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

    Weather continued to play havoc with the local auto racing action. Some tracks were able to get their shows in and some had to cancel as Ma Nature brought heavy rain and cold weather to some areas.
    TRAIL-WAY SPEEDWAY continues to be the busiest speedway in the area when it is not raining. Next Friday night, May 2nd, Trail-Way will try for a fourth time to open the Coors Light 358 Sprint Series. Also on the program will be the 20-lap Auto Locator Street Stock Championship and there will be Thundercar racing.
And on Saturday night there is racing for Micro Sprints and Scramble Cars, Figure 8 cars and Vintage cars. Racing starts at 6 p.m.
    BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY beat the rain on Friday night. Ray Swinehart won the 25-lap feature for NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds. It was the first win since 2000 for veteran racer at the Minersville, PA oval. Ryan Moyer got his first career win in Sportsman stock car competition taking the 20-lap feature and Doug Hendricks got his second win in the Roadrunner main feature.
The entire card of racing was run off in less than two hours with a drizzle of rain falling at times during the program. The "bad weather" attributed to the fact that just 27 modified stock car teams were on hand for the racing program. Track management gave thanks to Keith Swiegart and "GMI First Mechanical Solutions" for all of their help this week to adjust and upgrade the lighting at the speedway. We are told that those changes were very noticeable. Racing continues on Friday, May 2nd at Big Diamond Raceway with NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, Sportsman-Modifieds and Roadrunners.
Coming up on May 9th the KARS 358-sprints will be part of the tripleheader show that will also features the NASCAR Modifieds and Roadrunners.
    WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY started their racing program on Friday night and continued on through Sunday as rain again created problems with the Friday night show. After just one qualifying heat being on the track rain forced promoter Alan Kreitzer to postpone the show until Sunday. Gary Gollub was seriously injured in a wild flip during that first qualifying event. Gollub had to be airlifted to the Hershey Medical Center and was in intensive care as this column is being written. Gollub, 54 years old, suffered facial fractures, a fractured wrist and other injuries. Elmer Stoltzfuz, Gollub's United Racing Club sprint car owner, telephoned to tell us that Gollub and Corey Haas were passing a rookie, two laps down and who had been black flagged, when the rookie drifted into Gollub causing him to crash violently. Gollub's car, his own sprint car, was virtually destroyed.
Mail will reach Gollub at 120 Shady Lane, Mohnton, PA 19540. We are told that Gollub will make a full recovery.
The Sunday night conclusion of racing at Williams Grove Speedway, started on Friday night, saw Lance Dewease tune up for the arrival of the All Stars this Friday night with a win in the 410-sprint 25-lap feature. And Chad Layton got his second win of the weekend in the 358 sprint cars taking the 20-lap feature.
Williams Grove Speedway will feature the All Star Circuit of Champions running in the Early Bird Sprint Car Championship with racing starting at 8 p.m. This will be the first appearance for the All Stars in four seasons. The last time the All Stars came to Williams Grove Fred Rahmer beat them. And on Sunday, May 4, the season's first Enduro will be presented. The race is 200 laps and it is expected that there will be approximately 80 entries. Unfortunately no starting time was given so you will have to call the speedway for that information at 717.697.5000.
    AT LINCOLN SPEEDWAY on Saturday night Cris Eash became the first two time winner in the 410 sprint car division. Eash topped Lance Dewease and Fred Rahmer. The season opener for the Ray's Yamaha/Polaris Victory ARDC Midgets was won by Ray Bull. He is the two time defending champion. Bull started fifth, took the lead on the second lap, and ran away from the field to win by 1.1 seconds over Bryan Kobylarz. Abbottstown's Craig Wagaman became the fourth different winner of the season in the 20-lap Thundercar feature.
The All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars will be the featured attraction at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night, May 3rd. Racing starts at 7 p.m. The Thundercars will be the second attraction.
    RICHIE HARTMAN picked up his second career sportsman feature when he won the Super Sportsman feature at Silver Spring Speedway on Saturday night.
"As much as we've struggled, I didn't think we'd be winning anything anytime soon," said Hartman, who started off the night by winning his 10-lap heat race in a record time of 2:37.63.
Kenny Riland led all 20-laps to get his first career win in Late Models.
