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What is by far the most prestigious race at Port Royal Speedway is being held tonight.
The 49th Tuscarora 50 continues the Central Pa. fall month of money in a big way. The race is a special challenge – few sprint car events cover 50 laps. Race and tire strategy are paramount.
Starting the A-main is worth $600; $12,000 awaits the winner. There’s a track championship on the line, too.
Lancaster’s Doug Esh entered last night’s competition as the sprint car points leader ahead of Mike Wagner and Brock Zearfoss. A champion will be crowned tonight. Econo late models also are in action this evening.
Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions sanction the Tuscarora 50 racing program. Stewart will be busy in Richmond, Virginia, competing in a NASCAR Sprint Cup night race.
The All Stars have their own point battle going, which is coming down to the wire. Dale Blaney led Chad Kemenah by eight points entering Friday’s action. The hottest All Star driver is Sheldon Haudenschild, who scored two high-dollar wins last weekend at Wayne County and Attica, Ohio. Other All Star regulars expected to battle the Pennsylvania stars include Cap Henry and Kraig Kinser. It should be a great night of racing..
Port Royal Speedway has enjoyed a great fair week so far. Last Saturday night’s Butch Renninger Memorial event lived up its billing with hard wheel-banging action. Gregg Satterlee became the first repeat late model winner of the event. Greg Hodnett won the 410 sprint car program.
Gettysburg’s Danny Dietrich parked the Weikert’s Livestock No. 29 throwback car on the stage Labor Day afternoon. It was Dietrich’s second Labor Day victory in three years. The daylight racing action was great for the third year in a row.
Andy Haus clinched the Port Royal late model title by virtue of attending last night.
Say it isn’t so – longtime friend and late model competitor Eric Zembower posted his race car for sale on Facebook this week with a message he is retiring from racing. The Bedford driver has been a regular at both Bedford and Port Royal over the past 15 years. I’m happy for Zembower but sad to see him depart. Zembower joins other Bedford stars Jack Pencil and Andy Martz who have hung up their helmets over the last couple years. Zembower is active in racing history, race car restorations and the upcoming creation of the Bedford Sports Museum, which will be built at the Bedford Fairgrounds.
Stevie Smith reminded everyone not to count the Fred Rahmer-owned race team out during the fall’s big-dollar races. Smith won last Sunday night’s Billy Kimmel Memorial at Williams Grove Speedway. This team has struggled at times this season. They also haven’t raced a lot.
Tonight is the cutoff race for drivers attempting to make the chase in Sprint Cup’s postseason. Expect plenty of action in this race.
Enjoy what should be a great weekend of racing. I’ll be back next week.
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Craig Rutherford writes about motorsports for The Sentinel.