PORT ROYAL
 Todd Shaffer put himself into position to win his fourth career Tuscarora 50 at Port Royal Speedway.

 Shaffer was the class of the field in Friday night’s 25-lap “Night Before the 50” feature, taking the lead on lap 16 and driving away from the field for the $3,000 payday.

 Shaffer, of Millerstown along with runner-up Greg Hodnett of Thomasville, Lancaster’s Doug Esh and Liverpool’s TJ Stutts are guaranteed starters in Saturday night’s $500 to win dash that will set the first eight starting spots for the Tuscarora 50.

 “It’s a good feeling to get locked in,” said the driver of the Gary and Patty Beam owned No. 88 JEI chassis. “We’ve been here enough this year that it’s nice to get home early tonight, go over this car and come tomorrow and hope we draw half decent and race for 50 laps.”
 Jeff Shepard grabbed the early lead over Hodnett as Shaffer, who started seventh blasted his way into third spot by the completion of the second lap.

 Shepard continued to set the pass with Hodnett right behind as the front runners caught lapped traffic by lap six.

 Shaffer was able to use the slower car of Judi Bates as a pick to grab second from Hodnett on lap nine and set his sights on the Upperco, Maryland driver.

 Shaffer was all over Shepard on lap 13 and made his move for the top spot in turn two during lap 16.

 Just after falling to second spot, Shepard’s sprinter erupted in a ball of flames entering the third turn with obvious motor problems. Shepard wasn’t seriously injured in the scary incident.

 Following the red flag, it was all Shaffer over the final nine laps as he drove off from Hodnett to win his 86th career Port Royal event and sixth overall this season in the McCoy Brothers General Contractors, J & M Racing and Collectibles, Villaqe Square Plaza, Jack Gaughn Realty/Hower Associates sponsored No. 88.

 “I have to thank all of the money people, my crew and Jimmy Russell,” said Shaffer, who leads the points at Williams Grove Speedway. “I’ve been complaining about these cars and I just couldn’t get comfortable. Barry Jackson from JEI has been working the last month and I couldn’t ask for more. Anybody could have drove this car at the end of the race tonight.”

 Shaffer is looking for his fourth career win in the 50 lapper, which pays $11,000. His last win in the race came back in 1995.

 Track champion Keith Kauffman tried to steal the fourth and final automatic transfer spot from Stutts on the final lap but couldn’t keep the car in front of Stutts and finished fifth.

 Rounding out the top 10 were Lucas Wolfe, 15th starting Stevie Smith, Fred Rahmer, 21st starting Alan Cole and Chad Layton.

 Heats for the 36 car field were won by Hodnett, Lance Dewease, Shepard and Kauffman. Cole won the consolation.

 Racing on Saturday night begins at 7 p.m. with heat races for the Sprint cars.