By Steve Inch
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Selinsgrove Speedway’s 40th Annual National Open weekend Sept. 23-24 will be one of the biggest in speedway and race history with $6,000 and $26,000 being posted to win the Friday and Saturday 410 sprint car main events, respectively, in honor of the speedway’s only five-time sprint car champion Jim Nace.
Nace passed away in November 2009 following a seven-year battle with cancer. The numbers “6” and “26” were his primary car numbers during his popular and successful sprint car racing career in central Pennsylvania.
The Selinsgrove National Open will be a two-day event for the first time in 30 years in celebration of its 40th running. Friday night’s 8 p.m. preliminary will feature the Lelands.com 410 sprint cars in a 25-lap main event paying $6,000 to win sponsored by Heister House Millworks & Cabinetry. Not only will the winner be an automatic qualifier for Saturday’s Open but will also be in the redraw.
Joining the 410 sprint cars on the Friday night card will be the super late models in a 25-lap race paying $3,000 to win. The Sept. 23 race will be the final points race in the chase for the Selinsgrove Ford track championship.
Friday pit gates will open at 4:30 p.m. with grandstand gates at 5:30 p.m.
The speedway will swing back into action at 7 p.m. Saturday with the Mountain Ridge Metals 40-lap Jim Nace Memorial National Open paying $26,000 to win and $700 to start out of the nearly $60,000 purse. Time trials, heat races, and a B-main will be the qualifying format. The Open will also be the final points race of the season for the 410 sprint cars.
The Apache Tree Service PASS 305 sprint cars will compete in their final 20-lap race of the season at the track as part of Saturday’s event.
Saturday pit and advance ticket sale gates will open at 4 p.m. with all general admission gates opening at 4:30 pm. The rain date for Saturday’s show only will be Sunday, Sept. 25, if needed.
Anthony Macri of Dillsburg is the two-time defending Jim Nace Memorial NationalOpen champion. He became the 20th different driver to win the race since it started in 1983, with the late Maynard Yingst of Linglestown scoring victories in the first three Opens. Fred Rahmer of Salfordville is the event’s only five-time winner.
Other past NationalOpen winners include Don Kreitz (2) of Sinking Spring; Dave Blaney of Cortland, Ohio; Keith Kauffman of Mifflintown; Doug Wolfgang of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Sammy Swindell of Cordova, Tenn.; Johnny Mackison of York; Todd Shaffer (4) of Millerstown; Greg Hodnett (4) of York; Lance Dewease (3) of Fayetteville; Stevie Smith of Broken Arrow, Okla.; Lucas Wolfe (2) of Mechanicsburg; Chad Layton of Harrisburg; Pat Cannon (3) of Etters; Danny Dietrich of Gettysburg; Brian Brown of Grain Valley, Mo.; Ryan Smith of Kunkletown; and Logan Wagner of Harrisonville.
Fans who can’t attend the race in-person can purchase it as a live PPV event on sprintcarunlimited.tv.
For a complete schedule, the latest news, results, and race status, visit selinsgrovespeedway.com or follow the track on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The speedway office can be reached at570.374.2266.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY 2022 40th ANNUAL NATIONAL OPEN WEEKEND RACE INFORMATION:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022
RACING:
410 Sprint Cars / $6,000 To Win
Super Late Models / $3,000 To Win
GATES:
Pits: 4:30PM
Grandstand: 5:30PM
Qualifying: 8PM
ADMISSION:
Adults: $25
Students (12-17): $15
Kids 11 & Under FREE GA
Reserved Seats Add $2
Pit Passes: $35
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2022
RACING:
410 Sprint Cars / $26,000 To Win
305 Sprint Cars / $400 To Win
GATES:
Advance Ticket Holder & Pit Gates: 4PM
General Admission Gates: 4:30PM
Qualifying: 7PM
ADMISSION:
Adults: $30
Students (12-17): $20
Kids 11 & Under FREE GA
Reserved Seats Add $2
Pit Passes: $40
2022 JIM NACE MEMORIAL 40th ANNUAL NATIONAL OPEN PURSE: 1) $26,000 2) $8,000 3) $4,000 4) $3,000 5) $2,000 6) $1,700 7) $1,400 8) $1,300 9) $1,200 10) $1,100 11) $1,000 12) $900 13) $800
14) $775 15) $750 16-24) $700
TOW: $200
RAIN DATE for Saturday Only: Sunday, September 25 TIME TBA
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPIONS
09/25/2021
Anthony Macri #39M (2)
09/26/2020
Anthony Macri #39M
09/14/2019
Logan Wagner #1
09/15/2018
Ryan Smith #11
09/16/2017
Brian Brown #21
09/17/2016
Lucas Wolfe #1 (2)
09/19/2015
Danny Deitrich #48
09/13/2014
Greg Hodnett #27 (4)
09/14/2013
Pat Cannon #3 (3)
09/15/2012
Pat Cannon #3 (2)
09/17/2011
Pat Cannon #3
09/18/2010
Lance Dewease #30c (3)
09/19/2009
Lance Dewease #30c (2)
09/14/2008
Todd Shaffer #88 (4)
09/15/2007
Greg Hodnett #22 (3)
09/16/2006
Chad Layton #12
09/17/2005
Lucas Wolfe #5w
09/26/2004
Greg Hodnett #12 (2)
09/14/2003
Stevie Smith #19
09/14/2002
Lance DeWease #77
09/15/2001
Todd Shaffer #88 (3)
09/23/2000
Fred Rahmer #77 (5)
09/18/1999
Fred Rahmer #77 (4)
09/19/1998
Greg Hodnett #12
09/13/1997
Fred Rahmer #77 (3)
09/14/1996
Fred Rahmer #77 (2)
09/16/1995
Fred Rahmer #12
09/18/1994
Todd Shaffer #88 (2)
09/27/1993
Todd Shaffer #1w
09/19/1992
Donnie Kreitz Jr #69 (2)
09/21/1991
Johnny Mackison Jr #65
09/15/1990
Sammy Swindell #1
09/09/1989
Doug Wolfgang #8d
10/01/1988
Keith Kauffman #77
10/03/1987
Dave Blaney #48
06/08/1986
Donnie Kreitz Jr #69
06/09/1985
Maynard Yingst #88 (3)
07/08/1984
Maynard Yingst #88 (2)
06/26/1983
Maynard Yingst #88