Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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With the news that the current promoters at Selinsgrove Speedway will not be back, and the Selinsgrove Fairboard stating that racing will continue in 2023, are there people in place to take over? Will they try to run it themselves? Or will there now be two open dates on the PA Speedweek schedule?

I know it costs a ton of money they probably don't have, but a Bridgeport-style remodel of the track would do wonders. Central PA doesn't need another big motor track. 

As a lifetime resident of PA, I've been to all the big halfs and Selinsgrove is my favorite. You watch racing from bridgeport and don't worry about The High Speed Ring. stinkn outsiders.lol.

I hate to see it since I grew up going to the place with my dad, but I don't see the track lasting another year.  The board may try to run a few races next year, but it's only delaying the inevitable.  A lot of things have been tried over the past decade or so, but nothing worked.  I don't think Hagerstown is that far behind.

I wonder if some tracks would be better off running once or twice a month than absobing weekly racing and facility maintenance  costs. Even Williams Grove management might think about it considering the lack of cars and fans during their weekly events. I can't even wrap my head around the costs of running weekly programs with minimal car counts and fans. I like our big half miles and don't want to lose any of them, maybe cutting back on some of the schedules would make the fewer races a bit more special. 

According to Sprint Car Unlimited, Promotor Mike Heffner and his partners had successful seasons in 2020 & 2021 and were ready to extend the lease, but the Fire Company that has majority ownership in the track wanted a substantial rent increase so they walked away from the deal. Not sure who they think will pay more and keep the track running?. Heffner and his group made alot of improvements into the facility without actually owning the joint.

That's sad. Sounds like the fire company just wants to get rid of it. I think the reason the track has been successful the last few years is because of Heffner, and the local businesses that step up and sponsor the racing programs. Other than the big 410 shows, there's no way the place can be making money at the gate. Without enough cars to run weekly divisions anymore, they've done a great job piecing together a good schedule rotating a variety of divisions (and paying well). 

A

My wish is for Selinsgrove to run Friday nights with the same divisions as Port each week and work together with a point series and big races.

Not suprised to hear, just freakin sad. The fire company has has chased about every promoter out of there with their demands. The golden goose quits laying eggs and then where are you?

That would be awesome. The new Bridgeport is the perfect size and shape for great racing. When I win the lottery it will happen. lol There was talk of making it smaller few years back but something about junk cars underground that were used to add banking when the track was built would apparently make it difficult. Not sure why. I think the weekly 360/358 deal would have been successful if the track were a little smaller. 

A

I don't think in Central PA 360/358 races are not well attended no matter the size of the track.  

Just because you might get a few more cars doesn't mean you are going to get the fans in the stands.

Central PA has always been 410 country.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

When Selinsgrove went to 358's in the early 2000's, the weekly shows were well attended and the car counts were very good. Tried 360's(with 358's allowed) for a few years after the 358 counts started dwindling, but the 360's never really took off. The place is a ghost town now when they have big races for the URC and Patriot Sprints, sad because they are good shows. It's tough nowadays to draw cars and fans but I think more 360 teams would have supported the track if it were smaller and the fans would have too.

One thing I've never understood is this - Port Royal has URC as a support division for a Thursday speedweek show($2000 to win) and draws 30 cars. Selinsgrove has URC headliner for 360 National Open paying $5000 to win on Saturday night and draws 19 cars. Makes no sense. I could understand that if Port Royal wasn't also a 1/2 mile track.    

A

That was back in the day when they had Nace, Layton, and Heimbach amoung a few others.

Nace was the big name the others just helped because they ran well each and every week.  

People around here want to see 410's.  Sorry, but unless some of the 410 guys start running 358/360 races they will never be well attended in Central PA.  That is just the way it is.....sorry to burst your bubble. 

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

Thanks to the promotional team that just left.  They did a great job over the years.  

Steve Inch is a class act.  He will be hard to replace.

Racing there both nights this weekend.  Friday was a great race with lots of action.  Track perfect all night long. There was a top groove and a bottom groove.

Saturday night was another story.....talk about your freight trains. If you didn't run the wall you were in trouble.  Pitman was the only pass that ment something in the last 20 laps.  No bottom groove at all.  Pitman ran the middle top.  If you went low you were going backwards.   Why you ask?  It looked like Razor Steve prepared the track.  Very dry....way too dry.  

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

Why did I know it was going there.  Anyhow,  Hefner was doing his best to turn the place around. They, the current owners, saw it and wanted a bigger pc of the action. It pains me to say this but in ranking the big three 1/2 mile pa tracks I would rank Selinsgrove first followed by the speed palace and the grove last.  The place is fast and usually produces some really good racing. The Grove wants to live on in the past. Port Royal out of the 3 without question has the best schedule throughout the year.   

Selinsgrove is my favorite track in central PA followed by Lincoln.  They are the two raciest tracks in central PA. 

If I were ranking the half miles in central PA.

Selinsgrove

Williamsgrove

Port Royal

The race Friday night was great!  It looked like they might have added a little water to the top surface of the track from Friday's race for Saturday and said that will be good enough.  The bottom groove was not there Saturday.  I am used to seeing a bottom and top groove when I go there.  Every race I have been there has had bottom this year....except the biggest race of the year.

The fire company is the ones to blame for the current promoters leaving.  They had the place moving in the right direction.

Don't know if this is true but I heard they have a new promoter in place for next year.   Time will tell.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

Saturday nights track was about perfect. The cushion was up near the rail where it is supposed to be and cars were running top to bottom and everywhere inbewteen. Kinda sucks that the best 2 drivers at Selinsgrove drew the front row but the racing was outstanding, especially the first 20 lap section before everyone got to work on their cars. Thanks to Steve Inch, Heffner and Kreitzer for keeping the track afloat the last 7 years. That was nice presenation to Steve. Hopefully that's not the end of Selinsgrove Speedway.

A

Friday's race was 100 percent better.  There was a high groove and a low groove.  Racing all over the track.

Where was the low groove Saturday?  That was no mans land on Saturday.  Junk track made it a very boring feature. Racing up against the wall like a choo choo train.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

Did you go both nights?

AARN front page says Stephanie Baker is taking over as Selinsgrove promoter. Anyone know the scoop?