Path Valley opens karting season with Slaseman win, previews PDKA State Championship Series Event By Walt Cox SPRING RUN, PA - Jimmy Slaseman of New Cumberland won the first feature event of the season in the Saturday's Burris karts and quads at the Path Valley Speedway Park with his victory in the Caged Rookie Karts. As he drew a winning ticket for a Burris Tires $120 gift certificate, the rain came pouring over the Tuscarora Mountain and the balance of the program was cancelled with points, plaques and payout awarded based on the already completed heat race results. The karts and quads race every Saturday at Path Valley but next Saturday the Pennsylvania Dirt Karters Association (PDKA) takes over for a State Championship Series two-day event under the sanction of the Burris National Speedway Series. The top five of six finishes in the PDKA races are counted toward the state championships. Three of the races are at Path Valley and three at Selinsgrove Raceway. Gates open at 7 a.m. for practice, time trails and qualifying on Saturday. Sunday the gates open at 10 a.m. for the feature events in all PDKA divisions. Gates will open in time for breakfast at the track on PDKA dates. Primitive camping is available with prior permission. May 4 and 5 is the rain date. PDKA rules and information are readily available at the sanction's website at www.padirtkart.com and information on Burris Racing and the BNSS is available at www.burrisracing.com. In addition to the PDKA races toward the state championships and the regular weekly races toward track championships, Path Valley is sponsoring three big open events with money added purses and special prizes for the adult Lite, Medium and Heavy kart classes. The Spring National postponed to May 11 will feature $300 to win in the features for the Lite, Medium and Heavy karts, based on WKA rules, for kart riders 15 and older. Special events for the four-wheelers and the younger kart riders are also being planned. Kart racing at Path Valley welcomes all kart racers in classes that range from adults to the Kids Karts for riders 5-8 years old. For information see the kart rules on the track's website and the final points from last year at www.pathvalley.com. Burris Racing sponsors Path Valley Karts in 2002 as part of the BNSS SpecTrack series. Burris Tires of Los Alamitos CA are made in America, and in 2002 Burris is introducing a Solution Series tire that promises competitive racing without cutting and will be good for three to five weekends of racing. Imported tires that required "cutting" to thin the tread to be competitive lasted one weekend or less and drove the cost of racing out of the budget of many families last year, according to Burris President Mike Burris. The new phone number at the track for promoter Ken Geesey is 717-349-7111. The Path Valley Speedway Park is located in Spring Run PA a mile north on PA Route 641 from the intersection with PA Route 75, halfway between Port Royal and Hagerstown. It is five miles east from the Willow Hill Exit 14 of the PA Turnpike. For information on the 2002 schedule and track, race teams and fans can call the owners at 717-426-4756 or 717-426-2910, consult the website at www.pathvalley.com, or they can email them at twp@pathvalley.com. RESULTS (April 27, 2002): Caged Rookies - Jimmy Slaseman, Bryan Hayberger Jr. Restricted - Zach Newlin, Austin Haller, Zach Smith, D.J. Holland, Amber Lyter, Tracy Imler, Brent Marks. Heavies - Chris Claar, Shane Davis, Shawn Claar, Danny Wiles, Jeff Rathfon, Phil Everts, Tommy Wade Lites - J.R. Peters, Randy Woodward, Geremey Shaffer, Bryan Weyandt, Garrett Kuhns, Brent Comp, Travis Wagner, David Golden, Tim Berkheimer, Corey Comp, Chris Spangler, matt Dalesio, David Hoffman X-Heavies - Justin Michael, Shawn Claar, Marcus Woodling, David Way, Jeff Fuchler, Miles Burd, Rick Murray, Tommy Wade Controlled Stock - Troy Imler, Elvin Diller III, Derek Locke, Wayne Long Jr. Sportsman I - Tyler Bear, Michael Bauer, Alex Benda, Corey Weaver, Matthew Bauer, Nathan Danner, Dylan Cisney, Brandon Shawley, Justin Williams, Zack Fouse, Jonathan Bakner Jr. Sportsman II - Brock Zearfoos, Matt Burger, Austin Hogue, Frank Peters, Ashley Reisinger, Alex Benda, Justin Cunningham, Lance Newlin, Justin Zapotoczny, Dustin Hoffman Mediums - Chris Claar, Brad Thomas, Chris Davis, Daryl Minnich, Brent Hoffman, Ryan Spangler, Matt Dalesio, Phil Everts, Andy Burkholder, Jamie Ranck, Jeff Rathfon Jr. Champ - Cody Schmiedel, Patrick Debroisse, Nicole Eaton 4-Wheel 2-Stroke - Dane Delancey, Craig Robinson, Curt Breineich; 4-Stroke - Cory Burhman Sr.Champ - Jim Slaseman, Keith Gillam Jr. Stock - Garrett Kuhns, Tracy Imler, Tim Berkheimer, Amber Lyter, Roger Coss, D.J. Holland, Derrik Treece, Geoff Gill, Travis Wagner