From Selinsgrove Speedway
SELINSGROVE, Pa. (July 9, 2017) — Second-place starter Rico Abreu of St. Helena, Calif., led polesitter Anthony Macri at the start of the Jan Opperman/Dick Bogar Memorial Sunday in the PA Sprint Car Speedweek finale presented by Middleswarth Potato Chips at Selinsgrove Speedway.
Macri, running his first full Speedweek, pulled to Abreu’s rear bumper on lap 11 while Abreu, an established nationwide star also running his first full Speedweek and making his first career start at Selinsgrove, negotiated his way through lap traffic before Marci’s car slowed to a stop after losing an engine on the home stretch.
Once the green flag came back out Abreu drove away from third-place starter Danny Dietrich who had climbed to second.
Dietrich needed to win and to have sixth-place starter Lucas Wolfe finish eighth or worse to claim his second Speedweek title in a row. Wolfe was in search of his third title.
As Dietrich kept close tabs on race leader Abreu, Wolfe battled just outside the top five in sixth.
The car on the move after the restart for the Macri issue was Blane Heimbach. Heimbach raced his way into the top five and then grabbed fourth from Greg Hodnett on lap 16.
By the lap 20 mark, Abreu had opened a three second lead. Dietrich started to make up ground, cutting the lead down to one second, while Abreu again began to tip toe through lap traffic. This time the story was different though as Dietrich never got close enough to challenge Abreu.
At the end of the 30 lap feature, Abreu was the driver out front claiming the $5,000 in his first central Pennsylvania 410 sprint car win in the Always Racing Speedweek finale.
In victory lane Abreu said he was pacing himself through traffic knowing he could only go as fast as the cars in front of him. He added that one of his biggest support groups is in central Pennsylvnia and he thanked the fans for their support of not only him, but the week in general. Abreu showed his appreciation by joining fans after the race in the grandstand area at his merchandise trailer to sign autographs.
Danny Dietrich’s second place effort was not enough to net last year’s Speedweek winner and champion a second title. Lucas Wolfe crossed the line in seventh adding his third Spedweek crown (2007, 14, 17). Wolfe credited his team and their efforts all week, but admitted he was a little disappointed the team didn’t get a victory considering how strong they were leading into the week. This is Wolfe’s third title with three different teams. Wolfe won the Ray Tilly Classic at Selinsgrove Speedway in June.
Abreu, Dietrich, Dale Blaney, Heimbach, and Greg Hodnett were the top five. It was Blaney’s third third- place finish of the week.
Former 358 Sprint Car winner at Selinsgrove Speedway Brock Zearfoss was sixth followed by Wolfe, TJ Stutts, James McFadden, and Ryan Smith.
The SprintCarUnlimited.com fast time award was presented to Trey Starks. Fast Tees also put up a bonus that was presented to George Streaker.
Heat races went to Hodnett, Blaney, and Dietrich and the B-main was won by Tyler Walker.
In the 305 Sprint Car feature Kyle Ganoe was running third when the top two tangled in turns three and four and Ganoe inherited the race lead. The old adage that sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good came to mind, although Ganoe was running strong. Anytime a driver can jump from third to first is a good break.
Austin Bishop led early before he and Tyler Reeser got together on lap nine. Both drivers were out of the event. Reeser was running the high side of the speedway and Ganoe did the same the rest of the event getting away from any challenges from second place Jaremi Hanson for the win.
Hanson, Zach Newlin, Nathan Gramley, and Dave Grube were the top five finishers. Cale Reigle, Mike Alleman, George Riden, Erin Statlern, and Jared Sionkowski made up the top ten finishers.
Hanson and Ganoe were heat race winners.
The A&A Pro Stocks were on the card as the night cap and gave the fans a thriller as Shaun Lawton made a bold outside move to pass Kyle Bachman for second and then race leader AJ Hoffman as well for the lead.
Hoffman led the field, which predominantly ran the inside line, for the first nine laps of the 15 lap feature. Lawton was able to make the move on the outside line on lap ten and never looked back on his way to his second win of the season.
Dustin Snook recovered from an early race accident to finish second followed by Bachman, Tommy Slanker, and Hoffman. Jake Buck, Bill Conrad, Nick Gentile, Lori Croop, and AJ Stroup finished out the top ten.
Bachman won the heat race for the Pro Stocks.
The ninth annual Jeff’s Auto Body & Recycling Center Driver & Fan Appreciation Night Saturday, July 15, at Selinsgrove Speedway will offer plenty of giveaways for race fans, FREE child and student general admission for ages 17 and younger, plus bonus money for the top three finishers in the 360 sprint car, late model, pro stock, and roadrunner feature events. Race time is 7:30 p.m.
