This, That and the other in Motorsports...

Exclusive for Auto Locator by Ernie Saxton

As printed in Issue Dated 10-8-2004

    

    4-Cylinder Enduro at Clinton County Speedway. The Clinton County Speedway will host a 150 lap 4-Cylinder Enduro on Sunday, October 10th as part of the 2004 season finale. The  event will pay $1,000 to win with at least 75 registered entrants.
 The 150-lap enduro is the largest enduro event in the speedway’s 15-year history.
 Starting positions and car numbers will be assigned on a first come first served basis. The numbers will be assigned to drivers in the order in which registration forms are received.
"The 4-Cylnder Enduros division was added as a weekly division this season," said speedway co-promoter Jason McCahan. "They have become a favorite of the fans so it is only fitting to finish the season with such a large event."
 The front wheel drive 4-cylinder cars have become attractions at a number of area speedways. Drivers are expected from a number of these tracks including drivers who compete at Dog Hollow and in the charger division at the Central PA Speedway. 2004 Clinton County Speedway Enduro Champion, Phil Courter of Mill Hall said he is looking forward to the extra distance event and the competition from other area speedways.
 The 2004 Season Finale will feature a three-division program. The 410 Sprint Car Shootout will feature the state’s best sprint car drivers in the second annual PA Sprint Car Shootout. The Pro Stocks will also be on the program along with the 150 lap 4-cylinder enduro.
Gates will open at 10 AM for the Sunday, October 10th racing program. Racing will begin at 1PM.
 TWO DIRT SOUTHEAST EVENTS REMAIN ON 2004 SCHEDULE. The COMDIAL Telephone Communications DIRT Southeast Series will be part of the GRANDVIEW THUNDER 5-25's at the Grandview Speedway on Saturday night, October 16. Joining the DIRT SE Big Block Modifieds will be the NASCAR Modifieds, Late Models, URC Sprints and the Keystone Legends, each competing in a twenty-five lap feature event. Race time is set for 6 PM with gates opening at 3:30 for this House of Thunder Halloween Party.
 The line-up for the DIRT SE modified feature will find the top twelve drivers in points inverted, with the balance of the field starting straight-up in order of points. The line-up will find Kyle Strickler and Donny Radd on the front row followed by Doug Hoffman, Billy Pauch, Duane Howard, Kenny Brightbill, Frank Cozze, Jimmy Horton, Jeff Strunk, Ricky Elliott, Kevin Hirthler, Keith Hoffman, Max Iles, Jimmy Chester, Craig VonDohren, Rick Laubach, Doug Manmiller, Ray Swinehart and Jeff Ebersole.
 A point fund of $12,500 will be divided among the top twelve drivers at the conclusion of the season long point chase. For drivers to be eligible to collect the point fund money, drivers are required to participate in the final two DIRT SE events. Following the October 16 Grandview DIRT SE special event, the season finale will be a $4,000 to win forty lap championship to take place in the 2nd Annual Great Turkey Chase Race at the Bridgeport Speedway on Saturday, November, 13.
 Jeff Strunk of Bethel, PA is a three time winner on DIRT SE Tour and leads the point chase into the final two events. Strunk holds an eighty point advantage over runner-up Jimmy Horton with Frank Cozze trailing Horton by just one point. Kenny Brightbill and Duane Howard make-up the top five in points. One-hundred and fifty-one different drivers competed in the twelve race series. DIRT SE feature winners include Jeff Strunk (3), Tim McCreadie (2), Jimmy Horton (1), Frank Cozze (1), Doug Hoffman (1), Ricky Elliott (1), Brett Hearn (1), Billy Decker (1), Gary Tomkins (1).
  THE EAST’S OLDEST AND RICHEST SPRINT CAR RACING CLASSIC
 will be presented at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, October1, and Saturday, October 2. The 42nd annual National Open weekend will once again be sponsored
by Cleveland Brothers and sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 7:45 both nights.  Friday night's preliminary program will consist of time trials, heats, two dashes, a B-main and a 25-lap feature, which will pay $5000
to win. The first four finishers will be locked into Saturday night's main event.
 On Saturday night time trials, heats one dash and a B-main will fill the field for the National Open, which will be 40 laps in distance and wll pay $30,000 to win.
 The World of Outlaws first sanctioned the National Open in 1989 and have sanctioned every race since that time with the exception of 1998 when the race was postponed because of rain. Billy Pauch went on to win the unsanctioned event.
 The Outlaw drivers hold a decided edge over the Grove regulars known as the Pennsylvania Posse in National Open competition. The touring pros have won nine of the fourteen Nationals run under WoO sanction.
 

