Selinsgrove Speedway
Heating up, Eckert wins $5,000 at Selinsgrove
Rick Eckert heads to victory at Selinsgrove. (pbase.com/cyberslash)
SELINSGROVE, Pa. (Oct. 6) — Fast qualifier Rick Eckert of York, Pa., won Saturday’s season-ending Fall Classic at Selinsgrove Speedway, inheriting the lead when ignition failure sidelined pole-starting Coleby Frye of Dover, Pa.
Eckert earned $5,000 for his second victory in three nights. He won the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event Thursday at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y. | Slideshow
Track champion Jeff Rine of Danville, Pa., a seven-time winner at Selinsgrove in 2012, fought off challenges from Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa., for the second spot. Covert, Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., and hometown driver Dylan Yoder rounded out the top five finishers at the half-mile oval.
Frye powered into the lead at the start of the 30-lapper, chased by the second-starting Stone and third-starting Rine. In the early laps, a wheel-to-wheel battle unfolded between Stone and Rine for the runner-up position, with Rine securing the spot on the 12th circuit and setting his sites on Frye.
At the midway point of the race, the sixth-starting Eckert advanced to third. On a lap-17 restart, Eckert overtook Rine for the second spot exiting turn two. One lap later, Frye’s car lost power momentarily because of a faulty ignition box, forcing Eckert and Rine to take evasive action on the frontstretch. Eckert took the outside lane around Frye’s faltering race car and the lead entering turn one.
In the final laps, the fourth-starting Covert began to show some speed and moved into the third position. The caution flag unfurled on lap 24 when Frye’s car finally rolled to a stop on the backstretch. On the ensuing restart, Eckert opened up a lead and posted a 1.8-second margin of victory.
Notes: Eckert’s Bloomquist Race Car is powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsored by J&K Salvage, Ritchey Sandblasting and Bahia Service Center. ... Eckert also won the race last year. ... Eckert’s fast time of 18.848 seconds broke Dan Stone’s record of 19.954 seconds. ... Fourteen of 21 starters were running at the finish of the main event. ... Eckert’s fellow WoO regular Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind., was in control in the first heat race when his nosepiece folded under, knocked him from contention. ... Derek Byler of Alexandria, Pa., went on to win the first heat despite losing his brakes on the final lap of the prelim. ... In the main event, Byler had brake problems again when a brakeline broke while he was running seventh with four laps remaining.
Fall Classic: (1) Rick Eckert, (2) Jeff Rine, (3) Jason Covert, (4) Dan Stone, (5) Dylan Yoder, (6) Scott Haus, (7) Nick Dickson, (8) Dave Zona, (9) Matt Cochran, (10) Brian Booze, (11) Donnie Schick, (12) Chad Hollenbeck, (13) Jerry Bard, (14) A.J. Hoffman, (15) Andy Haus, (16) Jim Yoder, (17) Derek Byler, (18) Coleby Frye, (19) Chris Shuey, (20) Tim Gray, (21) Kent Robinson. Scratched: Steve Campbell. Fast qualifier (among 22 cars): Eckert, 18.848 seconds. Heat race winners: Byler, Stone, Rine.
