TWO NIGHTS OF SPRINT CAR RACING will highlight
the Labor Day weekend at Williams Grove Speedway.
On Friday evening, September 3, a sprint car double header is on
tap with the 410 c.i. powered sprint cars joined by the limited (358
c.i.) sprints.The first heat is scheduled to start at 8:00.This will be an extra purse, extra distance event for the limited sprints.
Harrisburg's Chad Layton can clinch his second track championship
in the limited division on September 3. The 2002 champion has been the
man to beat in the limited class in recent weeks scoring back-to-back
victories on July 30 and August 6, the last time the 358 sprints
appeared at Williams Grove.
Layton has pushed his career win total to 12, just two behind Mike
Lehman's record total of 14.Layton could actually pass Lehman this season if he sweeps the remaining races on the schedule. The limiteds will return on September
17 and again on October 16 for the Fall Fest.
In the sprint car division Fred Rahmer is leading the Cindy Rowe
Auto Glass standings and holds just a ten point lead over Mark Smith in
the Diamond Series standings. Both sets of points may be altered
dramatically when the Jack Gunn Memorial Triple 20s are completed on
Sunday evening, September 5.Qualifying begins at 7:00.
Each of the three features will have a separate point payoff for
both the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass and Diamond Series standings.
The first two 20-lap features will pay $2500 to win and the third
will be worth $5000 to the winner. This event was rained out on August 20 and rescheduled for Sunday
evening, September 5, the night before the Labor Day holiday.
This will be the last opportunity for race fans to see sprint car
racing at Williams Grove until September 17.
A championship event in the enduro division is set for Friday,
September 10. This 200-lap test for stock cars will be the sole attraction at Williams Grove on that night.
Some reserved seats remain for the Cleveland Brothers National Open
sanctioned by the World of Outlaws on October 1-2. Credit card orders
are accepted at 717.697.5000.
WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE SEASON FRED RAHMER IS HAVING. He rode to his 60th career feature win in the 410 sprints at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night. He leads the points at Williams Grove, Lincoln, Susquehanna and in the 410 Series at Selinsgrove. He has won somewhere in the area of 25 features (that is a career statistic for many top runners) this season and there is still more to come.
We can remember some who were saying, when Rahmer had a rough season last year, that he was old and washed up. Wrong!! There is still a lot of sprint car racing left in Fred Rahmer. Kevin Welsh lead all 25 laps to take the United Racing Club sprint car feature.
BLANE HEIMBACH won the Ed Shafer Memorial sprint car feature for the season year in a row on Friday night at Clinton County Speedway. AY Schilling won the Late Model feature while Tim Krape was tops in the Pro Stocks. Jason Yufer got the win in the 4-Cylinder Enduros.
Action returns to Clinton County Speedway on Friday night with sprints, 358 late models, pro stocks and enduro racing all starting at 7:30 p.m.
BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY CLOSES OUT THE SUMMER this weekend with racing on Friday night and Sunday night. While Sunday is the big event of the year, the 25th Annual Coal Cracker Nationals with the winner of the Modified 100 earning $10,000, the Friday night action is also big as it will decide the point champions in the Big Diamond NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds and Roadrunners for 2004.
Big Diamond’s traditional Coal Cracker Nationals started in 1979 and have been run every year except during the shortened 1983 season. The event was originally a 50 lapper but now is contested over a 100-lap distance.
Many of today’s stars have recorded Coal Cracker victories. 2004 point leader Doug Hoffman of Allentown captured the Coal Cracker Nationals in 1986 and 1988 in the Hoffman Brothers #60. Craig Von Dohren of Oley was the winner in 1987 in the Four Star Racing #1c and Rick Schaffer of Woxall took the title in 1991 in the Pete Damiani #77. Keith Hoffman of Whitehall took his first CC 100 just last year in the Johnny Rae #1.
Other past winners who are active Modified drivers include Jeff Strunk of Bethel (1990 in the Bob Strunk #88 and 1996 & 1997 in the Keith Roussey #93), Kenny Brightbill of Sinking Spring (1992 in the Randy Strickler #19), Tom Mayberry of Sellersville (1995 in the Ed Wigfield #11), Duane Howard (1998 & 1999 in the Cary Duncan #85A and in 2001 in the Glenn Hyneman #126) and Billy Pauch (2000 in the his own #1p and 2002 in the BRB Racing #114p).
The list of past winners also includes Bob Emerich, who won the inaugural event in 1979, the other three-time Coal Cracker winner Charlie Eckert, Paul Koch and current sprint car superstar Fred Rahmer.
This year’s 100 is set for this Sunday, September 5 at 7PM with a rain date of Labor Day Monday, September 6, at 6 PM. Also on the card will be a 20-lap Roadrunner Open Championship race.
A NASCAR license is not required for competition in the Coal Cracker Nationals but non-members will pay a $50 entry fee per modified while members will get a $10 discount. There is no entry fee for the roadrunners.
