USAC Invades Central PA Next Week

USAC Invades Central PA Next Week

By Brad Vores May 29, 2008

It’s the time of the year wingless sprint car fans in Pennsylvania have been looking forward to.

The USAC National Wingless Sprint Tour will invade the Central Pennsylvania/Maryland region beginning next Tuesday, June 3 with stops at four local speedways.

It will be the second straight season USAC has ventured into the area.

Grandview Speedway will kick off the four-race series on Tuesday night as the wingless sprinters will mix it up on one of the most racey speedway’s in the area.

Following the Thunder on the Hill show at Grandview, Williams Grove Speedway will host the series for the first time in 12 years.

Once an annual stop on the circuit, the big half mile has invited USAC back in what will surely pack the place for the event.

Big Diamond Speedway will host the series on Thursday, June 5 while Hagerstown Speedway brings the series back after a successful 2007 stop on Saturday night, June 7.

“USAC is once again bringing in a strong field of race cars as I have received at least twenty entries to date,” said series organizer Bob Miller, who promotes the Thunder on the Hill series. “Levi Jones, Dave Darland, Brady Bacon, Brad Sweet, Tracy Hines and Daron Clayton, the modern day Cowboy are already entered and local favorites Fred Rahmer, Billy Pauch and Billy Pauch, Jr. plan to take on the USAC talent and we’ll see where it all shakes out.”

Other entries for the series include Chad Boat, Cole Whitt, Darren Hagen, Brad Kuhn, Jerry Coons, Jr., Dustin Morgan, Chris Windam, Tom Meseraull, Hunter Schuerenberg, Damain Gardner, Brett Melencern, Josh Spencer and Shane Cottle are some of the drivers planning to head to Pennsylvania next week. Other local drivers planning on the series are Steve Buckwalter, Josh Weller, and Mark Bitner.

“One thing you can say about the USAC wingless sprints, passing is a standard, slide jobs are common and the occasional bounce off the wall is to be expected,” Miller stated. “USAC never leaves a little contact get in the way of a good race.”

WILBUR RETURNS HOME
Steve Wilbur returned to his Mechanicsburg home last Wednesday after spending two weeks in Lehigh Valley Burn Unit after suffering third degree burns on his legs and ankles.

Wilbur now begins the long recovery and rehabilitation process as the skin grafts on his legs heal.

Wilbur, who has to visit the Burn Center once a week during his rehab had his first visit yesterday and received a bit of disappointing news.

“I thought I was healing pretty good and I thought I was doing a lot better than what I was,” he said. “I was walking and doing stuff on my own but there are still two areas on my right leg that aren’t healed very good and not the way doctors had hoped they would by now. I need to stay off my feet and keep my legs elevated so they can heal.”

The next process in his recovery will be being fitted for pressure garments that he will have to wear 23 hours a day for the next 12-18 months.

Wilbur said the burn center prides themselves in goof followup care and scarring with their burn patients.

“They pride themselves in the final results, going above and beyond for the finished product,” he added. “That’s why I really have to follow their orders so I don’t put myself in any more jeopardy. But I had no idea I was in for this much of an ordeal.”

Wilbur knows he won’t be doing any racing this season but is looking forward to a return to local tracks at some point during the next month or so.

“I’m just excited to go watch some racing,” he said. “The first race I will go to will be a Sportsman race at Williams Grove because there are so many fans there that I owe it to. There are such good people in racing and the people are amazing. I’ve been on both sides of this deal and now I’m on the other side where I need the help and it’s been unbelievable.”

Fans who would like to help defray the cost of Wilbur’s medical expenses and bills can do so by donating at Members First Federal Credit Union, Steve Wilbur Burn Fund, 5000 Louise Drive, PO Box 40, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

Cards continue to reach Wilbur at 20 Sinclair Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

PIT STOPS
Fred Rahmer won Monday night’s Keystone Cup finale at Port Royal Speedway after a four-hour rain delay. Rahmer defeated Mark Smith, Cody Darrah, Todd Shaffer and Todd Hestor. Rahmer won the final Cup points as well over Jeff Shepard…

The Dream Race will return to Port Royal Speedway again this season on Saturday, August 2, 2008. The event will once again pay $30,000 to the winner of the 50 lap 410 Sprint car event. The track will hold preliminary action on Thursday, July 31. More details will follow about the event…

Williams Grove Speedway will hold Autograph and Camera Night for Saturday night’s show featuring Super Sportsman, 358 late models, street stocks and 4-cylinders. The Sportsman and 4-cylinder cars will be on display in the infield. The first 100 fans age 10 and under will receive T-shirts courtesy of Lobar, Inc. for kids to collect autographs of drivers. John Wentzel’s Body Shop in Myerstown will supply disposable cameras to the first 100 families. Gates open at 4:30pm…

Enola’s Jake Murphy scored the 600 Micro Sprint win Saturday night at Hesston Speedway. Murphy also had a fourth place finish on Friday at Path Valley…
Jeff Rine set back the MACS late model series on Sunday night with a big win at Bedford Speedway. Rine’s first career MACS win was worth $5,000 over Gary Stuhler, Rick Eckert, Jason Covert and Steve Everhart…

Hagerstown Speedway has the big late model show in town this weekend as the World of Outlaws late model series invades the track for a Saturday night show. The Conococheague 50 will pay $10,000 to the winner. Hagerstown is the only track to present a WoO show during each year of its existence…

Steve Kinser grabbed his second World of Outlaws sprint car win Monday at New York’s Rolling Wheels Raceway Park over Jason Meyers, Donny Schatz, Shane Stewart and Kraig Kinser. Lucas Wolfe finished 18th. The Outlaws head to Attica Raceway Park and Eldora Speedway this weekend…