My Thoughts on a racing weekend gone by......

Hello folks and welcome back from another amazing weekend of racing. This past weekend saw
the 410 division dominated by 1 driver who picked up 2 feature wins Friday and Saturday  night. Friday night also saw a 358 champion pick up his 5th win of the season, while a 2nd  generation, 2nd year driver pick up his 1st career feature win at Port Royal Speedway.

Before I start on this weeks racing action I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who  continues to check out Sligin Dirt brought to you by Kristina Chambers every Thursday  night on Slicks N Sticks radio. You guys have continued to tune in in record numbers every week as our numbers continue to rise to astronomical highs for the show. Kristina and myself continue to try and bring you all some of the best drivers and racing personalities in Central PA racing. This past Thursday we had Chad Criswell on the show who drivers in the Super Sportsman division. You will not hear sportsman drivers interviewed anywhere
else in Central PA, and we will continue to bring you interviews from drivers that are exclusive to Slicks N Sticks. We are committed to bringing you the drivers from all the divisions that run in Central PA. This coming Thursday nights show will be no different, as I promise you we will be having as our guest on at 9 pm a driver who has never been  interviewed by any other racing show anywhere. And just a little hint on this driver....He  was a champion inline speed skater over in Europe before becoming a race car driver in
Central PA. Now that my friends is called a tease. Be looking for the formal announcement
on our lineup every Tuesday.

Friday night saw Danny Dietrich, the hottest 410 sprint car driver in Central PA pick up his 2nd win in a row on Friday night racing action at Williams Grove. I know almost everyone anointed Greg Hoddnet the best 410 driver in Central PA a longgggg time ago, but guess what folks? The guy who I nicknamed The Whole F'n Show 3 years ago has taken that crown away. Dietrich is on a roll right now. In the past 3 weeks he has wins at Lincoln, Williams Grove, Susquehanna Speedway (where he has not be beat yet in 2015) and Grandview Speedway's. You realize the only driver to beat Dietrich in the past 3 weeks is Stevie Smith? Danny is on 1 hell of a roll, lets see how long Danny can keep this streak going. This coming Saturday night is The Dream Extreme at Port Royal Speedway. That is 1 track Danny has not won at in 2015. Can he add that to his ever growing list of accomplishments? I know I wouldn't bet against him that's for sure.

Brent Marks once again scored a top 5 on Friday night. Will that guy ever finally pull a Jim Morrison and Break on Through to the Other Side?

Great to see Pat Cannon get a solid top 5 Friday night as well. The Highlands team has struggled big time in 2015, but if anyone thinks Pat Cannon forgot how to drive a sprint car around Williams Grove, or that team is not any good anymore....You best check yourself fool.

Brad McClelland picked up his 46th career feature win at Trail Way Speedway on Friday night. Started on the poll once again because of the dreaded Draw format.

Cody Fletcher continues to show why he is the most improved driver in the 358 division in 2015.

Note to Trail Way Speedway management....I'm begging who ever is in charge and might see this....GET RID OF THE DAMN DRAW FORMAT!!!!!!!. There is no reason Brad McClelland, Isaac Sneeringer, Cody Fletcher or Seth Kearchner should be starting anywhere near the front of a feature lineup on a normal Friday night race. I understand why you went to a draw format, but guess what it hasn't helped in the way's you, and I for that matter, had hoped for, so scrap it and give the fans a better show. Start the best guys inverted and watch the action unfold. If they cant start 10th and win in 2015 laps then........ And before
anyone says it, if you have ever been to a race at Trail Way Speedway then you realize that yes there is 7 or 8 guys who can win at the track every week, but if you invert those 8 guys and mix in a few of the newer drivers and a surprise or 2, you will give the fans what they love......ACTION!!!!!

Saturday night at Port Royal Logan Wagner scored his 2nd 410 feature win of his career, and first at his home track. Good to see a great kid and a darn good sprint car driver get a very popular win. Mike Wagner his father would come home 4th on Saturday night, so all round great weekend for the Wagner family.

Good to see Davie Sammons with a top 3 finish as well.

Down at Lincoln Speedway some young kid named Dietrich would just decimate the field coming from 12th to win, making it look almost to easy. He made 1 hell of a pass for the lead in lapped traffic, shooting down the backstretch and while heading into torn 3 dove low and took not only 2nd but the lead as well.

Great to see handicapping once again prove how the best racing action comes from this format in Central PA. You might see a good race at a TT show, but show me where a driver can continue to come from 12th every week in any other format then handicapping. I'm begging you to try.

Not sure what is going on with Brian Montieth but I tweeted after the feature Saturday night that he needs to find his Edge again. Brain was running the bottom of the track Saturday night and actually went backwards. Get that RR back up against the wall and get back to victory lane ASAP. Dietrich is waiting.....

Good to see Robbie Kendall finish 2nd Saturday night for his best finish of the season. Must have helped running at Trail Way Friday night.

Kody Lehman would pick up the 20 lap 358 feature event to score his 2nd feature win in less then a month. He won the last 358 feature at Williams Grove a 3 weeks ago. Kody is a great kid and is going to be a future start in Central PA for years to come. Wonder how many others in racing could point the kid out if he bumped into them without his fire suit on in the pits? Keep saying people need to pay more attention to the division that has produced more young stars in Central PA,but unless they run it at Knoxville I guess it
doesn't matter. But then again as long as you know Danny, Greg, Fred, and where Beer Hill is most people will think you know enough about Central PA racing to get away with it.

Well that's it for this week. Next weekend is a big one in Central PA. Friday night the 410 and 358's are back in action at Williams Grove Speedway in a normal handicapped show for both divisions. Wanna guess where I'm going to be sitting?

Trail Way Speedway will also be back in action with the 358 division as the headliner for another week.

Saturday night most of the fans eyes will be placed right on Port Royal Speedway as they will play host to Living Legends Dream Race which will pay the winner a minimum of $10,000 to win. The Dream has become one of the biggest races in Central PA.

Down at Lincoln Speedway the 358's will finally get to be the stars of the show as they will be having race number 3 of the Nouse Signs and Graphics 358 Summer Series. The race will pay a season high $2,700 to the winner.

Selinsgrove Speedway will host the last tune up for the 360 division before they have their $10,000 to win Mach 1 360 National Open in 2 weeks, which weather permitting I will be in attendance for.

Until then I want to Thank you all for taking the time to check out My Thoughts on a racing weekend gone by once again. Make sure you keep checking back throughout the week as I will have the new Central PA Racing Scene Power Rankings as well as some action shots from the 2 tracks I visited this past weekend Trail Way and Lincoln Speedway. Until then I hope you all have a quick work week so we can all get back to the track. Hope your weather is cool, your beverage of choice is ice cold, and your racing, no matter where you choose to watch it, is red hot.

©Bill McIntyre and Central PA Racing Scene 2015