Gino Comi wins career first in thundercars; Morgan by inches in street stocks
ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 3/29/08 - "Church over."
That popular Rahmer quote was the first message placed by a fan on Lincoln Speedway’s "Pit Shack" message board immediately after the "410" sprint feature Saturday night.
There are those who didn’t think it was possible, but Fast Freddie Rahmer was even faster Saturday. The ten-time track champ padded his early-season points lead with a convincing win, then credited the victory to a new Winters Performance rear end he tested earlier in the week on the Lincoln surface.
"We got something brand new from Winters that there’s not another team has yet," said the happy winner in victory lane, "I’ve run a lot of laps here, but I don’t know that I’ve ever felt better."
Rahmer came from ninth starting spot to grab the lead from Alan Krimes with a bold outside move through turn three as the leaders were coming up on lapped traffic on lap 11. From there, he drove away to a 1.29-second win with a 25-lap non-stop time of 6 minutes, 24.850 seconds, his second Lincoln win of the year and 156th of his career in the Pigeon Hills.
Third-starting Pat Cooper led the first six laps before Krimes drove around him into the race lead on turns three and four of lap seven. Krimes looked strong in the early going, but couldn’t hold off the charging C&S Lawn & Landscape/Miller Brothers Automotive #51.
Though Rahmer controlled the rest of the event, Krimes held on for second, with Doug Esh, 13th-starting Chad Layton, and 16th-starting Lance Dewease completing the top five. Sixth through tenth were T.J. Stutts, Brian Montieth, Lucas Wolfe, Cody Darrah, and 18-starting Tim Shaffer.
"I just like winning from the back and taking it from somebody that’s got a shot off the pole," said the happy winner, "We’re just really happy with the way the car is going.’
"I got an ass-whooping last year, and I wasn’t havin’ it this year. We worked really hard and Chad and Jen (Clemens) gave us the stuff we needed. That was a pretty intensive race track and was actually a lot of fun."
"The clay they got on this race track is unbelievable," added Rahmer, "We were here testing this new rear end on Tuesday. I thought then it had something to it, but I’m telling you, it’s got some traction to it and it’s a lot safer, too. I broke my back last year at Knoxville, and anything I can do for the safety aspect of it I’m all about."
Heats for the 31 "410" sprints were won by Jeff Busby, Bobby Weaver and Esh, with John Westbrook winning the consolation.
Pylesville Maryland’s Gino Comi ended three years of futility by registering his first career thundercar win in the 20-lap feature. Comi, who started fourth, inherited the lead on lap 11 when race-leader Ronnie Thomas spun sideways in turn one and struck the inside guardrail.
From there Comi had to fight off polesitter and early race-leader Bob Bare, Brad Shank Sam Gallagher and Mike Slaybaugh for his inaugural win. Comi took the checkered .94-seconds ahead of Bare to become the 75th different winner in Lincoln thundercar action since it’s inception in 1989.
Shank settled for third, Gallagher fourth and Slaybaugh fifth. Completing the top-10 were Jimmy Combs, Al Crammer, Neil Smith, Kyle Martin, Scott Fisher.
Heats for the 25 thundercars were won by Duane Watson, Comi and Al Crammer.
Craig Morgan of Halifax crossed inches in front of Kory Sites to claim the win in the thrilling 20-lap Lawrence Chevrolet street stock feature.
Morgan grabbed the lead from his outside front row starting spot and paced the field the first three laps before seventh-starting Sites took the lead on the backstretch of lap four. Morgan followed Sites for the next 16 laps before diving to the low side as the leaders approached a lapped car coming down to the finish.
Sites settled for second, with Rodney Clouser, Dan Zechman, and Joe Whitely rounding out the top five.
Heats for the 17 street stocks were won by Bob Gutshall and Sites.
