Snyder Holds Off Shultz & Wins Joe Whitcomb Memorial At Selinsgrove

Story By: PAUL HARKENRIDER / PATRIOT SPRINT TOUR – SELINSGROVE, PA – Nate Snyder led all 25 laps in Saturday’s Joe Whitcomb Memorial at Selinsgrove Speedway but it was not easy as the Halifax, PA driver had to hold off a late race charge from Jason Shultz.

Snyder would start on the front row alongside PST Point leader, Jared Zimbardi as the two would battle for the top spot in the opening laps. Snyder would be running the middle lane of the big half mile, while Zimbardi would hug the bottom. Snyder’s weekly experience certainly gave him the advantage around the corners and after the opening laps, Snyder would lead Zimbardi, Cody Keller, Jason Shultz, and Davie Franek.

Jason Shultz was one of the fastest cars all night and it showed come A Main time eventually getting by Cody Keller and begin to set his sights on the two race leaders in Snyder and Zimbardi.

After a lap seven restart due to a mechanical failure from Mallie Shuster, Jared Zimbardi would get a very good run on the bottom to Snyder, and the two would go wing to wing down the back stretch but it would still be Snyder at the line.

Meanwhile, Mark Smith who set fast time during Time Trials, would find himself in the top ten after starting 13th and would continue to move forward. Then on lap 11, Jordan Thomas’s hard luck throughout the 2017 season would continue as he would stop on the front stretch just exiting turn four due to a malfunction in the ignition box that would shut off the motor. He would re-fire his car and start at the tail of the field.

On the next restart, Shultz would initiate the slide job on Zimbardi to get by him for second, as would Davie Franek just three laps later. Snyder however would begin to build an advantage over Shultz with ten laps to go. The battle for positions third through fifth was on between Franek, Chad Layton, and Mark Smith.

Shultz would begin to reel in Snyder with five laps to go as they began to meet lap traffic, as the battle for final podium position would continue between Franek and Layton.

As the white flag flew, Shultz caught Snyder working down the back stretch, entering turn three Shultz would nail a text book slide job on Snyder and take the lead, but Snyder would cut back underneath him exiting four. It was a drag race to the line and Snyder would score the victory over Shultz by a .006 margin of victory. Franek would come home in third, followed by Layton, and Mark Smith would complete the top five.

Jared Zimbardi would begin to fall back in the second half of the race but was able to hold on for sixth. He will receive first place as he was the highest finishing Patriot Member. Robbie Stillwaggon will be receiving second place points after coming home seventh. Joe Trenca will receive third place points after finishing 12th, followed by Kyle Drum (13th), Steve Collins (14th), Jordan Thomas (15th), George Suprick (16th), Derek Jonathan (19th). Darryl Ruggles, Josh Azzi and Derrick Juliano will all receive points for making the trip despite not being able to qualify.

The series now heads west for Bonnell’s Collision Centers Western swing beginning Saturday June 24 at the Stateline Speedway in Busti, NY. The following week will be the second annual Bonnell’s Collision Centers Western Speedweek of Money-Three straight nights, all paying $4,000 to win and beginning Thursday, June 30 at the McKean County Speedway, followed by events at Raceway 7 on Friday, July 1, with the weekend concluding on Saturday, July 2 at the Mercer Raceway Park.

Contingency Awards and the $15,000 Purse Structure will be announced this week. You will be able to find that information on www.patriotsprinttour.com or by liking ‘Patriot Sprint Tour’ on facebook. You are also encouraged to follow @PatriotSprints on Instagram and Twitter.

The Patriot Sprint Tour recognizes the following marketing partners for the 2017 season: A-Verdi Storage Containers, Hoosier Racing Tires, Prestige Pool & Spa, Einstein Construction Group, Bonnell’s Auto Group, Evingham Site Excavation, Fine Touch Collison, Mike Emhof Motorsports Inc., Super Gen Products with Champion Power Equipment, Patriot Tank Lines, Danny Willmes Enterprises, Casey’s Truck Salvage, Just Signs & Designs, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Sunoco Race Fuels, Insinger Performance, Shuttleworth Asphalt Sealing, ASI Racewear, Curtis Berleue Photography.

