October 12, 2018
360 Sprint Car Qualifying – Fast Time Ryan Smith 17.341 seconds
360 Sprint Car Heat Winners – Ryan Smith, Michael Walter II
Super Late Model Heat Winners – Dave Brouse Jr, Jeff Rine
SpeedSTR’s Qualifying – Fast Time Tim Iulg 23.678 seconds
October 13, 2018
Pauch Jr. Takes SpeedSTR 100; Smith & Yoder Also World Series Winners
Selinsgrove, PA (October 13) - It only took a few minutes for Billy Pauch Jr. to think of a way to spend the $10,000 he’d just won in the Wayne Subaru World Series 100 for SpeedSTRs presented by BusinessLinkPrint.com.
“I’m going to try and talk (car owner Mike) Heffner into letting me take his Midget to St. Louis and run it in that indoor show this winter,” grinned the Milford, NJ hotshoe.
Saturday’s race at Selinsgrove Speedway was part of the inaugural World Series of Dirt Racing presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear. The 100-lap grind on the big half-mile produced many pre-race questions regarding fuel mileage, tire wear, and engine durability, but the 27 drivers in the starting field did a great job of managing their mounts and the cars held up just fine. At the checkered there were still 17 cars on the lead lap. And it was a good race, too, with quite a bit of passing at the front of the pack.
Pauch Jr. started second, outside pole sitter and fast timer Tim Iulg. Pauch outgunned Iulg into turn one, but his lead lasted less than ten laps before Ryan Godown darted past him to take the top spot. Billy Pauch Sr. ducked under his son for the runner-up position just one circuit after Godown took the lead.
The first 28 tours went clean and green, then Pauch Sr. slowed while running second to bring out the yellow. Most of the field pitted under the caution, but Pauch Jr., Steve Buckwalter, and Brad Brightbill stayed on the track to take over the top three spots.
On the restart, S. Buckwalter zipped past Junior for the lead and Godown worked his way back up to third. The leaders all pitted under the next caution, at lap 48, putting Tom Mayberry at the head of the pack when the race went back to green. Mayberry’s teammate for the weekend, Alex Bright, was second and Ohio’s Matt Westfall sat third - but he didn’t stay there for long.
On the restart, Westfall threaded the needle between the Rehrig Racing teammates, going to the front as they danced through turns one and two. Mayberry found the high line as the race reached its midpoint, sweeping around Westfall to regain command on lap 60. The red flag was displayed with 61 complete because Chad Jones flipped his SpeedSTR in turn three. Jones was not injured in the mishap.
When the yellow lights replaced the red, Mayberry and Westfall headed to the pits for fuel, handing the top spot to 20th starter Tim Buckwalter. Matt Janisch, who started right behind T. Buckwalter in 21st, wrestled the lead from Buckwalter with 30 to go. Laps 71 through 83 were highlighted by a terrific battle for the race lead between Nazareth, PA’s Janisch and T. Buckwalter with Timmy hugging the bottom and Janisch wheeling the high side. They ran side by side, lap after lap, without touching as they swapped the point again and again. Janisch was scored as the leader - by inches - when lap 83 was completed and the yellow waved once more.
Pauch Jr. was riding through the middle stages, admittedly conserving his equipment and tires (his team put on a new right-rear around the halfway mark) and was now back up to third. On lap 87, Billy Jr. raced back into the lead, bringing Godown with him and a hard charging Alex Bright flew into third place, dropping Janisch to fourth and into the clutches of Steve Buckwalter.
Pauch Jr. held on for the win as Bright, who appeared to have the fastest car at the end of the race, simply running out of laps and settling for second. Steve Buckwalter wound up third with Godown and Janisch completing the top five.
“Really happy to win this for Mike Heffner and his dad; it’s been a rough month for those guys,” said Pauch as he posed with the big check in victory lane.
