March 14, 2010

GROVE OPENER SET FOR FRIDAY NIGHT MARCH 19

     MECHANICSBURG, PA --  The 2010 season opener at Williams Grove Speedway is set for Friday evening, March 19, with sprint car racing as the featured attraction.
     Sprint cars powered by 410 cubic inch engines will be the headliners as usual and the 358 c.i. sprints will also be on the opening night card.
     Racing is scheduled to begin at 7:30 and fireworks will also be presented throughout the evening.
     There will be no time trials on March 19.
     Heats will be lined up according to the luck of the draw in both divisions.
     The opener has become one of the most prestigious races of the year at Williams Grove and the list of previous winners is very impressive.
     A pair of Hall of Famers, Keith Kauffman and Fred Rahmer, have each won four opening day features.
     Kauffman won three consecutive openers in 1984, `85 and `86, then scored his fourth in 1993.  Rahmer’s triumphs came in 1997 and `98, then again in 2005 and 2008.
     Each time Rahmer won the opener he went on to win the track championship/
     Four-time champion Don Kreitz, Jr., owns three opening day victories.  His wins came in 1992, `94 and 2001.
    There haven’s been many surprises over the years when it comes to openers at Williams Grove.  This has traditionally been a day for the heavy hitters to shine.  In addition to Kauffman and Rahmer, nine drivers currently enshrined in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame have won Williams Grove openers. The list includes Kenny Weld, Ray Tilley, Jan Opperman, Smokey Snellbaker, Steve Smith, Bobby Allen, Lynn Paxton, Kramer Williamson and Bobbie Adamson.
     One of the rare opening day upsets occurred in 2000 when current NASCAR star Kasey Kahne won the race.
     Todd Shaffer won last year’s opener and went on to win the track championship, which is sponsored this season by Lawrence Chevrolet.