From Selinsgrove Speedway
Selinsgrove, PA – (May 18, 2013) – TJ Stutts of Liverpool and Pat Cannon of Etters each took a victory in the 25-lap features for 360 and 358 sprint cars, respectively, in an action-packed show Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway that drew a total of 57 open wheel racers.
Stutts took his first win of the season in the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint (ESS) 360 sprint race. The $3,000 victory in the Mach 1 Chassis-sponsored event was the 16th of Stutts’ career at the track driving the Mountain View Travel No. 23. He became the seventh different winner in 358-360 sprint car competition this year.
The non-stop 360 sprint race was a new track record and timed in 8:18.546.
Cannon, who finished second in the 360 sprint race, came out swinging in the 358 sprint feature later in the night and scored his 43rd career victory in convincing style at the wheel of the Highlands’ Tire & Service Center No. 3. Cannon also became the first repeat sprint car feature winner of the season at the track. Ironically, Stutts chased down Cannon in the 358 sprint feature and settled for second.
Jim Bernheisel of Lebanon won his first race of the season in the 25-lap super late model feature and became the division’s sixth different winner. The win was the second of Bernheisel’s career at Selinsgrove.
Nathan Long of Selinsgrove was awarded the win in the 15-lap pro stock feature when Brad Mitch of McClure was disqualified for an illegal engine during the post-race inspection. Long will be credited with his second win of the year.
Selinsgrove Speedway will be in action two nights over the upcoming Memorial Day holiday with a four division show of 358 sprints, late models, pro stocks, and roadrunners at 7 p.m. on Saturday, followed by an open wheel tripleheader featuring the 410 sprint cars in the Ray Tilley Classic, super sportsman, and 305 sprint cars at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Track gates will open at 5 p.m. both nights.
Outside front row starter Jeff Cook powered into the lead at the start of the ESS 360 sprint car feature. Cook led the high-speed chase with polesitter Dave Ely and fourth-place starter TJ Stutts in close pursuit. On the second circuit, Stutts steered into second and began to track down Cook.
On the seventh lap, 11th-place starter Pat Cannon got by eighth-place starter Mark Smith for the fifth position. By lap 10, a thrilling wheel-to-wheel duel began to unfold for the lead between Cook and Stutts. Three laps later, Cannon advanced to third and made it a close three-car battle at the front of the pack.
Stutts made the winning pass by Cook using the inside lane entering the third turn on the 14th circuit. Cannon then passed Cook for the second position on lap 18 and began to reel in Stutts. With five laps remaining, Cannon was closing the gap with Stutts while Smith raced into the third position.
Stutts crossed under the checkered flag 2.5 seconds ahead of Cannon, Smith, 12th-place starter Robbie Stillwagon, and Cook.
Second-place starter Duane Mausteller pulled into the lead at the start of the 358 sprint car feature. After one lap was completed, the caution flag unfurled for debris on the speedway. On the restart, Mausteller continued to set the pace in front of polesitter Larry Kelleher and sixth-place starter Cody Keller.
By lap five, Keller had taken over the runner up position while both 12th-place starter Kevin Nouse and 11th-place starter Pat Cannon raced into the top five. By lap nine, Cannon advanced to third and a three-car battle unfolded for the lead. A circuit later, Cannon stormed into second and set his sights on Mausteller.
Using the inside lane off turn four on lap 11, Cannon made the winning pass by Mausteller. Once in front of the field, Cannon began to streak away while Mausteller, Keller and ninth-place starter TJ Stutts dueled for positions in traffic.
On lap 19, Stutts secured the second position and attempted to reel in Cannon to no avail. At the finish, Cannon was victorious by a convincing 4.7 seconds over Stutts, Keller, fourth-place starter Eric Tomecek, and Mausteller.
At the start of the late model feature, third-place starter Jim Bernheisel horsepowered his way to the front of the pack and led flag-to-flag for the victory. Bernheisel was trailed by polesitter Meade Hahn and second-place starter Donnie Schick for most of the event.
By lap 10, Bernheisel, who quickly stretched his lead to a straightaway, began to encounter slower traffic. With five laps remaining, Bernheisel set the pace with Hahn, Schick, ninth-place starter Jim Yoder, and fourth-place starter Chad Davis racing in the top five.
The event’s first and only caution flag unfurled on lap 23 when Hayes Mattern spun in turn three. When the race resumed, Bernheisel pulled away from the field and posted a one-second margin of victory over Hahn, Yoder, Schick, and Davis.
