By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — The Patriot Sprint Tour will sanction the 18th Annual Joe Whitcomb Memorial for 360 sprint cars at Selinsgrove Speedway at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 12. The tribute race will honor the memory of the late open wheel racer from Millersburg who succumbed to injuries sustained in a sprint car racing accident at the track on June 21, 2003.
Saturday night’s racing program will be sponsored by Advanced Concrete Systems of Middleburg and will also feature the limited late models, roadrunners, and exhibition laps for the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing vintage cars.
Pit gates will open at 4 p.m. with grandstand gates at 5 p.m.
The 25-lap Whitcomb Memorial will pay $2,571 to win and $271 to start. Time trials, heat races, dash, and B-main will be the tentative qualifying format. The $2,000 dash purse for the 360 sprint cars, the Lil’ Bob’s Dash for Cash, is being sponsored by the family of former race fan Robert Walter Jr. of Selinsgrove, with $500 going to the winner!
Previous winners of the Whitcomb Memorial include Nate Snyder of Halifax (2004, 2017); Kevin Nagy of East Brunswick, N.J. (2005); Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove (2006, 2007, 2008, 2020); Pat Cannon of Etters (2009, 2010, 2013); TJ Stutts of Liverpool (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015); Davie Franek of Wantage, N.J. (2016); Chad Layton of Harrisburg (2018); and Jason Shultz of Carlisle (2019).
Whitcomb, a dedicated racer most of his life, began his career in go-karts at the age of seven. He won hundreds of races in karting and was a three-time national karting champion. A highlight during his karting career was an appearance on ESPN.
In 2001, Whitcomb became a regular competitor at Selinsgrove in the 358 sprint car, driving his trademark blue and yellow number 71 racer. That year, Whitcomb became Selinsgrove Speedway’s Sportsman of the Year.
Whitcomb won his first sprint car race at Selinsgrove on June 8, 2002, ending the five-race winning streak of champion Chad Layton. Whitcomb also won sprint car races at Williams Grove and Bridgeport Speedways during his racing career.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY: A Motorsports Tradition for Generations
Selinsgrove Speedway’s grand motorsports tradition began July 20, 1946, when Bill Holland of Philadelphia won the first race. Since that historic day, Holland went on to win the 1949 Indy 500, and many of motorsports’ most famous drivers have turned laps at the iconic half-mile dirt track designed by legendary Hollywood stuntman and race car driver Joie Chitwood. The speedway, celebrating its momentous 75th anniversary in 2021, will continue its legacy of rip-roaring open wheel and stock car racing this season and for future generations!
For a complete schedule, the latest news, results, and race status, visit selinsgrovespeedway.com or follow the track on Twitter and Facebook. The speedway office can be reached at 570.374.2266.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE INFORMATION FOR SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 2021:
RACING:
Patriot Sprint Tour 360 Sprint Cars
Limited Late Models
Roadrunners
Eastern Museum of Motor Racing Exhibition Laps
TIMES:
Pit Gates: 4PM
Grandstand Gates: 5PM
Qualifying: 7PM
ADMISSION:
Adults: $15
Students (12-17): $10
Kids 11 & Under FREE GA
Pit Passes: $30
PURSE:
25-Lap 360 Sprint Car Joe Whitcomb Memorial: 1) $2,571 2) $1,200 3) $1,000 4) $700 5) $600 6) $500 7) $475 8) $450 9) $425 10) $400 11) $375 12) $350 13) $325 14) $300 15-24) $271