Dietrich drives away in Keizer Aluminum Wheels 358 sprint feature
ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 3/15/08 -"We’re fortunate, it’s day racing and this don’t mean nothing...but if you’re here you might as well win them."
Defending 10-time track champion Fred Rahmer showed that you could still pass on a daytime track Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Speedway. Among his victims were early race leader Jim Siegel, World of Outlaw racer Daryn Pitman, and ultimately Chad Layton, who looked to be the car to beat.
Rahmer made his race-winning pass with a slingshot slide through turns one and two on a 15th-lap restart. From there, he raced away to his all-time win leading 155th career win in the 25-lap 410 sprint feature in the Pigeon Hills.
"Everything went our way...starting sixth ended up being an advantage because Chad (Layton) was running a really good pace around the top and I stayed on the bottom and found the rubber which came in," said Rahmer, "Getting the lead first isn’t always the hot set-up...(Layton) had to stay up there because he was going so good, but when the rubber came in it was ‘Church Over’."
"I knew when I found the rubber down there and if he stayed up there he was in trouble." "I knew it was going to be tough to pinch Chad off in (turn) two and he kept getting a run on me and nothing good was going to happen," said Rahmer on his move for the lead. "I said it was time to try something different."
Rahmer’s final margin of victory was 1.17 seconds, with Layton settling for second, Siegel getting by Pittman on the same lap nine restart to finish third. Pittman and T.J. Stutts completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Mike Bittinger, 15th-starting Brian Montieth, Michael Carber, Tim Shaffer (driving the Wainwright No.61), and Paul McMahan (piloting the Tom Buch No.13).
"We were very fortunate. Daryn Pitman passed me and the yellow came out (lap 8), and that saved me. You can’t let a guy of that caliber get ahead of you."
"We said at the shop this week that Chad Layton has got (stuff) together right now, and he’s a great racer and a nice guy and it’s going to be a tough year. Youth may be on his side, but I am not going to lay down and die."
Counting a win opening day at Williams Grove and two wins in Florida in February, it was Rahmer’s fourth win of 2008. He indicated he’s looking forward to racing under the lights.
"It’s still daytime racing and this don’t mean nothing," said Rahmer on his win in the final afternoon race at Lincoln in 2008. "The real racing starts at night next week....this is squat. I started on the pole in the heat and got lucky there. It’s all just working my way right now, but it can turn in a second. And the guys that are having tough luck now could be the guys standing here next time."
Heats for the 40 "410" sprints were won by Rahmer, Doug Dodson, Bittinger and Aaron Ott. Twin consolations were won by Alan Krimes and Niki Young.
A passing points inversion of five cars put Billy Dietrich on the pole for the season-opening feature in the "358" sprint division.
That was "church over" too, with Dietrich dominating the 20-lap event.
Brad McClelland came from 10th starting spot to pass Kevin Nouse for the runner-up spot on lap six, and he chased the Gettysburg speedster the rest of the day. Nouse held on to finish third, with Bill’s brother Danny Dietrich crossing fourth and Nate Hammaker fifth. Completing the top ten were 16th-starting Jimmy Layton, 18th-starting Chad Criswell, 20th-starting Chad Trout, Jeff Rohrbaugh (who came from the back after a first-lap crash), and John Barnett (who also from the back after an early-race incident).
Heats for the 39 "358" sprints were won by Danny Dietrich, Derek Locke, Nouse and Billy Dietrich. Twin consolations were won by Scott Flammer and Criswell.
The day began with an announcement that Keizer Aluminum Wheels out of Mt. Holly Springs will sponsor the 358 sprint division at Lincoln in 2008. Keizer will be providing $5,000 in products and $5,000 in contingency vouchers to Lincoln competitors during the season.
