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Dietrich caps off Speedweek with win

Compiled by Dottie Bird

SELINSGROVE — After 10 straight days of racing, the 32nd annual PA Speedweek Series came to a close on Sunday night at the Selinsgrove Speedway with a thrilling pass by Danny Dietrich of Gettysburg with two laps to race in the 30-lap Opperman-Bogar-Heintzelman Memorial.

Dietrich drove by Brent Marks of Myerstown, who was going for his fifth win in a row and sixth in the nine-race series, in traffic to score the $10,099 victory. It was Dietrich’s first win in the series and at the track this season at the wheel of the Kauffman Racing/Weikert’s Livestock No. 48.

Marks clinched his first career PA Speedweek championship, finishing Sunday night’s race just 1.3 seconds behind Dietrich for the checkered flag. He was also the night’s “Fast Tees Fast Qualifier” with a lap time of 16.933.

Marks earned the $5,000 Selinsgrove Ford 10-for-10 bonus as he was the only driver to finish in the top 10 in all the series races. In fact, Marks finished in the top three positions in every event.

Kenny Heffner of Watsontown secured the lead at the halfway point of the 20-lap PASS/IMCA 305 sprint car feature and went on to score his first career win at Selinsgrove.

Williams Grove Speedway

MECHANICSBURG — Brent Marks picked up his fourth Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek win in his last five starts with a win in the Mitch Smith Memorial Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway.

The victory was worth $15,000 for the Speedweek point leader and was his 10th overall win of the season.

“This car is really good and this team is really good,” Marks said. “I felt a little off in the beginning. We had to work on the car to get it better during the open red. Didn’t feel all that good right after that and I was a little worried, but the longer we ran, the better it got.”

Clinton County Speedway

MILL HALL — In weekend action at the Clinton County Speedway, Ryan Kissinger won the Friday night preliminary event of a two-day show claiming the inaugural Founders’ Cup.

The event was honoring speedway founders Del Shank and Teddy Reitz. Other winners included Tommy Dawson in the Pro Stocks, Timmy Bittner in the 270s-micros, JT Ferry won the 600-micros and Blake Snyder in the four-cylinders.

On Saturday, a record 36 sprint cars signed in for the RaceSaver Sprint Car competition during the 3rd annual Nittany 40. Time trails determined the heat race starting positions, with Johnny Smith setting fast time in flight A and Dominic Melair setting fast time in flight B. Heat races were won by Austin Reed, Josh Beamer, Domanic Melair and Ryan Kissinger. Austin Greenland won the B-Main.

Bard made a pass on lap 39 in turns one and two, but the lap was not scored complete as a two-car incident brought out the caution.

That gave Reed the break he needed and allowed him to restart the race in front of Bard. He led the final lap to claim the victory over Bard. Tylor Cochran was a late charger in the race as he took third with seven laps remaining after starting 11th. Finishing fourth and fifth were Kissinger and Weaver. The 6-10 spots were Ken Duke Jr., Dakota Schweikart, Josh Beamer, Mike Alleman and Matt Tebbs.

Jeffrey Weaver drew the pole postion for the 270-micro Nationals alongside Timmy Bittner. Weaver led the opening lap over Bittner and Tyler Clowes, as Corey Stabley moved into the third spot by lap number four.

Weaver and Bittner continued to battle as the field encountered lapped traffic by lap No. 11.

Weaver and Bittner remained first and second throughout the entire race. Cory Stabley finished third, Clowes was fourth and Shawn Musser was fifth.

In other action, Rich Fye led the field of pro stocks to the green flag and lead every lap of the nonstop feature event. In the four-cylinders, Shawn Stahl led all 12 laps to claim the main event.

Hidden Valley Speedway

CLEARFIELD — Dustin DeMattia made the tow to Hidden Valley Speedway worth his while as he copped the Renegades of Dirt Modified feature win in the series’ first-ever visit to the track

Other new winners included Brandon DeBrakeleer of Mill Village, who got his first Scaife Racing Supplies Semi-Late feature win while other new winners included Kevin Criswell in the Craig’s Welding and Fabrication four-cylinder main while Luke Hoffner of Turbotville picked up the second chance feature for the Craig’s Welding and Fabrication Four-cylinder.

Repeat winners included Brockway’s Fuzzy Fields in the street stocks and Tim Steis of Saint Mary’s in the Amsoil Pure Stocks.

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