Ma Nature Might Play Into Opening Weekend

Ma Nature Might Play Into Opening Weekend

By Brad Vores February 21, 2008

The countdown has begun.

Three area speedway’s will attempt to kick off the 2008 racing season this weekend but will Mother Nature have the final say?

Lincoln, Hagerstown and Williams Grove Speedway’s are all scheduled to drop the green flag this weekend.

But at a press luncheon held Tuesday at Cindy Rowe Auto Glass’ headquarters in Harrisburg, track officials summed it up.

“Right now I’d say we’re 60/40,” said Wayne Harper of Lincoln Speedway about Saturday’s planned 410 Sprint car opener. “Fred has been working on the track just about every day but there is a chance of weather this week, so right now, I’d say we will make a decision on Saturday.”

If any track will make an effort to beat the elements, it will be Lincoln who is known to defy Mother Nature on many occasions.

Hagerstown Speedway’s late model/big block modified opener is tentatively a go as of now for Saturday.

“The ice and snow just melted off the front stretch yesterday and we haven’t even been on the track yet,” said general manager Steve Crumbacker. “We most likely will have a decision by Friday.”

Williams Grove Speedway is undergoing many improvements for the upcoming racing season but all systems are go as of Tuesday.

“We will have 20 percent new lighting with the new Musco Lights and of course the new aluminum grandstands,” track manager Justin Loh said about the Grove. “We have some work but we are still planning on racing depending on what kind of weather we get the rest of the week.”

The Grove will feature a Sprints only racing card beginning at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Defending Grove champion Todd Shaffer, Lincoln champion Fred Rahmer, up and coming driver Cody Darrah, Selinsgrove Speedway 358 sprint runner-up Phil Walter, Hagerstown track champion JT Spence and Hagerstown’s all-time leading late model winner Gary Stuhler were the drivers in attendance on Tuesday.

Shaffer plans to defend his Cindy Rowe Auto Glass championship with car owners Gary and Patty Beam and is looking forward to the season.

Rahmer said he is more fired up than ever before and is ready to get back to racing after racing nine times in Florida earlier this month.

Darrah, who missed most of 2007 with an arm injury is working hard with Greg Hodnett on his fitness program and is looking forward to getting back to racing with crew chief Lee Stauffer.

Walter is hoping to improve on his runner-up point finish as he welcomes a new sponsor-Paul Stine Chevrolet-to his 358 sprint car operation this season.

Spence isn’t point racing this season and will compete at Hagerstown as well as Virginia Motor Speedway while Stuhler will be back racing all the area’s big late model events as he has for many seasons.

Selinsgrove Speedway’s public relations man Steve Inch announced the track has raised it’s 358 sprint car purse for Saturday night’s with the winner receiving $1,500 with $200 just to start the feature.

Passing points will be used to line up feature events for the early season races at Lincoln Speedway this season.

Cindy Rowe Auto Glass will return to all four of the tracks once again in 2008 as point fund sponsors. CRAG has been a longtime and major supporter of midstate auto racing.

PIT STOPS
Josh Richards and Billy Moyer kicked off the World of Outlaw late model season with feature wins last week at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park. York’s Rick Eckert had an amazing run through the field during the first WoO feature, coming from 24th to finish second. Eckert went winless in 2007 on the WoO circuit and is looking to change his luck this season…

The World of Outlaws sprint car series was rained out last weekend at Pike County Speedway in Mississippi. They will be in action Friday and Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California…

Leach Brothers Motorsports/Pancho Racing Products sprint car team and driver Doug Esh have added a few new sponsors to their No. 30 sprint car for the new season. Tara’s Bridal and Special Occasions, Ruckers Computer Solutions, Blooms by Vickery and North York Auto Menders have joined the team. Esh will compete regularly at Lincoln and Williams Grove…