Marion Center Speedway’s races were cut short Saturday night as rain moved into the area before all five divisions could be completed.  The first feature was completed and the second was cut short - called off after the halfway point, thus making it a complete race also.  The remaining three features will be made up later. 

The Lias Tire Super Late Model feature was cut short by the rain after the crossed flags came out which made it a complete race.  It may not have made a difference if the feature would have continued on had the rains not come when they did; because Bill Eash from Johnstown was dominating the race from the first green flag on through to the finish.  Eash started on the outside pole and led every lap to the conclusion of the race to claim the victory.  D J Troutman was running in second place until he got tangled up with Shawn Claar in the third lap of the would have been twenty-five lap feature and lost second place to Doug Glessner of Johnstown.  But Rod Phillips from Punxsutawney was working his way to the front and took second away from Glessner and had his sights on the lead when the rains came.  The results are Billy Eash with the win, Rod Phillips took second and Doug Glessner finished third.  Then came Andrew Gordon of DuBois, Devin Friese from Chambersburg, Dave Blazavich, Bill Burns, Ken Schaltenbrand, John Myers and Herman Bertolini for the top ten.  Also competing but unable to finish the feature were Troutman, Claar, Duane Stiner and Chad Helman.  The Lias Tire Super Late Model heat races were won by D J Troutman and Shawn Claar.

Brian Rhed from Brockway swept the twenty lap feature of the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock division.  Rhed started on the outside pole and quickly took the lead from pole sitter Ray Hickok, Jr.  Rhed moved out in front of the pack and maintained a healthy lead throughout the feature for the trip to the Integra Racing Shocks Winner’s Circle.  Next across the finish line was Dan Smeal from Houtzdale with Luke Barnett of Mahaffey close behind for third place.  Fourth went to Fuzzy Fields from Brockway and Jeff Sweeney of Marion Center took fifth.  Then came Andy Burns, Bob Roseman, Gary Furman, Jr. and Chris Schneider.  The W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stock heats were won by Brian Rhed and Dan Smeal.  The feature event was not without incident as two top drivers collided on the front stretch.  Nate Smith driver of the 28 N from Glen Campbell and Ray Hickok, Jr. driver of the 48 from Commodore tangled on the track and both cars and drivers were disqualified from the night’s races and suspended from the track for the rest of the season and their points pulled for the season due to the unsportsmanlike conduct and rough driving during the feature. 

In the other divisions the heat race winners were as follows:  Force Inc. Steel Block Limited Late Model – Joe Petyak, the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Crate Late Model- Joe Martin and the Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock heats were won by Chris Hickok and Jim Hamilton.  At this time Marion Center Speedway has scheduled to make up the features that were not able to run Saturday night as follows:  August 9- the Force Inc. Steel Block Limited Late Model make up feature; August 16- both the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic Crate Late Model and Willow Farm Campground Strictly Stock features will be made up.  Please keep checking the website and blogs/Facebook, etc. for more information and possible changes to the schedules.

Next Saturday, August 9 will be AmsOil Night for the W. G. Satterlee & Sons Street Stocks.  AmsOil will be sponsoring the division’s feature with the winner receiving a gift certificate for AmsOil products from our local distributor, Don Wissinger. Also, the rained out feature for the Steel-Block Late Models (from August 2), will be added to the nights events.  The Marion Center Speedway Kids Club members can mark their calendars for August 16 to plan to come early to party at the track BEFORE THE RACES with Froggy 95.  The partying is scheduled to begin at 2:00 at the track with many extra activities planned for the kids.  This is also the night for the Championship Kid’s Bike Races sponsored by Mike’s Towing from Clymer.  Two bicycles will be given away that night, one from Mike’s Towing and one from Marion Center Speedway. Kid’s Club Members and others can keep up to date with what’s happening via the internet and our website: marioncenterspeedway.net, or Facebook and our blog.  You can also get race day information on Saturdays by calling the Speedway Race Day Hotline at 724-397-2108, or now go online to RainedOut.com and follow the easy instructions to get race day text or e- mail messages sent to you.  Also stayed tuned to Froggy 95 for Speedway information and a chance to win free admission tickets.  That’s 95.5 on the FM dial for Froggy 95. 

A news flash:  Marion Center Speedway is currently making plans to have a “Front Wheel Drive, V-6, pure stock car” division next season.  The idea is to provide a division for low budget racing, cars without modifications from the factory, no turbos, nothing but nearly street legal cars without the glass attached and roll bars added.  MCS staff is currently working on rules/spec sheets for the division so keep an eye on the website for more information to come. 

Special thanks to the drivers, fans and staff for their continued support of the Potts family operating Marion Center Speedway for the past 48 years.  Thanks to our sponsors which include AmsOil, Butler Auto Supplies of Indiana, Colonial Motor Mart, Delaney Hyundai, Force Inc., Froggy 95, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, Integra Racing Shocks, Lias Tire and Auto Service, Mike’s Towing from Clymer, Tri-Star Motors of Indiana, W. G. Satterlee & Sons and Willow Farm Campground.  Race Fans, Rich’s Garage is now open to serve the community with oil changes, mechanical work, welding, painting and more.  If you need help with your vehicle call Rich’s Garage at 724-388-6462.  Rich’s garage is conveniently located at the Marion Center Speedway Complex on Potts Road.  See you next Saturday for a full five division racing program at Marion Center Speedway, “The Little Track with the Big Attitude,” “The Thrill on the Hill.”