Back during the off season Williams Grove Speedway announced that it would be hosting a big night of racing to benefit the Kasey Kahne Foundation.

 Interest has been running high since that announcement and the race is less than a week away as the Grove will be the place to be next Wednesday night, June 27 for the first ever Foundation race at the track.

 The event will benefit the Foundation, created by NASCAR star Kahne to raise funds for charitable organizations that care for chronically ill children and their families.

 Kahne, along with fellow NASCAR driver Dave Blaney will also be in competition in the event that will feature the top drivers from the URC 360 Sprint car tour and the top 20 from Williams Grove’s 358 sprint car division.

 Several 410 Sprint car drivers will also be in competition to challenge these drivers including Fred Rahmer who will pilot a Don Ott owned 360 sprint car.

 Greg Hodnett will be behind the wheel of the Dan Carroza’s Rocket Drywall 360 sprinter while Chad Layton will be driving his brother Jimmy’s No. 55 360 sprint car.

 Mechanicsburg’s Lucas Wolfe will pilot the Rick Kaylor owned JEI Chassis, a car that he has won two times in just four starts this season.

 Curt Michael will lead the URC contingent into the Grove once again along with fellow drivers Ed Aiken, Justin Collett,  Michael Carber, Kevin Welsh, Trevor Lewis, Kramer Williamson, Davey Sammons and more.

 Pat Cannon and the Zane Highlands owned team will lead the Williams Grove 358 sprinters joined by the likes of Nate Hammaker, Adrian Shaffer, Chad Trout, Frankie Herr, Nate Snyder, Mike Walter, Dave Calaman and more.

 The drivers will battle for the $2,000 top prize in the 25-lap event. Time trials will set the starting lineups.

 An invitational limited late model feature will also be on tap sponsored by KRS Graphics.

 Race time on Wednesday will be 7 p.m. In case of rain, Thursday night will be used as a raindate.


MOTORSPORTS DAY AT THE CAPITAL
 Race cars, drivers and fans filled the park behind the state Capitol in Harrisburg for Tuesday’s Motorsports Day at the Capitol.

 Sprint cars, Super sportsman, micro sprints, late models and more were on hand for fans as well as house members. The Jim and Sandy Kline owned team had its brand new truck and trailer on display right behind the Capitol along Commonwealth Avenue.

 Drivers and track officials were introduced to House members at 11am.

 “We were able to bring exposure not only to Pennsylvania race tracks but also to the drivers and the teams involved in it and hopefully make the people in Harrisburg more aware of what really goes on,” Alan Kreitzer stated. “I think having Jim and Sandy’s rig right there showed just how much money people invest into the sport of auto racing and hopefully make take notice and not think racing is some kind of back woods sport.”

 Kreitzer said that representatives visited the display in the park including Pat Vance and Terry Punt.


BIG WEEKEND ON TAP
 Lincoln Speedway will host yet another big paying 410 Sprint car event Saturday night as the first annual Sal Scarpitta Memorial is on tap paying $5,900.

 The race will be run in memory of the former driver, car owner and world renowed artist.

 The 358 Sprints and thundercars are also on the program.

 Williams Grove Speedway will see action two times this weekend with a Friday night 410 and 358 Sprint car program followed by a Saturday night program of Super Sportsman, 305 sprints, 358 late models and street stocks.

 The 358 Sprints headline a Friday night card at Trailway Speedway while the late models are in action at Bedford Speedway.

 Selinsgrove Speedway hosts the Firecracker 30 paying $1,500 to win for the 358 Sprints on Saturday night while the 410 Sprints, late models, pro stocks and 4cylinders are in competition at Port Royal Speedway.

 Susquehanna hosts another Stock car Saturday night while Hagerstown also goes with a regular show of late models.

 Micro Sprints are headline divisions as always at Path Valley, Trailway and Hill Valley over the weekend.


PIT STOPS
 Last week, there was a typo in my column stating that Danny Lasoski was not racing JEI Chassis. Lasoski and the Roth Motorsports are utilizing JEI Chassis and have not finished outside of the top four in three starts so far…

 Terry McCarl picked up his first WoO Sprint win at Knoxville Raceway last weekend over Randy Hannagan, Craig Dollansky, Lasoski and Donny Schatz. Stevie Smith hit the road in the RAACE No. 19 JEI and finished seventh after setting fast time during time trials…

 Lance Dewease and Lucas Wolfe are local drivers entered in next week’s Ohio Sprint Speedweek. Dewease said he doesn’t plan to race in all of the events…

 The 600 Micro Sprints will have a Speedweek series that will begin on Sunday, July 1 at Hill Valley Speedway. That race will pay $5,000 to win. Path Valley will host the Speedweek series on Monday, July 2 followed by July 3 at Susquehanna then July 6 at Linda’s Speedway and July 7 at Lanco which pays a cool $10,000 to win. There will be a $500 winner take all point fund. BathFitter will offer a $3,000 bonus to any driver who can win all five Speedweek shows. Should one driver win every event, he will be taking home some serious cash for the week…