By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Jason Shultz of Carlisle took the lead from Troy Betts of Newark, Del., on lap four and soared to the victory in Saturday’s 25-lap United Racing Club main event on Real Diehl Excavating Night at Selinsgrove Speedway.
The $2,000 victory was Shultz’s 23rd career in 358-360 sprint car competition at Selinsgrove at the wheel of the Ritter Racing/Selinsgrove Ford No. 35.
Jeff Rine of Danville scored a convincing victory in the 25-lap super late model main event. The win was worth $3,000 and was the 14-time champion’s 114th career victory at the track. Rine was also the fast qualifier over the stout 25-car field with a lap time of 18.926.
Brad Mitch of McClure held off several challenges for his 29th career roadrunner win in the division’s 12-lap feature.
Selinsgrove Speedway will present the Sand Hill Smash II Demo Derby at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 7. Grandstand gates will open at 12 p.m. The next race is the Ron Keister Memorial for super late models and limited late models at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 14.
Troy Betts started on the front row for the first 360 sprint car feature of the season and bolted into the lead at the drop of the green flag. Current points leader and fourth-place starter Derek Hauck quickly challenged Betts for the lead in the opening laps.
The field was regrouped on lap two when Derek Locke spun in turn one and was able to rejoin. When the race resumed third-place starter Jason Shultz powered into second and set his sights on Betts. On the fourth circuit, Shultz made the winning pass using the inside lane off turn four.
The race was stopped on lap nine when Will Brunson crashed hard in turn four and escaped serious injury. For the restart, Shultz led Betts, Hauck, fifth-place starter Adam Carberry, and sixth-place starter Ryan Taylor.
Carberry quickly advanced to second and became Shultz’s biggest threat in the latter stages of the event. In the closing laps, Carberry was reeling in Shultz in slower traffic but came up short at the finish. Shultz was victorious over Carberry, 10th-place starter Josh Weller, Taylor, and eighth-place starter Davie Franek.
Polesitter Jeff Rine powered into the lead at the start of the super late model feature and wired the field for the victory but not without a few challenges from second-place starter Hayes Mattern and fourth-place starter Dan Stone.
In the opening laps of the race, third-place starter Jim Bernheisel was also in the mix for the top five running positions along with fifth-place starter Andy Haus. The race’s first caution flag unfurled on lap 13 for J. Bernheisel when his car fell off the pace while racing fourth.
On the ensuing restart, Stone rocketed into second and made Rine a target for the lead. With 10 laps to race, 10th-place starter Dylan Yoder and eighth-place starter Brett Schadel entered the top five and showed a lot of speed.
With five laps remaining, Rine held a comfortable lead over Stone. A torrid three-car battle unfolded for third between Mattern, Schadel, and D. Yoder.
At the checkered flag, Rine scored his first win of the season over Stone, Mattern, Schadel, and D. Yoder. Yoder was also the race’s hard charger.
In the roadrunner feature, second-place starter Bob Bussey pulled into the early lead. Bussey and fourth-place starter Nate Romig dueled for the front spot as sixth-place starter Brad Mitch quickly joined the battle at the front of the pack.
Mitch secured the lead on lap four and held off the late-race challenges from Romig, two-time defending champion Jake Jones, and Keith Bissinger. On the white flag lap, the leaders were three-wide racing off turn two as Mitch maintained the edge down the backstretch.
At the finish, Mitch was victorious by the slimmest of margins over Jones, Romig, Bissinger, and Jimmy Kessler.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 30 April 2022
URC 360 Sprint Cars – 23
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 35 Jason Shultz 2) 47 Adam Carberry 3) 63 Josh Weller 4) 20T Ryan Taylor 5) 28F Davie Franek 6) 33 Derek Hauck 7) 7 Andy Best 8) 77 Derek Locke 9) 22 Troy Betts 10) 11T Mike Thompson 11) 55 Dallas Schott 12) 5K Jake Karklin 13) 669 Brandon McGough 14) 11 Ryan Stillwaggon 15) 51 Mike Haggenbottom 16) 55D Allison Dietz 17) 7J Andrew Jacobus 18) 27Craig Pellegrini 19) 42 Jesse Pruchnik 20) Will Brunson 21) 2 Aaron Jabobus 22) M1 Mark Smith 23) 4 Ken Meisner
Heat Winners: Derek Locke, Davie Franek, Derek Hauck