LOCAL TRACKS: Busy Memorial Day weekend for Penn Can
Memorial Day weekend traditionally is a busy time for motor sports and that certainly will be the case for Penn Can Speedway.
On Friday at 7 p.m., the Susquehanna track will hold a regular show with Modifieds, Crate Sportsman, 600cc Modifieds, Factory Stocks, Four-Cylinders and Open Wheel Modifieds.
Then Sunday at 6 p.m., Penn Can hosts the Mike Colsten Memorial 51-lap race for Modifieds playing $5,151.51 to win. The event honors the memory of the Hall of Fame driver from Kirkwood, New York and the car number he sported throughout his career. Colsten died in January 2020.
Also on the Sunday's program is the NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series K.C. Cole Memorial 24-lap race paying $1,024 to win. Factory Stocks and 600cc Modifieds will be in action as well.
Breaking through
In his 52nd career start, Eddie Strada III of South Canaan picked up his first Modified feature win in the 25-lap race at Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville.
Strada took the lead on lap 4 and held it the rest of the way.
"These cars are probably the hardest thing I have ever drove," Strada said in the race recap on the track's website. "To finally get one after my grandfather and father had Modified wins all of their lives and I had sprint car and micro wins and now I get to add a Modified win."
The victory, coupled with finishes of third and ninth earlier this season, have Strada second in the track division standings with 523 points, 10 behind Mike Gular of Harleysville.
Fast tracks
Scranton's Larry Kelleher competed in the first NASCAR Youth Series event of the season at Keystone State Quarter Midget Race Club in Schnecksville. Kelleher had four wins — Senior Honda, Light 160, Senior Animal, Formula Mod — and a second in Light World Formula. ... Alex Yankowski from Covington Twp. finished third in the Short Track Super Series South Region "Berks County Brawl" 50-lap Modified race at Action Track USA in Kutztown. Yankowski is fourth in the STSS overall (North and South Region) standings with 338 points. Next race is the "Adirondack Invasion" at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, New York, on Thursday at 7 p.m. ... After getting rained out last week, Hamlin Speedway returns Saturday at 6 p.m. Highlighting the program is a Junior Slingshot Special paying $300 to win with 15 or more cars and Race No. 1 of the Xcel 600 Mod Tour. ... Evergreen Speedway in St. Johns outside Drums will try again to open its 2024 weekly racing season Saturday at 6 p.m.; the first two tries were rained out. On the card are 602 Crate Modifieds, Street Stocks, Four-Cylinders, Novice and Bangers. It also is Camera and Autograph Night. After qualifying, drivers will line up their cars on the front straight and fans can come down for a meet-and-greet. ... The Super DIRTcar Series makes its debut at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, New York, on Monday at 6:30 p.m. "Thunder on the Mountain" is a 75-lap feature paying $7,500 to win.
LOCAL TRACKS May 17 results
PENN CAN SPEEDWAY
Mat 17 results
Bob Wildoner Memorial Night
MODIFIEDS — Darwin Greene Sr., Marshall Hurd, Danny Creeden, Kevin Hartnett, Brad Weaver, John Michael Phillips, Doug Polhamus, Brian Malcolm, Nick Petrilak, Paul Rooney, Hunter Metzger, Dan Burman, Alex Stanton, Tyler Yeagle, Jeremy Hamilton, Nick Mady, Brian Puckett, Bobby Puckett, Alan Rudalavage, Mike Nagel Sr., Brad Shaffer
600cc MODIFIEDS — Nate Oropallo, Gaege Higley, Nolan Smith, Jake Higley, Darwin Greene Jr., Jeff Martin, Ted Mills, Max Oliver, Larry Furman, Harold Oliver, Bryan Root, Tori Straway, Katelynn Lewis, Jeff Baldwin, Mark Aldrich, John Dinniny, Joey Oropallo, Madyson Beach, Brenton Payne
FOUR-CYLINDER — Collin Mills, Brian Salmini, Michael Wambold, Joe Zedanovich, Tanner Milliron, Rob Sterling, Phil Burns, Jeff Sterling, Rich Wagner, Justin Girjatowitcz, Savannah Beach, Nash Ford, Andy Bolles, Jeremy Warren, Drayton Smith, Shawn Mills, Kenny Evans, Mike Girjatowicz
FACTORY STOCKS — Jordan Towner, Kyle Spoor, Tommy Groover, Charlie Towner, Mahlon Shoemaker, Charlie Gilbert, Lynn Highhouse, Anthony Possemato, Max Mosier Jr., Adam Gilbert, Justin Slezak, Rich Sharpsteen, Randy Fox, Dale Baldwin, Chuck Colbertson, Bryant Beach, Dan Stevens, Buck Mills Jr., Darren Davies
602 CRATE SPORTSMAN — Ray Leonard, Mike Nagel Jr., Mike Schane, Mike Loney, Alex Konopka, Ned Fitch, Jon Carpenter, Leo McGurrin, Ralph Mele, Marty Goodwin, Kolyn Schane, Eddie Kudrako, Travis Rooney, Jim O’Hara, Brandon Fritsch, Joe Buchanan, Derrick Shaffer, Brian Franko, Allen Kellogg, Michael Samony, Eric Brigham, Brett Wooster, Brandon Oleski, John Kahill