Kunkletown, Pa’s Ryan Smith made it a clean sweep in the FK Rod Ends 25-lap main for 360 Sprint Cars. His $3,000 victory came after he set quick time on Friday afternoon, then won his heat race, too.
Smith, in the Specialty Rigging No. 10x, started sixth in the 25-lapper. He passed Steve Buckwalter for second on lap five as pole sitter Davie Franek set the pace. With ten to go, Franek bobbled a bit in turn four, and Smith rocketed around him to take command. Buckwalter got by Franek for second with eight circuits remaining, but Smith had already checked out by that time. Smith romped to victory and, in the process, set a new Selinsgrove track record for 25-laps at 7:27.06.
Buckwalter earned runner-up cash with Franek, Jason Shultz, Derek Locke rounding out the top five.
Middleburg, PA resident Dylan Yoder took advantage of a restart with 16 laps to go in the 40-lap Super Late Model feature, sailing into the first corner under Frye and coming off turn two with the race lead.
“Just drove it in there and hoped it would stick,” Yoder commented afterward.
Yoder went on to score the triumph, his second of the season at Selinsgrove. Gene Knaub passed Frye late in the going to register the runner-up finish, with Jim Bernheisel and Jim Yoder finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Harley Davidson presented two divisions of Flat Track Motorcycle action on Saturday, with Cole Zabala passing Jeremy Orr for the win in the 450 Pro Single Class. Orr gained revenge by executing a last lap pass on Justin jones to win the Pro Twin Class.
The World Series of Dirt Racing wraps up on Sunday afternoon with a complete program of 410 Sprint Cars and A-Mains for the 602 Modifieds and Street Stocks. The All Star Slingshots will also compete on the half-mile oval in the 12-lap Slingshot Derby that will decide the 2018 World Champion.
RESULTS:
Wayne Subaru World Series 100 for SpeedSTRs presented by BusinessLinkPrint.com – 32 Entries(100 Laps):1.Billy Pauch Jr., 2.Alex Bright, 3.Steve Buckwalter, 4.Ryan Godown, 5.Matt Janisch, 6.Matt Westfall, 7.Tim Buckwalter, 8.Tom Mayberry, 9.Pat Bealer, 10.Brad Brightbill, 11.Sabrina Blanchet, 12.Earl Paules, 13.Kevin Graver Jr., 14.Steven Nederostek, 15.Ryan Taylor, 16.Chris Graver, 17.Carl Labonte, 18.Justin Thompson, 19.Zack Bealer, 20.Briggs Danner, 21.Jason Musser, 22.Chad Jones, 23.Tyler Ross, 24.Billy Pauch Sr., 25.Ryan Charland, 26.Carmen Perigo, 27.Tim Iulg.
DNS: Dominic Beauchesne, Jason Rochelle, Manuel Messier, Phil Meisner, Andy Haus.
FK Rod Ends 360 Sprint Car A-Main – 14 Entries (25 Laps): 1.Ryan Smith, 2.Steve Buckwalter, 3.Dave Franek, 4.Jason Shultz, 5.Derek Locke, 6.Ryan Taylor, 7.Ryan Kissinger, 8.Mike Walter II, 9.Chad Layton, 10.Malle Shuster, 11.Ryan Linder, 12.Jim Shuster, 13.Scott Flammer, 14.Charlie Anderson.
Super Late Model A-Main – 17 Entries (40 Laps): 1.Dylan Yoder, 2.Gene Knaub, 3.Colbey Fry, 4.Jim Bernheisel, 5.Jim Yoder, 6.Dave Stamm, 7.Andy Haus, 8.Dan Stone, 9.Randy Christine, 10.Devon Zona, 11.Jerry Bard, 12.Eric Millon, 13.Jason Davis, 14.Dave Brouse Jr., 15.Bryan Bernheisel, 16.Jeff Rine, 17.Larry Baer.
AMA Flat Track Motorcycles, Pro Single 450 Main (10 Laps): 1.Cole Zabala.
