Traditional Season Opener to set stage for Thrilling Season
Story By: ROC SERIES MEDIA Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
SELINSGROVE, PA- February 25, 2016- The 2016 Race of Champions Dirt Modified Series is ready for a new beginning on March 19 at the Selinsgrove Speedway. Selinsgrove has a strong history dating back to 2008 with the Race of Champions and 2016 promises to be more of the same as stars from throughout the Modified world ascend on the fast half-mile oval in the heart of Pennsylvania. The event marks the beginning of a new era for the series as it is the first under the new management.
The ‘Icebreaker 40’ is scheduled to kick off the season at 2:00 pm with a large contingent of drivers scheduled to be in attendance for the Pennsylvania Modified opener. Drivers will be looking to shake down their rides while hoping to add their name to impressive list of past winners at the historic facility.
The history of the Race of Champions Modified Dirt Series at Selinsgrove Speedway is dominated by some of the biggest names in dirt Modified racing. The first Race of Champions event was held at the Selinsgrove Speedway in 2008 with Rick Laubach taking home the win. Labauch, of Hellertown, Pa., is a multi-time champion at his home tracks and he’s coming off a win in Florida during the Modifieds annual trek to Volusia Speedway Park.
Pat Ward is a multi-time winner at Selinsgrove in the Modified division. Ward captured wins in 2009 and 2010. Danny Johnson also has two wins in Race of Modified competition at the speedway. Johnson scored triumphs in 2009 and 2011. They are joined by Duane Howard as a two-time winner in RoC competition. Howard, a staple at Grandview Speedway, took home the checkers in 2012 and 2013.
Matt Sheppard has one career win at Selinsgrove which came in 2010. The Waterloo, N.Y., driver came up just short to Stewart Friesen in his efforts to win the Race of Champions dirt Modified title back in 2013 title. Sheppard scored three track titles in 2015 with two of them coming at Race of Modified dirt Champions tracks Canandaigua Motorsports Park and Utica-Rome Speedway. Joining Sheppard with one Selinsgrove win are multi-time Grandview Speedway champion Jeff Strunk, defending New Egypt Speedway champion Ryan Godown and his biggest rival and former New Egypt Speedway champion Billy Pauch.
Race of Champions – Selinsgrove Speedway
March 15, 2008 – Rick Laubach
March 20, 2009 – Pat Ward (358)
March 21, 2009 – Danny Johnson
March 19, 2010 – Pat Ward (358)
March 20, 2010 – Matt Sheppard
March 18, 2011 – Jeff Strunk (358)
March 19, 2011 – Danny Johnson
March 16, 2012 – Duane Howard (358)
March 17, 2012 – Billy Pauch
June 19, 2012 – Ryan Godown
March 15, 2013 – Duane Howard (358)
March 16, 2013 – Cancelled
March 14, 2014 – Cancelled
March 15, 2014 – Cancelled
March 14, 2015 – Cancelled
March 19, 2016 – ?????
The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The 66th annual Race of Champions weekend will take place in 2016 and is the second longest consecutive auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
For more information, contact;
Race of Champions Media at media@rocmodifiedseries.com
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