Selinsgrove results 2003-07-05

SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Kevin Nouse of Lewisberry wired the field for his first career win in the 25-lap sprint car feature Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway.

Nouse, 30, became the track's tenth different Cindy Rowe Paintless Dent Repair sprint car feature winner at the wheel of the Turner Hydraulics sponsored No. 21. Nouse is a former super sportsman competitor in his first full season of sprint car competition.

Jeff Smith of Blain wired the field for his first victory in the 5th Annual Late Model Open. The win was the second of the season and the 27th of Smith's career at the track. He collected $3,000 for the victory.

Kyle Bachman of Selinsgrove won his fifth pro stock feature of the season in the division's 15-lap main event, while Joey Keister of Middleburg won his fourth roadrunner main of the year in the 12-lap race.

PEPSI Cola Bottling Group of Selinsgrove will sponsor the four division show of sprints, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners this Saturday, July 12 at 7 p.m.

Outside front row starter Kevin Nouse powered into the lead at the start of the sprint car feature. Nouse was chased by polesitter Larry Kelleher in second, while third-place starter Justin Zimmerman maintained his position.

The event's first caution flag unfurled on lap seven when Zimmerman's right rear racing tire exploded entering turn one of the speedway. When the race resumed, seventh-place starter Bob Beidleman inherited the third position from Zimmerman.

At the midway point, Nouse, who was streaking away from the field, began to encounter slower traffic. Kelleher, Beidleman, fourth-place starter Jason Schultz and 14th-place starter Nate Snyder competed in the top five.

With five laps to go, 15th-place starter Chad Layton powered into the top five. By lap 22, Layton was racing second to Nouse. Then the event's final caution flag unfurled on lap 23 when Craig Eshenaur stopped in turn four.

A chase to the checkered unfolded between Nouse, Layton, whose car was beginning to smoke, and Snyder. At the checkered flag, Nouse was victorious by 1.16 seconds over Layton, Snyder, 19th-place starter Blane Heimbach and Beidleman.

In the Late Model Open, polesitter Jeff Smith took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Smith was followed by second-place starter Chris Wilkinson for the first three laps before third-place starter Jeff Rine advanced to second.

Sixth-place starter Dale Kerstetter drove into third on the fifth circuit. An intense three-car battle for the lead unfolded between Smith, Rine and Kerstetter.

Seventh-place starter Steve Campbell joined the battle at the front of the pack. On the 13th circuit, Rine pulled into the pit area with a flat tire but was able to rejoin.

When the race resumed, Campbell passed Kestetter for second and set his sites on the leader. However, Kerstetter and Campbell swapped for the runner up position several times.

The final laps saw Smith hold off Kerstetter by just .53 of a second for the victory. Campbell, Travis Dillman and Wilkinson completed the top five.

Third-place starter Steve Stitt led the first nine laps of the pro stock feature. Kyle Bachman, who started 12th, moved into second on the seventh lap and began to pressure Stitt for the lead.

On the 10th circuit, Bachman made the winning pass using the inside lane by Stitt coming off turn four. With four laps remaining, ninth-place starter Jason Schmidt moved into second and offered a late-race challenge.

At the finish, Bachman was victorious over Schmidt, Stitt, Matt Johnson and Nate Kerstetter.

Cory Long led the first two laps of the roadrunner feature until fourth-place starter Rick Bixlier took command of the field. Bixlier led until the fifth lap, when he lost control of his race car on the backstretch.

At this point, sixth-place starter Joey Keister inherited the lead and held off fifth-place starter Matt Drum for the victory. Jim Somers, Brad Mitch and Bixlier completed the top five.

SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY - 5 July 2003

Sprint Cars - 29 Entries

25-Lap A-Main: 1) 21 Kevin Nouse 2) U1 Chad Layton 3) 56 Nate Snyder 4) 12 Blane Heimbach 5) 81 Bob Beidleman 6) 70 Larry Kelleher 7) 11T TJ Stutts 8) 2 Jason Schultz 9) 28F Davie Franek 10) 6F Bill Fannasy 11) 46 Jim Layton 12) 4B Jake Radabaugh 13) 115 Brian Powell 14) 52 Jeff Weaver 15) 0M John Miller 16) 116 Mike Enders 17) 31 Tim Higgins 18) 1M Babe Mader 19) 5 Craig Eshenaur 20) 16 Cliff Brian 21) 7J Justin Zimmerman 22) 34 Bob Camilli 23) 54 John Wagner 24) 8C Troy Long

Heat Winners: Justin Zimmerman, Brian Powell, Kevin Nouse
Consolation: Blane Heimbach

Late Models - 24 Entries

Fifth Annual 30-Lap Late Model Open: 1) 32 Jeff Smith $3,000 2) 7 Dale Kerstetter 3) 2 Steve Campbell 4) 22D Travis Dillman 5) 88X Chris Wilkinson 6) 8H Glen Heddings 7) 6 Donnie Schick 8) 91 Tim Gray 9) 14 Dave Reed 10) 111 JR Keifer 11) 2J Jeff Rine 12) 4S Dave Schulski 13) 5X Eric Metzger 14) 17 Nick Dickson 15) 21D Dan Stone 16) 77 Scott Lupfer 17) 86 Bob Spahr 18) 22 Travis Dillman 19) 16 Brian Cochran 20) 44 Tony Smith 21) 8 Jimmy Adams 22) 88 Tony Adams 23) 45 Eric Hons 24) 12J Jeremy Stone (DNS)

Heat Winners: Jeff Smith, Jeff Rine, Dale Kerstetter

Pro Stocks - 29 Entries

15-Lap A-Main: 1) 99 Kyle Bachman 2) 2 Jason Schmidt 3) 99S Steve Stitt 4) 70 Matt Johnson 5) 77 Nate Kerstetter 6) 115 Troy Miller 7) 26 AJ Stroup 8) 11 Jake Buck 9) 10 Gerald Kratzer 10) 48 Matt Drum 11) 7 Meade Hahn 12) 20 Steve Byers 13) 1 Mark Benson 14) 9 Chad Kesiter 15) 47 Chris Benfer 16) 14 Bill Conrad 17) 81 Todd Kiger 18) 54 Sammy Troup 19) 06 Dave Newcome 20) 7W Gary Welsh 21) 99H Peanut Heintzelman 22) 38 Rob Baker 23) 05 John Schmidt 24) 70G Bill Glass 25) 8B Harry Bell (DNS)

Heat Winners: Kyle Bachman, Steve Byers, Matt Johnson
Consolation: John Schmidt

Roadrunners - 11 Entries

12-Lap A-Main: 1) 110 Joey Keister 2) 48 Matt Drum 3) 23 Jim Somers 4) 10M Brad Mitch 5) 1 Rick Bixlier 6) 111 Jim Nieman 7) 78 Frank Petroski 8) 00 Cory Long 9) 41 Dennis Conrad 10) 7 Jeff Baney 11) 58 Chris Eckert