The season-long points chase in the DIRTcar 358 Modifieds at Big Diamond Speedway draws to a close tonight in the 25-lap feature event. Six drivers have a mathematical chance of scoring the crown.
Rick Laubach leads with 3,091 markers, followed by Duane Howard 3,050, Billy Pauch Jr. 3,022, Frank Cozze 2,908, Kevin Smith 2,840 and Meme DeSantis 2,830. Of the drivers in the points chase tonight, Howard is the only driver to secure a title at the Schuylkill County oval. He has seven modified championships.
The sportsman crown will also be decided tonight. Just 33 points separate the top 3 - Wayne Witmer, Tim Fitzpatrick, and Doug Handpicks. Billy Moyer Jr., Clay Butler, Shawn Light and Kevin Beach also each have a chance of winning the title.
The roadrunners are also in action tonight and their title championship will be decided next weekend during the Jack Rich Coalcracker Weekend. Scott Haus secured the limited late model title last weekend, winning the feature. Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing begins at 8:15 tonight.
Selinsgrove Speedway will host a special, 30-lap, $2,000-to-win feature for the super late models Saturday evening in preparation for next weekend's two-day Late Model National Open sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. Time rials and qualifying events will be contested to determine the starting lineup for the stock cars.
Joining the show will be the 360 sprint cars, pro stocks and roadrunners, with gates opening at 5 p.m. with racing set to start at 7:30.
Next weekend's National Open is a two-day show, with Saturday's 40-lap feature event paying $8,000 to win and Sunday's finale, a 50-lap affair, paying $10,000 to win. Gregg Satterlee was the preliminary night winner last year, while Darrel Lanigan took home the Sunday money. The pro stocks will join the Saturday night show, with the limited late models there Sunday.
In other racing action tonight, Williams Grove Speedway hosts Kid's Night along with an open wheel doubleheader show of the 410 sprint cars and the rescheduled URC Rislone Sprint Car Series Rislone Nationals.
Activities are planned for the children prior to the racing, beginning at 5:30 in the track infield. Driver autograph sessions, bike races, face painting, dunk tank and games are planned for the children.
Racing begins at 7:30.
Williams Grove hosts its final Saturday Night Series event and the points battle will be settled in one of the three weekly divisions. The winged super sportsman still have a few races left and they will be carried over to a few Friday shows, while Alan Sagi claimed the limited late model crown. Jeff Haag holds a slim 55 point cushion over Kevin Sigler in the street stock class.
Local drag racers were successful last Saturday at Numidia Dragway. Tom Harhart of Elysburg won the Street Eliminator class and was a semifinalist in the Racer's Appreciation race. Jeff Krushinskie of Shamokin collected runner-up honors in both the Super Pro Eliminations and the Racer's Appreciation race. Numidia returns to action tonight with Street Legal drags, NHRA Summit Series points racing Saturday along with the NETO (Northeast Timing Organization) and a test and tune Sunday.
The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series headed out of a soggy Brainerd (MN) International Raceway Sunday evening, with only one winner crowned in the Lucas Oil Nationals.
Morgan Lucas defeated Doug Kalitta to earn the Top Fuel title, while the remaining eliminations will be contested next weekend at Indianapolis during the 60th annual Chevrolet Performance US Nationals.
The Funny Car final will pit points leader John Force against Ron Capps, while the semifinals of Pro Stock will pair Vincent Nobile against Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Jason Line against Dave Rivers.
Saturday night, Grandview Speedway hosts a three division show of NASCAR 358 modifieds, sportsman and limited late models. Hagerstown Speedway will feature the super late models, late model sportsman, pure stocks, hobby stocks and four cylinder stocks. Port Royal Speedway will host double 25-lap features for the 410 sprint cars. The 305 sprint cars are also on the schedule.
Lincoln Speedway has an open wheel doubleheader of 358 and 410 sprint cars , along with the All American Outlaw stockers. For those who need an asphalt fix, Mahoning Valley Speedway will have the micro stock cars joining the weekly six division show of modifieds, late models, street stocks, dirt mods, pro 4 cylinder stockers and hobby stocks.
(Kaminski covers auto racing for The News-Item)