Next Saturday, March 22nd at 6 PM, night racing returns at Lincoln Speedway for 2008 with the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass 410 Sprints being joined by the Thundercars who will be looking to open there 2008 racing season in the $500-to-win Lawrence Chevrolet Spring Thaw 20. The three-division show will be rounded out by the INEX Legends. Gates will open at 4 PM, hot laps get underway at 5:30 PM with the first heat taking the green at 6 PM.
To get all the latest news, results, schedule changes and rule changes, visit Lincoln Speedway’s website at http://www.lincolnspeedway.com to stay up-to-date on all the action or pending weather conditions at Central Pennsylvania’s "Premier" Saturday night race track - The Fabulous Lincoln Speedway.
RACE RESULTS
Saturday - March 15, 2008
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
410 SPRINTS
Feature (25 Laps) - 1. 51-Fred Rahmer ($3,000); 2. 25-Chad Layton; 3. 59-Jim Siegel; 4. 21-Daryn Pitman; 5. 39-TJ Stutts; 6. 12-Mike Bittinger; 7. 21-Brian Montieth; 8. 22Z-Michael Carber; 9. 61-Tim Shaffer; 10. 13-Paul McMahan; 11. 5W-Lucas Wolfe; 12. 17E-Cris Eash; 13. 10N-Niki Young; 14. 89-Cody Darrah; 15. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 16. 87-Alan Krimes; 17. 3W-John Westbrook; 18. 30-Doug Esh (DNF); 19. 25-Aaron Ott (DNF); 20. 19-Stevie Smith (DNF); 21. 7M-Mark Smith (DNF); 22. 28-Brian Paulus (DNF); 23. 43-Doug Dodson (DNF); 24. 71-Brian Leppo (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders - Jim Siegel (1-4), Chad Layton (5-14), Fred Rahmer (15-25)
1st Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 51-Fred Rahmer; 2. 3W-John Westbrook; 3. 22Z-Michael Carber; 4. 30-Doug Esh; 5. 47J-Jeff Busby; 6. 87-Alan Krimes; 7. 5W-Lucas Wolfe; 8. 5C-Chad Hillier; 9. 9-Craig Keel; 10. X-Bobby Weaver. Time - 2:39.637
2nd Heat (10 Lap/4 to qualify) - 1. 43-Doug Dodson; 2. 59-Jimmy Siegel; 3. 21-Brian Montieth; 4. 25-Chad Layton; 5. 28-Brian Paulus; 6. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 7. 11C-Cory Haas; 8. 9-Davey Sammons; 9. 13X-Bill Brian Jr. (DNF); 10. 0-Rick Lafferty (DNF). No Time
3rd Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 12-Mike Bittinger; 2. 89-Cody Darrah; 3. 61-Tim Shaffer; 4. 71-Brian Leppo; 5. 17E-Cris Eash; 6. 10N-Niki Young; 7. D4-Danny Holtgraver; 8. 20-Ryan Taylor; 9. 45-AJ Michael; 10. 26-Pat Cooper (DNF). No Time
4th Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 25-Aaron Ott; 2. 13-Paul McMahan; 3. 39-TJ Stutts; 4. 21P-Daryn Pitman; 5. 7M-Mark Smith; 6. 4-John Rudisill; 7. 19-Stevie Smith; 8. 30C-Lance Dewease; 9. 22-Greg Hodnett; 10. 3-Bob Bennett. No Time
1st Consolation (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 87-Alan Krimes; 2. 28-Brian Paulus; 3. 5W-Lucas Wolfe; 4. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 5. 11C-Cory Haas; 6. 5C-Chad Hillier; 7. 47J-Jeff Busby; 8. X-Bobby Weaver; 9. 9-Craig Keel; 10. 99-Davey Sammons; DNS - 13X-Bill Brian Jr.. Time - 2:44.403
