SPAHR CLAIMS SECOND WIN OF SEASON IN TRAIL-WAY “358” SPRINTS

Hanover, PA (09/2/11) – York’s Arron Spahr started on the front row and led every lap to claim his second win of the year in a wild 25-lap “358” sprint car feature at Trail-Way Speedway Friday night. And while Spahr dominated en route to his third career Trail-Way win, the action in behind was beyond description. The event included two red flags, eight cautions, and the disqualification of the Trail-Way points leader.

The first red flag waved on lap two, when seven cars were involved in a crash that led to a Steve Owings flip on turn two. Owings was uninjured, but unable to continue. The second red flag came out for Nick Palmerino, who plowed into the first-turn wall on lap seven. Palmerino was transported to Hanover Hospital for a check-up after complaining of knee, neck, and back pain.

One of the eight caution flags came out for top guns Brad McClelland (driving the Steve Rucker #6R) and points leader Jeff Rohrbaugh, who got together and spun into the infield on the frontstretch of lap 21. After being pushed off to restart the race, Rohrbaugh spun his tires in the infield, burying a wrecker in dirt. He was disqualified from the event, and stripped of feature points and money.

Rohrbaugh was given nine points for his heat finish, and got a break when Billy Dietrich experienced motor problems in warm-ups and scratched for the night.

Fifth-starting J.B. Cunningham caught polesitter Scott Fisher for second on lap ten and ran there the rest of the way, with Fisher settling for third, lady driver Jessie Morrison crossing fourth, and Kyle Moody fifth. Sixth through tenth were Cris Eash (who moved into second in points), Dale Hammaker, Logan Schuchart, Austin Hogue, and Randy Whisler.

Heats for the 26 “358” sprinters were won by Morrison, Zach Euculano, and Spahr, with Logan Schuchart winning the consolation event.

Feature (25 Laps)

1. 16 Arron Spahr ; 2. 7C J B Cunningham Jr ; 3. 21 Scott Fisher ; 4. 18J Jessie Morrison ; 5. 99M Kyle Moody ; 6. 10W Cris Eash ; 7. 66 Dale Hammaker ; 8. 1S Logan Schuchart ; 9. 52 Austin Hogue ; 10. 64 Randy Whisler ; 11. 19Z Isaac Sneeringer ; 12. 1A Jacob Allen ; 13. 5A Brian Allman ; 14. 11D Mike Duncan Jr ; 15. 99 Joe Trone Jr ; 16. 8R Michael Ruttkamp ; 17. 6R Brad Mc Clelland ; 18. 10 Zach Euculano ; 19. 1 Tim Wagaman II ; 20. 28 Keith Prutzman ; 21. 51N Nick Palmerino ; 22. 22T Matt Boland ; 23. 35 Steve Owings ; 24. 45 Jeff Rohrbaugh (DQ) . No Time.

Lap Leaders- 16 Arron Spahr (1-25)

SCHUCHART OUTDRIVES FIELD OF 50 FOR $8,000

58-360 SPRINT CAR NATIONAL OPEN VICTORY

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – 18-year-old Logan Schuchart of Hanover scored the biggest victory of his young racing career in convincing style in Saturday night’s 11th Annual Mach 1 Chassis National Open for 358-360 Sprint Cars at Selinsgrove Speedway.

The $8,000 victory in the 35-lap Open marked the third of Schuchart’s career at the track and the seventh overall this season driving the Bealing Homes/Shark Motorsports No. 1S. He became the eighth different driver to the win the Open since its inaugural running in 2001.

The $36,000-plus race, which featured a unique qualifying format consisting of two rounds of heat races and a point system, drew a record 50 358-360 sprint car entries. 

Point leader AJ Hoffman of Richfield won his eighth race of the season in the 15-lap pro stock feature.

Selinsgrove Speedway will present a four division program of 358 sprint cars, late models, pro stocks, and roadrunners at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10. Track gates will open at 5 p.m.

At the start of the sprint car feature, polesitter Logan Schuchart and second-place starter Davie Franek dueled for the lead for several laps before Schuchart secured the front spot on lap five. Schuchart drew a bead on the bottom of the race track while Franek kept his momentum around the top line. 

By lap 10, Schuchart began to encounter slower traffic while the battle for second intensified between Franek and sixth-place starter Shane Stewart.  On the 13th circuit, Stewart moved into second and set his sites on Schuchart, while Franek, 10th-place starter Blane Heimbach, and fourth-place starter Aaron Ott raced in the top five.

The race’s first and only caution flag unfurled on lap 22 when Jason Shultz came to a stop on the frontstretch with a flat tire. When the race resumed, Schuchart pulled away from Stewart. Late in the race, seventh-place starter Pat Cannon began to show some speed and moved into fourth.

Racing through lapped traffic, Schuchart posted a 3.9 second margin of victory over Stewart, Heimbach, Cannon, and fifth-place starter Daryn Pittman. 

SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 3 September 2011
358-360 Sprint Cars – 50 Entries
35-Lap National Open: 1) 1S Logan Schuchart $8,000 2) 21S Shane Stewart 3) 12 Blane Heimbach 4) 3 Pat Cannon 5) 27 Daryn Pittman 6) 77 Aaron Ott 7) 28F Davie Franek 8) 32 Justin Barger 9) 7M Mark Smith 10) 5B Josh Beard 11) 76 Larry Kelleher 12) 23M TJ Stutts 13) 1W Eric Tomecek 14) 21 Duane Mausteller 15) 56 Nate Snyder 16) 15 Mark Bittner 17) 8R Michael Ruttkamp 18) 99M Kyle Moody 19) 66 Ryan Kissinger 20) 1 Jason Shultz 21) 99K Cody Keller 22) 37 Scott Flammer 23) 88 Rory Janney 24) 19 Colby Womer 25) 67 Steven Collins
Round 1 Heat Winners: Shane Stewart, Daryn Pittman, Eric Tomecek, Colby Womer, Davie Franek
Round 2 Heat Winners: Aaron Ott, Larry Kelleher, Justin Barger, Mark Bittner, Davie Franek 
B-Main Winners: Scott Flammer, Steve Collins, Ryan Kissinger