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Kids activities are part of two area race programs tonight. Port Royal and Lincoln Speedways host their annual “Kids Night” with plenty of giveway items. Both should feature some great racing.
At Port Royal the late models compete in a championship event and are joined by the econo lates and sprint cars.
Lincoln honors fallen firefighter Brandon Little by hosting a 33 lap sprint car race which pays the winner $5,000. The 358 sprint car racers compete for $1,333 to win. There’s also a make up 358/360 challenge race from last year’s rained out USAC program. The significance of “33” denotes the fire company Little belonged to which is just down the road from the speedway.
Williams Grove’s Saturday night series of super sportsman, limited late models and street stocks is set for tonight. Selinsgrove and Susquehanna Speedways are on summer vacation and closed for the evening. Susquehanna resumes operation July 19 when 410 sprint cars are joined by the URC 360 sprints.
It seems truck and tractor pulling has become a substitute to auto racing at a number of area tracks. Hesston Speedway near Huntingdon presents Full Pull Productions tonight at 6.
If you haven’t been to Bedford Speedway before or want to enjoy a free night of racing, mark July 17 on your calendar. Bedford presents a free general admission program of seven feature events. The program was made possible because of rainouts during the month of June. Last Sunday, Jeff Rine scored his 19th career late model win at the historic track. Long time late model star Jack Pencil came out of retirement competing in the super late model class. Lewistown drivers Waylon Wagner and Jason Schmidt finished in positions 11 and 12.
Congratulations to Doug Esh on winning the $10,000 Mitch Smith Memorial race last Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway. Esh has struggled this year and received a needed boost in confidence.
Mike Erdley replaces Tyler Bear in the Tom Chiapelli Racing No. 98 sprint car at Port Royal Speedway. The team plans to compete one night per week. I’m happy for Erdley while sad for Bear. Both are good guys I like and respect. Bear will return to his family owned car.
Donnie Kreitz Jr. is out of action suffering from concussion like symptoms including dizziness, memory loss and a “slow brain” (Kreitz’s words). Kreitz suffered a concussion in a wild crash at Susquehanna Speedway at the end of 2013 resulting in those symptoms. The symptoms returned recently despite the fact Kreitz hasn’t been in any recent accidents. Kreitz is awaiting test results and hopes to return to competition July 19 at Susquehanna Speedway.
Is there any type racecar Rico Abreu can’t drive well? Abreu has been one of the hottest young talents the past two seasons in sprint cars and midgets. Abreu is now asphalt racing in the NASCAR K&N late model series. The 23-year-old Californian has competed in seven asphalt races to date. Abreu won the pole the last two events and won his first race last Saturday at Columbus (Ohio) Speedway. Abreu swapped the lead eight times. I predict Abreu will be in the Xfinity Series as early as next year.
Kevin Harvick can be the first Cup driver to clinch a Chase spot this weekend by starting the Kentucky race tonight. Harvick is winner-qualified and will now be guaranteed to finish in the top 30 in points.
Tonight’s Kentucky action is covered by NBCSN starting at 7 p.m. Green flag is expected at 7:45. Rain washed out qualifying for the second week which forced the Woods Brothers Racing Team to go home unable to start the event. Brad Keselowski is the defending winner having sat on the pole last year. No Chevrolet car has won at Kentucky. Joe Gibbs and Roger Penske racing teams have won two times each. Chevrolet’s best performance to date has been from Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing. A new rules package for this race is in effect which reduces spoiler height.
Buddy Baker announced he is suffering from inoperable lung cancer with a large tumor. Baker told fans, “Do not shed a tear, give a smile when you say my name.” Baker is 74 years old and a 19-time Cup winner. Baker enjoyed a long career in broadcasting with TNN, CBS and Sirius NASCAR, which he resigned from this week, upon receiving the diagnosis.
Austin Dillon’s crash last Monday morning at Daytona brought back bad memories of Dale Earnhardt’s fatal crash in 2001, especially with Dillon driving the No. 3 Earnhardt made famous. Dillon was fortunate suffering only a bruised tailbone and forearm. Media columns this week have been brutal concerning the accident and how to improve restrictor plate racing and tracks. A 60-foot wide hole was punched in the fence. An estimated 13 fans sought treatment from debris following the wreck. It has to stop before someone is killed.
The Confederate flag controversy at Daytona gave NASCAR the opposite result from what it wanted. Very few Confederate flags were exchanged at the track for American flags (as NASCAR had offered to do for free) while Confederate flags were all over the place. I watched video coverage of long vehicle parades on the streets outside the track with flags flying everywhere. I wonder if NASCAR determined minding their own business might have achieved a better result. Just my thought and opinion.
Have a great racing weekend. Please drive safely!