4.18.15 Selinsgrove Speedway Results
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Davie “No Panic” Franek of Wantage, N.J., scored a thrilling victory over TJ Stutts of Liverpool in Saturday night’s 25-lap 360 sprint car feature at Selinsgrove Speedway.
Franek and Stutts see-sawed for the lead for the last 10 laps of the race with Franek taking his first checkered flag of the season in the Franek Auto Sales No. 28F. The $2,000 victory was Franek’s ninth career at the track.
“I hope you fans enjoyed that!” said Franek in Victory Lane. “It was exciting from my seat!”
Jeff Rine of Danville made it two wins in a row in the 25-lap super late model feature. The victory marked the 93rd of Rine’s career at the track.
Nathan Long of Selinsgrove made a last-lap, final-turn pass by Kyle Bachman of Selinsgrove for his first win of the season in the 15-lap pro stock feature, while Bob Bussey of Northumberland wired the field for his win in the 12-lap roadrunner race.
Selinsgrove Speedway returns with another four division racing card of 360 sprint cars, late models, pro stocks, and roadrunners at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 25. Track gates will open at 4 p.m.
Second-place starter Davie Franek and polesitter Troy Betts dueled for the lead at the start of the sprint car feature. Franek edged out Betts for the lead at the completion of the first lap, when the caution flag waved for a double spin involving Larry Kelleher and Brad Franks in turn four.
On the restart, Franek maintained the lead with fifth-place starter TJ Stutts making a breathtaking move against the guardrail in turn four to drive by both Betts and fourth-place starter Jason Shultz for the second spot! On a lap five restart, 11th-place starter Mark Smith powered into the top five.
At the halfway point, Stutts closed in on Franek in what would turn into a suspenseful race for the lead and win. Slider after slider through the turns, Franek would reclaim the lead from Stutts. While Stutts put his car in front of Franek’s at different times on the track he was never scored as the leader of the race at the start-finish line.
Racing off turn four for the checkered flag, Franek held off Stutts’ last-ditch effort to steal the win. Franek was victorious by just .59 of a second over Stutts, Smith, Betts, and 10th-place starter Colby Womer.
Jeff Rine started on the pole and edged out second-place starter Matt Cochran for the lead at the drop of the green flag in the late model feature. Rine blistered the speedway at the front of the pack while fourth-place starter Steve Campbell kept him in his sights.
A caution flag for Hayes Mattern regroup the field on lap five. When the race resumed, Rine distanced himself from the rest of the field with Campbell trailing in second. A torrid battle for the third spot unfolded between fifth-place starter Kenny Trevitz, third-place starter Dave Zona, and Cochran. At the checkered flag, Rine posted a convincing seven-second margin of victory over Campbell, Cochran, Trevitz, and Jim Yoder.
Derrick Garman pulled into the early lead from his pole starting position and led the first lap of the pro stock feature. On the second circuit, third-place starter Kyle Bachman made an inside pass in turn one to take command of the field.
With five laps remaining, fifth-place starter Nathan Long stormed into the runner up position. Long quickly reeled in Bachman in a race for the lead. On the 11th lap, the caution flag unfurled when Tommy Slanker’s car fell off the pace.
When the race resumed, Long pressured Bachman for the lead. On the final lap, exiting the final turn, Long pulled off the winning pass using the inside line. Long’s margin over victory was a mere .28 of a second over Bachman, Andrew Shoop, AJ Stroup, and Matt Hornberger.
Polesitter Bob Bussey wired the field for his win the roadrunner race. During the first half of the race, fourth-place starter John Fowler Jr. trailed Bussey until fifth-place starter Dustin Snook took over the runner-up position.
Snook put in a last-lap bid to steal the lead and victory away from Bussey to no avail. At the finish, Bussey was victorious by .63 of a second over Snook. After the post-race inspection, however, Snook’s car was disqualified over a technicality. Fowler was credited with the second position, followed by Jeremy Kline, Brandon Shultz, and Butch Shaffer.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY: 18 April 2015
360 Sprint Cars – 21 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 28F Davie Franek 2) 23 TJ Stutts 3) 1 Mark Smith 4) 22 Troy Betts 5) 19 Colby Womer 6) 99K Cody Keller 7) 76 Larry Kelleher 8) 1W Eric Tomecek 9) 67 Steve Collins 10) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 11) F5 Mark Bitner 12) 29 Jason Shultz 13) C4 Jim Shuster 14) 66 Ryan Kissinger 15) 29S Derek Steward 16) 12B Brad Franks 17) 39 Eric Parker 18) 98 Joe Trenca 19) 49S Mallie Shuster 20) 77 Derek Locke 21) 33W Michael Walter II
Heat Winners: TJ Stutts, Jason Shultz, Cody Keller
Late Models – 14 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: 1) 2J Jeff Rine 2) 2 Steve Campbell 3) 16 Matt Cochran 4) 61 Ken Trevitz 5) 27 Jim Yoder 6) 43A Gene Knaub 7) 4D Chad Hollenbeck 8) 88 Tony Adams 9) 7M Meade Hahn 10) 28 Jason Smith 11) 10 Dave Stamm 12) 88T Ernie Millon 13) 99Z Dave Zona 14) 9 Hayes Mattern
Heat Winners: Steve Campbell, Dave Zona
Pro Stocks – 20 Entries
15-Lap A-Main: 1) 63 Nathan Long 2) 99 Kyle Bachman 3) 8S Andrew Shoop 4) 26 AJ Stroup 5) 88 Matt Hornberger 6) 71 Kurt Wray 7) 94 Brad Myers 8) 89 John Schoch 9) 4 Jim Payne 10) 2C Adam Campbell 11) 11 Derrick Garman 12) 40 Tommy Slanker 13) G3 Jim Gearhart 14) 31 Chris Snyder 15) 14 Dave Brouse Jr. 16) 55 John Troxell 17) 33 Curtis Lawton DQ 18) 6 Nate Herman DQ 19) 10M Brad Mitch DNS 20) 14C Bill Conrad DNS
Heat Winners: Brad Mitch, Curtis Lawton, Nathan Long
Roadrunners – 8 Entries
12-Lap A-Main: 1) 76 Bob Bussey 2) 02 John Fowler 3) 8K Jeremy Kline 4) 31B Brandon Shultz 5) 7 Butch Shaffer 6) 12 Tom Underwood 7) 22 Ricky Buss 8) 15 Dustin Snook DQ