By Shawn Brouse
Port Royal – Port Royal Speedway will honor its most storied and successful driver in history, sprint car veteran and icon Keith Kauffman of Mifflintown this Saturday August 17 at 7 pm with Keith Kauffman Farewell Tribute Night.
Kauffman declared this season his farewell tour and as such the track that he made his name at and called home on Saturday’s for nearly his entire career when racing in the area will honor the legend with a pair of special races for both the Aumiller’s Insurance 410 Sprints and the Gray’s Auto and Towing Late Models.
Sprints will vie in a 33-lap main, honoring one of Kauffman’s most memorable early-career mounts the K33, that pays $5,000 to win.
Kauffman’s pair of career Port Royal late model wins came at the wheel of the No. 21 stock car thus the late models will race for $2,100 to win in a 21-lap feature.
Hamilton Management, John Groninger Inc., Weikert’s Livestock and Trackside Bar and Grille sponsor the event.
Time trials well set the heat and feature starting grids for both the events. Late models will time trial using a group format.
Kauffman and special guest and friend Kenny Jacobs will sign autographs behind the grandstand on Saturday from 5:15 until 5:45 pm.
Ohio’s Jacobs is making the trip to the track for the special event in honor of his friend and will join Kauffman for a special presentation during intermission.
Also attending the event and making remarks will be Kauffman’s sprint car sponsors and/or owners through the years: John Groninger, Al Hamilton and Wade Cleck along with a representative of the Bob Weikert family.
Other special remarks from special guests will be made live via telephone during the presentation.
Kauffman’s very first racecar, the Clyde’s Gulf No. 2 will be on display throughout the night for the special farewell event.
All fans are asked to attend the event in a Keith Kauffman racing shirt or jacket.
Prizes will be given for those who are wearing what can be determined as the oldest Kauffman apparel.
A Juniata Tire Sales enduro dash will close out the night’s racing.
Adult general admission prices for the special Kauffman Port Royal event will remain at the low regular price of $15 for the show with students staying at the usual rate of $5 for ages 12 – 18.
General admission gates will open at 4:30 pm.