AMA Flat Track Motorcycles, Pro Twin Main (12 Laps): 1.Jeremy Orr
602 Modified Heat Winners – Johnny Bangs, Thomas Sherb
Street Stock Heat Winners – Jason Geesaman, Johnny Palm
October 14, 2018
Lucas Wolfe Dominates 410 Sprint Car Main; Kohler & Geeesaman Also Score Victories in Selinsgrove
Selinsgrove, PA (October 14) - "We don't get to race here too often, but we always enjoy coming to Selinsgrove," said Lucas Wolfe after he captured the Hoosier Racing Tire 410 Sprint Car feature at Selinsgrove Speedway on Sunday, during the third and final day of the inaugural World Series of Dirt Racing presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear.
Other winners on the last of the three-day extravaganza of speed and thrills in Selinsgrove were Dakota Kohler (602 Modifieds) and Jason Geesaman (Street Stocks).
Wolfe made short work of the 410 Sprint Car field, securing the lead at the start and blasting to big leads, only to have them wiped out by yellow flags.
Wolfe, a one-time winner at Selinsgrove this season, bolted to the early lead with Ryan Smith, Saturday's 360 Sprint winner, battling Blane Heimbach for the runner-up slot as fast timer Freddie Rahmer lurked close behind in fourth.
On a restart with only four laps complete, Heimbach suddenly slowed while exiting turn two, collecting Rahmer on the backstretch. Both cars were eliminated from the race while running well inside the top five. Jason Shultz was now in third position with Steve Buckwalter sitting in fifth.
Wolfe simply took off on the next restart, with Smith trying desparately to keep pace with the leader, but to no avail. Wolfe was in a zone, extending his advantage over Smith to 6.5 seconds.
Lapped cars did not seem to hinder the progress of Wolfe as he continued his scorching pace. He went on to score the dominating victory over Smith's Warko Roofing entry, with Shultz ending up third. Steve Buckwalter placed fourth, and Dylan Cisney, who started out back, finished fifth.
410 heat races went to Wolfe and Smith. Freddie Rahmer was the Paul Lotier/ Moser Automotive Fast Qualifier, turning the quickest lap at 16.381 seconds.
In the American Racer Tires 602 Modified Event, paying $1,000 to the winner, pole sitter Dakota Kohler bounded into the early lead over George Gareis. Joe Toth rumbled from mid-pack to fourth in the first six laps, and that is when the first yellow flag waved to slow the pace in the 25-lap feature.
Toth, who said afterward that he either needed a caution or a few more laps to catch the leader, slipped past Gareis for second with just three more circuits left to run. Toth closed right up on the rear bumper of the No. 92 Jr., but could not find a way to get by as Kohler continued to set the pace. Try as he might, Toth could not pull alongside the race leader, but he gave it the old college try. At the finish, it was Dakota Kohler scoring his first ever win in a "big car" division after years of running Slingshots and 600 Modifieds.
Toth, who felt he went a little too hard with the compound on the right-rear, wound up second. Gareis finished third ahead of Sherby, Danny Buccafusca. Thomas Sherby, who won his heat race on Saturday, flew back to the line where Danny Buccafusca and Johnny Bangs finished fourth and fifth.
The Street Stocks put on (arguably) the best race of the weekend as they competed for $1,000 to win in the final feature of the weekend.
Johnny Palm battled furiously with Jason Geesaman for several laps before securing the lead over Geesaman.
The break of the race - both good and bad - occurred with Palm holding serve and Geesaman throwing everything (he could think of) at the leader and Chris Derr, Eric Tripp, and AJ Hoffman. All three drivers involved in this tremendous battle for third looked comfortable and fast.
With just nine tours remaining. Palm's No. 818 gave up, stopping on the track at the exit of turn two. Geesaman inherited the top spot, and Derr began a ferocious duel for third with Ryan Smith. Hoffman and Tripp also ran side by side as the top six ran in three rows and two deep for many laps.
