Selinsgrove Speedway preparing for RoC Icebreaker V
	Date: 2/19/2012 12:34:16 PM
	Selinsgrove Speedway preparing for RoC Icebreaker V By Dino Oberto …. “Keeping Track” (2-19-12) While the NASCAR and ARCA Series’ got their season underway this weekend in Daytona, here in the Northeast racing is also ready to begin as Selinsgrove Speedway is set to present Icebreaker V featuring the Race of Champions (RoC) Dirt Modified Tour on March 16-17. The Icebreaker has fast become a fan and driver favorite being one of the first chances of the new season for competition in this area. It’s also the only time Modifieds run on the ½-mile Selinsgrove oval which is best known for Sprint and Late Model action. The two day show will once again see the 358 Mods in a 25-lap $2200-to-win feature on Friday evening while Saturday’s race will be a 40-lapper for big blocks and pay $5000-to-win, up $1000 from previous years. “It’s the fifth anniversary and it was time to step it up. We paid $4000-to-win the first four years. Charlie Paige (Selinsgrove promoter) is the guy who really came through with the added purse money. Not only are we paying $5000-to-win but the back of the purse is also going to see an increase. It will now be $300 to take the green,” said event promoter Joe Kaminski, Jr. Through lap and contingency money Saturday’s race winner’s pot can easily exceed $6000. Since its inception in 2008, Kaminski has done amazing work in attaining numerous sponsors in both money and product backers which has done wonders pulling drivers in from throughout Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Canada. The talent pool runs deep as a who’s who of dirt Modifieds are on hand. “I am lucky to have a great group of people who are sponsors. Every year they have come back and for the fifth year in a row now they’re all back,” said Kaminski. Some have even upped their support. Jeff Goff of Middleswarth Potato Chips in Sunbury has been affiliated with the Icebreaker event since its inception. Goff has sponsored the popular Cash Dash for heat winners, which pays $300. “He (Goff) told me he’d like to do something a little extra this year. He suggested a non-qualifiers race so that’s what we have planned for Saturday,” said Kaminski. Another example of boosted support comes from Jason Bashore of BFP Specialties of Bethel who is the parts supplier for the race. He has put in $100 each night for the Hard Luck Award over the past few years. This year, however, he has increased it to $500 which will go towards a Modified body kit. “I do this for the racers. I’m not doing it for me,” noted Kaminski. “A lot of these Modified racers are good personal friends and it makes me feel good. It’s a labor of love and I love having them at Selinsgrove.”; In each of its prior running’s the Icebreaker has packed the house with great crowds and car counts. All indications are that the pits will once more be swelling with race cars. “By are car counts it shows that people like to come to our show. The past years have said it all and each year there has been a steady increase in cars. I think we have a pretty awesome event,” said Kaminski. With the success of the Icebreaker and the RoC Tour, a second date has been inked which will be on Tuesday, June 19. “We always looked at possibly having a second Modified race. Every year after we’ve run the Icebreaker, Charlie (Paige) would say to me when is our second one. The thing was our schedule at Selinsgrove was always filled,” explained Kaminski. “This year it came about when Andrew Harpell (RoC Administrative Director) and I got to talking and it will work out nice with us running on Tuesday, June 19 and the following night the RoC Tour heads down to Lincoln Speedway. I’m looking forward to that and it should be nice midweek gathering of Modifieds between both tracks.”; In case of inclement weather on either day a Sunday, March 18 rain date has been reserved with all gates opening at noon and the first heat at 2:00 p.m. Selinsgrove’s 67th season opener takes place a week earlier with a program of 410 Sprints and Pro Stocks at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, March 18.