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THE 2003 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLIST ASSOCIATION (AMA) Grand National Champion Chris Carr of Fleetwood, PA will lead the AMA Progressive Insurance Grand National U.S. Flat Track Series into the Hagerstown Speedway on Saturday, July31st. Also on tap will be the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series. Gates will open at 4 P.M. with practice at 6 P.M. Racing begins at 8 P.M.

Mike Dennis, Manager of Ford Certified Pre-Owned programs has signed on with the Hagerstown Speedway as the presenting sponsor of the AMA Progressive Flat Track Championship race that is taking place July 31st, 2004. The decision was made on July 15th by Mr. Dennis who works out of the Ford Motor Company's Dearborn, MI headquarters. "Ford is involved in racing at all levels and it only makes sense to be involved with the AMA", said Mike. "Being involved with the AMA and The Hagerstown Speedway for this event will assure that FMC receives a great deal of exposure. This is the 24th year the speedway has hosted this event."

Carr is on top of the series after six events. The 37 year-old driver has two wins so far this season and has finished in the top five in six of seven events. Carr would like nothing better than to grab his third career win at Hagerstown on Saturday night and put a little breathing room between him and second place Joe Kopp of Mica, WA. A month ago Joe Kopp was hoping to make a dent in defending champ Chris Carr’s championship points lead. Coming into this weekend’s race Kopp has accomplished that goal. He has narrowed the gap from 23 points to a mere 10 points as the series heads to Hagerstown. Kopp has one win so far this year and will be looking for his first career win at the half-mile oval.

Ken Coolbeth Jr. of Warren, CT is third in points and is coming off his first win of the 2004 season at Mississippi Valley Speedway in Davenport, IA. Johnny Murhpree of Paso Robles, CA is one of the younger riders on the tour and scored his first career win at Hagerstown in May 2002. He is fourth in the point standings and hopes to record his first 2004 win at Hagerstown. Mike Hacker of Colonial Heights, VA rounds out the top five in points.

Other riders gearing up for Hagerstown include Jacob Johnson, hot off his first win at the season at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH; three-time national champion Jay Springsteen of Lapeer, MI, a 1999 winner at Hagerstown; Kevin Atherton of White Pigeon, MI; Bryan Bigelow of Au Gres, MI; local driver Paul Lynch of Bel Air and Glen Schnabel of West Bend, WI.In addition to the AMA Grand National, the Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Series will be in action. Christopher Hart of Farmington, NY leads the series by four points over Ricky Marshall of Garrettsville, OH after two events. Scott Scherb of Decatur, TX, Shawn Baer of Mechanicsburg, PA and William Seyle of Hanahan, SC round out the top five.

Reserved and general admission seats are now on sale. For tickets or additional information call (301) 582-0640.

LAST SATURDAY NIGHT at Hagerstown, MD Speedway Rick Eckert fought off the late race charge of Gary Stuhler to win the World of Outlaws Late Model Series Conococheague 50. It was his second World of Outlaws win at Hagerstown and earned him $10,000.

Mike Warrenfeltz won the 15-lap Ernie’s Salvage Yard Pure Stock Mid-Summer Shootout.
THE WORLD OF OUTLAWS visited Williams Grove Speedway last weekend. Actually it started with a Thursday night show that was rained out. On Friday night Lance Dewease, Fred Rahmer and Greg Hodnett finished in that order in topping the traveling World of Outlaw racers. That is not something that happens often to the travel stars.

On Saturday night Danny Lasoski, driving a sprint car owned by NEXTEL Cup star Tony Stewart, won the main event with Lance Dewease finishing a strong second.

            NOW THAT THEY HAVE RECOVERED FROM THREE NIGHTS OF WORLD OF OUTLAW SPRINT CAR RACING the limited (358 c.i.) sprints will join the 410 sprint cars this Friday, July 30, at Williams Grove Speedway.
   The first heat is scheduled to start at 8:00.
   After seven features had been run in the limited division this year Blane Heimbach finally became the first repeat winner on July 16, the last time these cars appeared at Williams Grove.
   Heimbach, the 22-year old farmer from Selinsgrove, waited more than four months for his second victory of the season after winning the opener for this class back on March 14. Prior to his recent victory drought Heimbach had won three of four in the Grove's limited division dating back to August of 2003.
   Other winners this year include former champions Mike Lehman and Chad Layton.
   Lehman was the limited champion in 1997 and 1998. Layton won the point title in 2002.
Lehman and Layton are also 1-2 on the career win list for the division with fourteen and ten victories respectively.
   The remaining winners this season include T. J. Stutts and first timers Nate Snyder and Kyle Pruitt.

