Port Royal Speedway has concluded the 2011 racing season.
Last Saturday night the 44th annual Tuscarora 50 was won by Stevie Smith. The veteran driver from Broken Arrow, Okla., led all 50 laps of the event.
With Port Royal's finish action shifts this evening to the Selinsgrove Speedway, where the Jim Nace Memorial for 410 sprint cars will be run. The race will be spun off in two 44-lap segments which pay the winner $6,000 each.
Should one driver win both segments, he or she will receive a $14,000 bonus. That's a pretty impressive payday for anyone.
Last year's winners were Pat Cannon and Lance Dewease. So who are the drivers to keep an eye on in tonight's feature? Fred Rahmer is a five-time winner. Todd Shaffer has won four titles and Greg Hodnett is a three-time winner. Keep your eye on Keith Kauffman and Chad Layton as well. Both have run well over the years at the Snyder County oval.
Crystal and Jamie Nace will pay $300 to the fast timer. The sprint cars are joined by the late models. Racing begins at 7.
Logan Schuchart will make his 410 sprint car debut tonight at Selinsgrove. Schuchart has done well in 358 sprint car action this season. The York County teenager is the grandson of Hall of Fame sprint car driver Bobby Allen.
Lincoln Speedway will run the Sportsman 100 tonight for super sportsman cars. Frankie Kerr is a five-time winner of the event and defending race champion. The race a regular feature at the former Silver Spring Speedway. The 358 late models are also part of the card. Action starts at 7.
Susquehanna and Hagerstown speedways also are racing tonight. Hagerstown features late model sportsman as the headline show. Susquehanna has a regular night of action planned.
Season ending special events continue to be run. The World of Outlaws will be visiting Williams Grove Speedway shortly.
Congratulations go out to Mike Wagner of Harrisonville on winning the Port Royal Speedway sprint car track championship. Wagner won the title for the second time of his career and accomplished the feat with out winning a feature event. It goes to show that no matter what type point scale a track comes up with, consistency still pays off in the end.
It was a short year of racing at the Juniata County oval due to rain and only 17 sprint car races were held. Wagner had 13 top 10 finishes. Scotty Haus won the late model title.
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The NASCAR Sprint Cup racers are at Chicagoland Speedway for tomorrow's Geico 400. ESPN has TV coverage starting at 1 p.m. Green flag is slated for 2. David Reutiman is the defending race champion. The event marks the start of the 10-race chase for the Sprint Cup title.
Drivers eligible for the title include Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin. The chase continues next week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
I'll be back next week to update you on area racing events. Until next time please drive safely!
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Craig Rutherford writes about motorsports for The Sentinel.
