Track records fell like the temperatures Saturday night at both Selinsgrove and Port Royal speedways.
At Selinsgrove, nine sprint drivers were quicker than the one-lap track record during warm-ups with Blane Heimbach the fastest at 109.667 mph, a time of 17.385 seconds. A new record was not put in the books however since the event was not an official time-trial race.
But Heimbach did etch a new eight-lap track record into the annals in his heat, snapping the previous mark set in 2007 by Mike Walter. Pro stock driver Cody McFadden put new five-lap numbers into the books in his heat race as well.
Out at Port Royal, where they track time in every race, Jeff Rine went on the board with a new one-lap record in late models while Gary Beward established a new eight-lap time in heat racing. John Heane scored new one-lap and 15-lap records in pro stock action.
When the dust settled at both tracks, T.J. Stutts had his third opening-day sprint victory at Selinsgrove with his 12th career 358 win while A.J. Stroup won the opener for pro stocks.
At Port, Rick Lafferty was the opening-day 410 sprint winner over Daryn Pittman and Chad Layton. Rine invaded and won the late model main before returning home to Selinsgrove, while Heane took pro stocks.
AT LINCOLN: Brian Leppo won his first 410 sprint main since 2006 at the oval Saturday. Leppo gave credit for his win: "With the addition of my father-in-law (Steve Smith)...I'd like to think we have an advantage and let's just keep rolling. Steve was a great race car driver and mechanic, and it's getting my confidence back."
FRIDAY AT WILLIAMS GROVE: Lucas Wolfe came home from the World of Outlaws tour during an off weekend and picked up the 410 sprint victory after dueling with Pittman and Brian Montieth. Jason Covert won over a 23-car field of late models.
NUMBERS PITSIDE: Port Royal saw 22 410 sprints sign in Saturday while Lincoln Speedway had 25. Williams Grove had 33 Friday. There were 10 pro stocks on hand at Port, while Selinsgrove had 25. Port had nearly 30 late models while Selinsgrove had 31 358 sprints.
ERDLEY MAKES CHANGE: Mike Erdley's plans for 2010 have changed.
Erdley said this week that he will campaign his Randy Lisi owned No. 11 sprinter only Saturdays this year at Port Royal while also hitting the trio of 410 sprint shows at Selinsgrove. The Elizabethville driver has made some adjustments in his life away from the track that have altered the time he can commit to racing.
NO MOCKERY: Sprint driver and chassis builder Mark Smith has been getting a lot of credit so far this season from his Mach 1 Chassis clients.
Blane Heimbach credited his new Mach 1 for a fine ride to the 358 win last week at Williams Grove. Smith rode one of his mounts to the win at Lincoln last week and then this week Leppo had praise from victory lane.
"As you can see tonight, when it comes to a quality race car ... this Mach 1 that Mark has brought to the table in one stout car," he said.
NOTES: Selinsgrove will host the make-up 2009 National Open for 358 sprints this Saturday at 6 p.m. The race, which was rained out twice last September, will go 30 laps for $3,000 to win with time trials used to set lineups ... Pat Cannon's 358 blew up during heat action Saturday at Selinsgrove. The team then loaded up for the night ... Stevie Smith and the Zemco No. 1 sprint were disqualified for the night Friday at the Grove after a fracas with officials stemming from Smith failing to report to the scales as required ... Expect to see the 2011 dates for the big season-opening modified shows at Selinsgove to be announced soon ... TrailWay Speedway opens its season for 358 sprints this Friday.
n Shawn Brouse covers motorsports for The Daily Item. E-mail comments to sports@dailyitem.com
