By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Selinsgrove Speedway will honor the memory of one of Pennsylvania’s greatest open wheel racers with the running of the Ray Tilley Classic for 410 sprint cars at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 26. The 30-lap tribute race sponsored by Icon Legacy Custom Modular Homes will pay $5,000 to win out of the $23,000-plus purse.
Joining the 410 sprint cars for the special Memorial Day weekend program will be the super sportsman and the 305 sprint cars to round out an open wheel tripleheader at the historic Snyder County half-mile clay oval. Track gates will open at 5 p.m.
The late Ray Tilley of Pine Grove clinched four career sprint car titles (1965-66 and 1968-69) at Selinsgrove and remains on top of the track’s all-time sprint car win list with 69 career victories. Tilley passed away on Aug. 9, 2011, from complications of a stroke at the age of 77. Last year’s inaugural Tilley Classic race was rained out.
Members of the Tilley family from Utah, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania will be in attendance. Tilley’s grandson, Andrew Tilley, who recently graduated from ministry school, will deliver the invocation and family friend Linda Herrold of Selinsgrove will sing the National Anthem. The Tilley family will also present a custom-made trophy cup to the winner.
Terry Mummert, a friend of the Tilley family, will have Ray Tilley Classic t-shirts for sale the night of the race. They will be available in a variety of colors and sizes.
The May 26 race, which will include time trials, heat races, and a B-main for the qualifying format, will mark the second appearance of the season by the 410 sprint cars. Greg Hodnett of Thomasville won the March 10 season opener for 410 sprint cars.
The RAACE Foundation will also be at the track May 26 to generate awareness of the organization’s mission. The RAACE Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the epidemic of child sexual abuse by raising public awareness. Stevie Smith of Broken Arrow, Okla., a long-time supporter of the Foundation, is tentatively scheduled to be in competition May 26 and will participate in a pre-race autograph session. Smith owns six career wins at Selinsgrove including a victory in the 2003 National Open.
The super sportsman and the 305 sprint cars will compete in a series of heat races and 20-lap features, respectively. The July 7 super sportsman race last year was won by Jim Shuster of Newville. The 305 sprint car race will be a first in the track’s history.
The night before the Tilley Classic, Selinsgrove Speedway will present a four division show of 358 sprint cars, late models, pro stocks, and roadrunners at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 25, sponsored by the Sunbury Eagles Club No. 503.
For a complete schedule, the latest news, results, and race status, visit selinsgrovespeedway.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. The speedway office can be reached at 570.374.2999.
Purse for 2013 Ray Tilley Classic for 410 sprint cars: 1) $5,000 2) $2,000 3) $1,700 4) $1,500 5) $1,400 6) $1,300 7) $1,200 8) $1,100 9) $1,050 10) $1,000 11) $900 12) $750 13) $600 14) $500 15) $450 16) $425 17) $400 18) $375 19-24) $350
Admission for May 26, 2013: Adults $20; Students (12-17) $15; Kids 11 & Under FREE; Pit Passes $30