Selinsgrove Ford Appalachian Mountain Speedweek
Previewing 2025's Appalachian Mountain Speedweek
By Kyle McFadden
DirtonDirt.com staff reporter
Appalachian Mountain Speedweek director Jim Bernheisel. (Jason Walls)
Selinsgrove Ford Appalachian Mountain Speedweek is back in action for a third straight season starting this Friday at Clinton County Speedway in Mill Hall, Pa., the opening night of the eight-race miniseries spanning 10 days.
FloRacing and DirtonDirt.com plans daily coverage throughout the minitour led by Pennsylvania racing ambassador Jim Bernheisel, a longtime racer who owns Lazer Chassis while growing more involved as a promoter in recent years.
An outline of the miniseries format, plus rules and details, can be found at lmspeedweek.com. Every event will be streamed live on FloRacing.
(Appalachian Mountain Speedweek history)
Drivers
This year’s miniseries roster is expected to be a convergence of the Northeast’s best yet again, namely former Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series traveler and reigning AMS champ Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Rick Eckert of York, Pa.
Former national touring series winners Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa. (2010’s Lucas Oil Series stop at Muskingum County Raceway), Dale Hollidge of Mechanicsville, Md. (2013’s World of Outlaws event at Virginia’s Winchester Speedway) and Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa. (two-time WoO winner), plus former Lucas Oil campaigner Ross Robinson of Georgetown, Del., are among drivers intending to follow the miniseries.
Recovering from recent lower-back stem cell surgery, 2023 miniseries champion Tyler Emory of King George, Va., won’t participate in the miniseries as he’s hired Winchester, Va.’s Trever Feathers to pilot his Cameron-Mann Motorsports No. 72 for an AMS title run.
Last year’s miniseries runner-up Dylan Yoder of Middleburg, Pa., is expected to make another bid at the miniseries crown.
Other drivers who could contend for the title: Bryan Bernheisel, Dylan Cecce, Trevor Collins, Coleby Frye, Chad Homan, Shaun Jones, Kyle Lee, Kody Lyter, Nathan Long, Hayes Mattern, Sean Merkel, Larry Neiderer, Jakob Piper, Derek Quade, Amanda Robinson, Danny Snyder, J.T. Spence, Dillan Stake, Justin Weaver and Andrew Yoder.
Drake Troutman and Mason Zeigler could join the miniseries after June 7’s Dream XXXI at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
Among other drivers likely to make miniseries appearances: Briggs Danner (USAC sprint car winner expected to race June 15's finale at Bridgeport in his Late Model debut), Alex Ferree, Colton Flinner, Gene Knaub, Mike Lupfer, Michael Norris, Matt Sponaugle, Dave Stamm, Gary Stuhler and Jim Yoder.
Schedule
Clinton County Speedway, Mill Hall, Pa.
Date: Friday, June 6
Track size: Third-mile
Winner’s purse: $5,000
Previous miniseries winners: Tyler Emory (’24), Jason Covert (’23)
2025 Super Late Model winners: None
Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway
Date: Saturday, June 7
Winner’s purse: $5,000
Track size: Half-mile
Previous miniseries winners: Gregg Satterlee (’24), Michael Norris (’23), Jeff Rine (’17), Gregg Satterlee (’15), Gregg Satterlee (’14), Tim McCreadie (’14), Rick Eckert (’13), Matt Parks (’11), Jeremy Miller (’10), Rick Eckert (’09)
2025 Super Late Model winners: Andrew Yoder ($4,000 on May 17), Ricky Thornton Jr. ($10,000 on April 27), Gregg Satterle ($4,000 on April 19), Rick Eckert ($4,000 on March 29), Rick Eckert ($4,000 on March 22)
Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway
Date: Sunday, June 8
Track size: Half-mile
Winner’s purse: $5,000
Previous miniseries winners: Gregg Satterlee (’24), Gregg Satterlee (’23), Rick Eckert (’17), Dan Stone (’16), Andy Anderson (’15), Jason Covert (’13), Jamie Lathroum (’12), Jimmy Mars (’11), Jason Covert (’09)
2025 Super Late Model winners: Ricky Thornton Jr. ($25,000 on April 26)
Path Valley Speedway, Spring Run, Pa.
