Al Crammer wins first career in thundercars
ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 9/23/06 - Brian Leppo has started up front on many occasions this season at Lincoln Speedway.
But the Spring Grove racer often ended up heading in the wrong direction as his Leppo Racing, Inc. Sprint car team struggled through a tough 2006 racing campaign.
Leppo took full advantage of his front row starting spot in Saturday night's 18th annual Hank Gentzler Memorial Manufacturer's Appreciation 25-lap feature, leading flag-to-flag in taking his second win of the season in his H & H Contractors, Inc., Eastern Caisson Corp, York Floor, Don Ott Racing Engines powered No. 71 JEI Chassis.
"For all the people that came here all year, I've started on the front row a couple times and went backwards so tonight we took advantage of our starting spot since we've been going better," said Leppo, a four-time Lincoln feature winner. "My guys never gave up all year long but it seemed like it took forever. The year's gonna be over too fast for us but we'll be back."
Leppo was fortunate to miss a big first lap tangle in the second turn when front row starter Bobby Weaver spun his sprinter. Weaver clipped Fred Rahmer while 2006 track champion Doug Esh got upside down in the melee that also collected Greg Hodnett, Jim Siegel and Todd Rittenhouse.
Leppo's pace was slowed by three successive cautions for spins during the first two laps.
Leppo set the pace over Josh Wells until Chad Layton took the runner-up spot from Wells on la seven. Layton's good run ended two laps later when his Apple Motorsports sprinter came to a stop on lap eight.
Eric Stambaugh, the defending Gentzler Memorial winner took second place from Wells on lap 10 but his bid to defend the race title ended after contact with Leppo in the third turn on lap 11.
"It's not mine or his driving style of what happened with Stambaugh," said Leppo of the contact between the two cars. "I was trying to get to where I knew he was coming, just trying to get him screwed up for the fourth turn. I'm not the kind of guy to do what I gotta do to win but I was just trying something different. That's not how he and I race each other. It was a good win for us and I feel good about winning this race in memory of Hank."
With Stambaugh out of the event, Wells resumed the runner-up spot and would hold off Rahmer for the spot through the checkered flag.
Rahmer, who restarted 20th following his first lap incident with Weaver worked his way back into the top 10 by lap eight, then into the top five by lap 13. Rahmer and Brian Montieth put on a great battle for the fourth spot for a couple laps. Rahmer got by TJ Stutts for the third spot with 17 laps complete but could not make a pass on Wells for second.
Montieth finished fourth with Stutts taking the fifth spot ahead of Keith Kauffman, Todd Shaffer, Alan Krimes, Cody Darrah and Steve Clabaugh.
Sprint heats were won by Rittenhouse, Rahmer, Michael Carber and Shaffer with Sam Schlosberg winning the B-Main.
Setting fast time in time trials over the 31-car field was Alan Krimes, with a one-lap time of 13.735-seconds. Krimes earned the $250 bonus courtesy of Hamilton Motorsports.
Al Crammer put together his first ever 20-lap thundercar feature. Crammer started fourth in the field and worked his way to the front by lap nine then held on through many caution flags to score the win. Greg Emlet led the first five laps before yielding to Smoke Christine. Christine then chased Crammer to the checkered flag followed by Neil Smith, Craig Wagaman, Danny Beard, Mike Zeigler Jr., Kenny Slaybaugh, Gino Comi, Bob Allen and Sam Gallagher.
Heats for the 25 thundercars were won by Kenny Slaybaugh, Duane Watson and Christine, with Rick Weaver winning the consolation.
The 24 feature starters were presented with over $52,000 in manufacturer products and services gathered over the past year by Denise Gentzler and Hank's Performance Products for the annual event.
Next Saturday night, September 30th, Lincoln Speedway will not be racing while racers travel to other area speedways for big season-ending shows.
