Selinsgrove Speedway

SELINSGROVE, Pa. May 28, 2006 - It was a Selinsgrove Speedway homecoming celebration for Chad Layton of Harrisburg. Layton, the former three-time 358 sprint car champion at the track, won his first 410 sprint car race at Selinsgrove in Sunday night's 30-lap main event. "It feels real good to be here," said Layton in Victory Lane. "I've been missing this spot I'm standing in right here for a long, long time."

Layton was at the wheel of the Apple Motorsports No. 12 for the $5,000 victory in front of a packed house. Layton left the 358 sprint car ranks to pursue 410 sprint car racing full-time in 2004. Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove, who won the previous night's URC/358 sprint car Jack Gunn Memorial at the track, was the fast qualifier with a lap time of 16.861.  Heimbach was cruising for a sweep of the weekend events until misfortune struck in turn three with 10 laps to race.

Jason Covert of York Haven passed defending champion Donnie Schick of Middleburg for his first career late model win at Selinsgrove in the 30-lap main event. Covert earned $3,000 for the victory.

Selinsgrove Speedway will present a four division show of 358 sprints, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners at 7 p.m. this Saturday, June 3, sponsored by Penn Lyon Homes of Selinsgrove.

Second-place starter Alan Cole stormed into the lead at the start of the sprint car feature. Cole was chased by polesitter Mark Smith, while fourth-place starter Keith Kauffman and sixth-place starter Blane Heimbach followed in third and fourth, respectively. On the third circuit, Kauffman and Heimbach were dueling for the third position. Entering turn three, Kauffman struck the outside third turn guardrail and flipped his No. 7 sprint car several times. Kauffman escaped injury.

When the race resumed, Cole, Smith and Heimbach broke away from the pack in a high speed chase for the lead. At the halfway point, Heimbach passed Smith for second and set his sites on Cole. On the 16th circuit, Heimbach made a sweeping pass under Cole in the second turn for the lead. Heimbach then checked out from the field, while Cole maintained the runner-up position and third-place starter Chad Layton raced in the third position.

On the 21st circuit, Heimbach could not avoid a multi-car incident in turn three. Greg Hodnett, Danny Smith, Brooke Weibley and Rick Lafferty were involved in the crash that collected Heimbach. During the red flag, however, Heimbach's crew worked feverishly to get him back on the track in time for the race's restart. Cole found himself in the lead again, with Layton, Lance Dewease, Todd Shaffer and Fred Rahmer lined up behind him. A war on wheels unfolded for the lead and win between Cole and Layton when the race resumed. Exiting turn four on the 27th lap, Layton made the winning pass under Cole. Layton went on to take the checkered flag 2.59 seconds ahead of Cole, Dewease, Shaffer and Rahmer. Heimbach was able to rebound for a ninth-place finish.

Luck of the draw placed Donnie Schick on the pole for the start of the late model feature. Schick took the lead at the drop of the green flag, with second-place starter Eric Hons trailing him for the first lap.

On the second circuit, fifth-place starter Jason Covert advanced to second and reeled in Schick. On the third lap, Covert surprised Schick with an outside pass for the lead in turn one.

Covert had the field covered for the duration of the event, while Schick maintained the runner up position. Chris Shuey, who started the event in the 16th position, advanced to third late in the race. At the finish, Covert was victorious by 1.39 seconds over Schick, Shuey, Hons and Scott Haus.

SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY SUMMARY - 28 May 2006
410 Sprint Cars - 23 Entries
30-Lap A-Main: 1) 12 Chad Layton $5,000 2) 35 Alan Cole 3) 25 Lance
Dewease 4) 5W Todd Shaffer 5) 22 Fred Rahmer 6) 30 Doug Esh 7) 88 TJ
Stutts 8) 11 Mike Erdley 9) 12 Blane Heimbach 10) 0 Rick Lafferty 11) 13
Cliff Brian 12) 32 Brooke Weibley 13) 77 Greg Hodnett 14) 4 Danny Smith
15) 98 Dan Shetler 16) 16H Matt Horst 17) 1 Mark Smith 18) 4 Todd Hestor
19) 18 Ryan Bohlke 20) 21 Duane Mausteller 21) 7 Keith Kauffman 22) 4
Neil Petock DNS 23) 19 Randy West

Time Trials: 1) 12 Blane Heimbach 16.861 2) 11 Mike Erdley 16.876 3) 25
Lance Dewease 16.990 4) 7 Keith Kauffman 17.036 5) 12 Chad Layton 17.047
6) 35 Alan Cole 17.057 7) 1 Mark Smith 17.100 8) 30 Doug Esh 17.110 9) 4
Todd Hestor 17.118 10) 32 Brooke Weibley 17.143 11) 22 Fred Rahmer
17.144 12) 0 Rick Lafferty 17.148 13) 77 Greg Hodnett 17.152 14) 5W Todd
Shaffer 17.237 15) 4 Danny Smith 17.386 16) 88 TJ Stutts 17.501 17) 98
Dan Shetler 17.665 18) 13 Cliff Brian 17.712 19) 18 Ryan Bohlke 17.946
20) 21 Duane Mausteller 18.011 21) 16H Matt Horst 19.274

Heat Winners: Cliff Brian, Todd Shaffer, Greg Hodnett

Late Models - 29 Entries
30-Lap A-Main: 1) 43 Jason Covert $3,000 2) 6 Donnie Schick 3) 21 Chris
Shuey 4) 45 Eric Hons 5) 76 Scott Haus 6) 32 Jeff Smith 7) 27 Jim Yoder
8) F1 Colby Frye 9) U10 Bud Witmer 10) 64 Chris Wilkinson 11) 7 Dustin
Hoffman 12) 90 Kyle Rhoads 13) 4S Dave Shulski 14) 16 Brian Cochran 15)
12 Robbie Smith 16) 61T Ken Trevitz 17) 22 Travis Dillman 18) 92 Randall
Paxton 19) 88 Tony Adams 20) 75 Terry Neitz 21) 17 Dave Brouse, Sr. 22)
7NY Alan Sagi 23) 119 Jim Bernheisel 24) 1W Billy Wampler

Heat Winners: Jason Covert, Jim Yoder, Donnie Schick
Consolation Winner: Jeff Smith