Curt Michael hopes to put a stop to the 358 Sprint car domination in 358/360 Challenge races tomorrow night at Williams Grove Speedway.

 Michael will lead the URC 360 sprint contingent into town as the Grove hosts the second annual Shot Drop/Rislone Sprint Nationals. The race pit’s the 360 sprinters against the Central Pennsylvania 358 sprint car regulars. Last season, over 50 cars filled the pit area before Etters driver Pat Cannon drove the Zane and Vicki Highlands owned 358 Sprinter to victory in the $4,000 to win event.

 Michael, a four time and defending URC champion hopes to stop that tomorrow night.

 “We always look forward to racing at Williams Grove and I am hoping to be a 360 that can actually win one of these challenge races,” said the Ocean View, Delaware racer who won two times last weekend in Southern Delaware. “I think we had a good shot at Selinsgrove last year when Blane (Heimbach) won but we broke a motor. So far in all of these races, a 358 has won so we’re going to try hard to win one for the 360’s.”

 Heimbach won the Jack Gunn Memorial in 2006 at Selinsgrove while Dave Calaman recently won the event over the URC series at Selinsgrove.

 Last season in this event, Michael started 18th and finished fifth in a non stop 25 lap event.

 “We were very fast last year in this race but unfortunately the handicapping system used for the race worked against us even though we qualified in our heat race,” said the driver of the Palladino Motorsports No. 99. “We ran fourth in our heat race but we were penalized to start 18th because they only took the top three to get their time back. And of course the race went non-stop. We’re looking to change that this year.”

 All of the top names from the URC tour will be on hand including points leader Justin Collett as well as Brook Weibley, Kramer Williamson, Brian Seidel, Michael Carber, Ed Aiken, Kevin Welsh and more and many of the local 358 sprint car teams will be in competition including Cannon, Cory Haas, Nate Snyder and more.

 Time trials will be used to set the lineup. The race will again pay $4,000 to win.

 The 410 Sprints will also be on the Friday night program.


JEI INKS WEIKERT DEAL
 JEI Performance Chassis owners Barry and Natalie Jackson agreed to a 12 race deal with the Weikert family for remainder of the 2007 season.

 So fans of the familiar Weikerts Livestock No. 29 sprinter will get to see the car in action a few more times this season. 

 Kenny Jacobs will pilot the car which will be in action at next week’s All Star Sprint series events Thursday at Port Royal, Friday at Williams Grove and Saturday at Lincoln.

 The Weikert car will see action at the Kings Royal at Eldora on July 13-14 where fans can look forward to a new paint scheme on the car for that weekend.

 Jacobs will compete in the World of Outlaws Summer Nationals at Williams Grove, the Knoxville Nationals in Iowa and the Williams Grove National Open.


JACOBS INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
 Jacobs was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame last weekend in Knoxville, Iowa.

 Others joining Jacobs into the HoF include Shane Carson, Jerry “Scratch” Daniels, Hal Minyard, Earl Gaerte, Ken Coles and Emmett Hahn. All of the men were in attendance for their induction.

 Others into the Hall of Fame were Bayliss Levrett, Joe Jagersberger, Glen Niebel, Rajo Jack and Bill White.


WHATS HAPPENING
 Other Friday night events include 305 Sprint and micro sprint racing Friday at Hill Valley as well as 358 Sprint car racing at Trail-Way Speedway and late models at Bedford Speedway.

 Saturday racing will include the URC Sprints joining the 410 Sprints and thundercars at Lincoln, a regular show featuring 410 Sprints and late models at Port Royal while the late Joe Whitcomb will be remembered at Selinsgrove Speedway in the 358 Sprint Joe Whitcomb Memorial paying $1,571 to win.

 It will be Kids Night on Saturday at Williams Grove Speedway as the Super Sportsman, 358 late models and 4-cylinder cars.
 
 Susquehanna will be back with Stock Car Saturday night featuring 358 late models, street stocks and other divisions while the USAC Wingless National Sprint Series will invade Hagerstown joined by the late models.

 Micro Sprint racing will be on the cards at Trail-Way, Shippensburg and Hill Valley Saturday night.


PIT STOPS
 Cody Darrah will miss several weeks of action after breaking his arm last Saturday at Lincoln Speedway. He was injured in a first lap crash in the Weldon Sterner Memorial…

 Chad Trout was also transported to the hospital last Saturday night after a hard flip in his heat race. Trout suffered a sprained back and will miss this weekend…

 Steve Kinser and Paul McMahan were winners on the World of Outlaw Sprint tour last weekend in Ohio. Kinser won Friday at Sharon over Joey Saldana, Danny Lasoski, Daryn Pittman and Donny Schatz while McMahan’s win came at Eldora over Jason Solwold, Dean Jacobs, Pittman and Jason Meyers…

 Joey Saldana won Tuesday night’s WoO event at Kokomo Speedway for his sixth win this season over Schatz, Meyers, Craig Dollansky and Solwold…

 Danny Smith was the All Star Sprint winner Tuesday at Lernerville Speedway. Local drivers Kevin Nouse and Lance Dewease were ninth and 11th respectively in that event…

 The National Sprint Car Bean Bag Association is still looking for competitors to compete in the NSCBBA tourney which benefit’s the Kevin Gobrecht Memorial Fund on Saturday, June 30 at Lincoln Speedway. Visit their website if you are interested in playing. The site is www.nscbba.org…

 The Knoxville Nationals aren’t too far off in the future and Racing Fans Direct is offering a nice package for those interested in attending. Everything is included in the deal including race tickets, hotel room, all transfers, giveaways and more. Email Bob Altman at racingfansdirect@bigplanet.com…

 Late model racer Mike Spangler has new diecast cars available for his fans as well as new apparel and a new website. Fans can check in at www.spanglercompetition.com. Spangler has a busy month of June as he will have his race car on display this Saturday from 9:30am till noon at Cedar Lake Campground’s Handicap Fishing Derby and then at Kids Night at the Grove. He will also be on hand at the Carolina Style BBQ benefiting the Manchester Assembly of God Church on June 16 from 11am till 2pm. All of this can be found on his website…