Third-place starter Brad Mitch powered into the lead at the start of the pro stock feature. Mitch was chased by second-place starter AJ Stroup for the first two laps until Stroup dropped out of the race while the field was pacing under caution.
When the race resumed, Mitch was followed by sixth-place starter Nathan Long and eighth-place starter Shaun Miller. On a lap 11 restart, seventh-place starter Kyle Bachman fell off the pace in turn two. On the final restart, Long remained in striking distance but couldn’t pull off a pass. Mitch took the checkered flag but was later disqualified due to a motor technicality. Long was awarded the win over S. Miller, Troy Miller, Tommy Slanker, and Hank Steffen.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY: 18 May 2013
Empire Super Sprint (ESS) 360 Sprint Cars – 36 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 23 TJ Stutts ($3,000) 2) 3 Pat Cannon 3) 1 Mark Smith 4) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 5) 10 Jeff Cook 6) 5 Justin Barger 7) 65 Dave Ely 8) 45H Chuck Hebing 9) 87B Jason Barney 10) 13 Kevin Ward Jr. 11) 7C Dylan Swiernik 12) 25 JJ Grasso 13) 28 Steve Poirier 14) 28F Davie Franek 15) 1B Joey Biasi 16) 19K Paul Kinney 17) 1Z Jessica Zemken 18) 17J Lance Younge 19) 25P Michael Parent 20) 21 Duane Mausteller 21) 1R Sam Reakes DNF 22) 67 Steve Collins DNF 23) 98 Joe Trenca DNF 24) 73 Kramer Williamson DNF 25) 33 Shawn Donath DNF 26) 29 Josh Weller DNS
Heat Winners: Pat Cannon, Jessica Zemken, Davie Franek, Josh Weller
Dash Winner: Davie Franek
B-Main Winner: Lance Younge
358 Sprint Cars – 21 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 3 Pat Cannon ($1,500) 2) 23 TJ Stutts 3) 99K Cody Keller 4) 1W Eric Tomecek 5) 21 Duane Mausteller 6) 4R Kevin Nouse 7) 2 Jason Shultz 8) Jason Shultz 8) 19 Colby Womer 9) 76 Larry Kelleher 10) 77 Derek Locke 11) 15 Mark Bitner 12) 66 Mike Walter 13) 5 Tyler Ross 14) 5B Josh Beard 15) 34 Austin Reed 16) Jessica Anderson 17) 29S Derek Steward 18) 42 Alan Spriggle 19) 67 Jason Cherry 20) 22M Brian Garland DNF 21) 38 Scott Wilson DNF
Heat Winners: Eric Tomecek, Duane Mausteller, Cody Keller
Late Models – 25 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 119 Jim Bernheisel ($1,500) 2) 7M Meade Hahn 3) 27 Jim Yoder 4) 6 Donnie Schick 5) 91 Chad Davis 6) 61 Ken Trevitz 7) 26 Jerry Bard 8) 119B Bryan Bernheisel 9) 88 Tony Adams 10) 2 Steve Campbell 11) 4D Chad Hollenbeck 12) 24 Dylan Yoder 13) 2J Jeff Rine 14) 16 Matt Cochran 15) 99Z Dave Zona 16) 21 Scott Haus 17) 32 Lindsay Barton 18) 90 Kyle Barton 19) KB0 Kerry King 20) 9 Hayes MAttern 21)KB1 Kerry King Jr. 22) 10 Dave Stamm 23) 76 Andy Haus DNF 24) 30 Sam Schaeffer DNF 25) 18 Eric Markel DNF
Heat Winners: Dave Zona, Jim Bernheisel, Jim Yoder
Pro Stocks – 14 Entries
15-Lap A-Main: 1) 63 Nathan Long (Awarded Win) 2) 115S Shaun Miller 3) 115 Troy Miller 4) 19H Tommy Slanker 5) 34 Hank Steffen 6) 85 Terry Lauver 7) 06 Frank Reisser 8) 28J Jeff Ceballo 9) 32 Tom Hartman 10) Kyle Bachman DNF 11) 85L Pete Lauver DNF 12) 26 AJ Stroup DNF 13) 111 Derrick Garman DNF 14) 10M Brad Mitch DQ
Heat Winners: Brad Mitch, AJ Stroup