This, That and the other in Motorsports...

Exclusive for Auto Locator by Ernie Saxton

As printed in Issue Dated 4-30-2004

    

  WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODELS MAKE FIRST APPEARANCE AT HAGERSTOWN. Ever since the Stanley Schetrompf Memorial was started in 1982 to honor the founder and builder of the Hagerstown Speedway, the top late model drivers in the country have visited the Washington County oval to compete in the first big race of the season. This year, the Stanley Schetrompf Memorial will kick off the inaugural visit of the World of Outlaws Late Models Series on Saturday night, April 24th. The double header program will include the Hoosier Tires late model sportsman with gates opening at 5 P.M. and warm ups at 7 P.M.

Gary Stuhler, the 2003 defending track champion will be shooting for his seventh Schetrompf Memorial. Stuhler won five straight Memorials from 1993 to 1997 and is looking for another win as he closes in on the all-time career win record of 114 held by Rodney Franklin. Stuhler has been known to rise to the occasion and will be facing some stiff competition on Saturday night.

The new World of Outlaws claim to have the best late model drivers in the country following their circuit in 2004. Leading the "Dirty Dozen" of the World of Outlaws is Scott Bloomquist, holder of the one-lap record at Hagerstown. Other Outlaw drivers include Rick Eckert, Bart Hartman, Billy Moyer, Steve Francis, Chub Frank, Dan Schlieper, Dale McDowell, Rick Aukland, Darrell Lanigan and the newest member, Clint Smith, who replaced Wendell Wallace last month.

The local drivers have won their share of big races at Hagerstown and will be ready when the Outlaws roll into town. Drivers like Frankie Plessinger, Devin Friese, Paul Crowl, DJ Myers, Tom Myers and more will be on the lookout for the Outlaw drivers.

In addition to Stuhler, previous winners of the prestigious spring memorial include Jeff Robinson, 1982; Sam Nalley, 1983; Larry Moore, 1984; Rodney Franklin, 1985-87-88; Jeff Purvis, 1986; Bob Wearing Jr., 1990; Donnie Moran, 1991-99; Freddy Smith, 1992; Steve Francis, 1998; Mike Balzano, 2000; Davey Johnson, 2001; Rick Aukland, 2002 and Brian Birkhofer, 2003
            HODNETT AHEAD OF KAUFFMAN'S RECORD PACE OF 1984. With sprint car and limited (358 c.i.) sprint racing on the card this Friday night, April 23, Greg Hodnett will continue to chase the single season win record at Williams Grove
Speedway.
     The first heat is scheduled to start at 8:00.
     Keith Kauffman set the record of 13 victories during the 1984 season and it has remained virtually unchallenged for twenty years.
     Hodnett, 34, of Memphis, TN, is off to such a torrid start this year he has historians checking the record book.
     Kauffman, driving for car owner Al Hamilton at the time, won five of the first six features run at Williams Grove in 1984.  Hodnett, who drives for York businessman Bob Stewart's Apple dealership-sponsored team, has won five of the first six this year.
     Because the season started later in 1984, Hodnett is actually ahead of Kauffman's pace.  Kauffman's fifth win came on April 27.  Hodnett's fifth came with the Early Bird Championship on April 9.
     Kauffman got a break with the weather in `84 since only three programs were lost to the elements.
     Hodnett, along with Grove officials, hope the weather in 2004 will be as cooperative as it was twenty years ago.
     Kauffman, 53, is still one of the top contenders at the Grove. And he is the man to beat at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday nights. He finished second to Hodnett on March 14 and set fast time in qualifying for the Early Bird Championship in his Middleswarth Potato Chips entry. The "Man from Mifflintown" will be inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (Knoxville, Iowa) later this spring.
     Hamilton tops the car owner win list at Williams Grove and was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year.  Defending Cindy Rowe Auto Glass champion Lance Dewease is Hamilton's current driver and finished second to Hodnett in the Early Bird.
     The super sportsman cars will join the sprint cars at Williams Grove on Friday evening, April 30.  The season's first Enduro 200 is coming up on Sunday, May 2.
            FORMER TRACK ANNOUNCER Dick Crownover of Williamsport will return to Selinsgrove Speedway on May 2 for the 3rd Annual Middleswarth Potato Chips Jan Opperman Memorial as part of the Susquehanna Valley 410 Sprint Series. Crownover retired as the voice of Selinsgrove Speedway in 1983 after 13 years behind the microphone. He will share memories of his days on the public address system while Opperman was blistering the track with the crowd when he returns on May 2.
            In addition, Opperman’s final car owner Claude Stanley of Middleburg will
join owners Luke Bogar Jr. of Selinsgrove and Al Hamilton of Manheim at the memorial.
            It was in the Stanley owned 6S that Opperman had made great strides in
trying to reclaim his career after near career and life ending head injuries at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in 1976.
            Stanley and his wife Joanne joined forces with Opperman in 1981. Opperman
began his attempted trek back to the top in the Mid-West in the late 1970’s but with slow although mounting success.

