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The World of Outlaws sprint cars invade Port Royal Speedway for the ninth time tonight. The Mid Atlantic Modified series will make its first appearance at the Juniata County oval. Gates open at 2 pm. Racing gets underway at 5.
Both PA and Outlaw drivers have won during the series at Port Royal. Lynn Paxton won the initial program held in 1979. Donnie Kreitz Jr became the second winner in 1986. Doug Wolfgang put the Weikert’s Livestock No. 29 in the winners circle in 1987. There wasn’t another Outlaw sanctioned race at Port Royal until 2001 when traveler Danny Wood became the first Outlaw driver to win. Ryan Smith tied the scorecard with the PA Posse’s fourth win. and will be attempting to defend his title.
Who are the region’s drivers to beat tonight at Port Royal? Smith for starters. The Kunkletown driver is a third-generation driver and protege of Donnie Kreitz Jr. Smith traveled most of the season with Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions where he scored three feature wins.
The hottest driver in the country is Donny Schatz of Minot, N.D. The 38-year-old started his racing career at age 11 driving go-carts and never looked back. Schatz clinched his seventh World of Outlaws Championship last weekend and enters tonight’s action with 31 wins this season.
Several All Star drivers are expected to be in the field including Cody Darrah and Tim Shaffer.
After tonight, one 410 sprint car race remains this season in the state, Nov. 14 at Susquehanna Speedway. The World of Outlaws return to New York.
The traveling Mid Atlantic Modifieds feature a modified stock car that produces some of the best racing in the nation and attracts many national stars. Kenny Wallace and Kenny Schrader are both known to compete in this type racer. Former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Stremme will be in action driving a Lethal Racing Chassis which he built himself. Stremme and wife, the former Ashley Deihl of Mifflintown, co-host the weekly Slinging Dirt program broadcast on MRN Radio.com. Air time is Tuesday morning at 11.
Last week the weather didn’t cooperate and all area racing was washed out. There were 30 410 racers in the pit area when Susquehanna was forced to cancel. The Nov. 14 Final Showdown event pays $10,000 to win and is Todd and Rhonda Fisher’s final event as promoters of the track.
New Susquehnna Speedway manager Kolten Gouse announced that aluminum seating with backs and no open air to the ground will be in place next spring. New owner Scott Gobrecht purchased grandstands recently removed from Daytona International and Charlotte Motor speedways. The old original outside concrete wall will be retained to create an atmosphere of old and new. A new clay surface will be going down shortly.
Susquehanna will present its annual Candy Bowl race next Saturday with 358 small block modifieds the headline class.
Clint Bowyer maintains a successful two-driver dirt late model team. Bowyer shook things up recently replacing one Kentucky star with another. Gone is the Kentucky Colonel, Steve Francis, who was replaced by Darrell Lanigan. I enjoy watching the Lucas Series. The best dirt late model travelers compete there on a regular basis.
Matt Kenseth’s son Ross will debut driving a NASCAR Camping World Truck at Martinsville, Va., Speedway. The youngster recently made his first Xfinity start at Chicagoland. Kenseth drove a Joe Gibbs-owned Toyota to a sixth-place finish.
Phoenix International Raceway announced the grandstand is sold out for the upcoming Nov. 15 Sprint Cup race. Where was the last NASCAR track that happened at this season?
Have a great racing weekend. Please drive safely!
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Craig Rutherford writes about motorsports for The Sentinel.