From Selisngrove Speedway
Selinsgrove, PA — (April 16, 2016) — Hometown driver Cody Keller of Selinsgrove scored a popular win in the 30-lap Spring Showdown for 360 sprint cars in Saturday night’s season opener at Selinsgrove Speedway with the United Racing Club and Empire Super Sprints.
Keller’s fourth career sprint car victory at the wheel of the Keller’s Auto Body No. 99 was worth $2,200 and came over a stellar field of 33 360 sprint cars.
Jeff Rine opened his late model title defense with his 97th career win at the track in the 25-lap super late model feature, while Andrew Shoop of Mifflintown scored his second opening day win in a row in the 15-lap pro stock race.
Next Saturday the speedway will be dark to prepare for the first All Star Sprint Car race at the track in 16 years. The All Start Circuit of Champions Sprint Car series will be in action in a 30-lap A-main paying $5,000 to win for 410 sprint cars at 6 p.m. Sunday, April 24. Track gates will open at 4 p.m.
Front row starters Steve Collins and Cody Keller thrilled the fans trading the race lead on the opening lap of the sprint car feature before a red flag for a wild flip by Jordan Thomas. Thomas was ok and when the race restarted Collins and Keller picked up right where they had left off dueling for the top spot before Keller secured it on lap five.
The race would go through without another stoppage allowing the field to cover the whole speedway with cars. Robbie Stillwagon picked up the runner up spot from Collins as lap nine went onto the scoreboard. While things settled down in the front of the field Mark Smith was working his way from the 15th starting spot into the top five. Although Stillwagon closed in on the leader a few times, Keller began to open up a large lead by halfway at lap 15.
Smith had worked by Justin Barger for third on lap 15 and gave chase of Stillwagon for second. As the race wound down Keller continued to cut through lap traffic and grow his lead over now second spot Mark Smith. Although Smith persisted to charge toward the leader time was up and Cody Keller met the checkered flag for the opening night win which he dedicated to his grandfather who passed away over the offseason. It was Keller’s fourth Selinsgrove win.
Smith finished in second with Stillwagon and Barger inside the top five with Jason Clauss. Davie Franek gained ten spots to finish sixth just ahead of Curt Michael, Derek Locke, Steve Collins, and Ryan Kissinger. Heat races for the Newville Family of Companies 360 Sprints went to Steve Collins, Cody Keller, Justin Hoffman, Robbie Stillwagon with the B-Main victory going to Jordan Thomas.
Jeff Rine used a great start and big move off turn four to power by early race leader Dave Zona while battling with Colby Frye in the Jeff’s Auto Body & Recycling Center Super Late Model feature. Once out front Rine drove away from a fierce battle for second between Coleby Frye and Bryan Bernheisel.
Rine was in lap traffic by lap eight while Frye closed the gap for the race lead. A lap 11 restart saw Frye give his best effort for the lead on a restart, but Rine was able to fend him off. The race again heated up for the runner up spot as Steve Campbell challenged Frye and Bernheisel. Once Campbell was able to take second on lap 23 his only hope for a shot at the leader was a yellow. The green flag remained out and Jeff Rine claimed career win number 97 at the speedway in the season opener.
Campbell, Frye, Jim Yoder, and Bernheisel rounded out the top five. Dave Zona was the sixth car across the line with Hayne Mattern, Tony Adams, Larry Baer, and Luke Hoffer rounding out the top ten. Heat race winners went to Bryan Bernheisel, Steve Campbell, and Jeff Rine.
Andrew Shoop had no easy task to win the season opener in the A&A Auto Stores Pro Stock feature event. Shoop, who is coming off a Pro Stock title season, held off numerous attempts from fifth place starter Tommy Slanker and last year’s big Pro Stock winner Brad Mitch.
On lap ten the top three closed to run all but nose to tail for the top spot as Shoop maneuvered around some of the lap traffic. Once clear Shoop drove away to the opening night win. The battle for second was settled with a slide job and cross over on the last corner with Slanker taking the spot over Mitch. Kurt Wray and John Troxell rounded out the top five finishers. Matt Hornberger, Nate Stroup, Dan Condo, John Bouse, and Peanut Heintzelman rounded out the top ten. Heat races were won by Brad Mitch, Tommy Slaker, and Kurt Wray.
For a complete schedule, the latest news, results, and race status, visit selinsgrovespeedway.com or follow the speedway on Twitter and Facebook.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 16 April 2016
360 Sprint Cars – 33 Entries
30-Lap A-Main: 1) 99 Cody Keller 2) 1 Mark Smith 3) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 4) 5 Justin Barger 5) 08 Jason Clauss 6) 28F Davie Franek 7) 5G Curt Michael 8) 77 Derek Locke 9) 67 Steve Collins 10) 66 Ryan Kissinger 11) 98 Joe Trenca 12) 76 Larry Kelleher 13) 22 Troy Betts 14) 87 George Suprick 15) 00 Dane Lorenc 16) M16 Justin Hoffman 17) C4 Jim Shuster 18) 1W Eric Tomecek 19) 29 Jason Shultz 20) 10 Pauly Colagiovanni 21) 44 John Braim 22) 23 TJ Stutts 23) 49S Mallie Shuster 24) 79 Jordan Thomas
Heat Winners: Steve Collins, Cody Keller, Justin Hoffman, Robbie Stillwaggon
Consolation Winner: Jordan Thomas
Super Late Models – 23 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 2J Jeff Rine 2) 2 Steve Campbell 3) 0 Coleby Frye 4) 27 Jim Yoder 5) 119B Bryan Bernheisel 6) 99Z Dave Zona 7) 9 Hayes Mattern 8) 88 Tony Adams 9) 0 Larry Baer 10) 15 Luke Hoffner 11) 7m Meade Hahn 12) 63 Nathan Long 13) 3 Robbie Smith 14) 86 Austin Berry 15) 10 Dave Stamm 16) 33c Chris Casner 17) 4S Danny Snyder 18) 119 Jim Bernheisel 19) 28 Jason Smith 20) 16 Matt Cochran 21) 33 Derrick Casner 22) 77 Dick Houtz 23) 15 Shaun Miller
Heat Winners: Bryan Bernheisel, Steve Campbell, Jeff Rine,
Pro Stocks – 23 Entries
15-Lap A-Main: 1) 8S Andrew Shoop 2) 40 Tommy Slanker 3) 10M Brad Mitch 4) 71 Kurt Wray 5) 55T John Troxell 6) 88 Matt Hornberger 7) 26 Nate Stroup 8) 28 Dan Condo 9) 28 John Bouse 10) 1 Peanut Heintzelman 11) 83 Matt Wilson 12) 8M Brandon Moser 13) 28J Jeff Ceballo 14) 14 Bill Conrad 15) 4 Jim Payne 16) 55 John Troxell 17) 8K Jeremy Kline 18) 13 Zach Romig 19) 33 Curtis Lawton 20) 2 Adam Campbell 21) 19 Brandon Auman 22) 6c AJ Hoffman
Heat Winners: Brad Mitch, Tommy Slanker, Kurt Wray