Mark Smith wins at Selinsgrove

2013 Tease Selinsgrove Speedway Logo

Selinsgrove, PA — (April 4, 2015) — Defending champion Mark Smith of Sunbury drove to a convincing victory in Saturday’s night’s 25-lap 360 sprint car season opener at Selinsgrove Speedway.

Smith, who scored the prestigious “King of the 360s” victory at the East Bay Raceway in Florida earlier this year, was at the wheel of the Mach 1 Chassis No. 1 for his 11th career win in 358-360 sprint car competition at the track.

Polesitter Cody Keller drove into the lead at the start of the sprint car feature. Keller was chased by second-place starter Jason Shultz for the first six laps of the race. The red flag stopped the race on lap six when Mallie Shuster slammed the outside guardrail in turn four and flipped over in his sprint car. Shuster escaped injury.

On the restart, Shultz made a dive to the inside of Keller entering turn one and emerged the race’s new leader out of turn two. Meanwhile, a wheel-to-wheel race unfolded for the third position between fourth-place starter Robbie Stillwaggon and eighth-place starter Mark Smith, with Smith taking over the spot at the halfway point.

On the 17th circuit, a flat tire caused Shultz’s car to go into a wild spin in turn three, narrowly escaping serious damage with the outside wall. Keller inherited the lead again for the lap 18 restart in which Smith made the winning pass using the inside lane in turn three. Smith went on to cross the finish line 3.5 seconds ahead of Keller, Stillwaggon, Davie Franek, and Michael Walter.

Selinsgrove Speedway will swing back into action at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 11, with the Empire Super Sprint (ESS) Mach 1 Chassis Spring Fling for 358 and 360 sprint cars paying $3,000 to win. Time Trials will be a part of the qualifying format for the 30-lap feature event. The super late models and pro stocks will also be on the racing card. Track gates will open at 4 p.m.
Summary:

Heat Race #1:
1. 89 – Robbie Stillwaggon
2. 29 – Jason Shultz
3. 23 – TJ Stutts
4. 66 – Ryan Kissinger
5. 28F – Davie Franek
6. 49s – Mallie Shuster
7. 33w – Michael Walter II

Heat Race #2:
1. 76 – Larry Kelleher
2. 99K – Cody Keller
3. 77 – Derek Locke
4. 1 – Mark Smith
5. C4 – Jim Shuster
6. 1W – Eric Tomecek
7. 29S – Derek Steward

Feature:
1. 1 – Mark Smith
2. 99K – Cody Keller
3. 89 – Robbie Stillwaggon
4. 28F – Davie Franek
5. 33w – Michael Walter II
6. 77 – Derek Locke
7. 76 – Larry Kelleher
8. 29 – Jason Shultz
9. 1W – Eric Tomecek
10. 66 – Ryan Kissinger
DNF. C4 – Jim Shuster
DNF. 23 – TJ Stutts
DNF. 29S – Derek Steward
DNF. 49s – Mallie Shuster