Rahmer runs to first Williams Grove sprint win
WILLIAMS GROVE >>
Freddie Rahmer scored his firstever Williams Grove Speedway sprint car win on Friday night, racing ahead of Alan Krimes and Greg Hodnett to the win as he etched another Rahmer name on the historic oval’s all-time win list.
In the $4,000 to win, 25lap URC/ESS 360 sprint car nationals, Greg Hodnett wired the field from the pole for the victory to record a hat track in 360 action at the track to date this season.
Matt Campbell took the lead from the pole at the start of the 410-sprint car main followed by Steve Buckwalter and Rahmer, who started sixth. Rahmer wasted very little time putting himself into contention, blasting by Buckwalter for second on the second tour only to see Buckwalter reclaim the spot. Rahmer finally completed the pass on the fifth circuit with a low side move in the third corner and Campbell and Rahmer entered the backmarkers on the eighth lap. Campbell held a good lead and ran a good line while blasting around the top of the speedway and forced Rahmer to track him down in order to get his shot at the victory.
With 12 laps to go, the Salfordville 20-year- old pilot was poised to begin challenging for the top spot and after three laps of trying Rahmer again blasted low into the third turn, underneath Campbell this time, to take control. However at the same time as Rahmer was going out front, tenth starter Greg Hodnett was motoring into the top spots as well along with Alan Krimes.
Hodnett took second on the 17th tour and was chasing Rahmer through heavy traffic, trying to take the win away. But strong, deliberate moves by Rahmer in traffic kept him comfortably ahead of Hodnett and then just when he appeared home free, a caution flag with two laps to go slowed the pace, now finding Krimes in second for the restart.
Rahmer would drive uncontested over the final mile of competition to take the payday by .953 seconds over Krimes, Hodnett, Campbell and Buckwalter. Sixth through 10th went to Brian Montieth, Danny Dietrich, Brock Zearfoss, Lucas Wolfe and Mark Smith.
Heats went to Wolfe, Hodnett and Doug Esh with the consolation going to Brandon Rahmer. The initial start of the 410 sprint main was red flagged when Lancaster’s Doug Esh flipped on the frontstretch after starting eighth.
Hodnett would cruise to victory in the 25-lap URC/ ESS 360 sprint main, finding his pace slowed only twice but both times he was able to pull away with the lead. Aaron Ott got by Davie Franek for second on the third tour and tried to chase Hodnett but keeping him in sight was a challenge. Ott instead was challenged on a lap 12 restart by New York’s Chuck Hebing, who bolted to his outside in the first and second turns to take over the second position. But Hebing too was unable to keep pace with Hodnett although on just one occasion Hodnett did get held up in traffic for a few laps to allow Hebing to close the gap slightly. However Hodnett still picked up the win, his third this season at the track in 360 sprint action, by 3.174 seconds over Hebing followed by Ott, Robbie Stillwaggon and Franek.
BEDFORD SPEEDWAY >>
Matt Cosner rallied late to add his name to the long list of fair week winners at the Great Bedford Fair Friday night. The win, before a cram packed crowd was Cosner’s second of the year, both coming in prestigious races, the Milt Miller classic and now the fair event. With the fair week format, starting lineups were determined by 2016 point standings at the track. Eric Zembower and Andy Haus brought the Late Model field to the green and it was Haus ahead on lap one. Dylan Yoder finally got by Zembower for second on lap 4, but Haus was way ahead by then. Matt Cosner took third on lap six and closed on Yoder in about a lap. But by lap nine, both Yoder and Cosner closed on Haus and a three way race up front developed. Haus held them off until a lapped car spun directly in front of the trio coming off turn 4 on lap 14. Haus got by low, Cosner went high, but Yoder made a direct hit on the spinning car and the yellow flew. Yoder retired for the night, and on the restart, Cosner was all over Haus.
GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY (THUNDER ON THE HILL, TUESDAY) >>
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Stevie Smith captured the 410 Sprint Car Thunder Cup trophy, the $5,000 top prize, and his first career Grandview Speedway win this past Tuesday Night when the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series presented the 2nd Annual 410 Sprint Thunder Cup event at the Berks County dirt track.
