SELINSGROVE, Pa. - June 24, 2006 - Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove won his fifth 358 sprint car race of the season at Selinsgrove Speedway in Saturday night's Fifth Annual Salem RV Center/Keller's Auto Body Firecracker 40.
Heimbach passed Nate Snyder of Halifax on the 35th circuit for the $2,500 victory. Heimbach drives the Goff Racing/Creasy Signs/Paul Stine Chevrolet/Beavertown Block/Salem RV No. 12.
Defending late model champion Donnie Schick of Middleburg drove to his first win of the season in the 25-lap late model feature, after passing Brett Schadel mid way thru the event for the lead, while AJ Hoffman of Richfield won his fifth pro stock race of the year.
Ray Rothfuss of Muncy won his first career roadrunner race in the division's 12-lap event.
Rookie sprint car driver Jordan Frontz of Mifflintown was transported to the Sunbury Community Hospital following a lap four crash in the main event. Jordan's Sprint car veered directly toward the inside guardrail on the backstrecth while running in a close battle with 2 other cars, as it hit the guardrail in a scary head on crash. Frontz was later released from the hospital with no serious injuries.
Selinsgrove Speedway will present two complete racing programs at 7 p.m. on Saturday July 1st and Sunday July 2nd, which will be "sandwitched", between two holiday weekend Raceway Park programs on Friday June 30 & Monday July 3rd. Saturday night's show will feature the Eighth Annual Philips Products/Salem RV Center Late Model Open. The 30-lap Open will pay $2,000 to win and $200 to start. Time trials and heat races will be the format for late model qualifying. 358 sprint cars, pro stocks and roadrunners will share the racing card. Track gates will open at 5 p.m.
The speedway will be in action again on Sunday with the annual PA Speedweek race for 410 sprint cars. The 30-lap race will pay $5,000 to win. The pro stocks will also be on Sunday's racing program. Track gates will open at 4 p.m. The rain date for the PA Speedweek event will be Tues., July 4.
Polesitter Len Krautheim powered his No. 3K into the lead at the start of the sprint car Firecracker 40 race. Krautheim was chased by defending winner and second-place starter Nate Snyder.
On the second circuit, the racers of Charlie Anderson, Keith Prutzman and Scott Tate collided in turn three. No driver injuries were reported. When the race resumed, Krautheim continued to lead the event.
The race was stopped again on lap four when rookie driver Jordan Frontz made a hard impact with the inside backstretch guadrail. Frontz was transported to the Sunbury Community Hospital and later released with no serious injuries.
Krautheim led until the 15th circuit, when Snyder made a pass for the lead in turn four. At the midway point, seventh-place starter Blane Heimbach stormed into second and set his sites on the leader. On the 34th lap, Krautheim's racer blew a rear tire and made contact with the second turn guardrail. During the caution flag period, the race was stopped for refueling. When the race resumed, Heimbach slid under Snyder entering turn one and took the lead. Once in front of the field, Heimbach stretched his lead margin considerably. At the finish, Heimbach was victorious by 2.32 seconds over Snyder, Pat Cannon, Jeff Furlong and Bob Beidleman.
Second-place starter Brett Schadel drove into the lead at the start of the late model feature. Fourth-place starter Chris Wilkinson held the second position for three laps before defending champion and ninth-place starter Donnie Schick advanced to second.
Schadel and Schick dueled for the lead for several laps. On the seventh circuit, Schick secured the lead with an inside pass off turn four. Schadel maintained the runner up position while Wilkinson held off third-place starter Bud Witmer.
The second half of the event saw eighth-place starter Chris Shuey show some speed when he moved into the fourth position. At the finish, Schick was victorious by 4.47 seconds over Schadel, Wilkinson, Shuey and Kenny Trevitz.
Polesitter Jason Smith led the first six laps of the pro stock feature. Smith was trailed by second-place starter Jace Cresswell for five laps before ninth-place starter AJ Hoffman advanced to second.