               In the sprint car division the Big Three of Fred Rahmer, Greg Hodnett and defending Cindy Rowe Auto Glass champion Lance Dewease are making a run for the title, which will pay $15,000 to the championship team.
   Rahmer and Dewease have split the last eight track championships.    Dewease is a five-time titlist having won the crown for the first time in 1994. No driver has ever won six track championships at Williams Grove.
   A similar program of sprint car and limited sprint racing will be presented on Friday, August 6, which will also be Kids Night at Williams Grove.
            THERE WAS NO RACING AT LINCOLN SPEEDWAY last Saturday but the popular track will be back in action this Saturday, July 31st, with Manheim Auction Night featuring 410 sprints, Silver Spring Street Stocks and Thundercars. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. And on Saturday, August 7th, it will be the York County Racing Club Night feature 410 sprints, 358 sprints and Thundercars.

Wingless Sprints and Topless Late Models Coming to Clinton Co. Speedway Clinton County Speedway promoters have decided to take the wings off the sprint cars and the roofs off of the 358 Late Models for a show that coincides with the annual Clinton County Fair. The topless night will take place on Friday, August 13th.

"We have been thinking about doing this for some time now," said speedway co-promoter Jason McCahan. "This past Friday a few of the drivers inquired about it and we decided to ask the drivers if they wanted us to put it on the schedule. We received an overwhelming number of drivers who wanted to do it in both divisions."

This will be the first time for such an event to take place at the 1/3 mile oval. Many divers said that Clinton Co offers the perfect set-up for this type of show due to its size and configuration. In addition to the Sprints and 358 Late Models, the pro stocks and 4-Cylinder Enduros will be in competition.

The one-on-one spectacular streetcar drag races will also be on the schedule. Entry forms can be found on the clintoncountyspeedway.com website. The entries will be limited to 16, so prospective participants are encouraged to enter now.

Speedway gates will open at 5:15; Racing begins at 7:30 each and every Friday night at the Clinton County Speedway. The Clinton County Speedway is located just off Interstate 80 exit 178, along US Route 220. For more speedway news and information, visit clitnoncountyspeedway.com

BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY was rained out on Friday night. Action returns on Friday, July 30th, 8 p.m., with four divisions of competition including NASCAR Modifieds, Sportsman-Modifieds, Limited Late Models and Roadrunners.

GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY had teenager Sean Merkel driving his Pheasantland Roller Rink #118 Modified to his first career win in the 30-lap Hatfield Quality Meats NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modified feature race on Saturday night. Another youngster, Mike Gular, came home second while Doug Manmiller had a strong third place finish.

Chris Shuey won his fourth of the season in the NASCAR ShorTrack Late Models topping Rick Todorow in the 20-lap main event. Third spot went to Terry Snyder.

Craftsman Tools will sponsor the Saturday night show on July 31st, 7:30 p.m. The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds and Late Models will be in action with at least 13 events of stock car racing being presented.

DUAINE SMITH held off defending track champion Frankie Herr to win the Super Sportsman feature race at Silver Spring Speedway. It was his second career feature victory. Jeff Haag won the Street Stock main event and it was Mike Walls winning in the Thundercars.

Action returns to Silver Spring Speedway this Saturday with super sportsman, late models and 4-cylinder stocks making up the show with a 7 p.m. starting time Adult admission is just $8.00.
RYAN BOHLKE, and 18 year old rookie sprint car racer, won his first career feature on Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway in the 358 main event. And it was Sean Michael dominating the United Racing Club sprint car feature race for his second win of the season with the traveling organization.

Selinsgrove has two nights of action this weekend with sprints, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners on Saturday at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, August 1st the 410 sprints and super sportsman will be in action at 7 p.m.

GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY rained out their Sunday night show featuring the DIRT Motorsports Southeast Series Big Block Modifieds. There are plans to reschedule.

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