By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Gio Scelzi of Fresno, Calif., invaded and conquered in a huge way Thursday night by wiring the field for his first career 410 sprint car win at Selinsgrove Speedway and smashing the track’s long-time 25-lap track record.
Scelzi took the checkered flag by almost 12 seconds over Brian Brown of Grain Valley, Mo., along with the $5,000 winner’s share in the second 410 sprint car race of the season at the track on RiteWay Sealing & Paving Night.
At the wheel of the KCP Racing No. 18, Scelzi’s time of 7:12.53 eclipsed Todd Shaffer’s 1991 record of 8:10.81.
Jim Yoder of Middleburg inherited the lead from Dan Stone of Thompson on lap nine in the 25-lap super late model feature and went to score his 16th career win at the track in the division.
Garrett Bard of Wells Tannery made it two wins within five days at the track in the 20-lap 305 sprint car feature.
Selinsgrove Speedway’s next race is slated for 7 p.m. Saturday, June 4, featuring the United Racing Club 360 sprint cars in the Kramer Cup plus 305 sprint cars and roadrunners on Brian Wentzel Trucking LLC Night. Apache Tree will also be sponsoring the Kids Money Scramble. Track gates will open at 5 p.m.
In the sprint car feature, Gio Scelzi and Brian Brown shared the front row with Scelzi powering into the lead and never looking back. Scelzi led Brown, third-place starter Freddie Rahmer and eighth-place starter Anthony Macri in the early laps of the race.
On the eighth circuit, Macri’s car got sideways in turn four, allowing sixth-place starter Lucas Wolfe to drive into fourth. By the halfway point, Scelzi was already checked out from the rest of the field with a straightaway lead.
In the closing laps, Macri made up lost ground and challenged Brown for second only to blow a tire on the final lap. At the checkered flag Scelzi was victorious by 11.75 seconds over Brown and ninth-place starter Danny Dietrich who made a late-race charge. Rahmer and Wolfe rounded out the top five.
Second-place starter Dan Stone pulled into the early lead over polesitter Jim Yoder at the start of the super late model feature. Fourth-place starter Tim Wilson was racing a strong third when he tagged the wall on the backstretch and brought out the caution flag.
When the race resumed, Stoned kept his machine out in front with Yoder in close pursuit. On the ninth circuit, Stone’s car developed mechanical issues in turns one and two, handing the lead to Yoder.
At the halfway marker, Yoder set the pace in front of sixth-place starter Bryan Bernheisel, fifth-place starter Gene Knaub and third-place starter Mike Lupfer.
In the final five laps, Bernheisel had Yoder in his sights and a contentious battle unfolded for the top five spots. At the checkered flag, Yoder was victorious by a mere .05 of a second when Bernheisel made a last-ditch effort to snag the lead and win. Knaub, Jeff Rine and Dylan Yoder rounded out the top five.
Front row starter Austin Reed took the lead at the start of the 305 sprint car feature and was chased by polesitter Logan Spahr. On a lap five restart, Reed led Spahr, sixth-place starter Garrett Bard, fifth-place starter Ken Duke, and third-place starter Kruz Kepner.
At the halfway point, Reed had a comfortable lead over Bard, only to have the field regrouped on lap 12 for a red flag for a fire on Paul Moyer’s car. When the race resumed, Bard used the inside lane to pass Reed for the lead.
In the final laps, Reed was in striking distance but came up short by about one second as Bard took the checkered flag. Spahr, Duke, and Kepner rounded out the top five.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 26 May 2022
410 Sprint Cars – 20 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 18 Gio Scelzi 2) 21B Brian Brown 3) 48 Danny Dietrich 4) 51 Freddie Rahmer 5) 5W Lucas Wolfe 6) 39 Chase Dietz 7) 67 Justin Whittall 8) 27 Devon Borden 9) 39M Anthony Macri 10) 44 Dylan Norris 11) 45 Jeff Halligan 12) M1 Mark Smith 13) 35 Jason Shultz 14) 11 TJ Stutts 15) 99M Kyle Moody 16) 19 Curt Stroup 17) 55 Dallas Schott 18) 17B Steve Buckwalter 19) 17 Jason Wagner 20) 49 Bradley Howard DNS
Heat Winners: Brian Brown, Gio Scelzi