Local racing season comes to an end with Susquehanna’s Sprint Showdown

November 5, 2016

The 2016 racing season comes to a close in Central Pennsylvania this weekend. Susquehanna Speedway presents the Sprint Showdown race this afternoon. Gates open at noon. Time trials are set for 2 p.m. with heat races to follow; 410 and 358 sprint cars are on the card. Current weather forecasts look good for today’s race. Just in case, management reserved Sunday as a rain date. The 2017 Racing Xtravaganza at York Fairgrounds is set for Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 4-5. The show was previously known as Dirt Trackin’, but changed names with a change in ownership. Don’t forget the ...

Moorhead’s hiring is Franklin’s best move so far

October 31, 2016

How many of you Penn State fans feel that what you’re watching with the offense these days is like some sort of dream? Something you’ve been waiting to see for a long time? Aggressive. Taking a bunch of shots down the field. Quick-strike ability. Scoring 62 points, for crying out loud. To be frank, James Franklin’s decision to hire Joe Moorhead is the best one he’s made in his three years at Penn State. OK, so as to not get carried away just yet, this isn’t the 1994 PSU offense. It remains a work in progress and is by no means a finished product. It still struggles at ...

Racing lost a friend in Dave Kepner

October 29, 2016

The racing world lost a goodwill ambassador this week. Dave Kepner passed away Tuesday. Kepner’s influence on area racing was diverse. Kepner spent much of his driving career piloting racers he maintained himself. Kepner excelled in a variety of stock car classes, winning track titles and more than 100 feature wins. The Juniata County native enjoyed the most success at Port Royal and Selinsgrove speedways. Kepner also raced at other area venues including Bedford, Williams Grove and Hagerstown, Maryland, speedways. Kepner was liked and respected by fellow competitors, promoters ...

Weather washes out final event of Port Royal season

October 22, 2016

Port Royal Speedway’s season came to a close prematurely on Friday afternoon. The track’s Open Wheel Madness show planned for today was called off, and will not be made up. Track officials made the call after looking at today’s weather forecast, which called for lingering rain and a low temperature, possibly accompanied by high winds. Port Royal’s Fall Foliage Days will go on. The speedway will hold its annual banquet on Nov. 19. Port Royal announced that the Lucas Oil Late Model Series will visit the oval for the first time next season on April 23. The program will feature ...

Outlaws visit Port Royal oval tonight

October 15, 2016

Port Royal Speedway hosts the World of Outlaws sprint cars this evening.The 5 p.m. program features the best drivers from all over the country battling it out in a 30-lap feature event. The winner earns $10,000.Californian Brad Sweet is the defending race champion. The PA Posse will be led by Lance Dewease, Greg Hodnett, Lucas Wolfe, Stevie Smith, Freddie Rahmer, Danny Dietrich and Doug Esh. There are other Pennsylvania cars also capable of getting the job done.The Outlaws are led by eight-time champion Donny Schatz, who is currently the best sprint car driver in the world. Schatz ...

PSU has chance to prove it can handle success

October 8, 2016

When we last left the Penn State football team - a week ago - it was running around Beaver Stadium like it had just clinched the Big Ten championship.Or something bigger.Not that the come-from-behind overtime win over Minnesota shouldn't have breathed a gust of relief through the Nittany Lions, and not that sprinting across the field for and then raising the Governor's Victory Bell wasn't appropriate.Either way, it's tough to reach an emotional peak two weeks in a row.That's why today's game with Maryland represents a good gauge to Penn State's maturity level at this stage of the season ...