Mother Nature seems to be getting an early start on causing problems at area speedways. And before you sit down to write and tell me how much we need the rain, I do realize that. Perhaps Mother Nature could arrange for rain during the week, during the hours when we are sleeping. Asking too much?

     A lot of attention this season will be centered on Lance Dewease and Fred Rahmer. They are two of the very best sprint car racers in the East, perhaps in the nation. At the end of last season they traded rides. Dewease went from the Joe Harz sprint car to the Al Hamilton sprinter. Rahmer went from the Hamilton sprinter to the Joe Harz sprinter.

     In early season action Dewease has been to victory lane and Rahmer has not. Down in Florida Dewease won more than once in February racing action, Rahmer did not. So far it looks like the change has benefitted Dewease over Rahmer. The season is young.

     Last Saturday Dewease was able to beat a strong field of sprint racers at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown , PA including Fred Rahmer. He even beat Mother Nature. Dewease put the Al Hamilton/Manheim Auction No.77 in front of the pack on lap six. At lap 13 rain came and the show was delayed for two hours while Ma Nature threw water on everyone. When the rain stopped Dewease went on to win what was planned to be the first 25-lapper for the sprint cars that day. Ma Nature was back in action bringing more rain to the Pigeon Hill oval and wiping out the rest of the racing action.

     This Saturday, March 16, there will be double features for the Thundercars starting at 2 p.m. A 25-lap feature will top the program for the sprint cars and there will be something called Northeast Classic Stock Cars making up the third part of the show.

     Lincoln Speedway will switch to Saturday night action starting on March 23rd. Racing will start at 6 p.m. for the balance of the season. The first night show will feature the super sprints, thundercars, and 358 sprint cars.

     MA NATURE was busy again on Sunday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg , PA.

     With morning temperatures near freezing and expected to fall throughout the day, which they did, the cold weather might have been enough for most promoters to cancel their racing action. But it was howling wind which caused the promotional team of track owner Morgan Hughes (he also owns the amusement part next door) along with Bob Jones and Alan Kreitzer to cancel the Sunday show.

     With the wind steady at nearly 30 miles per hour and gusts predicted in excess of 50 mph, turned winged sprint cars loose at Williams Grove did not seem like a prudent thing to do and the program was cancelled at 9:30 Sunday morning.

     A wise move. Racing in Sunday's cold and windy weather conditions could have resulted in some serious accidents and some serious injuries.

     The sprint cars will be back at Williams Grove on Sunday afternoon, March 17. Green flag falls at 2 p.m.

     Todd Shaffer, with second and third place feature finishes, currently leads the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass point standings with 520 markers. Fred Rahmer and Don Kreitz are tied for second with 510 counters.

     CLINTON COUNTY SPEEDWAY has a new promotional team in charge for this season. There have been a variety of promoters running things at Clinton County since the track opened in 1989.

     Jason McCahan of Williamsport and Jeff Weaver of Lock Haven are the men running the show this season.

     McCahan and Weaver have agreed to a three-year term with the Clinton County Fairboard through the 2004 racing season.

     Tentatively the season will start on Friday, May 3rd with a regular four-division show. "We plan to continue with the same four-division program that competed last season consisting of Late Models, Super Stocks, Four Cylinders and entry-level Daredevil Pure Stocks," said Weaver. "The same rules will also remain in effect."

     Plans are also currently being made to bring open- wheeled Sprint Car racing back to Clinton County. "We've started talking with some of the Sprint Car teams that compete at Selinsgrove (PA) Speedway ," says McCahan. "The 358 maximum engine rule has worked great for Selinsgrove and during out first year we hope to offer a limited Friday night racing venue for those drivers."

     A race-car show has already been scheduled to help kick off the 2002 racing season. Several drivers will have their race cars on display from April lst to April 7th at the Lycoming Mall in Muncy, PA. Fans and racers can obtain the latest speedway information via the Internet by visiting the new website located at www.clintoncountyracing.com.

     SILVER SPRING SPEEDWAY is ready to kick-off their 50th season of racing competition. It happens on Saturday, March 23.

     With many special events, new corporate sponsors including Cindy Rowe Auto Glass (they have their name on a lot of racing events this season) and ACDelco, and plenty of racecars, this season is shaping up to be one of the best in the 50-year history.

     Two worldwide companies in Budweiser and UPS will sponsor the opener, which is set for Saturday afternoon, March 23 at 2 p.m. Gates open at noon and warm-ups are at 1:30 p.m.

     The first 300 fans through the gates will receive a Dale Earnhardt Jr. poster compliments of Budweiser. Fans will also be able to win a neon Budweiser helmet and a Budweiser jacket.

     The UPS Flame Truck, a fancy version of the Big Brown Truck, will be on display and UPS will also have giveaways for the fans.

Opening day will feature the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass Super Sportsman in a 25-lap feature along with a full series of qualifying events. Watch for the Auto Locator sponsored Super Sportsman in action this season.

     On Saturday, March 16, 1 p.m. Super Sportsman will be testing and tuning their race cars as part of a three hour practice session at Silver Spring Speedway. The practice session is also open to late models and street stocks. Grandstand admission for the practice session is FREE.

     A FREE-TO-THE-PUBLIC practice session kicks off the 40th consecutive season of professional stock car racing at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA on Saturday, March 30, 12 noon. The five hour session is open to all divisions of racing competition with the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge Modifieds expected to attract the most attention.

     The official season opener will get the green flag on Saturday, April 6, 6 p.m. with NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Modifieds and Late Model stock cars being featured. The Modifieds will run in a 40-lap feature.

     The Modifieds and Late Models will be the main attraction throughout the season.

     Special events will include the URC sprint cars on June 8th. The Firecracker 40 for Late Models plus Modifieds will be the attraction on July 6. The Stauffer Construction Forrest Rogers Memorial for Modifieds, $10,000 to win, is set for August 3. And the T.H. Properties Freedom 76 for Modifieds, $20,000 plus to win, is scheduled for September 14.

     Six events at Grandview Speedway will be carried tape- delayed on RCN4TV out of Allentown , PA. The first event to get the TV treatment is April 6th, the season opener.

     CLYDE MARTIN MEMORIAL SPEEDWAY in Brickerville, PA offers the Lanco Micro Sprint racers a chance to get some practice on Saturday, April 13. That will be an afternoon test session.

     On April 20th the real racing begins with warm-ups at 5 p.m. and the first heat race of 2002 going green at 6 p.m.

     FOR WINSTON CUP FANS the NASCAR Winston Cup racers   are in action at Darlington , SC Speedway this weekend along with the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

     Of particular interest is the fact that Steve Park is scheduled to return to action. He has been recovering from injuries suffered during a Busch Series race at Darlington last September.

     Kenny Wallace has filled in for Park in the Dale Eanrhardt, Inc. Pennzoil #1 Chevrolet since he was injured. Park has tested at Darlington and Atlanta in recent weeks and feels he is ready to return to racing action. He has been cleared by doctors and NASCAR to race again.

     AND FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE RACING NEWS with us please be in touch at erniesaxton@compuserve.com. Or fax us at 215.752.1518. We are always happy to receive information on racers plans, speedway events and sponsorship announcements. Tune us in here each week until November.