At the heart-pounding finish, it was Geesaman cashing in for the victory, with a photo finish for the runner-up position. "Upon further review", was an old saying used by football officials, and upon that further review, it was determined that Derr was the official runner-up by a whisker over Smith. Eric Tripp was fourth and AJ Hoffman finished fifth.
RESULTS:
Hoosier Tire 410 Sprint Cars – 15 Entries, 27 Laps: 1.Lucas Wolfe, 2.Ryan Smith, 3.Jason Shultz, 4.Steve Buckwalter, 5.Dylan Cisney, 6.TJ Stutts, 7.Justin Whittall, 8.Justin Barger, 9.Trenton Shaeffer, 10.Blane Heimbach, 11.Freddie Rahmer, Davie Franek, Mike Walter, Brian Zyck. DNS: Cody Peters.
Fast Time – Freddie Rahmer 16.381 seconds
Heat Winners – Lucas Wolfe, Ryan Smith
American Racer Tires/Lias Tires 602 Modifieds – 12 Entries (20 Laps): 1.Dakota Kohler, 2.Joe Toth, 3.George Gareis, 4.Thomas Sherby, 5.Danny Buccafusca, 6.Johnny Bangs 7.Craiig Whitmoyer, 8.Seth Spayd, 9.Roger Gaskill, 10.Brad Roberts. DNS: Devon Zona, Steve Hicks.
Street Stocks Feature – 18 Entries (25 Laps): 1.Jason Geesaman, 2.Chris Derr, 3.Ryan Smith, 4.Eric Tripp, 5.AJ Hoffman, 6.Chris Heller, 7.Tommy Dawson, 8.Kyle Saylor, 9.Jim Palm, 10.Noah Jensen, 11.Jim Somers, 12.John Zajac, 13.Johnny Palm, 14.AJ Stroup, 15.Dean Hine, 16.Lori Croop. DNS: Kevin Sigler, Elvin Brennan.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2018: ULSH AUTO SALES SLINGSHOT DERBY on the Selinsgrove Speedway half-mile oval:
Jared Silfee's mount may have had some smoke blowing out of it, but it didn't slow down or prevent the Saylorsburg, PA throttle-jockey from winning the Ulsh Auto Sales Slingshot Derby on Sunday. The All Star Slingshots wrapped up their touring season by running 12 laps on the big Selinsgrove Speedway half-mile, and Silfee's win insured his status as the 2018 World Champion of the All Star Slingshot division.
Silfee started on the pole by virtue of turning the quickest lap in the timed warm-up sessions. He bolted to the early lead while Canadian Elliot Gamache scuffled with Scott Neary and Brett Bieber for second spot. The only caution period of the race occurred with three circuits in the books as Aidan Donaldson's mount stopped on the backstretch. Neary and Bieber dashed past Gamache on the restart and Neary began his pursuit of his S&S Speedways teammate, Silfee. While Neary stayed on the leader's back bumper, often giving his running mate a little tap to let him know someone was there, he could not muster a serious, side by side challenge for the top spot
At the finish, it was Silfee claiming the win over Neary, Bieber, Kyle Herve, and Canadian driver William Racine. Silfee won the point title by 60 tallies over Bieber, with Herve and Nowatarski finishing in a tie for third. Racine wound up fifth in the standings.
Ulsh Auto Sales Slingshot Derby (12 Laps): 1.Jared Silfee, 2.Scott Neary, 3.Brett Bieber, 4.Kyle Herve, 5.William Racine, 6.Elliot Gamache, 7.Reese Nowatarski, 8.Andrew Turpin, 9.Wally Bell, 10.Gavin Danner, 11.Zach Steffey, 12.Jonathan Swift, 13.Matt Mertz, 14.Mark Mohr, 15.Tomas Mowery, 16.James Mohr, 17.Aiden Donaldson.
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