Mark Smith Chases Down Josh Weller For Winning Pass In Rain Shortened Jack Gunn Memorial
Mitch Holds Off Wray & Moser For Pro Stock Checkers
Story By: STEVE INCH / SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY MEDIA Photos By:DAN DEMARCO/ RACERSGUIDE.COM
SELINSGROVE, Pa. -May 1, 2016- On the night of the 36th annual Jack Gunn Memorial there were two races going on at Selinsgrove Speedway. One race was on the track and the other was against mother nature and an impending storm Saturday evening.
Although the racing was fast paced all night and moved along quickly, mother nature still got the best of the 30-lap Gunn Memorial. The race was past halfway and considered complete on lap 18 with Mark Smith of Sunbury declared the winner for the second year in a row in the $2,200-to-win event. Brad Mitch of McClure also grabbed a Pro Stock win in the division’s 15-lap main before the rains came.
Robbie Stillwagon of Burlington, N.J., started the night off with the Fast Tees Fast Time Award (17.499) over the 28-car field for the Newville Family of Companies 360 Sprint Cars which were joined by the United Racing Club.
Rains hit before the Jeff’s Auto Body & Recycling Center Super Late Model feature was held. The makeup feature will be run during the May 7 “Pack the Track” night. Chad Hollenbeck, Tony Adams, and Coleby Frye won the heat races for the stout 27-car Late Model field.
The Roadrunner feature was also postponed to a later date to be announced.
This coming Saturday, May 7, will be the annual PEPSI “Pack the Track” night featuring $5 General Admission for all adults and students. Kids 11 years of age and younger will be admitted FREE. The May 7 racing card will include a full program of 360 Sprint Cars, Pro Stocks, Roadrunners and two late model features. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m.
Once heat races and a B-main were completed the Sprint Car feature line up was set with Mark Smith bringing the field to the green flag as the defending winner of the race. A strong start for fourth-place starter Josh Weller shot him into the race lead. A lap six caution flag gave Smith a chance to regroup and take a shot to regain the top spot. By the time the field returned to the flag stand for lap seven Smith was again showing the way while being chased by Weller.
On lap 12 Smith began to work into lapped traffic and that allowed Weller to begin to close up the gap along with TJ Stutts. Stutts was all over Weller when the yellow flag flew again on lap 17 for Curt Michael slowing with a flat tire. The yellow was good for Smith again giving him the open track.
Stutts was on Weller when the green flew again allowing Smith to get away a little bit before the yellow was displayed for the final time. Jim Shuster was slowing on the backstretch as the rain began to fall on the speedway. Drivers gave officials the sign that the racing surface was not what it needed to be for them to compete any further and they were sent to the pits and the race was called official soon after.
The win is Smith’s 16th career victory at the speedway in 358-360 Sprint Car racing and his seventh in a URC sanctioned event at the track dating back to 2012. Weller came home in second followed by Stutts, Ryan Kissinger from the 13th starting spot, and Robbie Stillwagon. Jason Shultz, Cody Keller, Nate Snyder, Ed Aiken, and John Braim were the top ten in the rain-shortened event.
Joe Trenca, Josh Weller, Tj Stutts won the heat races with Colby Womer winning the B main.
Brad Mitch was on a mission to grab his 20th career Selinsgrove Speedway victory and he did just that in the A&A Auto Stores Pro Stock feature event. Mitch led early over opening night winner Andrew Shoop before Shoop went pitside with an issue. Kurt Wray became the runner up and put a ton of pressure on Mitch before he too had an issue that sidelined his car.
Brandon Moser kept Mitch honest the rest of the race by staying on his rear bumper, but was not able to complete the pass and had to settle for second. Matt Wilson, Curtis Lawton, and Jeff Ceballo rounded out the top five. Mitch and Shoop won heat races for the Pro Stocks.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY- 30 April 2016
360 Sprints—28 Entries
30-Lap A-Main Called Official On Lap 18 Due To Rain: 1) 1M Mark Smith 2) 63 Josh Weller 3) 23 TJ Stutts 4) 66 Ryan Kissinger 5) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 6) 29 Jason Shultz 7) 99K Cody Keller 8) 39 Nate Snyder 9) 21 Ed Aikin 10) 44 John Braim 11) 1W Eric Tomecek 12) 28F Davie Franek 13) 77 Derek Locke 14) 33 Michael Walter 15) 22 Troy Betts 16) 67 Steve Collins 17) 39 Eric Parker 18) 47 Adam Carberry 19) C4 Jim Shuster 20) 5g Curt Michael 21) 98 Joe Trenca 22) 10 Pauly Colagiovanni 23) 3Z Colby Womer 24) 74J JR Berry 25) 5 Justin Barger 26) 56 Randy West
Heat Winners: Joe Trenca, Josh Weller, TJ Stutts
B-Main Winner: Colby Womer
Time Trials: 1) 89 Robbie Stillwaggon 17.499 2) 29 Jason Shultz 17.504 3) 28F Davie Franek 17.584 4) 1 Mark Smith 17.613 5) 63 Josh Weller 17.626 6) 5G Curt Michael 17.645 7) 5 Justin Barger 17.712 8) 99K Cody Keller 17.712 9) 23 TJ Stutts 17.738 10) 98 Joe Trenca 17.741 11) 21 Ed Aikin 17.801 12) 33 Michael Walter II 17.866 13) 3Z Colby Womer 17.896 14) 66 Ryan Kissinger 17.934 15) 44 John Braim 17.959 16) 1W Eric Tomecek 17.962 17) C4 Jim Shuster 18.012 19) 39 Nate Snyder 18.316 20) 29S Derek Steward 18.390 21) 56 Randy West 18.424 22) 10 Pauly Colagiovanni 18.536 23) 39 Eric Parker 18.629 24) 74J JR Berry 25)706 Mark Sasso 19.403 26) 47 Adam Carberry DNT 27) 67 Steve Collins DNT 28) 77 Derek Locke DNT
Super Late Models –27 Entries
25-Lap A-Main: Postponed until May 7
Heat Winners: Chad Hollenbeck, Tony Adams, Coleby Frye
Pro Stocks – 18 Entries
15-Lap A-Main: 1) 10M Brad Mitch 2) 8M Brandon Moser 3) 83 Matt Wilson 4) 33 Curtis Lawton 5) 28J Jeff Ceballo 6) 28B John Bouse 7) 55 Lori Croop 8) 4 Jim Payne 9) 14C Bill Conrad 10) 71 Kurt Wray 11) 19 Brandon Auman 12) 13 Zach Romig 13) 6C AJ Hoffman 14) 2C Adam Campbell 15) 8S Andrew Shoop 16) 28 Dan Condo 17) 55T John Troxell 18) 26 Nate Stroup
Heat Winners: Brad Mitch, Andrew Shoop
Roadrunners – 5 Entries
12-Lap A-Main: Makeup Date To Be Announced
