SMITH SETS PA SPEEDWEEK 5-WIN RECORD WITH VICTORY

By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY – Stevie Smith of Broken Arrow, Okla., ended the 25th Anniversary Jake’s Wayback Burgers/Trone Outdoor PA Speedweek series the way he started it—in Victory Lane!—with a convincing win in Sunday night’s Jan Opperman/Dick Bogar Memorial for 410 sprint cars at Selinsgrove Speedway. 

The $5,000 win marked Smith’s seventh career at Selinsgrove driving Fred Rahmer’s Miller Bros. Chevrolet No. 51-S. Smith’s performance Sunday night  also earned him the Fast Tees Fast Time Award (16.562) and his first career PA Speedweek title that paid  $10,000 to the champion for the first time. He became the first driver to win five races in a single series.  

Chad Criswell of Martinsburg, W.Va., held of Kevin Knouse of Mechanicsburg for his first career win at Selinsgrove Speedway in the 20-lap super sportsman feature, while Tyler Reeser of Orwigsburg also scored his first win at the track in the 20-lap 305 sprint car feature. 

The 410 sprint cars return to Selinsgrove Speedway Saturday, Sept. 19, for the Jim Nace Memorial/33rd Annual National Open. 

Second-place starter Danny Dietrich powered into the lead at the start of the sprint car feature. Racing off turn four to complete the first lap, fourth-place starter Stevie Smith used the inside lane to secure the front spot. 

By the fifth circuit, Smith began to encounter slower traffic as Dietrich and sixth-place starter Aaron Ott dueled for the runner-up position. By lap nine, an intense three-car battle unfolded at the front of the pack between Smith, Dietrich and Ott. 

The race’s first caution flag unfolded on lap 11 when Mallie Shuster spun his sprint car in turn four. On the lap 12 restart, third-place starter Greg Hodnett got by polesitter Lucas Wolfe for the fourth spot. Ott then made a thrilling pass in turn two to get by Dietrich for second. A lap later, Hodnett advanced to third. 

On the 17th circuit, Hodnett drove by Ott for second and set his sights on Smith. Despite several late-race cautions, Smith was able to hold the field at bay. In the final laps, however, Hodnett began to reel in Smith in a last-ditch effort to pull off a pass for the win. At the checkered flag, Smith was victorious by just .57 of a victory over Hodnett, Ott, Dietrich, and fifth-place starter Brent Marks. 

In the super sportsman feature, polesitter Danny Walsh led the first two laps until third-place starter Chad Criswell made the winning pass on the frontstretch. On a lap four restart, 12th-place starter Kevin Nouse passed several cars using the outside lane around turns one and two to take over the fourth spot. 

On a lap seven restart, Nouse drove by fourth-place starter Chad Trout for the runner-up spot and began to close in on Criswell. At the halfway point, Nouse was in striking distance as he and Criswell raced through traffic. 

In the final laps, Criswell held off Nouse by .95 of a second for his third victory of the season at three different tracks. Mike Enders, Frankie Herr, and Trout completed the top five. 

Second-place starter Tyler Reese pulled into the lead at the start of the 305 sprint car feature and wired the field for his first-ever win at the track. Reese checked out from the field early in the race and opened up more than a straightaway lead over polesitter Derrick Bowersox. Late in the race, current points leader and ninth-place starter Zach Newlin advanced to the second position. 

At the checkered flag, Reese posted a convincing nine-second margin of victory over Newlin, Bowersox, James Pryde, and Drew Ritchey. 

SPEEDWAY SCHEDULE UPDATES: 

There will be no racing at Selinsgrove Speedway July 11. The track will be back in action Saturday, July 18, with the annual Jeff’s Auto Body & Recycling Center Driver & Fan Appreciation Night featuring the 360 sprint cars, super late models, pro stocks, and roadrunners at 7:30 p.m. Promoter Charlie Paige announced general admission for adults and students on July 18 will be just $5!

The Pro Stock 20 has been rescheduled for Saturday, July 25, with the Mach 1 Chassis National Open for 360 sprint cars moved to Saturday, Aug. 15. 

