By Shawn Brouse
Selinsgrove, Pa. – Anthony Macri of Dillsburg romped to the biggest win of his sprint car career on Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway, scoring $20,000 in the prestigious 38th annual Jim Nace Memorial National Open for 410 sprint cars.
The win was the second of the year for Macri at Selinsgrove Speedway aboard his No. 39 and his 10th overall of the season.
Macri started out the night by setting a new track record in qualifications, turning a lap of 15.544 seconds around the big half-mile, breaking the one-year old record of 15.694 set at last years event by Kerry Madsen.
In total, nine different drivers timed in under the old track record.
Macri then drew the pole for the 40-lap Nace National Open with Missouri’s Brian Brown lining up second.
When action began Brown beat Macri into the first turn but Macri swept around the outside to take control onto the backchute.
A blistering pace found the leader entering the backmarkers on just the fifth tour with Brown in tow and as he negotiated traffic, Brown was able to close a bit the leader’s advantage.
The first caution flag of the race appeared on lap 10 for a stopped Trenton Sheaffer, wiping out a 2.163 second lead built up by Macri.
Brown dove under Macri on the restart only to see Macri sweep around the top and again net control.
Macri again entered the rear of the field on lap 16 before the race was halted for a scheduled fuel stop at the halfway point, with Macri again ahead by 2.058 seconds before the stoppage.
Unfortunately, a rules infraction by Brown’s team under the scheduled stoppage would cost him the runner-up spot for the restart.
Brown was placed to the rear of the field for the return to action but instead he withdrew from the event.
This placed Freddie Rahmer on Macri’s tail for the restart but Macri got away when green replaced the yellow before again entering the rear of the field with 12 laps to go.
Rahmer tried to keep Macri close as they raced through traffic but to no avail and by the time a final caution flag appeared with just four laps to go, the leader had amassed a 3.994 second lead.
The yellow flag appeared for a stopped Brent Marks who was running fourth before blowing a tire.
Rahmer tried a low move into the first corner when action returned but Macri again got away, this time to take the win by 3.031 seconds during the final two miles.
Rahmer finished second in the race for the third year in a row aboard his father’s No. 51.
Sixth starter Dylan Cisney rode home a stout third followed by Lance Dewease and Brock Zearfoss.
Sixth through 10th went to Danny Dietrich, Brian Montieth, a rebounding Marks, Blane Heimbach and defending event champion Logan Wagner.
Montieth scored the Hard Charger award worth $400 after starting 13th in the field.
Heats went to Brown, TJ Stutts and Zearfoss with Steve Buckwalter scoring the last chance race.
Macri became the 20th different winner of the Selinsgrove Open in 38 years.
Garrett Bard would lead all 20 laps of the 305 sprint main to close out the night and the season at the track.
Bard blasted to the win from the pole although 10th starter Derek Hauck came to the front to challenge.
Hauck blasted across the bottom lane in the third and fourth turns as the pair headed to the checkers but instead he came up just shy by .312 seconds.
Ken Duke Jr. finished third in the race followed by Doug Dodson and Jaremi Hanson.
Sixth through 10th went to Dominic Melair, Mikell McGhee, Austin Grabey, Kassidy Kreitz and Cruz Kepner.
Austin Grabey was awarded Hard Charger laurels after advancing 16 spots in the field.
Heats went to Jared Zionkowski, Devin Adams, Dodson and Duke with the consolation going to McGhee.
The win was the third of the year by Bard at the Snyder County oval.
Selinsgrove Speedway will open the 2021 season with combined competition for modified stock cars on Saturday afternoon, March 20 before returning with an afternoon program featuring the 410 sprint cars one week later on Saturday, March 27.
Feature Finishes, 9/26/20
410 sprints, 30 Laps: 1) 39M Anthony Macri 2) 51 Freddie Rahmer 3) 5 Dylan Cisney 4) 69K Lance Dewease 5) 3Z Brock Zearfoss 6) 48 Danny Dietrich 7) 21 Brian Montieth 8) 5M Brent Marks 9) 12 Blane Heimbach 10) 1 Logan Wagner 11) 39 Justin Peck 12) 24 Lucas Wolfe 13) 91 Anthony Fiore 14) 45 Jeff Halligan 15) 99M Kyle Moody 16) 35 Jason Shultz 17) 21B Brian Brown 18) 24R Rico Abreau 19) 19 Curt Stroup 20) 8S Trenton Sheaffer 21) 28F Davie Franek 22) 17B Steve Buckwalter 23) 11 TJ Stutts 24) 91R Kyle Reinhardt
DNQ: Brie Hershey, Jason Wagner, Dustin Baney
305 sprints, 20-Laps: 1) 95 Garrett Bard 2) 2H Derek Hauck 3) 67 Ken Duke 4) 20 Doug Dodson 5) 36 Jaremi Hanson 6) 55 Dominic Melair 7) 24/7 Mikell Melair 8) 87 Austin Grabey 9) 69K Kassidy Kreitz 10) 19 Kruz Kepner 11) 2J Aaron Jacobus 12) 8 Nick Sweigart 13) 51 Dave Graber 14) 61J Johnny Scarborough 15) 2 Erin Statler 16) 55R Rick Romig 17) 53W Jimmy White 18) 10 Jake Waters 19) 86 Ron Aurand 20) 7X Andrew Jacobus 21) 71 Josh Spicer 22) 39X Scott Frack 23) 99A Devin Adams 24) 41Z Jared Zionkowski 25) 4B Jason Bergstresser 26) 88 Fred Arnold
DNQ: Jeff Miller, Mike Alleman, John Walp, Chris Kreider, Reed Thompson, Will Brunson, Tyler Cochran, Dustin Young, Landon Price, Justin Mills, Josh Beamer, Josh Spicer