Adoption Night Highlights Big Night At Williams Grove

Williams Grove Speedway’s Pennsylvania Speedweek show has taken on a new face every year thanks to the hard work of Elisa Esh and her helpers from Diakon Adoption and Foster Care.

Three years ago, Esh had a brainstorm to feature an adoption fair at the speedway during the annual running of the Speedweek race. She had a few race teams run vinyl decals on their top wings to promote the children looking for a home.

And tomorrow night’s fourth annual Adoption Night at Williams Grove promises to be the biggest and best ever.

Also in the spotlight tomorrow at the Grove is the annual running of the prestigious Mitch Smith Memorial for 410 Sprint cars, the crown jewel of the 17th annual Cindy Rowe Auto Glass Speedweek series. The race is run in memory of one of the most exciting sprint car races to ever compete at the Grove.

Forty sprint car teams have signed on board to carry photos of 63 children needing adoption. The photos will be on temporary vinyl covering the top wings of the sprint cars. To make the night even more special, forty of the featured children will be in attendance to cheer on their race car.

It’s a great opportunity for the sprint car community to be educated on how adoption works and hopefully give some of the kids a good home. Last year, five children were adopted thanks to the Adoption Night event.

“Not only is this a wonderful opportunity to educate racing fans about the great kids who are searching for a family, it is an evening of fun for these kids,” said Esh, Director of Family Recruitment at Diakon Adoption and Family Care. “They have the opportunity to attend the race but also to meet other youths searching for a family. It helps them to realize that they are not alone.”

Of course, most of the sprint car teams help make this a big success every year by giving up their top wing that features their major sponsor for a night that is all about the kids.

Many sponsors have came forward to this event to make it a very memorable evening for all of the kids in attendance. Esh cannot believe the outpouring of support shown to the night by so many people involved in racing.

The Victory Lane sponsors include Womex, Inc., Golden’s Roofing Supply, J & K Salvage, Darrah Motorsports, Eichelberger’s U-Pull-It, Butcher Motorsports, Miller Brothers Chevrolet, The Kevin Gobrecht Memorial Foundation, C & S Lawn and Landscaping, Inc., American Eagle Outfitters, Hollinger’s Sports N’Turf, Project, STAR, Pig Tails BBQ, Sweeney Signs and Digital Effects of Mechanicsburg.

While those are the main sponsors for the event, it would not be possible without the help of many more sponsors that include Diversified Machine, Inc., Hoosier Tire, Doorways Unlimited, Hyper Racing, Inc., Edward H. Hall, Penske, York Excavating Co, Inc., Kinard Trucking, Don Ott Racing Engines, The Kulps, Pearl Technologies, Inc., Trone Outdoor Advertising, Jakes Rentals, Jennifer Callahan Massage Therapy, Giant Food Stores, Rahmer Family Motorsports, Bethanna, Old Country Buffet, Absolute Graphics, Universal Electrical Service Co., Inc., Nancy and Glenn Rudisill, J & S Fabrication, Rock-It Pizza, Fast Signs, Alvin R Beam Painting Contractor, L C Motorsports, AdoptionLinks, Wings Unlimited, Roger and Suzanne Hall, K.B. Godshall Collision Repair, Larry McCarl and Family, Ski Roundtop, M & Z Carpets, Ralph E. Jones, Inc., Graham Motor Company, Inc., Manatawny Manor, Hatboro Car Care, Gerald and Jennifer Frasso, Rich and Diane Fox, Doug Esh, Leppo Racing, Swope Racing, Allebach Racing, Fairview Twp. EMS, Harrisburg Senators, Karns Foods, Weis Markets, Lance Dewease, M. Judith Ludwig, Susquehanna Valley Harley Davidson, Wholesale Auto Racing, Don Kreitz, Jr., Greg Hodnett, Chad Trout, Adrian Shaffer, BG Motorsports, Michael Carber and Chad Layton.

The Pennsylvania Heart Gallery, a professional photography exhibit featuring the faces of the Pennsylvania children waiting for a family will be open from 3-7:30 p.m.

Apparel and other items will be distributed to the fans on hand throughout the evening and the first 350 children entering the speedway will receive a free Kids Meal Coupon courtesy of Burger King or a Jr. Frosty from Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers.

More than 3,400 special needs children are currently awaiting a family and this is a good start to helping a handful of them find a good home. For more information, please visit www.diakon.org or www.adoptpakids.org or contact Esh at 800-723-7038.

SPEEDWEEK CONTINUES
Port Royal Speedway will host round number five of Pennsylvania Speedweek tonight with the first of two shows scheduled for the track this weekend.

Tonight’s Port event will pay $5,000 to win while the Saturday night Speedweek show pays $7,000 to the winner.

Of course, Friday night, Speedweek stops at Williams Grove where Fireworks are also on the program.

The 17th annual series will come to an end Sunday night with a stop at Selinsgrove Speedway where the latest Speedweek champion will emerge following the 30-lap feature.

In other weekend racing action, Trail-Way Speedway is back for its Friday show of 358 Sprints along with 1000 and 270 Micros on Saturday night.

Lincoln Speedway will be in action Saturday with 358 Sprints, Super Sportsman, 358 late models and thundercars while the late models go in the Late Model Open Saturday at Selinsgrove Speedway joined by the 358 Sprints.

Susquehanna Speedway returns Saturday night with 7-7-7 Summer Fun Championships for the 358 late models and support divisions.
Hagerstown returns Saturday with a regular program headlined by the late models while micro sprint racing takes place at Shippensburg Speedway.

PIT STOPS
Carlisle’s Scott Richwine won his third 358 late model feature last weekend at Susquehanna Speedway over Carl Billet, Carl Graves, Jake Jones and Sam Leonard, Jr., Paul Morgan was the street stock winner with Carlisle’s Brian Hauenstein fourth. Mike Goodwin was the Xtreme Stock winner while Shippensburg’s Charlie Pensinger placed fourth…

The sixth annual Cox Design Southern Iowa SprintWeek is just around the corner with a big week of racing in Iowa coming up in early August. The series opens at Knoxville Raceway on August 2-4 with the Knoxville 360 Nationals as well as the regular Saturday night Knoxville 410 Sprint main. Action then moves to Oskaloosa for the McTwo Promotions Front Row Challenge and Ultimate Challenge before heading back to Knoxville for the 47th annual SuperClean Knoxville Nationals on August 8-11. It’s still not too late to book a trip to Knoxville for any of these events as many of Central PA’s top sprint car racers will be in competition. Fans can visit www.knoxvilleraceway.com for more information…

Saturday night racing at Path Valley Speedway saw Shippensburg’s Rob Keller win the strictly stock truck race and Carlisle’s Jason Ege finish second in 6-cylinder stocks and then win the 8-cylinder stock feature…

Shane Stewart won the 25th annual All Star Ohio Sprint Speedweek title last week with a consistent week of finishes. Stewart ended the week with 668 points compared to Dale Blaney’s 665, Rob Chaney’s 651, Danny Smith’s 650 and Dean Jacobs’ 644. Kenny Jacobs finished eighth in points in the JEI Performance house car. Ed Lynch, Jr. won the finale at Eldora while Blaney picked up three wins during the week, falling short of the $50,000 bonus posted to a driver who could win four races…

Joey Saldana, Jac Haudenschild and Paul McMahan were weekend winners on the World of Outlaw tour. Saldana won Friday at River Cities (ND), while Haudenschild took Saturday’s win at Red River Valley (ND) and McMahan won Sunday night in Cedar Lake, Wisconsin…