Date: Tuesday, June 10
Winner’s purse: $5,000
Track size: Quarter-mile
Previous miniseries winners: Rick Eckert (’24), Jason Covert (’16)
2025 Super Late Model winners: None
Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway
Date: Thursday, June 12
Winner’s purse: $6,000
Track size: Half-mile
Previous miniseries winners: Rick Eckert (’24), Tyler Emory (’23), Jeff Rine (’17), Kenny Pettyjohn (’16), Nick Dickson (’10), Jeremy Miller (’09)
2025 Super Late Model winners: Rick Eckert ($5,000 on May 10), Gregg Satterlee ($5,000 on May 2), Rick Eckert ($5,000 on April 18)
Bedford (Pa.) Speedway
Dates: Friday, June 13
Winner’s purses: $6,000
Track size: Half-mile
Previous miniseries winners: Tyler Emory (’23), Walker Arthur (’17), Nick Dickson (’16), Austin Hubbard (’14), Dan Stone (’11), Coleby Frye (’10), Josh Richards (’09)
2025 Super Late Model winners: Tim McCreadie ($20,000 on May 19), Jeff Rine (May 9), Bryan Bernheisel (April 18)
Lincoln Speedway, Abbottstown, Pa.
Date: Saturday, June 14
Winner’s purse: $5,000
Track size: 3/8-mile
Previous miniseries winners: Dylan Yoder (’24), Tyler Emory (’23), Rick Eckert (’13), Tim McCreadie (’12), Austin Hubbard (’11)
2025 Super Late Model winners: None
Bridgeport (N.J.) Motorsports Park
Date: Sunday, June 15
Winner’s purse: $6,000
Track size: 4/10-mile
Previous miniseries winners: None
2025 Super Late Model winners: None
Format and rules
Time trials: Drivers draw pills for qualifying order and three cars are on the track for two laps apiece. With 29 or fewer entries, the quickest eight qualifiers are locked into the main event lineup. With 30 or more entries, the top three from each of two qualifying groups lock into the feature lineup.
Qualifying races: Drivers not locking into the feature through time trials run eight-lap qualifying races. With 29 or fewer entries, two qualifying races transfer six cars apiece; for 30 or more entries, four qualifying races will transfer three cars apiece.
Dash: Two-lap timed dashes among the feature lock-ins from qualifying determine the starting lineup at the front of the field. With 29 or fewer entries, first through fourth in qualifying time against each other to determine the first four starting spots, while fifth through eighth in qualifying follow suit to determine the next two rows. In fields of 30 or more cars, the top-three from each group time against each other, with Group A determining the inside row (first, third and fifth) and Group B the outside (second, fourth and sixth).
Consolation races: With 29 or fewer entries, a single eight-lap consy transfers four drivers to the feature. For 30 or more entries, two consies transfer three drivers apiece. (Consies will be 10 laps if the race has 11 or more starters.)
Feature lineups: Fields will be 24 cars with tracks having the option of adding a single provisional starter.
Changes for 2025
• Instead of an open-tire rule, American Racer is now the exclusive miniseries tire. The fronts and left-rear have an option of 44, 48 and PRO 2, while the right-rear has an option of 48, PRO 2 and PRO 4. All tires must be American Racer’s BT construction.
• Weekly 4/10-mile Northeast modified oval Bridgeport (N.J.) Motorsports Park hosts its first-ever miniseries event with June 15's finale. Open-wheel hotbed BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Pa., has dropped off the schedule after hosting its second miniseries event last year with Gregg Satterlee winning (the track also ran an event in 2017 won by Gene Knaub).
• New for this year is a two-lap courtesy for teams changing a flat tire during the feature only. The two laps will begin as soon as a driver exits the track. Courtesy laps won’t be granted if officials don’t deem the tire flat or if a driver has to be towed to the pits.
• Also new this year: on the initial start only all cars must cross the start-finish line to complete the opening lap or it will be a complete restart.
Points fund and structure
• A $6,000 reward awaits the minitour champion, eligible only to drivers entered in all eight events, with payouts of $3,000 and $2,500 to those finishing second and third. Fourth through 10th in miniseries points receive $2,000, $1,500, $1,400, $1,300, $1,200, $1,100 and $1,000, respectively. Positions 11-15 receive $900 and those who finish 16-20 receive $800.
• The total point fund of $29,500 is up $12,500 from last year, which only paid the top-10, and up $15,500 from 2023.
• Feature points: 250-230-210-200-190-180-175-170-165-160-155-150-145-140-135-130-125-120-115-110-105-100-95-90
• Consolation points: 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
• Qualifier points (up to 32 cars): 20-18-16-14-12-10
• Qualifier points (33 or more cars): 20-16-12
• Time trial points (up to 32 cars): 30-28-27-26-25-24-23-22
• Time trial points (33 or more cars): 30-28-26 (Overall fast time receives five bonus points)
