Auto Locator Racing.com This, That and the other...

     OVER IN THE GARDEN STATE fans have been wondering if East Windsor, NJ Speedway will ever open. There had been talk of the track being paved or perhaps it would stay dirt. But there was no plan to open…..up until this past weekend.
A news release churned through our e-system to tell us that East Windsor Speedway, a half-mile-clay oval would indeed open. The track would remain a dirt track.
And as soon as pending legal matter is settled an official opening date would be announced.
In a way that is great news. In another way it leaves fans wondering if the legal matter does not get settled will East Windsor Speedway open in 2003?
We'll just have to wait and see.
     AT BRIDGEPORT, NJ SPEEDWAY on Friday night, the quarter-mile track had its 3rd show in a row rained out.
The small track offers a Friday show, weekly, starting at 7 p.m. that includes Micro Sprints (125,270 and 600cc) along with 4-Clyinder stock cars. In addition, as part of the same show, Sportsman stock cars run on the 5/8th mile track. Saturday night action at Bridgeport Speedway had Jimmy Horton winning his 102 career modified feature at the South Jersey oval. And it marked the 30th year in a row that he has won a feature race. Dave Ely won the United Racing Club feature race. Kevin Collins towed in from Laurel, DE to win the 20-lap Sportsman feature. This Saturday, April 26th, 5 p.m. the Big Block Modifieds are featured along with Sportsman, Jasper Winged Sprints and Outlaw stock cars.
     MOTHER NATURE did not cooperate with Trail-Way Speedway's plans to run their Auto Locator 358 Sprint Spring Championship on Friday night. The big event featuring the 358 sprint cars in a 30-lap $1,200 to win championship has now been reset for Friday, May 9th. On Friday night, April 25th the Coors Light 358 Sprint Series will try to get their season started once again. In addition there will be a special Thundercar championship event will pay $500 to win. Street stocks will also see action. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m.
And on Saturday night, April 26th, 7 p.m., 250cc & 600cc Micro Sprints will be in action along with Scramble cars, Figure 8's and Vintage Cars making for a full evening of motorsports entertainment.
     AT SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY Chad Layton returned to winning form Saturday night take his first feature win of the season in the 25-lap sprint car feature. The win was his 22nd career victory at the Snyder County track.
Dale Kerstetter marked a milestone in his racing career at Selinsgrove Speedway by recording his 30th career win in the 20-lap late model race. Peanut Heintzelman won his second 15-lap pro stock feature in a row, while Matt Drum won a second of the season Roadrunner feature. Selinsgrove Speedway returns to action on Saturday, April 26th with a 7 p.m. program that features sprint cars, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners. The racing events are sponsored by Advanced Concrete Systems of Middleburg, PA.
     KEITH KAUFFMAN drove the Middleswarth Potato Chips No. 7 to the front and withstood several challenges to win his 116th sprint car feature win at Port Royal, PA Speedway on Saturday night. Sean Michael was a close second. Dan Stone won the 20-lap Late Model feature for his first ever victory. And the Pro Stock feature, 15 laps, was won by Gary BeWard. The 30-lap Pizza and Sub Shack Enduro Dash ( a 30 lap Dash??) was won by Herm Renninger.
Port Royal Speedway is back in action Saturday night, April 26th with a three event show featuring sprints, late models and pro stocks. Racing at 7 p.m. And for Country Music fans the Charlie Daniels Band Concert takes place on Saturday, June 21st. Is that before the races or after?
     LINCOLN SPEEDWAY had Niki Young as the third first time winner of the season on Saturday night. Young was just .28 seconds in front of Greg Hodnett at the finish of the 25-lap 410 sprint feature.
Eric Stambaugh won the 358 sprint feature and Bernie Beard earned his third Thundercar feature win of the season.
Lincoln Speedway plays host to the 64th Annual season opening race for the Ray's Yamaha "Polaris" Victory ARDC Midget Series. In addition there will be racing for the 410 sprints and Thundercars. Racing starts at 7 p.m. with warm-up sessions being run at 6:30 p.m.
     WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY was rained out on Friday night and did something that surprised everyone. They announced they would run a Sunday raindate, never advertised, on Easter Sunday. They had lost seven of eight scheduled events of racing due to rain so they just felt they had to get a race in. So on Sunday night Todd Shaffer won the 25-lap feature for 410 sprints and Pat Cannon was the winner in Super Sportsman.
