It will be a big season for the Williams Grove Speedway 358 Sprint cars when
the 2008 season gets underway.
The 358 sprinters will be chasing the Bass Pro Shops championship next
season as the store, with a nearby location in Harrisburg Mall has signed on
to sponsor the 2008 point fund at the Grove.
“We are pleased and proud to have Bass Pro Shops as the 2008 358 sprint car
point fund sponsor,” said Justin Loh, general manager at the speedway. “The
358’s have been an important part of the Williams Grove schedule since 1989
and it’s a credit to the division that a company like Bass Pro Shops has
chosen to come on board for the division. Williams Grove will present point
fund bonus checks to the top 10 point drivers.”
This will be the 20th season for the 358 sprint class at Williams Grove
Speedway. The division has grown in numbers, sometimes pushing upwards
towards 50 per meet. The division is scheduled 15 times next season.
Pat Cannon and the Zane and Vicki Highlands owned team are the defending
358 champions and will return to defend their title again in 2008.
Their first race of the season will be Friday night, March 21.
SCHATZ IS THE BEST
To no one’s surprise, Donny Schatz was unanimously voted as the nation’s
top 410 Sprint car Driver for the 2007 by the National Sprint Car Poll
released last week.
Schatz earned all 25 first place votes for his second consecutive season.
He outdistanced Joey Saldana for the top spot. Danny Lasoski was third over
Steve Kinser and Daryn Pittman. Sixth through 10th were Jason Meyers, Craig
Dollansky, Fred Rahmer, Greg Hodnett and Greg Wilson.
Other local drivers to make the top 25 rankings were Todd Shaffer (16th),
Lucas Wolfe (17th) and Lance Dewease (22nd).
Gary Wright was named the nations top 360 Sprint car driver earning 13
first place votes. Wright won the ASCoT series championship this season.
Jason Johnson, Shane Stewart, Wayne Johnson and Chuck Hebing were the top
five. URC champion Curt Michael placed seventh.
MOTORSPORTS 2008 UPCOMING
Motorsports 2008 presented by VP Racing Fuels is just around the corner.
This will be the second straight year that the show will take place at the
Atlantic City Convention Center. The show begins on Friday, January 18 and
runs through Sunday, January 20th.
The show, filling close to 300,000 square feet will feature NASCAR Sprint
Cup Star Elliott Sadler as well as Ken Schrader, Ron Hornaday, Kenny Wallace
and Casey Mears.
The Gambler’s Classic indoor race takes place the same weekend at nearby
Boardwalk Hall.
Some highlights of the show include the US Tobacco Ms. Motorsports contest
and Free seminars covering all aspects of racing.
RIDE CHANGES
Pat Palladino will have 19 year old Davey Sammons as the driver of his
familiar BK Leasing No. 99 sprint car in 2008.
The two reached an agreement Tuesday night as Sammons, a rookie last season
with URC will take over for Curt Michael in the car that has won three
straight URC titles.
The team will compete for the URC title but will run a lot of races in
Central PA with the 410 Sprints. The 410 Sprint will bear the No. 99 and
will look identical to the Palladino 360 Sprinter.
The team will race at all the early day shows and as many other races
during the season as their schedule permits.
On the World of Outlaws tour, Dennis Roth Motorsports has announced that
Shane Stewart will be the full time driver of the No. 83 sprinter in 2008.
It appeared that the team was finished after the 2007 season when Danny
Lasoski went ride hunting but Roth will now be back full time with Stewart
as the driver. Stewart enjoyed a big season in 2007 while racing part time,
mostly in the 360 sprint ranks.
Word is Lasoski will field his own team in Florida.
PIT STOPS
Great to see the World of Outlaws pick up Advance Auto Parts as the title
sponsor for the 2008 racing season. The Outlaws kick off their season in
February at Volusia Speedway Park in Florida…
The Sidewinder Sprints will be back in 2008 for a second season and will
have Hyper Racing as the series title sponsor for the year. Path Valley and
TrailWay host the 1000cc series…
The 4-cylinders won’t be racing at Port Royal Speedway next season. Since
Williams Grove and Susquehanna have given the division a good many races,
Port has dropped them from the schedule….
Speaking of Port Royal, the track will honor champions, including Keith
Kauffman at its banquet early next month and will kick off its season
Saturday night, March 22...
The Keystone Cup Sprint Series will be back for a second year in 2008 with
Grandview, Big Diamond, Williams Grove, Lincoln, Selinsgrove and Port Royal
on the schedule. Grandview will kick it off with a Tuesday, May 20 date.
Port’s Memorial Day finale has been moved back to a later start…
This will be the final column for a few weeks. I’d like to wish everyone a
very Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year…
