By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Mark Smith of Sunbury returned from the NASCAR Truck Series wars to win his first Selinsgrove Speedway sprint car race of the season Saturday night.
The $2,000 win in the 25-lap feature was Smith’s 27th career in 358-360 sprint car racing at the speedway behind the wheel of the Mach 1 Chassis No. 1M.
Troy Miller of Tower City won his first career limited late model race at Selinsgrove in the division’s 20-lap main event after winning 21 pro stock events and one super late model race at the track in the past.
Brandon Moser of Middleburg scored his third straight and sixth of the year in the 12-lap pro stock race, while Brad Mitch of McClure won his second career Roadrunner 20 after a spirited three car battle.
Selinsgrove Speedway will present Foss Jewelers Championship Night at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, featuring the final points races of the season for the 360 sprint cars, super late models in the Grit House Route 35 Challenge Series, pro stocks, and roadrunners. Track gates will open at 5 p.m.
Colby Womer and Mark Smith blasted to the front of the sprint car feature with Smith nosing in front for the lead. The pair was followed by Mike Walter, Jason Shultz, and Derek Locke.
Smith, who just a few weeks ago competed in the nationally televised NASCAR Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, soon opened a huge lead.
Derek Locke, who has been fast all season, showed some speed and drove to the third spot and immediately challenged Womer for the runner up spot.
Smith went on to wire the field and win the 25-lap grind by three quarters of a lap over Womer, Locke, Kyle Reinhardt and Walter.
“This is an all new car,” Smith said. “We just finished up this afternoon. That’s why we got here late. It’s next year’s car, so we are going to park it and go back to the old car.”
Sprint car heats were won by Smith and Shultz.
Troy Miller shot to the lead in the limited late model race followed by his son Shaun, Jared Fulkroad, Tim Krape, and Tommy Slanker.
By the halfway mark, T. Miller, who had previously won four pro stock track championships, had built a comfortable lead over S. Miller.
T. Miller ran the rest of the distance unchallenged followed by S. Miller, Fulkroad, Slanker, and Mike Smith.
“The kid said, ‘you can’t run as good as you’ve been and not win one,’” Miller said referring to his son who won the last time the limited late models raced at Selinsgrove. “I knew Shaun was behind me, I could see it on the scoreboard but I didn’t know how close he was so I kept going.”
Limited late model heats went to T. Miller and Smith.
Brandon Moser rocketed to the front of the pro stock feature followed by Kyle Bachman, Corey Long, Shaun Lawton, and John Schoch.
Kruz Kepner slammed the third turn fence bringing out a lap two caution.
Moser ran to the finish winning his third in a row and sixth overall over Bachman, Long, Lawton, and Schoch.
Moser won the pro stock heat.
Keith Bissinger grabbed the early roadrunner lead followed by Will Brunson, Brad Mitch, Curtis Lawton, and Terry Kramer.
Bissinger was able to maintain a slight lead as Brunson and Mitch battled side by side for second. With Bissinger running high, Brunson ducked underneath coming off the fourth turn on lap six for the lead. The caution flag flew on the following lap for Jim Collier.
Lap nine saw Brunson drift high in the second turn. Bissinger and Mitch got by him but in the third turn Brunson ducked under the pair to regain the lead.
On a restart on the following lap Brunson and Bissinger traded slide jobs. Brunson maintained the lead while Mitch took over second from Bissinger.
Lap 12 saw another yellow as Lawton slowed on the track.
Brunson and Mitch had the fans on the edge of their seats racing side by side and exchanging slide jobs with Bissinger right behind. Lap 17 was disastrous for Brunson who lost a wheel and handed the lead to Mitch.
Brunson’s crew work feverishly and replaced the wheel returning Brunson to the race.
Mitch led the final three laps for the win over Bissinger, Dustin Snook, Bob Bussey, and Terry Kramer.
Snook and Mitch were victorious in the roadrunner heats.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 17 August 2019
360 Sprints – 14 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) M1 Mark Smith 2) 19 Colby Womer 3) 77 Derek Locke 4) 1W Kyle Reinhardt 5) 33 Michael Walter 6) 66 Ryan Kissinger 7) 47 Adam Carberry 8) 29 Jason Shultz 9) 76 Mallie Shuster 10) 1 Jake Hummel 11) 20 Jim Shuster 12) 07 Curt Stroup 13) 17 Jason Wagner 14) 99 Cody Keller
Heat Winners: Mark Smith, Jason Shultz