SCHUCHART & LAFFERTY SPLIT TWIN 20 SPRINT CAR FEATURE VICTORIES
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Logan Schuchart of Hanover and Rick Lafferty of Pennington, N.J., each scored their first career 410 sprint car wins at Selinsgrove Speedway in Sunday afternoon’s Twin 20s racing program to close out the 2013 sprint car racing season at the half-mile oval.
Schuchart, a former 358 and 360 sprint car winner at the track, took the checkered flag in the first 20-lap feature, while Lafferty made a last-lap pass for his victory in the second 20-lap main event. Each feature paid $2,500 to win.
Eric Boozler wired the 28-car field for his victory in the 12-lap four cylinder pure stock race.
Selinsgrove Speedway will present the Fall Classic for super late models at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, plus a street stock/roadrunner challenge race. The 30-lap season finale for the super late models will pay $5,000 to win and $300 to start. The qualifying format will include time trials, heats, and a B-main. Track gates will open at 4 p.m.
The DH&L Fire Co. will hold the annual race car flea market on the speedway grounds beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26.
In the first 20-lap sprint car feature, polesitter Logan Schuchart pulled into the lead at the drop of the green flag and was chased by second-place starter Chad Layton. Third-place starter Blane Heimbach held the position while being challenged by sixth-place starter Brock Zearfoss.
By lap five, the leaders began to encounter slower traffic on the daytime racing surface. Two laps later, Layton was reeling in Schuchart in a race for the lead. On the 10th circuit, Zearfoss powered under Heimbach for the third position.
Nyle Berkes slammed the frontstretch wall on lap 14, forcing the leaders to take evasive action. When the race resumed, Schuchart stretched his lead with Layton, Zearfoss, Heimbach, and seventh-place starter Steve Buckwalter racing in the top five.
With four laps to race, Buckwalter advanced to fourth while Schuchart drove away from the field and posted a two-second margin of victory. Layton, Zearfoss, Buckwalter and Heimbach rounded out the top five.
In Victory Lane, Schuchart drew a No. 10 pill to invert the top 10 finishers from the first feature for the start of the second feature. On the initial start, fifth-place starter Pat Cannon and 11th-place starter Curt Stroup were involved in a tangle in turn four. During the caution flag, ninth-place starter Chad Layton withdrew his car from the race with mechanical woes.
On the second attempt to start the race, Wade Stauffer and Michael Walter spun in turn four. Polesitter Justin Barger beat out second-place starter Rick Lafferty for the early lead on the third try to commence the race. Fourth-place starter Jacob Allen held down the third position, while sixth-place starter Blane Heimbach and third-place starter Kyle Moody raced in the top five.
By lap six, the leaders had to navigate their way through slower traffic, with Barger setting a torrid pace in front of Lafferty. On the 11th lap, Heimbach passed Allen for the third spot and set his sights on the leaders. Logan Schuchart started 10th and was up to sixth by lap 13.
With two laps to race, Lafferty started to gain a lot of real estate on Barger. A caution flag for Bradley Howard, who did a 360-degree spin, brought out the caution flag with one lap left to race. For the chase to the checkered flag, Lafferty made a dive under Barger entering turn one and exited turn two with the lead. At the finish, Lafferty was victorious by just .34 of a second over Barger, Heimbach, Schuchart, and Allen.
Second-place starter Eric Boozler drove into the lead at the start of the four cylinder pure stock feature. Boozler quickly opened up a big lead over polesitter Robert Wellman and fourth-place starter Ricky Weaver.
For several laps, Wellman, Weaver, and third-place starter Gale Martin dueled for the runner-up position. At the checkered flag, Boozler was victorious by a straightaway over Wellman, Martin, Weaver, and Andrew Moist.
SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 6 October 2013
410 Sprint Cars – 24 Entries
1st 20-Lap A-Main: 1) 1S Logan Schuchart 2) 7 Chad Layton 3) 3Z Brock Zearfoss 4) 17B Steve Buckwalter 5) 12 Blane Heimbach 6) 3 Pat Cannon 7) 1A Jacob Allen 8) 99M Kyle Moody 9) 0 Rick Lafferty 10) 5 Justin Barger 11) 33 Curt Stroup 12) 11 Mike Erdley 13) 19 Colby Womer 14) 71 Jessica Anderson 15) 38 Scott Wilson 16) 49H Brad Howard 17) 55Z Mark Zimmerman 18) 25B Tyler Bear 19) 2A Todd Allen 20) 99B Nyle Berkes DNF 21) 66 Ryan Kissinger DNF 22) 49 Bob Howard DNF 23) 19S Wade Stauffer DNF 24) 33W Michael Walter DNF
2nd 20-Lap A-Main: 1) 0 Rick Lafferty 2) 5 Justin Barger 3) 12 Blane Heimbach 4) 1S Logan Schuchart 5) 1A Jacob Allen 6) 3Z Brock Zearfoss 7) 17B Steve Buckwalter 8) 11 Mike Erdley 9) 99M Kyle Moody 10) 3 Pat Cannon 11) 19 Colby Womer 12) 71 Jessica Anderson 13) 38 Scott Wilson 14) 55Z Mark Zimmerman 15) 2A Todd Allen DNF 16) 49H Brad Howard DNF 17) 66 Ryan Kissinger DNF 18) 25B Tyler Bear DNF 19) 49 Bob Howard DNF 20) 19S Wade Stauffer DNF 21) 99B Nyle Berkes DNF 22) 33W Michael Walter DNF 23) 7 Chad Layton DNF 24) 33 Curt Stroup DNF
Heat Winners: Logan Schuchart, Chad Layton, Blane Heimbach
Four Cylinders – 28 Entries
12-Lap A-Main: 1) 151 Eric Boozler 2) 41 Robert Wellman 3) 36 Gale Martin 4) 21 Ricky Weaver 5) 1A Andrew Moist 6) 111 Jim Niaman 7) 88D Doug Leonard 8) 1M Marlin Whitcomb 9) 311 Mike Koppenhaver 10) 99 Cody Klinedinst 11) 31 Toby Stahl 12) 3 Zach Moist 13) 11C Sam Grevling 14) 4 Larry Beachel 15) 1 Matt Showers 16) 111T Tyler Lucas 17) 4.5 Michael Hepler 18) 38 Cory Collier 19) 1B Rick Bixlier 20) 52 Sam Barge 21) 88M Matt Leoanard 22) 125 Ed Flynn 23) 4X Shawn Gresher 24) 66 Lee Zook 25) 2M Adam Morgan 26) 90 Joel Mattern 27) 9 John Shorb Sr. 28) 6H Abe Hostettler
Heat Winners: Robert Wellman, Eric Boozer, Gale Martin