Flooding causes Penn Can to reschedule championship night

Crowning the 2011 champions at Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna will have to wait one more week. A number of weather related circumstances have forced track officials to postpone Friday night’s Pump-N-Pantry Championship Night racing program. The entire race program will be rescheduled for Friday, Sept. 16, making it the first race of a two race weekend at the speedway.

Sunday, Sept. 18, the track will hold the “Super Sportsman Sunday” program featuring Open and Crate Sportsman, ROC Trackside Products Street Stocks, and four cylinders.

All cars entering Sunday’s event will draw for heat race starting positions. The top cars will then redraw for starting positions in the feature event. Gates will open at3 p.m.with hot laps at5:30 p.m.The first heat is scheduled for6 p.m.

Week long rains have inundated the area and closed many of the roadways making it almost impossible to reach the speedway. While the track itself is fine other than the normal water that comes with a storm of this magnitude, the Susquehanna County Management Authority has issued travel bans on many of the roads leading to Penn Can. The exit ramps on Interstate 81 atGreat Bendare closed. Route 11 running parallel to Interstate 81 is also closed. Route 171 leading from Interstate 81 to the speedway is closed. Route 171 from Lansboro to the speedway is also shut down at this time. Route 17 inNew Yorkis closed and the city ofBinghamtonis under a state of emergency. (On a side note Penn Can promoter Al Wilcox is also stranded by the storm and unable to travel from his home inApalachin,N.Y.)

Champions will be crowned in all divisions next Friday. Kevin Hartnett is the modified point leader while Tracy Gregory leads in the late models. Mike Nagel is the sportsman point leader with Shane Wolf, Andy Brigham, and George Brown leading their divisions as well.

Gates will open Friday night at5 p.m.with the first heat race scheduled to take the track at7:30. For more information about racing at the speedway call the track office at 585-9928 or check the web at www.penncan.com.

The speedway is located on Route 171 in Susquehanna,Pennsylvaniajust a short drive from both theBinghamtonandScrantonareas. The speedway is sponsored in part for the 2011 season by great corporate partners including Don’s Automotive Mall,Gary’s U-Pull-It, Pump-N-Pantry Stores, Trackside Products, Hornbeck Chevrolet, NEP Telephone, Pine Line Auto, American Race Tires, and VP Race Fuels.