Next Saturday night, April 5th at 6 PM, it will be Fisher Auto Parts Night featuring the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass 410 Sprints, Super Sportsman and 358 Late Models. Gates for the three-division show will open at 4 PM, with hot laps get underway at 5:30 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 29, 2008
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
410 SPRINTS:
Feature (25 Laps) - 1. 51-Fred Rahmer ($3,000); 2. 87-Alan Krimes; 3. 30-Doug Esh; 4. 25-Chad Layton; 5. 30C-Lance Dewease; 6. 39-TJ Stutts; 7. 21-Brian Montieth; 8. 5W-Lucas Wolfe; 9. 89-Cody Darrah; 10. 61-Tim Shaffer; 11. 18-Tony Bruce Jr.; 12. 4-John Rudisill; 13. 47J-Jeff Busby; 14. 10N-Niki Young; 15. 26-Pat Cooper; 16. 25Aaron Ott; 17. 17E-Cris Eash; 18. 20-Ryan Taylor; 19. 9-Craig Keel; 20. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 21. 45-AJ Michael; 22. 3W-John Westbrook; 23. X-Bobby Weaver (DNF); 24. 12-Mike Bittinger (DNF). Time - 6:24.850
Lap Leaders - Pat Cooper (1-6), Alan Krimes (7-10), Fred Rahmer (11-25)
1st Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 47J-Jeff Busby; 2. 87-Alan Krimes; 3. 4-John Rudisill; 4. 5W-Lucas Wolfe; 5. 25-Chad Layton; 6. 30-Doug Esh; 7. 3W-John Westbrook; 8. 45-AJ Michael; 9. 17E-Cris Eash (DNF); 10. 71-Brian Leppo (DNF); 11. 6-Josh Wells (DNF). Time - 2:17.833
2nd Heat (10 Lap/6 to qualify) - 1. X-Bobby Weaver; 2. 26-Pat Cooper; 3. 39-TJ Stutts; 4. 51-Fred Rahmer; 5. 9-Craig Keel; 6. 10N-Niki Young; 7. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 8. 43-Doug Dodson; 9. 22Z-Michael Carber; 10. 28-Brian Paulus (DNF). No Time
3rd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 30-Doug Esh; 2. 12-Mike Bittinger; 3. 21-Brian Montieth; 4. 18-Tony Bruce, Jr.; 5. 89–Cody Darrah; 6. 61-Tim Shaffer; 7. 25-Aaron Ott; 8. 20-Ryan Taylor; 9. 59-Jim Siegel (DNF); 10. 11C-Cory Haas (DNF). No Time
Consolation (10 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 3W-John Westbrook; 2. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 3. 25o-Aaron Ott; 4. 20-Ryan Taylor; 5. 45-AJ Michael; 6. 17E-Cris Eash; 7. 11C-Cory Haas; 8. 22Z-Michael Carber; 9. 71-Brian Leppo; 10. 43-Doug Dodson; 11. 6W-Josh Wells (DNF); DNS - 59-Jim Siegel, 28-Brian Paulus. No Time
THUNDERCARS:
Feature (20-Laps) - 1. 33-Gino Comi; 2. 76-Bob Bare; 3. 57-Brad Shank; 4. 25-Sam Gallagher; 5. 61M-Mike Slaybaugh; 6. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 7. 9-Al Crammer; 8. 1-Neil Smith; 9. 54-Kyle Martin; 10. 20-Scott Fisher; 11. 7M-Doug Bennett; 12. 8-Bob Allen; 13. 21-Ronnie Thomas; 14. 61-Shawn Miller; 15. 77-Justin Mong; 16. 8B-Charlie Brittian (DNF); 17. 60-Danny Beard (DNF); 18. 6M-Joe Racine (DNF); 19. 1E-Greg Emlet Jr. (DNF); 20. 15-Mike Reaver (DNF); 21. 93-Mikey Guise (DNF); 22. 3W-Duane Watson (DNF); 23. 70-Rick Weaver (DNF); 24. 5M-Mike Racine (DNF); 25. 21N-Larry Niederer (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders - Bob Bare (1-5), Ronnie Thomas (6-10), Gino Comi (11-20)
1st Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 3W-Duane Watson; 2. 1-Neil Smith; 3. 57-Brad Shank; 4. 21-Ronnie Thomas; 5. 25-Sam Gallagher; 6. 1E-Greg Emlet, Jr.; 7. 8-Charlie Brittian; 8. 15-Mike Reaver; 9. 93-Mikey Guise. Time - 2:36. 59
2nd Heat (8 Lap/6 to qualify) - 1. 33-Gino Comi; 2. 76-Bob Bare; 3. 77-Justin Mong; 4. 21N-Larry Neiderer; 5. 7M-Doug Bennett; 6. 5M-Mike Racine; 7. 70-Rick Weaver; 8. 61-Shaun Miller. Time - 2:37.11
3rd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 9-Al Crammer; 2. 54-Kyle Martin; 3. 20-Scott Fisher; 4. 61M-Mike Slaybaugh; 5. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 6. 8-Bob Allen; 7. 60-Danny Beard (DNF); 8. 61M-Mike Slaybaugh. No Time
STREET STOCKS:
Feature (20 Laps) - 1. 11-Craig Morgan; 2. 21K-Kory Sites; 3. 8-Rodney Clouser; 4.2-Dan Zechman; 5. 33-Joe Whitely; 6. 27-Doug Hoffman; 7. 7W-Gary Welsh; 8. M15-Dave Motter; 9. 5-Dustin Hollinger; 10. 11R-Jim Rost; 11. 75-Ben Cornbower; 12. 57-Willie Godfrey; 13. 12-Bob Gutshall; 14. 7S-Kevin Sigler; 15. 34Z-Mike Zeigler Jr.; 16. 69-George Danner; DNS - 88W-Eric Walker. No Time
Lap Leaders - Craig Morgan (1-3), Kory Sites (4-19), Craig Morgan (20)
1st Heat (8 Laps/All qualify) - 1. 12-Bob Gutshall; 2. 27-Doug Hoffman; 3. 2-Dan Zechman; 4. 11-Craig Morgan; 5. 7W-Gary Welsh; 6. 11R-Jim Rost; 7. 57-Willie Godfrey; DNS - 7S-Kevin Sigler, 88W-Eric Walker. Time - 2:42.02
2nd Heat (8 Laps/All qualify) - 1. 21K-Kory Sites; 2. 8-Rodney Clouser; 3. M15-Dave Motter; 4. 33-Joe Whitely; 5. 5-Dustin Hollinger; 6. 75-Ben Cornbower; DNS - 69-George Danner, 34Z-Mike Zeigler Jr.. Time - 2:35.86
