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Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne are just a few NASCAR Nextel Cup talents that got their start racing on the dirt track bullrings around the nation. Kyle Purks just might like to follow in their footsteps.

The Penndel racer’s career is on a roll. A couple Fridays back the 17-year-old won the 25 lap feature race for 358 sprint cars at the legendary Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA. It was a last minute decision to head out to the Central Pennsylvania oval. “It is a track that has not been good to me. I was not expecting much,” said Purks.

It was the first time he had raced the 358 sprint car in a month. The car had sat in the garage since the youngster had been signed by Tom Buch to drive one of his United Racing Club sprint cars. That is a big break for the talented young racer. It is chance to travel to a variety of different race tracks and be seen in action in a high visibility series of sprint car racing.

On that Friday he and his parents, they own the 358 sprint car, just felt like going racing. So they did.

“We went to just race. I managed to win my qualifying heat race and that gave me a pole position start in the feature race. I kept calm all night. I lead all the laps. Everything just seemed to go right. I was just as surprised as anyone to win. But it was a win and that was what was important,” said Purks.

And though he was somewhat nonchalant about the win it came against some tough competition. There were more than 40 sprint cars on hand for the Williams Grove event.

“When there are no URC events scheduled we will be trying the 358 sprint car again. But for now URC takes priority. I am really thankful to Buch and his other driver, Cliff Brian (one of the top sprint car racers in the area), for allowing me to be part of their team. A good showing with URC could be my chance to move on to 410 sprint car racing (the top echelon of sprint car racing in this area),” commented the youngster who now has four 358 feature career feature wins to his credit.

“Our 358 sprint team is a very low budget family operation. We started the season, after I had quit a ride with another team, with an older car. We were able to sell that and upgrade to a newer car……but not a new car. We did get some support from Speed Equipment in Bensalem. They have been a big help.”

Purks is looking forward to racing on the URC circuit. With all the travel it reminds him of his days as a youngster racing quarter midgets, winning 80 or more races, at a variety of tracks.

Kyle is looking forward to racing the Tom Buch owned sprint car in United Racing Club sprint competition. It could lead to other opportunities. He ran well this past weekend in two outings with the URC sprints at Big Diamond Raceway and Bridgeport, NJ Speedway.

And when the schedule allows Kyle and his parents, Pat and Dean (they get credit from Kyle for financing his racing and his thanks for their support), will travel to some Central Pennsylvania tracks to race the 358 sprint car and, perhaps, get another “unexpected” win.

When asked about the future, Purks said, “I would love to be able to race the World of Outlaw sprint cars (nationally famous traveling sprint car organization) or move into NASCAR racing.”

Perhaps Kyle has dreams of a career similar to that of Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne.

THE WORLD OF OUTLAW LATE MODELS are at Hagerstown, MD Speedway this Saturday, July 24th for the 23rd Annual Conococheague 50. America’s top late model racers will be in action headed by Scott Bloomquist, a five-time Xtreme Series National Champion and three time winner of the $100,000 to win Dream at Eldora Speedway. Bloomquist is the current Outlaw point leader and is looking to be the first champion of the new organization.

Gary Stuhler and Rick Eckert will be the local talents looking to grab the rich victory with $10,000 going to the winner.

In addition to the Outlaw Late Models there will be racing for the pure stocks in a special 20-lap main event.

Racing starts with warm-ups at 7 p.m.

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY had Doug Manmiller topping Craig VonDohren in the 20-lap NASCAR Modified feature that had 14 laps left to complete from the July 4th Georgie Stevenson Memorial Night. And it was Craig VonDohren grabbing first over Rick Laubach in the regularly scheduled 25 lapper for NASCAR Modifieds. It was VonDohren’s 5th win of the season and gives him the track leading 53 career victories.

In the United Racing Club 25-lapper it was Tim Hogue taking the win…leading all the laps.

Jake Smulley won the Roadrunner 15-lap feature.

Friday night racing this week, July 23rd, is sponsored by USG and will include two features for the Sportsman Modifieds, two features for the Roadrunners and a 25-lap main event for the NASCAR Modifieds. Racing starts at 8 p.m.

