By Shawn Wood
SELINSGROVE — There’s joy in Selinsgrove this week.
With a weekend forecast of sunshine and spring-like temperatures and no rain or snow in sight, the sounds of racing engines will come to life as the ground-pounding modifieds open the 65th season of auto racing at Selinsgrove Speedway with the third annual Icebreaker 50.
On Friday night, heats and consolation(s) for the 358 modifieds start at 7:30 p.m. The 25-lap feature pays $2,200 to win. The big block modifieds will have a practice session on Friday.
On Saturday, the sixth season of the Race of Champions dirt big block modified tour kicks off the first of their nine events at 4 p.m. Saturday’s 50-lap features pays $4,000 to win. Heats, cash dash, consolation(s) and a nonqualifiers feature make up the program. The 358-sprint cars, Selinsgrove’s headline division, will have a practice session as well.
Pat Ward, of Genoa, N.Y., the three-time defending RoC big block tour champion, is the defending winner of last year’s 358 race.
Danny Johnson, of Rochester, N.Y., was awarded the big block win last year when apparent winner Ryan Godown was disqualified at the scales for being light.
“I really think we’re going to have a great car count from all of the feedback I’ve been getting,” Joe Kaminski, Selinsgrove’s race director said.
Among the drivers who have verbally committed to Kaminski include Hearn, Jerry Higbie Jr., Mike Colsten, Stewart Friesen, Jimmy Horton, D. Johnson and Kevin Hirthler. Small block drivers include MeMe DeSantis and Doug Manmiller.
Although Harpell would not disclose the number of pre-entries so far, he did say that the pre-entry list is higher than it has been for the last two years.
Last year, 58 cars signed in for the 358 modified race while the big blocks drew 56 on Saturday.
Rick Laubach won the inaugural event in 2008, which drew 43 cars.
Kaminski has received praise from the fans on the event.
“One fan told me it was like seeing a ‘little Syracuse’ in reference to the Super DIRT Week feature,” he said. “Another fan who saw photos of the covered grandstand on the Web said that it reminded him of his days at Flemington Speedway (N.J.) and he’s looking forward to being here this weekend. I think we’ll have a great fan count with the nice weather.”
With car counts growing each year, the question has been raised about a potential second date.
“I’m very happy with the one date as we have it right now,” Kaminski said. “There is a possibility of a second date in the future, but for now, I’d prefer to keep it to the March date.”
RoC director Andy Harpell has been very happy with the decision to give Selinsgrove a race date.
“The first two years were sensational,” he said. “I think this year is shaping up pretty good as well.”
One driver who is looking to continue his early season success after winning two nonpoints races in Florida is Waterloo, N.Y.’s “Super” Matt Sheppard.
Sheppard battled fuel pump problems in last year’s big block race and missed qualifying for the feature by one spot. He finished fourth in the 358 modified feature last year.
“I like Selinsgrove,” Sheppard said of his first trip to the track last year. “It’s a place that is tough on motors because of the long straightaways. And with the fairly tight corners, you have to have enough gear to get off the corners, yet, you also have to find a happy medium for the gear with the long straights.”
Sheppard will compete in both the small block and big block events this weekend.
2009 was a dream season for the 28-year-old second-generation driver, who scored 21 wins overall, including a Super DIRTcar Series tour-best seven wins. He captured the track titles at Brewerton and Canandaigua speedways.
His biggest win of the year came in the crown jewel of modified racing, the Rite Aid 200 at Syracuse last October. Despite the win, Sheppard came up four points shy of winning the overall Mr. DIRTcar title, which was won by Hearn for a seventh time.
“That’s our ultimate goal this year, to win the Mr. DIRTcar title,” he said. “It’s a tough deal to win as you have to be consistent. We hope it’s our year this year to win it.”
