By Shawn Brouse
Port Royal – Who will be the 2012 Port Royal Speedway late model and sprint car track champions?
That’s a good question.
Be sure to come to the two-day Tuscarora 50 weekend at Port Royal Speedway this Friday and Saturday in order to find out.
On the late model front, three drivers are vying for their fist ever track title in the division and it all comes down to the final 20 laps of the season on Friday night, beginning at 7 pm.
Sponsored by AB Auto Glass, the late models have seen nine different drivers take 13 events to date this season with double wins going to Coleby Frye, Scott Haus, Brett Schadel and Tim Wilson.
Single wins have gone to Derek Byler, Andy Haus, Mike Lupfer, Greg Satterlee and Jim Yoder.
And the title is going to be decided Friday between Wilson, Lupfer and Schadel as all three men have a chance to strike gold.
Wilson enters the final race of the season with a scant 60 point lead over Lupfer with Schadel just 65 points out of the lead.
Whoever gets the crown will be a first time champion at the track.
And whether it be Wilson, Lupfer or Schadel who walks off with the title, he will break the stranglehold that both Steve Campbell and Scott Haus have had on the track title for more than a decade.
In fact, whoever gets the laurels will be the first champion aside from Haus since 2006.
On the sprint car side, Harrisburg’s Chad Layton is gunning for his second career oval track title in action Friday and Saturday.
Layton enters the final two sprint events of the season Friday night with a lead of 165 points over defending track titlist Mike Wagner.
Layton has won three times at the track this season although Wagner has not yet broken through.
The title would be Wagner’s third career and second in a row if he is able to overcome the point deficit.
If Layton gets the title, it would be a fitting seventh for the car owner of Layton’s No. 7, Dave Middleswarth.
Saturday will also decide the 2012 pro stock title with a full card of pro stock action on the racing program. John Heane has a healthy lead in the division.
Friday’s All Star Night Before The 50 feature will go 30 laps in distance and pay $5,000 to win plus full All Star and Port Royal points.
Saturday’s AB Auto Glass 45th annual Tuscarora 50 sanctioned by the All Stars will of course go 50 laps with at least $11,000 going to the winner.
And with laps paying $25 each, more than $1,200 in lap money is also on the line. Plus, a $200 bonus has been posted for the leader at the halfway point.
The 50 will also pay full All Star and Port Royal points as well, thus bestowing the honor of All Stars East and Port Royal season champion when the checkers fall.
Adult admission for The Night Before The 50 is set at $20 with Saturday’s price for adults set at a modest $25 for the high profile, prestigious event.
Students ages 12 – 18 will be admitted for an astounding low price of JUST $5 at both events.