FRED RAHMER TUNED UP for the invasion of the World of Outlaw sprint cars when he won the 25-lap 410 sprint car feature at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night. It was his 58th career win at the legendary track and makes him the all time leading feature winner. Don Kreitz, who along with Rahmer and Greg Hodnett beat the Outlaws when they were in the area earlier this year, tuned up for their visit with a second place finish.

Blane Heimbach won the 20-lap feature for 358 sprint cars.

The World of Outlaws sprint cars are at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, July 23rd and Saturday, July 24th.

GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY had Jon Kellner Sr. winning his third NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified feature race of the season on Saturday night topping four time winner and current point leader Jeff Strunk.

In fact Strunk is now a very close second in the chase for the NASCAR New England Regional title which is worth about $50,000 at the end of the season.

In the 20-lap feature for the Late Model stock cars, part of Deka Batteries night, Randy Stoudt topped Chuck Schutz for his third feature victory of the season.

There is two nights of auto racing at the popular one-third-mile clay oval this weekend with Hatfield Quality Meats Night set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. featuring the NASCAR Modifieds and Late Models in at least 13 events of stock car racing. The first 500 fans through the front gate will receive a FREE Rip, Rev&Win Instant Game Card courtesy of TNT-TV and the speedway. It will be possible for a fan to win a trip for 2 to two NASCAR races this season.

And on Sunday night the CARQUEST DIRT Motorsports Southeast Series Big Block Modified show is in town with a 40-lap feature topping the program and racing starting at 7:30 p.m.

ONCE ALAN COLE broke the streak of non-repeat winners at the Clinton County Speedway, he has established a new streak by winning every event since. He now has four straight wins after winning the 25-lap sprint car race on Friday night.

Justin Kann was tops in the Late Models and it was Greg Malek winning the Pro Stock feature.

A four division show of Late Models, Sprints, Pro Stocks and Enduro racers will be the attraction at Clinton County Speedway on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

RAIN WASHED OUT the 52nd Anniversary Race on Saturday night at Silver Spring Speedway. It has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 4.

This Saturday, July 24, the super sportsman, street stocks and thundercars (from Lincoln Speedway) will be in action with racing starting at 7 p.m. Admission is a low $8.

FORMER ALL STAR CIRCUIT SPRINT CHAMPION Kenny Jacobs won the Gohn Memorial sprint car race at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night. Jacobs has abandoned the All Star circuit to run the lucrative Central Pennsylvania sprint circuit on a regular basis. Point leader Fred Rahmer had to settle for second.

Eric Stambaugh won the 358 sprint car feature and it was Craig Wagaman getting another feature win in the Thundercar division.

There is no racing at Lincoln Speedway this Saturday, July 24th but Manheim Auto Auction Night is set for July 31st with 410 sprints, Silver Spring Street Stocks and Thundercar action starting at 7:30 p.m.

BOB BEIDLEMAN became only the second repeat sprint car feature winner winning the 25-lap main event on Saturday night at Selinsgrove, PA Speedway. Eric Hons ws tops in the 25-lap late model feature while Troy Miller won his fourth of the season in the 15-lap pro stock main. Keith Bissinger won the 12-lap roadrunner event.

The United Racing Club sprint cars, a traveling 360 sprint car organization, makes their only visit of the season on Saturday, July 24th. Also in the show will be the 358 sprints, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners. The five division show is sponsored by Harry’s U-Pull-It Auto Parts of Hazleton.

OPEN WHEEL RACING FANS will be interested to learn that following the iniative of Roger Penske to explore a unification of open wheel racing (Indianapolis type race cars), ownership representatives of Champ Car World Series and the Indy Racing League have met with Mr. Penske to consider the issues.

While ownership representatives from both series agree that one open wheel series is the optimal situation, it is the belief of all involved that the time is not right for further discussion of unification. Both parties appreciate the efforts of Mr. Penske, and both parties believe that each has a better understanding of where common ground exits. No more meetings are planned and both series are moving forward with their future plans. In other words they all understand what would be best for the sport but they are not willing to do that. I think it has something to do with giant egos.

Ernie Saxton can be reached at Esaxton144@aol.com.