4.6.13 Empire Super Sprints Results
SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart of Rushville, Ind., flew into Selinsgrove Saturday evening from Martinsville (Virginia) Speedway, where the elite Cup series is competing this weekend, to race in Selinsgrove Speedway’s Empire Super Sprint (ESS) Mach 1 Chassis 358-360 sprint car challenge race and came away with a convincing victory in the 30-lap, $3,000-to-win feature.
In qualifying, Stewart set a new one-lap track record for 360 sprint cars at Selinsgrove in 17.168 seconds (111.053 average miles per hour) and also won his eight-lap heat race. Stewart qualified 26th on Friday for this Sunday’s STP Gas Boosters 500 NASCAR Cup race at Martinsville Speedway.
Second-place starter Jessica Zemken stormed into the lead at the drop of the green flag in the sprint car feature and a spirited side-by-side battle for the lead unfolded between Zemken and third-place starter Pat Cannon by the third circuit.
The event’s first caution flag unfurled on lap six when polesitter Steve Collins stopped on the track. For the lap seven restart, Zemken led Cannon, sixth-place starter Mark Smith and eighth-place starter Stewart.
After swapping the lead with Zemken for several laps, Cannon secured the lead on lap nine as Stewart advanced to third. On lap 11, Stewart drove by Zemken for the runner up position and set out on a high-speed chase after Cannon.
At the halfway point, Stewart made the winning pass by Cannon using the inside lane entering turn three. Once he pulled into the lead, Stewart checked out from the field and kept his Chevrolet Performance No. 14 out in front for the duration of the race.
At the checkered flag, Stewart was victorious by 2.5 seconds over Cannon, Smith, 17th-place starter TJ Stutts, and 10th-place starter Jason Shultz.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 6 April 2013 360/358 Sprint Cars – 32 Entries 30-Lap A-Main: 1) 14 Tony Stewart ($3,000) 2) 3 Pat Cannon 3)1 Mark Smith 4) 23 TJ Stutts 5) 2 Jason Shultz 6) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 7) 28F Davie Franek 8) 1Z Jessica Zemken 9) 7C Dylan Swiernik 10) 25 Michael Parent 11) 65 Dave Ely 12) 77 Derek Locke 13) 13 Kevin Ward Jr. 14) 5B Josh Beard 15) 16 Ryan Ruhl 16) 88B Andy Best 17) 15 Mark Bitner 18) 66 Ryan Kissinger 19) 21 Duane Mausteller 20) 71 Jessica Anderson 21) 28 Steve Poirier DNF 22) 49 Todd Hoddick DNF 23) 99K Cody Keller DNF 24) 34 Austin Reed DNF 25) 67 Steve Collins DNF
Heat Winners: Tony Stewart, Pat Cannon, Jessica Zemken, Mark Smith
B-Main Winner: Andy Best
Time Trials: 1) 14 Tony Stewart 17.168 (new track record for 360 sprint cars) 2) 3 Pat Cannon 17.216 3) 13 Kevin Ward Jr. 17.262 4) 1 Mark Smith 17.279 5) 28 Steve Poirier 17.319 6) 16 Ryan Ruhl 17.416 7) 65 Dave Ely 17.473 8) 49 Todd Hoddick 17.533 9) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 17.552 10) 21 Duane Mausteller 17.566 11) 1Z Jessica Zemken 17.594 12) 25 Michael Parent 17.601 13) 99K Cody Keller 17.655 14) 71 Jessica Anderson 17.661 15) 67 Steve Collins 17.664 16)5B Josh Beard 17.665 17) 88B Andy Best 17.682 18) 29 Matt Horst 17.752 19) 47 Eric Riggings Jr. 17.759 20) 28F Davie Franek 17.785 21) 23 TJ Stutts 17.787 22) 2 Jason Schultz 17.807 23) 66 Ryan Kissinger 17.874 24) 90 Matt Tanner 17.877 25) 15 Mark Bitner 17.925 26) 77 Derek Locke 17.956 27) 5 Phil Walter 17.957 28) 19 Colby Womer 18.039 29) 55 Patrick Vigneault 18.155 30) 7C Dylan Swiernik 18.184 31) 34 Austin Reed 18.246 32) 1J Ryan Greth 18.287