On lap seven, Hoffman made the winning pass by Smith using the outside lane in turn two. Hoffman then streaked away from the field and posted a 1.51 second victory over current point leader Gary Beward, Smith, Gerald Kratzer and Peanut Heintzelman. Ray Rothfuss started the roadrunner race in the ninth position and quickly stormed to the front of the pack. Rothfuss was challenged by eighth-place starter Keith Bissinger for the first half of the event. On the eighth circuit, Bissinger entered the pit area with a flat tire following contact with Rothfuss.
When the race resumed, Rothfuss was chased by current point leader Matt Drum for the duration of the event. Rothfuss scored the win by just .40 of a second over Drum, Brad Mitch, Doug Minium and Zack Lingle.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY SUMMARY - 24 June 2006
Sprint Cars - 28 Entries
5th Annual Firecracker 40: 1) 12 Blane Heimbach $2,500 2) 5 Nate Snyder 3) 3 Pat Cannon 4) 10 Jeff Furlong 5) 81 Bob Beidleman 6) 2 Jason Shultz 7) 77 John Matrafailo 8) 39 Cory Haas 9) 4B Adrian Shaffer 10) 12G Bryan Golden 11) 49 Scott Messimer 12) 3K Len Krautheim 13) 63 Mike Walter 14) 5W Phil Walter 15) 21 Duane Mausteller 16) 1 Adam Romig 17) 37 Scott Flammer 18) 81T Ian Costenbader 19) 19 Jordan Frontz 20) 4C Steve Gettle 21) 12K Brian Nornhold 22) 9 Scott Tate 23) 28 Keith Prutzman 24) 71 Charlie Anderson
Heat Winners: Blane Heimbach, Jason Shultz, Nate Snyder
Consolation: Adrian Shaffer
Late Models - 20 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 6 Donnie Schick 2) 0 Brett Schadel 3) 64 Chris Wilkinson 4) 21 Chris Shuey 5) 61T Kenny Trevitz 6) 7 Dustin Hoffman 7) U10 Bud Witmer 8) 2J Jeff Rine 9) 92 Randall Paxton 10) 45 Eric Hons 11) 21X Mike Bingaman 12) 14 Dave Reed 13) 90 Kyle Rhoads 14) 14 John Moser 15) 88 Tony Adams 16) 98 Bobby Croop 17) 1 Gary Beward 18) 18 Travis
McClelland 19) 12S Robbie Smith 20) 16 Jeff Black Heat Winners: Randall Paxton, Tony Adams
Pro Stocks - 23 Entries
15-Lap A-Main: 1) 21 AJ Hoffman 2) 19 Gary Beward 3) 28 Jason Shultz 4) 10 Gerald Kratzer 5) 99H Peanut Heintzelman 6) 19H Larry Hare 7) 76 Brad Trump 8) 13 Chris Badger 9) 7 Meade Hahn 10) 54 Sammy Troup 11) 6F Frank Reisser 12) 14B Dave Brouse Jr. 13) 5 Neil Langtry 14) 711 JD Jurasich 15) 81 Todd Kiger 16) 8C Jace Cresswell 17) 115 Troy Miller 18) 1 Lon
Savage Jr. 19) 6 Dan Jensen 20) 23 Jim Somers 21) 14 Bill Conrad 22) 26 AJ Stroup 23) 17 Brian Bowersox 24) 70G Bill Glass
Heat Winners: Sammy Troup, Frank Reisser, Gary Beward
Roadrunners - 18 Entries
12-Lap A-Main: 1) 17 Ray Rothfuss 2) 48 Matt Drum 3) 10M Brad Mitch 4) 12 Doug Minium 5) 22 Zack Lingle 6) 31B Brandon Shultz 7) 19 Chad Davis 8) 81 Wendy Swartz 9) 69 Tim Campbell 10) Chris Herman 11) 57 Mark Spencer 12) 41D Dennis Conrad 13) 11B Keith Bissinger 14) 43 Hank Steffen 15) 00 Nathan Engle 16) 9 Dave Kamp 17) 27 Wayne Weist 18) 1 Kyle Miller (DNS)
Heat Winners: Keith Bissinger, Ray Rothfuss