2nd Consolation (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 10N-Niki Young; 2. 19-Stevie Smith; 3. 7M-Mark Smith; 4. 17E-Cris Eash; 5. 30C-Lance Dewease; 6. 22-Greg Hodnett; 7. 20-Ryan Taylor; 8. 4-John Rudisill; 9. 45-AJ Michael; 10. D4-Danny Holtgraver; 11. 26-Pat Cooper (DNF); 12. 3-Bob Bennett (DNF). No Time
KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS 358 SPRINTS
Feature (20-Laps) - 1. 8D-Billy Dietrich; 2. 6-Brad McClelland; 3. 4R-Kevin Nouse; 4. 88-Danny Dietrich; 5. 66N-Nate Hammaker; 6. 55-Jimmy Layton; 7. 84C-Chad Criswell; 8. 7C-Chad Trout; 9. 7V-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 10. 15B-John Barnett; 11. 28-Keith Prutzman; 12. 15-Adam Wilt; 13. 55E-Brian Eichelberger; 14. 99-Joe Trone Jr.; 15. 1-Tim Wagaman; 16. 75-Nicole Bower; 17. 16-Gerard McIntrye Jr. (DNF); 18. 91-Scott Geesey (DNF); 19. 37-Scott Flammer (DNF); 20. 3-Pat Cannon (DNF); 21. 5T-Glenndon Forsythe (DNF); 22. 77-Derek Locke (DNF); 23. 25-Aaron Ott (DNF); 24. 23-Todd Rittenhouse Jr. (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders - Billy Dietrich (1-20)
1st Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 88-Danny Dietrich; 2. 6-Brad McClelland; 3. 28-Keith Prutzman; 4. 3-Pat Cannon; 5. 16-Gerard McIntyre Jr.; 6. 11T-Eric Tomecek; 7. 45-Colt White; 8. 01A-Denny Gross (DNF); 9. 55-Brian Eichelberger (DNF); DNS - 73-Jamie Rupp. No Time
2nd Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 77-Derek Locke; 2. 66N-Nate Hammaker; 3. 75-Nicole Bower; 4. 15B-John Barnett (DNF); 5. 37-Scott Flammer (DNF); 6. 65-Cole Griffin (DNF); 7. 81B-Bob Anderson (DNF); 8. 15-Adam Wilt (DNF); 9. 27-Jay Galloway (DNF); 10. 66H-Dale Hammaker (DNF). No Time
3rd Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 4R-Kevin Nouse; 2. 7V-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 3. 25-Aaron Ott; 5. 55-Jimmy Layton; 6. 8-Rich Eichelberger; 7. 5T-Glenndon Forsythe; 8. 67-Jason Cherry; 9. 22T-Matt Boland (DNF); 10. 6S-Bill Sherman (DNF). No Time
4th Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 8D-Billy Dietrich; 2. 91-Scott Geesey; 3. 99-Joe Trone Jr.; 4. 1-Tim Wagaman; 5. 7C-Chad Trout; 6. 23-Todd Rittenhouse Jr.; 7. 5-Adam Lawrence; 8. 34-Austin Reed; 9. 5S-Ricky Stonebreaker. Time - 2:42.94
1st Consolation (10 Laps/4 to qualify)- 1. 37-Scott Flammer; 2. 15-Adam Wilt; 3. 16-Gerard McIntyre Jr.; 4. 55-Brian Eichelberger; 5. 11T-Eric Tomecek; 6. 66-Dale Hammaker; 7. 45-Colt White; 8. 01A-Denny Gross; DNS - 65-Cale Griffin, 81B-Bob Anderson, 73-Jamie Rupp. No Time
2nd Consolation (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 84C-Chad Criswell; 2. 7C-Chad Trout; 3. 23-Todd Rittenhouse; 4. 5T-Glenndon Forsythe; 5. 67-Jason Cherry; 6. 22T-Matt Boland; 7. 5-Adam Lawrence; 8. 8-Rich Eichelberger; 9. 5X-Ricky Stonebreaker; 10. 34-Austin Reed; 11. 6S-Bill Sherman (DNF). No Time