In cooperation with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and Lernerville Speedway in rescheduling the Firecracker 100 race, Selinsgrove Speedway’s Late Model National Open will change from a two-day event to a single show on Sunday, Sept. 6 

SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 5 JULY 2015
410 Sprint Cars – 32 Entries
30-Lap A-Main:  1) 51 Stevie Smith  2) 27 Greg Hodnett  3) 25 Aaron Ott  4) 29 Danny Dietrich  5) 19M Brent Marks  6) 07 Doug Esh  7) 1Z Lucas Wolfe  8) 21R Kyle Reinhardt  9) 56 Nate Snyder  10) 12 Blane Heimbach  11) 33 Curt Stroup  12) 29S Jason Shultz  13) 36D Wayne Dadetto  14) 75 Nicole Bower  15) 49S Mallie Shuster  16) 33W Michael Walter II  17) 12B Brad Franks  18) 24B Dustin Baney  19) 29W Ryan Wilson  20) 66 Ryan Kissinger  21) 16 Jac Haudenschild  22) 23 TJ Stutts  23) 30  Daryl Steimling  24) C4 Jim Shuster
Heat Winners:  Aaron Ott, Greg Hodnett, Kyle Reinhardt, TJ Stutts
B-Main Winner: Curt Stroup
Time Trials:  1) 51 Stevie Smith 16.562  2) 27 Greg Hodnett 16.574  3) 29 Danny Deitrich 16.629  4) 1Z Lucas Wolfe 16.718  5) 19M Brent Marks 16.746  6) 16 Jac Haudenschild 16.762  7) 3Z Brock Zearfoss 16.876  8) 12 Blane Heimbach 16.920  9) 25 Aaron Ott 16.952  10) 17B Steve Buckwalter 16.979  11) 21R Kyle Reinhardt 17.004  12) 23 TJ Stutts 17.044  13) 49S Mallie Shuster 17.045 14) 56 Nate Snyder 17.052  15) 07 Doug Esh 17.136  16) 29W Ryan Wilson 17.172  17) 66 Ryan Kissinger 17.177  18) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 17.210  19) 33 Curt Stroup 17.220  20) 75 Nicole Bower 17.330  21) 36D Wayne Dadetto 17.387  22) 12B Brad Franks 17.431  23) 24B Dustin Baney 17.497  24) C4 Jim Shuster 17.595  25) 30 Daryl Steimling 17.776  26) 29S Jason Shultz 17.816  27) 73 Jevon Ahner 17.955  28) 79 Jordan Thomas 17.977  29) 33W Michael Walter II 18.222  30) 5 Brian Nornhold 18.819  31) 3 Pat Cannon DNT  32) 51B Karl Baker DNT
Super Sportsman – 27 Entries
20-Lap A-Main:  1) 55C Chad Criswell  2) 1J Kevin Nouse  3) 3B Mike Enders  4) 99 Frankie Herr  5) 7C Chad Trout  6) 222 Jay Fannasy  7) 41 Scott Geesey  8) 54 Doug Dodson 9) 8 Rich Eichelberger  10) 11 Steve Fannasy  11) 99C Chad Smith  12) 75 Kenny Edkin 13) 7B Timmy Barrick  14) 17J Tony Jackson  15) 7 Todd Leonard  16) 70D Bill Devine  17) 6 Steve Wilbur 18) 32 Justin Foster  19) 20W Davie Walsh  20) 19 Devonb Beidle  21) 14 Nate Young  22) 77 Russ Mitten  23) 91 Lanny Hake  24) 30 Scott Dellinger
Heat Winners: Chad Crisswell,   Frankie Herr, Kevin Nouse
305 Sprint Cars – 24 Entries
20-Lap A-Main:  1) 5T Tyler Reeser  2) 11Z Zach Newlin  3) 35B Derrick Bowersox  4) 29 James Pryde  5) 880 Drew Ritchey  6)99 Mike Kiser  7) 8D Scott Ellerman  8) 26V Sean Kirkpatrick  9) 4B Jason Bergstresser  10) 20 Stephanie Stevens-Dodson  11) 4 John Martin  12) 29J Bill Jones Jr.  13) 6R Reed Thompson  14) 67 Ken Duke  15) 6 Sean Hosey  16) 37 Hunter McCracken  17) 19 Tylor Cochran  18) 2 Erin Statler  19) 36 Tom Worrick  20) 99C Cale Riegle  21) 46 Mike Alleman  22) 87 Brent Rumberger  23) 23 Nathan Gramley  24) 55H Brian Haney
Heat Winners:  John Martin, Sean Kirkpatrick, Scott Ellerman