PA Speedweek
Selinsgrove Speedway
Selinsgrove, PA
Sunday July 9, 2017
Winged 410 Sprint Cars
Qualifying:
1. 44 – Trey Starks, 16.431
2. 3z – Brock Zearfoss, 16.595
3. 24 – Lucas Wolf, 16.609
4. 27 – Greg Hodnett, 16.619
5. 39 – Anthony Macri, 16.632
6. 11 – TJ Stutts, 16.692
7. 24r – Rico Abreu, 16.762
8. 1 – Dale Blaney, 16.794
9. 48 – Danny Deitrich, 16.854
10. 12 – Blane Heimbach, 16.857
11. 0 – Rick Lafferty, 16.893
12. 7 – Ryan Smith, 16.897
13. 75 – Nicole Bower, 16.976
14. 29 – Jason Shultz, 17.004
15. 3 – James McFadden, 17.046
16. 49 – Mallie Schuster, 17.083
17. 51 – Freddie Rhamer, 17.140
18. 92 – Sammy Walsh, 17.198
19. 33w – Michael Walter jr, 17.280
20. 35 – Tyler Walker, 17.297
21. 91 – Anthony Fiore, 17.432
22. 59 – Colby Womer, 17.491
23. 33 – Jared Esh, 17.517
24. C4 – Jim Shuster, 17.682
25. 35s – Daryl Stimeling, 17.867
26. 66 – Ryan Kissinger, 18.330
27. 33x – Mike Walter Sr., 18.433
28. 19W – Ryan Linder, 19.391
29. 17 – George Streaker Jr., NT
Heat Race #1:
1. 27 – Greg Hodnett
2. 24r – Rico Abreu
3. 12 – Blane Heimbach
4. 44 – Trey Starks
5. 49 – Mallie Schuster
6. 75 – Nicole Bower
7. 33w – Michael Walter jr
8. 35s – Daryl Stimeling
DNS. 59 – Colby Womer
DNS. 19 – Ryan Linder
Heat Race #2:
1. 1 – Dale Blaney
2. 39 – Anthony Macri
3. 3z – Brock Zearfoss
4. 0 – Rick Lafferty
5. 29 – Jason Shultz
6. 51 – Freddie Rahmer
7. 35 – Tyler Walker
8. 66 – Ryan Kissinger
9. 33 – Jared Esh
DNF. 17 – George Streaker Jr.
Heat Race #3:
1. 48 – Danny Deitrich
2. 11 – TJ Stutts
3. 24 – Lucas Wolf
4. 7 – Ryan Smith
5. 3 – James McFadden
6. 92 – Sammy Walsh
7. 33x – Mike Walter Sr.
8. 91 – Anthony Fiore
9. C4 – Jim Shuster
B-Main:
1. 35 – Tyler Walker
2. 33w – Michael Walter Jr.
3. 33 – Jared Esh
4. 66 – Ryan Kissinger
5. 35s – Daryl Stimeling
6. 91 – Anthony Fiore
7. 59 – Colby Womer
8. 17 – George Streaker Jr.
9. 19W – Ryan Linder
10. 33x – Mike Walter Sr.
11. C4 – Jim Shuster
Feature:
1. 24R – Rico Abreu
2. 48 – Danny Deitrich
3. 1 – Dale Blaney
4. 12 – Blane Heimbach
5. 27 – Greg Hodnett
6. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss
7. 24 – Lucas Wolfe
8. 11 – TJ Stutts
9. 3 – James McFadden
10. 7 – Ryan Smith
11. 29 – Jason Shultz
12. 51 – Freddie Rahmer
13. 35 – Tyler Walker
14. 44 – Trey Starks
15. 0 – Rick Lafferty
16. 92 – Sammy Walsh
17. 75 – Nicole Bower
18. 33 – Jared Esh
19. 35s – Daryl Stimeling
20. 91 – Anthony Fiore
21. 39 – Anthony Macri
22. 49 – Mallie Schuster
23. 66 – Ryan Kissinger
24. 33w – Michael Walter Jr.
25. 59 – Colby Womer
PA Sprint Series
Heat Race #1:
1. 36 – Jeremi Hanson
2. 11 – Austin Bishop
3. 67 – Ken Duke
4. 99 – Cale Riegle
5. 2 – Erin Statler
6. 46 – Mike Alleman
7. 41z – Jared Zionkawski
DNS. 137 – Ian Cumens
DNS. 99R – George Riden
Heat Race #2:
1. 0 – Kyle Ganoe
2. 11Z – Zach Newlin
3. 5T – Tyler Reeser
4. 23 – Nathan Gramley
5. 3D – Dave Grube
6. 88 – Fred Arnold
7. 74jr – Vance Berry
8. 51 – Dave Graber
9. 5 – John Walp
Feature:
1. 0 – Kyle Ganoe
2. 36 – Jeremi Hanson
3. 11Z – Zach Newlin
4. 23 – Nathan Gramley
5. 3D – Dave Grube
6. 99 – Cale Riegle
7. 46 – Mike Alleman
8. 99R – George Riden
9. 2 – Erin Statler
10. 41Z – Jared Zionkawski
11. 88 – Fred Arnold
12. 5 – John Walp
13. 51 – Dave Graber
14. 74JR – JR. Berry
15. 11 – Austin Bishop
16. 5T – Tyler Reeser
17. 67 – Ken Duke