SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY AWARDS BANQUET HONORED YEAR
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Selinsgrove Speedway & Raceway Park closed out the 2016 season Saturday evening with the awards banquet at the historic Genetti Hotel in Williamsport for about 230 guests representing the 360 sprint car, super late model, pro stock, roadrunner, and go kart divisions.
This year’s top performing drivers received trophies, jackets, commemorative championship rings sponsored by Foss Jewelers, and shared a $25,000 point fund.
Mark Smith, of Sunbury, who was racing in the Short Track Nationals in Arkansas over the weekend, clinched his second career Newville Family of Companies 360 sprint car track championship with nine top five and nine top 10 finishes, including four feature wins. Smith previously won a track title in 2014.
In the Jeff’s Auto Body & Recycling Center super late models, Jeff Rine of Danville wrapped up his 12th career track title, tenth consecutively, at Selinsgrove. Rine’s 10 top five finishes included six feature wins. Earlier this season he reached his milestone 100th career victory at the Snyder County oval.
Rine also took the title in this year’s inaugural Moon Shine Camo Route 35 Late Model Challenge Series. Rine won two of the five races in the special series between the Selinsgrove and Port Royal weekly late model competitors.
For the second time in his career, Brad Mitch of McClure scored the track title in the A&A Auto Stores pro stock division. Mitch, whose previous title was in 2014, drove to 10 top five finishes that included three feature wins.
Keith Bissinger of Orangeville was recognized for his fourth career track title in the A&A Auto Stores roadrunner class. Bissinger won six out of the nine races for the division this year.
Eric Parker of Lewistown clinched the Newville Family of Companies 358 sprint car challenge series title.
Rookie of the Year awards were presented to Michael Thomas (sprint cars), Austin Berry (late models), Lori Croop (pro stocks), and Cope Smith (roadrunners). Most Improved Driver awards went to Michael Walter II (sprints), Danny Snyder (late models), Brandon Moser (pro stocks), and Dustin Snook (roadrunners). Jim Bernheisel of Lebanon received the Joe Whitcomb Memorial Sportsman of the Year award.
On hand to accept special recognition awards in appreciation for their dedication to the future of auto racing at Selinsgrove Speedway were Dawayne Betzer, President of the Selinsgrove Fair Association, and Scott Harro, Race Director.
The 2016 Selinsgrove Raceway Park go kart champions were Steve Kerstetter (mediums), Charley Paige (rookies I cage), Ashton Gonder (rookies II cage), Kyle Stahl (flat 350s), Aiden Mitch (kid karts), Pat Romig (adult cage animal), Drew Miller (jr. cage), Steve Majestic (clone 375s), Kruz Kepner (jr. restricted), Roger Radle (adult cage flat), Mike Trevitz (extra heavies), and Levi Vial (125 micro sprint cars).
Members of the speedway management team announced all the divisions would be returning for weekly Friday night go kart racing at Selinsgrove Raceway Park and weekly Saturday night sprint car and stock car competition at Selinsgrove Speedway.
The 2017 edition of the motorsports show at the Susquehanna Valley Mall in Selinsgrove is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26 through Friday, March 3.
For a complete schedule, the latest news, results, and race status, visit selinsgrovespeedway.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. The speedway office can be reached at 570.374.2266.
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