Wednesday, August 13 - The Fairgrounds at Kutztown normally hosts racing at the 1/5 mile during the summer months. Tonight and tomorrow night the track would be running two nights of racing during the annual Kutztown Fair. County fairs are always fun with rides, exhibits and of course lots of delicious food and tonight was no exception. We arrived at 6:40 for the scheduled 7 PM start and paid the $6 admission per person which got you into the fair and the races plus $2 to park. Not a bad deal. Warmups were underway and we secured our seat about two rolls from the top near our buddy, Dwight Bucks. We figured that we had enough time to grab something to eat and found a stand nearby where we ordered mild sausage sandwiches on a hard roll with onions, peppers and sauce. It was delicious. Pat wanted fries cut thin like potato chips which I ordered but opted out of waiting for as the first heat of the night was on the track at 7:10. The 270 cc micro sprints had an amazing field of 46 cars on hand which necessitated running six heats followed by three heats for the 25 car field of 600 cc mini sprints. The young gun 390’s for youngsters or beginners had one heat for their 6 car field and the 125 cc’s ran one heat for their 9 car field.

Then it was right into the twin 270 cc consies with all qualifying completed by 8:25. It was intermission time and normally I don’t condone half hour intermissions during a week day show but there was a fair going on and it gave the crowd a chance to roam the grounds or grab a bite to eat. There was now lightning making an appearance off the backstretch and more out past turns one and two. The forecast was for thunderstorms during the evening and they were now closing in. The 20 lap 270 cc micro sprints took their green to start things off but the green didn’t last long. It was starting to spit rain and these guys kept wrecking and bringing out the yellow!! Two reds followed for flips and the rain started to pick up. In all 8 cautions and 2 reds slowed this one but it was finally completed at 9:23. Aaron Rinehimer led start to finish to garner his first win of the year over Ryan Smith and Eddie Wagner. The 20 lap 600 cc feature was called to the track and took the green at 9:27. The rain intensified and many in the large crowd on hand headed for the exits. Ryan Frable lead from the pole and just past the half way mark at lap 13 the yellow waved and the cars were set to the pit area. It was 10 PM and this race was considered official with Frable gaining his first win of the year over Jarrett Seng and Brent Marks up from 7th. We decided to call it a night at this point and were back at 50 Riverview Drive by 11. They waited the rain out at Kutztown and started up again at 10:30 with the young gun 390’s, the 125 cc’s and two features run wingless for the 270cc’s and the 600 cc’s. It was a fun night of racing but the rain put a damper on walking around the fair afterward.

The weather continues to be a problem here in the east so we will see how the weekend plays out. A trip to Williams Grove tomorrow night for triple 20’s for the 410 sprints is penciled in next on the Eckel dance card.