By Shawn Wood
For The Daily Item
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LOCK HAVEN — The excitement of side-by-side racing that the ARDC Midgets are known for will have to wait until next year.
Originally slated to be on the card this evening at Clinton County Raceway for the completion of the feature, plus a full program to follow, promoter Vern Wasson and ARDC booking agent Lou Zrinski mutually agreed to postpone the race until 2011.
“With a bunch of stuff going on, football about to start, we thought it would be in the best interest of all involved to bring the midgets back in a good month so that they could have the double features and run for a good purse,” Wasson said.
The midgets had made a return to the track after a six-year absence and were seven laps into the 20-lap feature when curfew time came. Tonight’s racing card features the final camera and autograph night of the year and the second-to-last points race for the late models.
Waylon Wagner leads Mitch Hack in the standings by 84 points. Jim Yoder of Selinsgrove is third while Milton’s Bobby Stokes is fourth and defending track champion Luke Hoffner of Turbotville is seventh.
BACK IN THE SADDLE: Showing he can still find victory lane, veteran sprint car driver George Suprick III, Clinton County’s defending 410 sprint car track champion, held off all-time feature winner Phil Walter of McClure for the win last Friday night. Suprick is the fifth different winner in the 410s this year.
WEST BOUND AND DOWN: It’s a five-hour tow from Wilton, Conn., for 358 sprint car rookie Michael Ruttkamp, but he made the most of it last Friday night in his first-ever 358 sprint car feature win at Trail-Way Speedway in Hanover.
MARATHON: The opening lap of the season finale for the 358 modifieds at Big Diamond Raceway took 16 minutes to complete as four cautions and a red flag saw the first lap of the feature turned at 9:46 p.m. The initial green flag waved at 9:30 p.m. Doug Manmiller of Shoemakersville finished sixth in the feature, good enough to earn the 358 modified title. Craig Whitmoyer of Hamburg laid claim to his fifth sportsman modified title while Pottsville’s Elvin Brennan III won the roadrunner title. The sportsman modified take the spotlight tonight in the Coal Cracker 50. The 30th edition of the Coal Cracker 100 for the 358 modifieds is Sunday.
UPDATE: Josh Beard of York is home recovering from his flip in the 358 sprint car consolation event last Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway. Beard was behind Brie Hershey when here engine expired. “I went to go high into turn one and I saw the puff of smoke,” he said.
“I jumped her right rear tire and hit the wall. I remember waking up, upside down, with the engine still running.”
Beard, who is in his first full season of 358 sprint car racing, was transported to Sunbury Community Hospital after complaining of neck pain. He was released early Sunday morning and then furthered examined at York Hospital later Sunday. He suffered only pulled muscles and a neck sprain. The team will miss this week’s 358/360 Open and, pending a followup examination, he could return as soon as Sept. 11.
Beard is 12th in the point standings ON A ROLL: Middleburg’s Jenna Yarger pushed her winning streak to seven straight races last Saturday night at Greenwood Valley Action Track in the Junior Caged go-kart division. She is tied with late model driver and Danville resident Jeff Rine for most wins by an area driver with 11.
TRIPLE 20s: The Jack Gunn Memorial triple 20s takes place tonight at Williams Grove Speedway as part of a two-race Labor Day weekend. With nearly $40,000 on the line, the Triple 20s is one of the major events at Williams Grove Speedway and is the richest unsanctioned night of the season. Time trials will lock the 12 fastest cars into the first feature. The fastest qualifier will draw for lineup inversion. The remainder of the field will be split into two 10-lap qualifying races and the top five in each will transfer to the first feature.
The final two spots will go to the highest ranking drivers in the point standings who attempted to qualify but did not transfer to the feature.
The second feature will be lined up according to the first feature finish. The winning driver will draw for inversion. Feature number three will be lined up according to the total dollars earned in the first two races.
The top six money winners will be inverted. The first two 20-lap features will each pay $2,500 to win, with the third feature paying $5,000 to win. A sweep of the Triple 20s will be worth $10,000. No driver has ever swept a Triple 20s program. Sunday, Sept.
5, will serve as a rain date for the Jack Gunn Memorial.
