By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Three weeks ago, Mark Smith of Sunbury was in a position to score the victory in the 410 sprint car opener at Selinsgrove Speedway until a lapped car spun into his path and ended his efforts early.
For the 358 sprint car opener Saturday night at the track, Smith again found himself leading the pack and this time steered clear of trouble and drove the Mach 1 Chassis No. 1 to a convincing victory in the 25-lap feature. The $1,500 win was the fourth of Smith’s career in 358 sprint car racing at the track.
Pat Cannon of Etters smashed the eight-lap track record for 358 sprint cars in his qualifier with a time of 2:16.255. Cannon also turned the fastest single lap ever recorded at the track for a 358 sprint car in a competition event at 16.961.
Brock Zearfoss of Jonestown was transported to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries following a lap six crash on the backstretch in the sprint car feature.
For the second year in a row, Dylan Yoder of Selinsgrove won the 25-lap late model season opener in a thrilling finish that produced a three-wide race for the victory off turn four. Yoder, a four-time winner last year, collected $1,500 for the win as part of the track’s increased purse structure for 2013.
Brad Mitch of McClure won his second career pro stock feature in the division’s 15-lap season debut, while John Fowler Jr. of Montandon drove by Bob Bussey’s disabled race car on the final lap for his third career win in the 12-lap roadrunner race.
Selinsgrove Speedway will present the Empire Super Sprint (ESS) sanctioned 358-360 sprint car challenge sponsored by Mach 1 Chassis plus a complete program of late model, pro stock, and roadrunner racing at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 6. The first sprint car challenge race of the season will pay $3,000 to win. Track gates will open at 4 p.m.
The track will hold an open practice session this Wednesday, April 3, from 6:30-9 p.m. The entry fee per race car is $100.00. Grandstand admission is free on Wednesday.
At the start of the sprint car feature, rookie driver Derek Steward’s car climbed the rear wheel of another car and launched into a series of flips after making contact with the inside frontstretch guardrail. Steward escaped the crash without any injuries.
On the second attempt to start the race, polesitter Josh Beard powered into the early lead while an early-race battle for second unfolded between second-place starter Mark Smith and fourth-place starter Pat Cannon.
Smith made the winning pass by Beard by using the inside lane off turn two on the fourth circuit and never looked back. A caution for Dan Richcreek on the fifth lap regrouped the field. When the race resumed, ninth-place starter Brock Zearfoss drifted into the second turn wall and flipped over several times on the backstretch. Zearfoss was extricated from the car and transported to an area hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Cannon passed Beard for second on the restart and closed in on Smith in a torrid race for the lead. At the halfway point, Smith was leading Cannon, Beard, seventh-place starter TJ Stutts, third-place starter Ryan Kissinger, and fifth-place starter Austin Reed.
For the next several laps, Smith stretched his lead over Cannon. In the final five laps, however, Cannon began to gain real estate and was in contention again. At the checkered flag, Smith won by just .72 of a second over Cannon, Beard, Stutts, and Reed.
Outside front row starter Dave Zona pulled into the lead at the start of the late model feature. Polesitter Jim Bernheisel and eighth-place starter Dylan Yoder quickly fell in line behind the leader. On the second circuit, third-place starter Jeff Rine spun while exiting the second turn and was able to rejoin the field.
When the race resumed, J. Bernheisel drifted into the second turn wall and brought out another caution flag. The next restart saw Zona being challenged by D. Yoder while fifth-place starter Coleby Frye, sixth-place starter Jim Yoder and seventh-place starter Kenny Trevitz raced in the top five.
By the midway point of the race, Rine was making up lost ground and passed 17th-place starter Tony Adams for the fourth position. On the 14th circuit, Rine drove by J. Yoder for third and set his sites on Zona and D. Yoder.
With each passing lap, Rine drew closer to the leaders and a thrilling three-car race for the lead and win unfolded in the final two laps. Entering the third turn on the checkered flag lap, D. Yoder made the winning pass using the inside lane while Rine tried to power around Zona on the outside. Racing off turn four, the top three drivers were almost three-wide coming down for the finish. D. Yoder came out the victor by a mere .04 of a second over Zona and Rine. Trevitz and J. Yoder rounded out the top five in one of the track’s closest ever late model finishes.
Second-place starter Brad Mitch stormed into the lead in the pro stock feature and wired the field for the victory. In the opening laps of the race, Mitch was followed by fifth-place starter Shaun Miller and fourth-place starter Kyle Bachman. The top three broke away from the field, and a close race for second unfolded between Miller and Bachman.
At the finish, Mitch was victorious by .72 of a second over Bachman, who made a last-lap pass by Miller for the runner up position. S. Miller settled for third, while Troy Miller and Jeff Ceballo rounded out the top five.
Second-place starter Bob Bussey took the lead at the start of the roadrunner feature and was trailed by polesitter Ricky Bender for the first four laps. On the fifth circuit, fourth-place starter John Fowler advanced to second and reeled in Bussey.
Bussey and Fowler broke away from the pack until third-place starter John Schoch made a late-race charge and joined the leaders. On the final lap, Fowler was pressuring Bussey for the lead and got a break when Bussey’s car lost a wheel and drifted high in turn four. Fowler raced underneath him and back to the checkered flag over Schoch, Bussey, Bender, and opening night winner Brian Johnson.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 30 March 2013
358 Sprint Cars – 23 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 1M Mark Smith 2) 3 Pat Cannon 3) 5B Josh Beard 4) 2T TJ Stutts 5) 34 Austin Reed 6) 2 Jason Shultz 7) 77 Derek Locke 8) 29 Matt Horst 9) 37 Scott Flammer 10) 19 Colby Womer 11) 99K Cody Keller 12) 5 Phil Walter 13) 67 Jason Cherry 14) 66 Ryan Kissinger DNF 15) 13 Eric Tomecek DNF 16) 80M Dan Richcreek DNF 17) 3Z Brock Zearfoss DNF 18) 15 John Smith DNF 19) 29S Derek Steward DNF 20) 07 Bill Schoffstall DNS 21) 76 Larry Kelleher DNS 22) 21 Duane Mausteller DNS 23) 22M Brian Garland DNS
Heat Winners: Pat Cannon, Ryan Kissinger, Mark Smith