Greg Hodnett picked up the win in the 410 Sprint car make-up feature event, rain halted from PA Sprint Car Speedway. Duane Howard claimed the 30 Lap, $3,000 NASCAR 358 Modfied main event while Craig VonDohren picked up the win in the 358 make-up feature event.
Kunkletown’s Ryan Smith started on the pole of the 35 lap Thunder Cup main event setting a rapid pace and hitting lapped traffic by the fourth circuit. Smith aboard the Warko No. 94 swapped grooves dodging lapped cars with Stevie Smith in the second position. Stevie Smith – the veteran – made his move on the fourth circuit pulling outside the ‘Kunkletown Kid’ – but it was the younger Smith making a bold move dodging between lapped cars to hold on to the top spot.
A lap 10 red flag for Freddie Rahmer – who got upside down after contact with a lapped car – halted the action for the only time of the race.
During the red flag, Ryan Smith discovered an issue with the radiator hose on his No. 94 machine draining the water out of his sprint car, handing the lead over to ‘ The Black Bandit’ Stevie Smith.
On the restart, Stevie Smith powered away while Tim Shaffer battled Danny Dietrich and Greg Hodnett for the second spot.
With Smith at the helm at the halfway point, all eyes were on Myerstown’s Brent Marks moving forward from the 11th starting position into the fifth spot. Smith held a full straighta-way lead while Shaffer, Hodnett, Dietrich and Marks battled for the runner-up position.
Dietrich would overtake the second spot and close on Smith through the later portion of the event but it was ‘The Black Bandit’ maintaining the lead and rolling under the checkered flag in first position. Danny Dietrich finished in second, Greg Hodnett in third, Tim Shaffer in fourth and Brent Marks in fifth.
Tim Shaffer set the Quick Time with a lap of 12.603, Qualifying Heat Races were won Lucas Wolfe, Alan Krimes and Davey Sammons.
Thomasville’s Greg Hodnett claimed his ninth Thunder on the Hill victory dominating the final 20 laps of the rain-delayed 35 lap PA Speedweek feature event. Hodnett set a rapid pace from the get go, pulling away from the lead with Brent Marks in tow. Hodnett weaved in and out of heavy lapped traffic holding off Brent Marks – who was closing on the leader. Hodnett picked up the $5,000 winner’s share, Marks settled for second, Lucas Wolfe in third, Aaron Ott in fourth and Stevie Smith rounding out the top five finishers.
Duane Howard, of Oley, led the Mike Petruska Racing No. 66 to victory in the 30 lap NASCAR 358 Modified feature event. Howard started on the front row with Brett Kressley and charged to the front from the opening green f lag. Howard switched lanes from the middle to the top spot holding off Kressley’s No. 357 machine.
A lap 10 yellow for Boyertown’s Ryan Watt slowed the field for the only caution of the evening.
On the restart, Howard held on to the top spot with Kressley in second, while a three-car battle for the third spot developed between Craig VonDohren, Jeff Strunk and Modified rookie Mike Lisowski – with Craig VonDohren getting the best of the war.
With Howard setting the pace, VonDohren charged around the outside of Kressley for the second position and set his sights on the leader, closing with five laps remaining.
Howard would go on to pick up the win, VonDohren settling for second, Modified rookie Brett Kressley in third aboard the Norm’s Save Station No. 357, Jeff Strunk in fourth and Mike Lisowski in fifth – in less than half a dozen Modified starts.
Modified Heat Races were won by Jeff Strunk and Rick Laubach.
Oley ’ s VonDohren launched from his second place starting spot in the 30 lap make-up feature event, setting a rapid pace early on with Duane Howard, Rick Laubach and Jeff Strunk right on his tail. A bold three-wide maneuver around Howard and Strunk moved Laubach into the second spot setting his sights on VonDohren. Howard would pull pitside a lap later. Laubach closed the gap on the 12th circuit pulling alongside the race leader before retiring just two laps later. Strunk inherited the second place position and challenged VonDohren for the lead with five laps remaing. VonDohren would claim the $3,000 top prize, Strunk would settle for second.