Weather washes out final event of Port Royal season
COMMENTARY
Port Royal Speedway’s season came to a close prematurely on Friday afternoon.
The track’s Open Wheel Madness show planned for today was called off, and will not be made up. Track officials made the call after looking at today’s weather forecast, which called for lingering rain and a low temperature, possibly accompanied by high winds.
Port Royal’s Fall Foliage Days will go on. The speedway will hold its annual banquet on Nov. 19.
Port Royal announced that the Lucas Oil Late Model Series will visit the oval for the first time next season on April 23. The program will feature a 50 lAP A-Main that will pay the winner $10,000. The world’s best dirt late model drivers compete in the Lucas series, including Scott Bloomquist.
Selinsgrove Speedway’s banquet is set. It will be held at the Genetti Hotel in Williamsport on Nov. 5. Tickets are on sale now, with a deadline of Oct. 28. Champions and top point finishers will be honored.
Lewistown driver Eric Parker will be recognized as the top 358 sprint car driver this season at the Snyder County oval.
Bedford Speedway announced its 2017 schedule will be released in December. An ambitious schedule is planned. Bedford completed 20 race dates this season. An early April opening date is expected.
Auto racing has been saved at the Cumberland (Maryland) Raceway. New clay has been placed on the oval and 16 race dates are planned next year. A practice day is set for April 8. The track will be renamed The Greater Cumberland Raceway.
The facility was nearly lost after the county, which owns the fairgrounds, listened to a feasibility survey recommending the track be razed. That would have been a shame. Thankfully a promoter stepped up and the county government, which control the facility, quickly inked a deal. This track is scenic and has a covered grandstand. It also has a NASCAR-like pit lane that could accommodate long-distance races.
Earlier this season several dirt late model drivers were fined and disqualified for tire infractions at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway. Bloomquist, Gregg Satterlee, Jimmy Owens and Ricky Thornton were severely disciplined by the World Racing Group, which owns the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. The group sued World Racing, Eldora and Tony Stewart as a result. A settlement was reached which resulted in the plaintiffs filing a motion in federal court to dismiss the lawsuit. Drivers will have to pay their fines to be reinstated in Outlaw events.
The All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars close out the season this weekend with a two-day show at the Atomic, Ohio, Speedway. Tonight’s A-Main pays the winner $20,000.
Danica Patrick will make her 150th Sprint Cup start in Sunday’s Alabama 500 at Talladega. Ryan Blaney plans to honor the late Neil Bonnett by wearing the same throwback uniform he wore earlier this year in the Southern 500.
Two weeks ago a car show was held at Hersheypark Stadium. Some of you may know the track around the field was used for sprint car , midget and other racing over the years. To commemorate that fact, Paul Koch drove a restored Weikert’s Livestock sprint car around the track for some exhibition laps. It brings back memories. I was fortunate to see one midget race at the stadium as a child.
The World Finals will be held next weekend at the dirt track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Sprint cars, late models and big block modifieds are featured. A number of Pennsylvania teams will head south to compete. This weekend the UMP modified cars race there with over 150 entries expected.
If you want some free entertainment may I suggest you follow Kenny Wallace’s official Facebook page. Wallace chronicles his dirt track journeys and it’s a laugh a minute.
We’re down to one sprint car race in the northeast on Nov. 5 at Susquehanna Speedway. This show is always a great program at the York County oval.
Have a great racing weekend!
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Craig Rutherford writes about motorsports for The Sentinel.
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