2011 Autograph Session
Super Sportsman Track Champions (Silver Spring Speedway)
Mel Kreiser (1954)
Ken Hurley (1955, 1956, 1964)
Ron Tilley (1957, 1958)
Deacon Gearhart (1959)
Lynn Weibley (1960, 1961)
* Jim Sheaffer (1962, 1963, 1965)
* Russ Smith (1966, 1971)
Dick Snare (1967, 1968)
Kramer Williamson (1969)
Lee Parthemore (1970)
Fred Putney (1972, 1976)
Elvin Felty (1973)
Jim Wilbur (1974)
* Jerry Wolfe (1975)
John Murphy (1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1986)
* Gary Wolford (1979, 1980)
Larry Jackson (1983, 1988, 1989)
Dwight Leib (1984)
Howie Locke (1985, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998)
Joey Kuhn (1987)
* Rich Eichelberger (1990)
Dave Calaman (1994)
Danny Hager (1995)
John Stoner (1996)
Carmen Perigo Jr. (1999, 2001)
Mark Smith (2000)
Frankie Herr (2002, 2003, 2004)
Pat Cannon (2005)
Late Models Track Champions (Silver Spring Speedway)
Bill Madden (1961)
Larry Vogelsong (1963, 1964)
Earl Clay (1965)
John Fitting (1966)
John Smith (1967, 1970)
Bob Wilbur (1968, 1969)
Ken Neiswender (1971)
Bob Moyer (1972, 1975)
John Ebersole (1973, 1974)
Don Comerer (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981)
Gordie Kohr (1980)
Jeff Smith (1982)
* Bill Burns (1983)
Jim Shuttlesworth (1984)
Ed Jones (1985)
* Harold Beinhower (1986)
Jim Bernheisel (1987, 1991)
Jeff Leiphart (1988)
Charlie Kope (1989)
* Carl Billet (1990, 1993, 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005)
* Smokey Frye (1992)
Mark Billet (1995, 1996, 1998)
Scott Richwine (1997)
Ron Little Sr. (1999)
Jason Covert (2000, 2001)
Scott McCann (2002)
Street Stocks Track Champions (Silver Spring Speedway)
Carl Graves (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985)
* Joe Whitely (1986)
* Larry Miller (1987, 1993)
Nick Loranzo (1988)
Ray Hoke (1989)
* Richie Hughes (1990, 1992)
Gary Potts (1991)
Jeff Condran (1994, 1995)
Mike Brenneman (1996)
* Kory Sites (1997, 1998)
Kirby Sites (1999)
Scott Dellinger (2000)
Tim Fedder (2001)
Gerry Stutting Jr. (2002)
Stan Wanner (2003, 2004)
Paul Morgan (2005)
This will be a wonderful evening for all drivers, crews and fans to remember the great racing action at Silver Spring Speedway and enjoy a night of exciting side-by-side racing action at the Susquehanna Speedway Park
The next Wednesday Night Test & Tune for any type of racecar will be on Wednesday, July 25. The gates will open at 5:00 p.m. with practice sessions rotating for each class from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The cost is $12.00 per person for pit passes and a $20.00 fee for each racecar entering the pit area ($32.00 per car & driver combination). Each session will be 4-6 laps per session depending on car count. The grandstands are open free to the public. Each class will receive 4 to 5 rounds of 4/6 laps each or more if time permits. The fuel pumps from Miller’s Racing Parts will not be open. Anyone needing fuel should contact Miller’s Racing Parts directly at 717-766-0181. The main concession stand will be open throughout the night.
During the season, SSP will also host Wednesday Night Test & Tune Sessions on August 8; August 22; September 5; September 19; October 3; October 17 and October 25 (Thursday). All Wednesday night practices will run from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Also on Wednesday night, there will an open practice session for quarter midgets and karts at the Outback Track from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. under the lights. The gates will open at 5:30 p.m. with open practice from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The cost will be $20.00 per driver with no charge for anyone else entering the grandstand and “cold pit” areas. All Outback Track participants should enter the pits from the Kise Mill Road entrance behind turn 2 of the “Big Track.”
The Susquehanna Speedway Park is located off I-83 to exit 32, then 1.4 miles NW on SR382 to York Road, then 1.3 miles south. For more information, contact the speedway offices at (717) 292-1696 or visit online at sspracing.net. On raceday, use the track phone at (717) 938-9170 for up-to-date information at the “Big Track” and (717) 932-1608 for the “Outback Track.”
Susquehanna Speedway Park Race Results from Saturday, July 3, 2012
PA Sprint Series Feature (20 laps): 1. Mark Watkins; 2. Billy Ney; 3. Logan Wagner; 4. Tyler Lebo; 5. Ryan Lynn; 6. Nathan Gromley; 7. Erin Statler; 8. Scott Ellerman; 9. Dusten Shatzer; 10. Tim Dietz; 11. Jim Kennedy; 12. Dalton Dietrich; 13. Steve Kenawell; 14. Jake Waters; 15. George Riden; 16. Lance Newlin; 17. Matt Mountz; 18. Randy Kaylor; 19. Reed Thompson; 20. Chad Myers; 21. Eric Parker; 22. Jason Bergresser; 23. Tyler Reeser; 24. Kody Lehman; DNQ – Richard Shader Jr.; Richard Leonard; Andrew Hake; Joey Wenger.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Watkins (1-20).
HEAT RACE WINNERS: T. Dietz, Mountz and Wagner.
CONSOLATION WINNER: Dietrich.