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Port schedule offers plenty – including a delay

Sentinel file photo
Logan Wagner drove the Zemco No. 1 car to a track championship at Port Royal in 2018, and will look to repeat this summer.

PORT ROYAL — Promoter Steve O’Neal schedules March racing at Port Royal Speedway hoping for a warm early spring day.

Port Royal’s season was scheduled to kick off with a rare Sunday afternoon racing program featuring the sprint cars and late models, but that isn’t happening — the weather remains cold with a few inches of snow remaining on the Juniata County fairgrounds heading into the weekend.

For the season openers, the winner of the 25-lap sprint car feature earns $4,000, and the winner of the 25-lap late model feature earns $2,200.

When the season does get started, it will be the 74th consecutive season of auto racing at Port Royal.

“I’m really looking forward to the 2019 season and it sure would be nice if Mother Nature is also looking forward to it,” O’Neal said.

Another jam-packed schedule awaits once the weather improves.

“I really like the schedule that we have again this year, which will bring all the national and regional sanctions of sprint cars and late models in the country to Port Royal Speedway to race against some of the very best local racers in the country,” he said. “It’s a long and very aggressive schedule that has plenty of racing for any die hard or casual race fan. And, as long as our great fans, owners and sponsors continue to support us I see no reason to slow down.

“The fair board continues to make improvements to the speedway and the grounds and this year is no different,” O’Neal said. “There will just not be as many eye-catching changes that have been made the past several years. Approximately 2,000 tons of fresh clay has been laid down in an effort to continue creating the exciting races we are all used to seeing. The board has also purchased some of the surrounding property around the speedway to try and protect the future of the speedway and the fair and also to continue to try and grow both. There are several other projects that are in motion to be done but again they are not the visible improvements of the past couple of years but projects that need done (water containment ponds, catch fence around turn 3.)

Port Royal swings right back into action with its first Saturday program of the year on March 16 with the same program of sprint cars and late models.

The first big double-header weekend of the year is only a few weeks away. First, on March 23 the sprints are joined by the Ultimate Late Model Series and the Mason-Dixon Limited Late Model Series. A day later, the Short Track Super Series for dirt modifieds comes to Port Royal, along with the Ultimate Late Model Series.

“I’ve gotten a great response from the teams about this weekend and I hope the weather breaks by then” O’Neal said.

The month of March concludes with sprints, late models, and limited late models on March 30.

The 355 econo late model class has been replaced with 358 late models this season.

April is highlighted by the Keith Kauffman Classic sanctioned by the All Stars on April 13. That’s the second doubleheader of the year with the Lucas Oil late models on April 14.

The two-day Bob Weikert Memorial highlights Memorial Day weekend at the speedway. The sprints will race for $10,000 to win both nights and the late models will race for $5,000 to win both nights as well.

The wingless sprint cars of USAC return on June 15. The track’s first Pennsylvania Speedweek race is July 3, followed by the Greg Hodnett Classic on July 6.

The 13th Annual Living Legends Dream Race is set for Aug. 3.

The 165th Annual Juniata County Fair begins with the Butch Renninger Memorial for the late models on Aug. 31. The sprints are also part of the show. The Labor Day Classic is Monday, Sept. 2 at 1 in the afternoon. Tuscarora 50 weekend follows with the 52nd annual Tuscarora 50 paying $52,000 to win. Donny Schatz won it last season when it was rained out and rescheduled for Outlaw weekend in October.

The 305 sprint cars will be a big part of the schedule once again this year with their biggest race on Oct. 12 for the eighth annual RaceSaver Challenge. The season once again ends with a two-day Outlaw show on Oct. 25-26.

Logan Wagner of Harrisonville drove the famous Zemco Speed Equipment sprinter to the track championship. He’s the eighth different sprint car champion in the past eight seasons.

Jeff Rine of Danville, the leader feature winner and champion at Selinsgrove Speedway, earned his first career Port Royal late model championship.

Kyle Smith of Great Barrington, Mass., earned the 305 sprint car championship. Smith will be a rookie in the 410 sprints this season.

Derick Garman won the econo late model championship and Bill Powell won the xtreme stock championship.

“We have also decided to partner with Speed shift TV for the next three years to have all our races on pay per view which we really hope that this gives all our races teams more exposure and helps them with future sponsorships. We also have already received word that the two-day Tuscarora 50 will again be shown on MAV-TV on a later date this year,” O’Neal said.

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