Racing action returns to Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night with 410 sprint cars in action starting at 8 p.m.

     CHRIS SHUEY, a former top runner at Port Royal and Selinsgrove Speedway, won the 20-lap late model feature at Grandview Speedway. Jon Kellner, absent from victory lane for a couple of seasons, was able to outbattle Jeff Strunk to win the 30-lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified feature on Saturday night.
Grandview Speedway presents another Saturday night, April 26th, show at 6 p.m. with Modifieds and Late Models racing. At least 13 events will be presented.
     SILVER SPRING SPEEDWAY ACTION had Dave Calaman winning the Super Sportsman feature and Wes Alleman took the Street Stock feature. The track is back in action on Saturday with a 6 p.m. show of super sportsman, late model and 4-cylinder stock car racing.
     BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY, closed for the past couple of weeks, will be back in action on Friday, April 25th at 8 p.m. The show will feature the NASCAR Modifieds, Sportsman-Modifieds and Roadrunners. Coming up at Big Diamond on Friday, May 9th will be a special show that will feature the KARS 358 sprint cars, Roadrunners and NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds.
     HAGERSTOWN, MD SPEEDWAY had their events rained out on Friday night. The Renegade Dirt Car Racing Series will make its first appearance of the year at Hagerstown Speedway on Saturday night, April 26th. The 50-lap Stanley Schetrompf Memorial will pay $7,000 to the winner. Joining the RDCRS Late Models will be the Hoosier Tire late model sportsman and Ernie's Salvage Yard pure stocks. The Schetrompf Memorial is held each year to honor the man that built the speedway 56 years ago in 1947.
Defending National Renegade Dirt Car Racing Series Champion Chub Frank will headline the action. Racing starts at 7 p.m.
     AT WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY the Early Bird Sprint Car Championship that was rained out on April 11th has been reset for Friday, May 2nd and will now be sanctioned by the All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car organization.
This means fans will get the chance to see some of the top national sprint car racers perform against the Pennsylvania Posse.
Kenny Jacobs has already made his intentions known that he will be there. He is a four time All Star champion.
     THE KARS 358-sprint series will return to Silver Spring Speedway on May 3rd. The 358-sprints were not seen at Silver Spring in 2002. The super sportsman and late models will remain on the schedule for May 3rd. The schedule for all Saturday night events at Silver Spring Speedway has the gates opening at 5 p.m. and racing getting the green at 7 p.m.
     THE SECOND ANNUAL SPRINT CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIP, co-sanctioned by the United Racing Club and New York based Empire Super Sprints, returns to the Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA on Sunday, May 4th as part of the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Series.
More than 50 sprint cars are expected to be on hand. A 30-lap feature paying $3,000 to win will top the program. In addition there will be wingless ARDC midgets in action. Racing starts at 6 p.m.
O'Reilly World of Outlaw sprint cars will make their one and only appearance of the season at Grandview Speedway on Sunday, May 18th.
     ON THE SAME NIGHT GRANDVIEW presents the 360-sprints, Selinsgrove, PA Speedway presents one of their biggest events of the season. The Jan Opperman Memorial will feature the 410-sprint cars in action in a 30-lap main event. The race will commemorate the life and career of one of sprint car racing's greatest drivers. Lance Dewease will be on hand to sign autographs at 4:30 p.m. along with 2002 Opperman Memorial winner Todd Hestor and the track's all-time leading feature winner Ray Tilley. Former World of Outlaw star and current TV and Radio/Internet commentator Brad Doty will also be on hand signing autographs, offering his autobiography, "Still Wide Open," and his new t-shirt.
     NAZARETH SPEEDWAY has signed a three-year deal making Firestone the title sponsor of the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race at "The World's Fastest Mile," beginning with the Firestone Indy 225 on August 22-24, an event that will feature racing great Michael Andretti as Grand Marshal. The racing season starts at Nazareth Speedway on May 17-18 when the NASCAR Busch Series Goulds Pumps ITT Industries 200 is presented. Jason Keller will defend his title against some of the most talented drivers on the circuit including former champion Randy LaJoie, Scott Riggs, Scott Wimmer, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Shane Hmiel and others.
In addition the Service Electric100 will be presented for the NASCAR Featherlite Modified stock cars. For more information on racing at Nazareth Speedway visit their website at www.nazarethspeedway.com or telephone 1-888-629.7223.
Ernie Saxton can be reached at Esaxton144@aol.com