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Susquehanna Speedway Park is the lone area racetrack in operation this weekend. The small block sportsman modifieds join street and xtreme stocks, legend cars, micro sprints and more for Candy Bowl XI, which starts Saturday at 2 p.m. A Sunday rain date is available.
The York County oval will use the same format two weeks from now when the Final Showdown closes the 2015 racing season with 410 and 358 sprint cars on the program. The 410 winner earns $10,000 in the finale.
Port Royal Speedway closed out the season last week with the ninth World of Outlaws visit to the Juniata County oval. Outlaw drivers swept the top three spots during A-main action. Californian Brad Sweet scored the win over Daryn Pittman and Donny Schatz. The most impressive drive of the night came from Dale Blaney, who started 23rd in the feature event. Blaney drove to a sixth place finish and was still looking to advance when the checkered flag fell.
Port Royal Speedway officials have made plenty of news this week first by announcing the Bob Weikert Memorial event is being expanded to a three-day program next year. Promoter Steve O’Neal stated additional seating will be added at the track for next season.
Speedway award banquets are coming up shortly. Port Royal and Lincoln speedways share Nov. 21 as the date for their annual programs. Tickets for the Port Royal banquet are on sale at a cost of $30 each and can be obtained by contacting the speedway office. The event will be held at the Port Royal Community Building, which is located on Fourth Street.
Todd Shaffer drove the Dave Middleswarth-owned No. 7 during World of Outlaws competition last week at Port Royal. Social media reports followed stating Shaffer would campaign the car during the 2016 season. Apparently that report was premature – no definite plans have been finalized for that race team next season.
Paul McMahan made the decision to leave the Chad and Jenn Clemens-owned No. 51 sprint car after next week’s World Finals at Charlotte, N.C. McMahan is parting on good terms with the team. Sammy Swindell will drive the second Clemens car in select races. McMahan joined the CJB Motorsports group in 2013. The team finished third in World of Outlaw points during the 2013 and 2014 seasons while scoring nine wins. This year has been a struggle with just three wins and a disappointing seventh place finish in points. McMahan hasn’t started making plans for next season.
Negotiations continue toward a new promotional team at Selinsgrove Speedway. Sources indicate progress has been made. I’m told we can expect an announcement in about two weeks.
There’s a major 360 sprint car race this weekend at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. It’s starting to look like a 410 race. Drivers Stevie Smith, Jason Sides, Shane Stewart, Chad Kemenah, Tim Shaffer, Terry McCarl, Jac and Sheldon Haudenschild are entered.
The World Finals will be held next weekend at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The racy 4/10 mile oval is part of the NASCAR facility and racing there is always exciting. The weekend program features 410 sprint cars, super late models and dirt modifieds, and will host a number of Pennsylvania drivers.
Jeremy Elliott, motorsports reporter for the Patriot-News, will be a guest on PA Sports Saturday with Jed Donahue Saturday morning at 11:30. The program can be heard locally on WIEZ-AM 670. Elliott will recap the current racing season.
Injured driver Kevin Swindell granted an interview recently which was shared on social media by National Speed Sport News. Swindell is currently paralyzed from the waist down after fracturing both this L-1 and L-7 vertebrae during a crash at Knoxville, Iowa, Speedway Aug. 13.
Swindell remains optimistic stating, “We have been able to get some movement back in places and get some feeling back already. To be this soon and for them to tell you it is six or so months for the swelling to go down, to be two months in already and have a good bit of feeling back is pretty encouraging.”
Make no mistake, Swindell says: ” I hope to race again.” That’s a gutsy determined young man for sure. I wish him well.
I don’t have much to say concerning last weekend’s finish at Talladega International Speedway. I’m thankful most short tracks, dirt or asphalt, seem to do a better job of race procedures than NASCAR. The race restarts and finish were pathetic.
The Chase for the Sprint Cup continues Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. NBCSN has TV coverage. Race time is 2:30 pm. Dale Earnhardt Jr is the defending race champion.
Have a great racing weekend. I’ll be back next week; until then, please drive safely!
Craig Rutherford writes about motorsports for The Sentinel.