Joe Whitcomb Memorial A-Main Results

1)56- Nate Snyder 2) 29- Jason Shultz 3) 28F- Davie Franek 4) 35L- Chad Layton 5) M1- Mark Smith 6) 35- Jared Zimbardi 7) 89- Robbie Stillwaggon 8) 77- Derek Locke 9) 76- Larry Kelleher 10) 1W- Eric Tomecek 11) 67W- Justin Whittall 12) 98- Joe Trenca 13) 47- Kyle Drum 14) 67- Steve Collins 15) 79- Jordan Thomas 16) 87- George Suprick 17) 29s- Derek Steward 18) C4- Jim Shuster 19) 81- Derek Jonathan 20) 45- Kevin Nagy 21) 99- Cody Keller 22) 33- Michael Walter II 23) 66- Ryan Kissinger 24) 3z- Colby Womer 25) 49s- Mallie Shuster

Heat Results

Heat 1: 1)67W- Justin Whittall 2) 99k- Cody Keller 3) 28F- Davie Franek 4) 77- Derek Locke 5) M1- Mark Smith 6) 98- Joe Trenca 7) 76- Larry Kelleher 8) 3z- Colby Womer 9) C4- Jim Shuster 10) 17z- Josh Azzi

Heat 2: 1) 1W- Eric Tomecek 2) 35- Jared Zimbardi 3) 35L- Chad Layton 4) 89- Robbie Stillwaggon 5) 67- Steve Collins 6) 79- Jordan Thomas 7) 87- George Suprick 8) 81- Derek Jonathan 9) 1J- Derrick Juliano 10) 45- Kevin Nagy

Heat 3: 1) 29- Jason Shultz 2) 56- Nate Snyder 3) 49s-Mallie Shuster 4) 47- Kyle Drum 5) 66- Ryan Kissinger 6) 29s- Derek Steward 7) 33- Michael Walter II 8) 48jr- Darryl Ruggles 9) 47c- Adam Carberry

B Main: 1) 87- George Suprick 2) 76- Larry Kelleher 3) 3z- Colby Womer 4) 45- Kevin Nagy 5) 33- Michael Walter 6) 81- Derek Jonathan 7) 48jr- Darryl Ruggles 8) C4- Jim Shuster 9) 1J- Derrick Juliano 10) 17- Josh Azzi

Time Trials:

M1- Mark Smith (17.577- $100 Fast Tee’s Fast Time Award)
67- Steve Collins (17.637)
49S- Mallie Shuster (17.672)
67W- Justin Whittall (17.700)
35L- Chad Layton (17.711)
29- Jason Shultz (17.755)
28F- Davie Franek (17.755)
1W- Eric Tomecek (17.777)
56- Nate Snyder (17.808)
99k- Cody Keller (17.909)
35- Jared Zimbardi (17.915)
47c- Adam Carberry (17.953)
77- Derek Locke (17.965)
89- Robbie Stillwaggon (17.986)
66- Ryan Kissinger (18.044)
C4- Jim Shuster (18.055)
45- Kevin Nagy (18.078)
47- Kyle Drum (18.104)
98- Joe Trenca (18.159)
79- Jordan Thomas (18.170)
29s- Derek Steward (18.197)
76- Larry Kelleher (18. 223)
81- Derek Jonathan (18.419)
33- Michael Walter II (18.444)
3z- Colby Womer (18.496)
87- George Suprick (18. 510)
48jr- Darryl Ruggles (18.594)
17z- Josh Azzi (18.829)
1J- Derrick Juliano (NT)

PST American Point Standings

1)35- Jared Zimbardi (1134) 2) 67- Steve Collins (1059) 3) 98- Joe Trenca (1015) 4) 47- Kyle Drum (1003) 5) 48jr- Darryl Ruggles (959) 6) 79- Jordan Thomas (906) 7) 81- Derek Jonathan (858) 8) 17z- Josh Azzi (827) 9) 54j- David Just (783) 10) 2- Steven Hutchinson Jr (656) 11) X- Dan Bennett (624) 12) 67r- Pete Richardson (585)