Nobody asked me
but…
How cool is it to see Cris Eash back to winning sprint car races and causing so
much excitement at Lincoln Speedway. Eash won two features on the same night two
weeks ago and then last week, waited out a near four hour rain delay to not only
beat the All Stars but winning one of the best sprint car features in memory in
the Pigeon Hills.
We remember the days when Eash was a big winner at Lincoln and were glad to
hear he was returning to the family owned car this year. He’s having fun too.
Everyone knows I’m a big fan of Lincoln Speedway, but I was disappointed when I
saw the upcoming Kevin Gobrecht Memorial PA Speedweek race pays $7,000 to win
this year, unlike the $10,000 paid the last two season for the kickoff to
Speedweek. Going backwards in payoffs certainly isn’t what anyone likes to see
and we hope Lincoln returns to the $10,000 payoff next season…
Speaking of Speedweek, it begins next weekend at Lincoln and runs through
Sunday, July 6. Hopefully fans and race teams will support this year’s series
like past years. It’s always a great series and this year should be no
different…
There will be a new Speedweek champion in 2008 as Lucas Wolfe, who is injured,
will be giving up his title as he is a regular with the World of Outlaws. Will
the title battle come down to the final lap again this season like it did last
year?…
I like the fact that the All Stars and Outlaws only run one lap during time
trials for car counts of 40 and over. But what I don’t like is the screwing
around the rest of the night between races. Did officials ever hear of having
cars lined up and ready to go for the next event? A half hour of downtime during
the night is unacceptable and certainly won’t help gain any new fans to the
sport…
Keep Steve Wilbur in your thoughts and prayers and remember to send him a card
at 20 Sinclair Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. And if you are able to, help defray
some of his medical expenses by donating at Members First Federal Credit Union,
Steve Wilbur Burn Fund, 5000 Louise Drive, PO Box 40, Mechanicsburg, PA
17055-0040...
It’s hard to believe Frankie Herr has been shut out of Super Sportsman victory
lane so far this season. Herr still leads both the Grove and Sportsman tour
points but just can’t get the break he needs to reach victory lane. That will
end on Saturday night at the Grove when the Sportsman race in Twin 20’s. Herr
wins at least one of them…
It’s back to basics tomorrow at Williams Grove for the 410 Sprints without the
use of time trials. It’s back to good ole’ Central Pennsylvania handicapping and
no doubt great racing all night long…
Pat Cannon and the Zane Highlands sprint car team have their act together this
season. Cannon’s two wins last weekend gives him six for the season as he
continues to lead the points at the Grove and Selinsgrove…
Fred Putney sure had a great track surface last week at Lincoln following the
race. It was tough to pass during the heats but what a feature event. But I can
honestly say, I am not a fan of racing into the early morning hours anymore but
I understand why Lincoln held out and kudos to them for doing so…
WAGNER HEADS TO THE OUTLAWS
Harrisonville sprint car driver Mike Wagner will be racing with the World of
Outlaws this weekend as he accepted the ride in the Lonnie Parsons owned Casey’s
General Stores No. 6 sprint car.
Former driver Tim Shaffer was relieved of his driving duties on Tuesday morning
after several seasons with the team.
Wagner, who has fielded and funded his own No. 55 sprint car for many seasons
at Port Royal Speedway flew to Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday morning to prepare
with the team for this weekend’s Boot Hill Showdown at Dodge City Raceway Park
in Kansas Friday and Saturday night. Both nights of this weekend’s event will be
taped for later broadcasts on SPEED.
Depending on the outcome this weekend, there is a good chance that Wagner will
finish out the season with the team, flying back and forth from time to time.
It’s great to see a nice guy like Wagner get a chance to race with the Outlaws.
Hopefully Mike has a successful weekend with the team.
Wagner ranks fifth in Port Royal Speedway points.
Shaffer was 15th in Outlaw points with four top 10 finishes this season.
WOLFE UNSURE OF RETURN DATE
Lucas Wolfe will know more on July 2.
That is when the Mechanicsburg sprint car driver is scheduled to meet with Dr.
Terry Trammell in Indianapolis, IN about his fractured T4 vertebra suffered two
weeks ago in a crash at Tri City Speedway.
“Right now we are just playing the waiting game and we should know when we can
return after we see Dr. Trammell,” Wolfe said Wednesday afternoon. “I’ve talked
to other people who have had the same injury and it’s roughly six weeks before
they can do anything. It definitely won’t be any time before that.”
Wolfe is being smart about his injury and not interested in a rush return to
the Allebach Racing sprint car.
“Actually I feel pretty good now and I really don’t have any pain,” he added.
“I feel well enough that I could do just about anything but I have to be
disciplined enough to not overdo it and make it any worse than it already is.
It’s just not sensible to return before we are ready. So we will listen to what
Dr. Trammell says and make the return when we are ready.”
Wolfe said the Allebach sprint car team will use the time to regroup for their
return to the World of Outlaw tour to finish out the season.
PIT STOPS
Craig Dollansky won both World of Outlaws features last week at Huset’s
Speedway. Friday’s win came over Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers while Steve
Kinser and Meyers were second and third on Saturday night…
Mark Smith won Sunday’s All Star sprint car race at Central PA Speedway. Smith
used a lap 20 restart and a sputtering motor under the hood of the Greg Hodnett
sprinter to put together the $5,000 win. Hodnett, Dale Blaney, Randy Hannagan
and Stevie Smith were the top five…
Schatz won Tuesday night’s Ollie’s 360 Challenge at Sharon Speedway over Danny
Lasoski, Jason Meyers, Bryan Howland and Jason Johnson. Fred Rahmer was 8th and
Stevie Smith 22nd. The motors of the top two finishers were taken to Paul
Kistler’s shop for a teardown and both were legal. The next Ollie’s event is at
Eldora in mid-July. Should Schatz win that race, he will win an extra $50,000
bonus. Williams Grove will hold an Ollie’s Showdown in August…
Clint Smith won Tuesday’s World of Outlaws late model race at Port Royal
Speedway over Steve Francis, Chub Frank, Tim Fuller and Darrell Lanigan…