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On Friday night, September 3, the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Modifieds, ShorTrack Sportsman Modifieds and Roadrunners will be in action in their final point races of the season. The Modifieds and Sportsman Modifieds will both go in 20-lap features while the Roadrunners will wrap up their night of speed with a 15-lap main. Although competitors in the Coal Cracker 100 need not race on Friday, the event will be an ideal tune-up for outsiders and will provide the top three modified feature finishers with spots in the Coal Cracker 100 as part of the lineup draw with Sunday’s heat qualifiers.
Friday night’s event gets underway at 8 PM with gates opening at 6 PM.
For more information on Big Diamond Raceway, go to http://www.bigdiamondraceway.com/ or call (570) 544-6434.
At Big Diamond Raceway this past Friday night Doug Manmiller got his third win of the season in the NASCAR Modifieds. Point leader and many time feature winner Doug Hoffman lead the feature for 5 laps but was not in the top ten at the finish. He is leading in the NASCAR Northeast Regional standings and if he stays there he will walk off with close to $50,000 for his efforts. Dave Dissinger took the 20 lap Sportsman Modified feature. And the four 8-lap features for the Roadrunners, sponsored by the Station House Restaurant, went to Kevin Holland (twice) but then he was disqualified for a rule infraction (big engine we are told) and his wins went to Dave Miller (giving him three for the night) and Dean Ulsh got the fourth one.
SUSQUEHANNA SPEEDWAY has a special Sunday night show of racing on September 5. The Newberrytown, PA oval will host the Credit Connection/Trail Motors Night at the Races featuring the Super Sportsman, the Silver Springs Street Stocks and double features for the PA Four Cylinders. Racing will start at 7 p.m.
PROMOTER FRANK PLESSINGER will present the 19th Annual Ronnie McBee/Ron Hays Memorial at the Hagerstown Speedway on Saturday night, September 4th . Adult admission is only $10 for the extra distance late model feature with children under 12 FREE. Race time is 7:30 P.M. with gates opening at 5 P.M. The 44-lap memorial will pay $2,500 to the winner.
The 44-lap McBee Memorial is held each year to pay tribute to one of the top late model drivers who ever competed at the Hagerstown Speedway and to his car owner Ron Hays. McBee was killed in a job-related accident in 1986. In addition to being track champion at Hagerstown in 1978 & 1979, McBee won late model championships at several area tracks including Lincoln and Williams Grove Speedways. In his 13 year career, McBee won 162 features at 12 tracks. In 1984, McBee was the winningest late model driver in the northeast. His final win was at Hagerstown in the Conococheague 100 while driving the Ron Hays #44.
Hays was one of the winningest car owners in the area with drivers like Sam Nalley, Kenny Brightbill, McBee and Gary Stuhler. Hays passed away four years ago after a long illness and the race became a memorial event for both men.
The McBee/Hays Memorial carries an increase in purse and double points for the late models. Three-time track champion Roy Deese Jr has a 97 point lead over Frankie Plessinger of Big Cove Tannery, PA . Deese and Plessinger are looking for their first McBee/Hays Memorial win. The Laurel, MD driver has been plagued by mechanical problems of late and hopes a win in the Memorial will get him back on track as the season winds down. Jason Covert of York Haven, PA is third with Brent Smith of Mercersburg, PA and Alan Sagi of Hagerstown rounding out the top five.
Past winners of the McBee Memorial include Buddy Armel, John Mason, Denny Bonebrake, Rodney Franklin, DJ Myers, Gary Stuhler and Rick Workman. Stuhler, Myers, Bonebrake and Franklin lead all drivers with three McBee/Hays Memorial wins. Myers is the defending race champion. Joining the late models will be the Hoosier Tires late model sportsman and the Ernie’s Salvage Yard pure stocks.
GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY has their final point race of the season coming up on Saturday, September 4, 7:30 p.m. when BPG Racing/Chad Sinon Motorsports presents the NASCAR Modified and Late Model doubleheader. Coming up on Saturday, September 11th is the T.H.Properties Freedom 76 which offers $20,000 to the winner of the 76 lap Modified Classic starting at 7 p.m. Pre race festivities get started at 3 p.m.
FRED RAHMER won his 26th feature of the season and 10th at Lincoln on Saturday night in the 410 sprints. The 10th annual Bobby Abel Memorial for 410 sprints takes place on Saturday, September 4th at 7:30 p.m. The 358 sprints and Northeast Classics will be part of the show.
DAVE BERKHEIMER won at Silver Spring Speedway Super Sportsman feature for the first time on Saturday night and Bud Witmer was tops in the 50-lapper for the Late Models. The 52nd Anniversary Celebration takes place on September 4th with a 52 lap feature for Super Sportsman and the late models will run a feature only while the street stocks will go in two 20-lap main events. It all starts at 7 p.m.
PLEASE have a safe Labor Day weekend and enjoy some auto racing at your local weekly speedway.
Readers can reach
Ernie Saxton can at Esaxton144@aol.com. |