   Stanley’s efforts brought Jan Opperman back to his throngs of admiring fans in the East. The pairing was close to more than one victory before misfortune would strike.
            Racing a full schedule in 1981 while frequenting much of the URC schedule,
Opperman and the Stanley’s searched out a new residence for Opperman and his family in rural Beavertown. And by the time tragedy struck on June 20, 1981 at Jennerstown Speedway, "He was back, you could see it," recalls Stanley of his driver’s reclaimed talents.
            A debilitating crash in a URC event at Jennerstown was the end of the road for the Stanley 6S and Opperman. Opperman succumbed to his injuries on September 14, 1997.
            Gates for the Opperman Memorial will open at 4 PM with time trials slated for 6.  The Opperman Memorial will pay $3,000 to win and $300 to take the green flag.
            Middleswarth Potato Chips will give free bags of potato chips to the first 1,000 fans entering the speedway.
            AT HAGERSTOWN SPEEDWAY on Friday night Roy Deese, Jr. won the first wound of the Tri-Track Late Model Shootout and became the eighth different late model feature winner of the season. Mike Warrenfeltz won the pure stock feature race.

            DOUG HOFFMAN battled with his younger brother Keith much of the 25-lap NASCAR Modified feature race at Big Diamond Raceway on Friday night and took the lead on the final lap to get the win worth $2000. Tom Brennan was tops in the Sportsman Modifieds while Kevin Holland got the win in the Roadrunners. The NASCAR Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds and Roadrunners are back in action on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

            AT WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY on Friday night it was Doug Esh holding off Lance Dewease to win the 25-lap sprint car feature race and Chad Layton claimed the win in the 358 sprint car feature. It was the first win of the season for Doug “The Hammer” Esh. Don Kreitz Jr. finished third followed by Cris Eash and Niki Young. Greg Hodnett, winner of five of the first six 410 sprint features this season, came from 24th to finish an impressive sixth.

            GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY had Kerry Kratz winning the 30-lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified feature race edging Terry Meitzler. And it was Ron Kline topping Steve Sennott in a close one in the 20-lap NASCAR ShorTrack Late Model feature. Both drivers last won features on August 17th, 2002. Modifieds and Late Models, at least 13 events, will be featured starting at 6 p.m. at Grandview Speedway.

            CARMEN PERIGO won his third straight Super Sportsman feature race at Silver Spring Speedway coming from 15th starting spot. Kory Sites took the win in the 20-lap feature for street stocks. Silver Spring is back in action on Saturday, April 24th, at 6 p.m. with super sportsman, late models and the first appearance of the 4-cylinder stock cars.

            PORT ROYAL SPEEDWAY had New Yorker Craig Keel, a former regular on the World of Outlaws circuit, winning the 25-lap sprint car feature over Jeff Shepard who will be heading off soon to drive a sprint car for Nextel Cup racer Kasey Kahne in Outlaw and All Star national competition. Tim Gray won the Late Model feature while Corey Kepner was tops in the Pro Stocks. Brett Knable won the 305 sprint car feature and Teresa Kepner won the Powder Puff main event.

            FOR THE SECOND TIME in the weekend Doug Esh was able to win a sprint car feature when he won the 25-lapper for 410 sprints at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night. Fred Rahmer earned a second. Mike Lehman took the honors in the 358 sprint feature and it was Nat Tuckey getting the win in the exciting Thundercar feature race. Action returns to Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night, April 24th, 7 p.m. with the Williams Grove Old Timers Night showcasing the 410 sprints and Thundercars along with 305 sprint cars.

            BLANE HEIMBACH earned his sixth career win in the 25-lap sprint car feature race at Selinsgrove Speedway on Saturday night. Jeff Rine was tops in the late model feature while Jake Buck got the win in the pro stock feature. Brad Mitch was the winner in the roadrunner main event. This Saturday night at 7 p.m. the sprints, late models, pro stocks, roadrunners and a special appearance by the Penn-Mar Vintage Race Car Club.

            LANCE DEWEASE won the first sprint race run under the new management of Todd Fisher at Susquehanna Speedway in Newberrytown, PA on Sunday night. They will be running 410 sprints on Thursday nights. Give them a try.  

Ernie Saxton can be reached at Esaxton144@aol.com or check in at his website www.saxtonsponsormarket.com