 Things could change this year, however, since local cars have been in victory lane following three of the four Outlaw races run at Williams Grove in 2004. Fred Rahmer, Don Kreitz and Lance Dewease won the first three before Danny Lasoski of Dover, Missouri, upheld the honor of the Outlaws.
 The rivalry has been extremely competitive in recent years with Williams Grove drivers leading the Outlaws 6-5 in the last eleven sanctioned races.
 The rich payoff is sure to bring out the best sprint car drivers in the country for the National Open. Former winners expected to compete include defending champion Steve Kinser along with, Mark Kinser, Donny Schatz, Lance Dewease, Don Kreitz and Kenny Jacobs.
 A limited number of reserved seats remain and telephone orders are accepted at 717.697.5000.
ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY Greg Hodnett, fresh from a win the night before at Susquehanna Speedway, won the 25-lap National Open tuneup for sprint cars. Steve Cannon won the super sportsman feature race.
 CLINTON COUNTY SPEEDWAY has Matt Miller, a likely winner of the Rookie of the Year honors, winning his first 410 sprint car feature on Friday night. Tim Krape was the winner in the Pro Stock feature. Lee Zook won in the Four-Cylinder Enduro feature. Rick Guerriero won the Enduro feature that had been curfewed two weeks previous.
 Coming up this weekend is a two day Fall Brawl that features sprint cars, 358 late models, small block modifieds, pro stocks and 4-cylinder enduro cars. Racing on Friday, October 1, starts at 7 p.m. and on Saturday the action goes at 4 p.m.
 LINCOLN SPEEDWAY had Cris Eash winning his third of the season in the 410 sprint car feature and his 38th career victory. The big surprise came when the veteran racer announced his retirement from the sport when the season is complete. This caught just about everyone by surprise as Eash is still a very competitive racer.
 He said that he will probably go off and help his brother with his drag racing car and just do some other things. Nat Tuckey won the Thundercar feature race.
 Lincoln returns to action on October 9th after taking October 2nd off. With the World of Outlaw sprint show at Williams Grove Speedway it is a wise choice by Lincoln Speedway management not to run. On October 9th the 8th Annual Kenny Weld Memorial featuring 410 sprint cars, Thundercars and Silver Spring Street Stocks. Racing will start at 7 p.m.
 The season finale is set for October 23rd featuring the 410 sprinters and Thundercars. A racers flea market is set for 6 a.m. on November 13th.
 JEFF STRUNK won the Open Competition Modified stock car 30-lap feature on Saturday night at Grandview Speedway closing out the regular Saturday night action. Brian Shuey was tops in the Late Model 20-lapper.
 Final race event of the season is set for Saturday, October 16th at 6 pm when the special Halloween Thunder Show is presented with five 25 lap features (no heats and no time trials) for URC Sprints, NASCAR Late Models, NASCAR Modifieds, DIRT Superseries Modifieds and Legends. Fans are invited to have some fun, win some prizes, by arriving in costume.
 AT SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY Nate Snyder became the track’s leading sprint car feature winner for the season by winning the Fourth Annual Paul Stine Chevrolet National Open for 358 Sprint Cars. It was his fourth win. Surprising was the fact that Snyder had not won a feature before the start of this season.
 Peanut Heintzelman won the Pro Stock feature race.
 AT HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY Alan Sagi and D.J.Myers split the first two 50-lap features, but it was Miller time in the final 50-lapper as Jeremy Miler won the Turbo-Blue Racing Gasoline Hub-City National at the Hagerstown, MD Speedway on Saturday night. Miller won the third 50-lapper and the $7,500 first place money.
 Wayne Walls Jr. won the 20-LAP Hoosier Tires Mid-Atlantic Late Model Sportsman feature while Brian Tavenner won the 20-lap Ernie’s Salvage Yard Pure Stock feature.
 GREG HODNETT topped off a great four day swing by winning the Alexander Dealerships Nationals on Sunday. He won Thursday at Susquehanna and at Williams Grove on Friday. The Sunday win was worth $7500. Chad Layton took second followed by Fred Rahmer who was declared the 2004 Susquehanna Valley 410 Sprint Series Champion at Selinsgrove.  Nate Kerstetter won the Pro Stock feature race.
 DUANE HOWARD, a racer well known to area auto racing fans, won the feature race on Saturday night at Bridgeport, NJ Speedway and wrapped up the Modified Championship at the South Jersey clay oval.
Ernie Saxton can be reached at Esaxton144@aol.com.