Arlin Brougher won the non-stop 15-lap 4-Cylinder feature.
This Saturday night the Super Sportsman, Late Models and KARS-358 Sprints will be featured. Racing starts at 7 p.m.

    BRIDGEPORT, NJ SPEEDWAY had their Saturday night show rained out. Speed Palace night will take place on Saturday, May 3, 6 p.m. and featured will be the Modifieds, Sportsman, Jasper Sprints, Enduro competition and the first Demo Derby of the season.
The speedway has lost six events this season including the Friday night show that had to be rescheduled for Sunday. No results were available when this was going to press.
    PORT ROYAL SPEEDWAY was able to get their Saturday night show in despite weather problems. Mark Coldren won his first ever 410 sprint car feature and Travis Dillman got his first career victory in the Late Model feature. Gary BeWard was a feature winner again in the Pro Stock feature. Saturday night action this weekend will have sprints, late models, pro stocks and Ladies Powder Puff racing. Green flag drops at 7 p.m.
    SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY had Chad Layton winning again in the sprint cars while Dale Kerstetter won another feature in the Late Models. Troy Miller was the feature winner in Pro Stocks and Matt Drum took the Roadrunner feature. On Saturday night, May 3, 7 p.m. the PACK THE TRACK NIGHT is presented. This is FREE ADMISSION to all, general admission, to see sprints, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners.
And the next night the Jan Opperman Memorial will be presented featuring the 410 sprints and super sportsman. Time trials kick off the event at 6 p.m. There are autograph sessions planned and much more on the special evening.
    RAIN WASHED OUT THE SATURDAY NIGHT PROGRAM planned at Grandview Speedway.
Racing action returns to the Berks County one-third-mile, clay banked oval this weekend. In fact there will be two nights of racing starting with the Saturday, May 3rd, NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series Modifieds and Late Models. At least 13 events of racing will be featured starting at 7:30 p.m. That is a new starting time and will be the starting time for the balance of the season.
On Sunday night the United Racing Club sprint cars and American Racing Drivers Club midgets will be featured in a doubleheader show. Racing will start at 6 p.m. This will be the kick off of the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Series. The URC sprints will be joined by the Empire Super Sprints in a 360 Sprint Challenge. More than 50 sprint cars are expected. And the ARDC midgets will run without wings for this special program.
Grandview Speedway officials have announced that a $1000 bonus award will be paid to the modified racer winning the most heats during the season. The award is being sponsored by Rossi Welding of Reading and D&S Archery of Barto, PA.
    A COLD FRONT that brought a hard steady rain moved into the Western Maryland area overnight stalled Saturday morning instead of moving out of the region as originally forecasted. With rain continuing in the afternoon and a forecast for more rain in the evening, promoter Frank Plessinger was forced to cancel the Stanley Schetrompf Memorial at the Hagerstown Speedway. Plans now call for the Schetrompf Memorial, named in honor of the man who built the track many years back, to be run when the Renegade DirtCar Racing Series returns to Hagerstown Speedway on July 25th, a Friday night date.
The track will return to action next Saturday, May 3rd, with Valvoline Cup Promotion Night. The drivers in all three divisions will be participating in the Valvoline-sponsored national point's champion.
The four division program will feature the IRSI late models, Hoosier Tires Mid-Atlantic late model sportsman, the Ernie's Salvage Yard pure stocks and the Enduro Dash. Race time is 7 p.m.
"This is one of the worst starts we have had at the Hagerstown Speedway since I took over the track," said Plessinger. "We got a big soaking last night and with it still raining here at noon, there is nothing else we can do except cancel the program. This is the fifth program we have lost to the weather so far this year."
    GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY was rained out on Saturday night. There will be two nights of racing at the Berks County oval this weekend. On Saturday night, May 3, 7:30 p.m. (note the new starting time for the balance of the season) the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds and Late Models will see action. At least 13 events of stock car racing will be presented.
And on Sunday night, May 4, 6 p.m. the United Racing Club sprint cars and Empire Super Sprints will run in the 360 Sprint Challenge. More than 50 sprint cars are expected to be on hand for the Sunday night show. And there will be American Racing Drivers Club WINGLESS midget auto racing.
Ernie Saxton can be reached at Esaxton144@aol.com