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Area speedways continue to open their gates for the season this weekend.
Bedford and Hesston hold car shows and practice sessions. Bedford presents a car show Sunday at 11 a.m. Racers can test and tune their cars during the afternoon. The official 80th season opener is set for next Friday night. Super and limited late models are joined by semi-lates, pure stocks and four-cylinders.
Hesston Speedway offers a slightly different format this week end. A two-day race car show is being held at Logan Valley Mall in Altoona. There’s a practice session this afternoon at the track. Next Sunday officially opens the season with two 100 lap enduro races, modified stock cars, and roadrunners. The first enduro races features V-6 and V-8 sedans. The second event is for SUVs and minivans.
Port Royal Speedway is back in action tonight with a program of 410 and 305 sprint cars plus super late models.
Lincoln Speedway features 358 and 410 sprint cars plus Central PA Legends cars this evening.
Selinsgrove Speedway opens next Saturday night with 358 sprint cars, super late models and pro stocks.
Susquehanna Speedway opened last week under new leadership. Typical opening day glitches occurred but fans were pleased with the reworked facility and racing.
Now onto other news.
Mark April 23 on your calendar. That’s when Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars invade Port Royal Speedway. The All Stars should have their best group of regulars traveling with them in recent memory. Dale Blaney is the leader of the group. A six-time champion, Blaney will be joined on tour by Chad Kemenah, Kraig Kinser, Danny Holtgraver, Sheldon Haudenschild and others. The program has a new twist in that it is no longer the Bob Weikeret Memorial race. That program has been expanded into a three-day show during the month of May. This year’s race is titled the Keith Kauffman Classic honoring the man from Mifflintown. I feel sure the change will be well received. The super late models are also competing in a special event.
Last week saw two dominating performances in area 410 sprint car racing. Aaron Ott turned around what has been a dismal start to his season by destroying Port Royal Speedway’s field. Ott won by over a seven second margin over Doug Esh. Ott has recorded three out of four top five finishes in recent events.
Kasey Kahne hasn’t raced in many sprint car races lately. In fact Kahne only competed in 10 sprint car programs over the last couple seasons. Kahne hasn’t lost his touch. Kahne successfully held off Brian Montieth through lapped traffic to record the win last week at Lincoln. That isn’t an easy task. Montieth is normally at his best at the Pigeon Hills oval.
Kahne had to be perfect and was. It was a turnaround performance after finishing 15th last Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway. Sources tell me Kahne was all smiles and the crowd was loud enjoying the moment with the NASCAR star. Mechanic Lee Stauffer turned the wrenches on Kahne’s car. Since Stauffer was hired by Kahne to wrench Brad Sweet’s racers, Sweet has shown impressive results. Kahne competing served as a shakedown session for the team’s sprint cars. It should help the efforts of Sweet and Daryn Pittman on down the road.
Until next week please drive safely!
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Craig Rutherford writes about motorsports for The Sentinel.