Then in two weeks, Saturday, October 7, Lincoln Speedway will present the 10TH ANNUAL KENNY WELD MEMORIAL. The 410 sprinters will be joined by the thundercars who are still going after precious points towards the crowning of the 2006 Lincoln Speedway Thundercar track champion. Gates will open at 5 PM with time trials getting underway at 7 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 - September 23, 2006
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
18th ANNUAL HANK GENTZLER MEMORIAL MANUFACTURERS APPRECIATION NIGHT
410 SPRINTS:
Feature (25 Laps) - 1. 71-Brian Leppo; 2. 6W-Josh Wells; 3. 22-Fred Rahmer; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 39-TJ stutts; 6. 7-Keith Kauffman; 7. 88-Todd Shaffer; 8. 87-Alan Krimes; 9. 89-Cody Darrah; 10. 30C-Steve Clabaugh; 11. 70-Sam Schlosberg; 12. 77-Greg Hodnett; 13. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 14. 47J-Jeff Busby; 15. 69-Michael Carber; 16. 10N-Niki Young (DNF); 17. -2-Todd Rittenhouse (DNF); 18. 12-Chad Layton (DNF); 19. 65-Johnny Mackison Jr. (DNF); 20. 01-Rick Horn (DNF); 21.22J-Joe Ilg (DNF); 22. X-Bobby Weaver (DNF); 23. Jim Siegel (DNF); 24. Doug Esh (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders - Brian Leppo (1-25)
1st Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 2-Todd Rittenhouse; 2. 7-Keith Kauffman; 3. 6W-Josh Wells; 4.87-Alan Krimes; 5. 39-TJ Stutts; 6. 3B-Randy Baughman; 7. 41-Scott Geesey; 8. 16-Gary Rankin. Time - 2:25.84
2nd Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 22-Fred Rahmer; 2. 47J-Jeff Busby; 3. 71-Brian Leppo; 4. 01-Rick Horn; 5. 10N-Niki Young; 6. 70-Sam Schlosberg; 7. 89-Cody Darrah; 8. 7K-Dan Shetler (DNF). No Time
3rd Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 69-Michael Carber; 2. 65-Johnny Mackison Jr.; 3. 77-Greg Hodnett; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 6. 59-Jim Siegel; 7. 22Z-Kyle Pruitt; 8. 6-Sheila Rankin. Time - 2:24.09
4th Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 88-Todd Shaffer; 2. 30-Doug Esh; 3. 30C-Steve Clabaugh; 4. 12-Chad Layton; 5. X-Bobby Weaver; 6. 22J-Joe Ilg; 7. 11C-Cory Haas. Time - 2:22.41
B-Main (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 70-Sam Schlosberg; 2. 59-Jim Siegel; 3. 89-Cody Darrah; 4. 22J-Joe Ilg; 5. 41-Scott Geesey; 6. 3B-Randy Baughman; 7. 22Z-Kyle Pruitt; 8. 16-Gary Rankin; 9. Sheila Rankin; 10. 11C-Cory Haas (DNF); DNS - 7K-Dan Shetler. No Time
Time Trials - 1. Alan Krimes 13.735 seconds; 2. Fred Rahmer 13.736; 3. Eric Stambaugh 13.757; 4. Chad Layton 13.764; 5. TJ Stutts 13. 790; 6. Brian Leppo 13. 793; 7. Jim Siegel 13.815; 8. Bobby Weaver 13.841; 9. Josh Wells 13.872; 10. Sam Schlosberg 13.905; 11. Greg Hodnett 13.912; 12. Todd Shaffer 13.994; 13. Keith Kauffman 14.004; 14. Niki Young 14.005; 15. Brian Montieth 14.035; 16. Doug Esh 14.045; 17. Randy Baughman 14.166; 18. Jeff Busby 14.223; 19. Michael Carber 14.269; 20. Joe Ilg 14.320; 21. Todd Rittenhouse 14.336; 22. Rick Horn 14.353; 23. Johnny Mackison, Jr. 14.389; 24. Steve Clabaugh 14.405; 25. Scott Geesey 14.493; 26. Cody Darrah 14.551; 27. Kyle Pruitt 14.552; 28. Cory Haas 14.776; 29. Gary Rankin 14.896; 30. Dan Shetler 14.947; 31. Sheila Rankin 16.410
THUNDERCARS:
Feature (20 Laps) - 1. 9-Al Crammer; 2. 35-Smoke Christine; 3.1-Neil Smith; 4. 30-Craig Wagaman; 5. 60-Danny Beard; 6. 21A-Mike Zeigler Jr.; 7. 61-Kenny Slaybaugh; 8. 33-Gino Comi; 9. 8-Bob Allen; 10. 81S-Sam Gallagher; 11. F1-Brian Walls; 12. 70X-Rick Weaver (DNF); 13. 61M-Mike Slaybaugh (DNF); 14. 22-Nat Tuckey (DNF); 15. 6-Justin Mong (DNF); 16. 54J-Jimmy Combs (DNF); 17. 17_Choya Young (DNF); 18. 11-Mike Walls (DNF); 19. 21-Jeff Rohrbaugh (DNF); 20. 76-Bob Bare (DNF); 21. 3W-Duane Watson (DNF); 22. 21N-Larry Niederer (DNF); 23. 4-Greg Feltch (DNF); 24. 1E-Greg Emlet (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders - Greg Emlet (1-5), Smoke Christine (6-8), Al Crammer (9-20)
1st Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 61-Kenny Slaybaugh; 2. 1E-Greg Emlet; 3. 30-Craig Wagaman; 4. 21A-Mike Zeigler Jr.; 5. 81S-Sam Gallagher; 6. 1-Neil Smith; 7. 7X-Rick Weaver; 8. 1F-Brian Walls; 9. 7-Mark Scott; 10.33-Gino Comi. Time - 2:49.75
2nd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 3W-Duane Watson; 2. 11-Mike Walls; 3. 60-Danny Beard; 4. 9-Al Crammer; 5. 8-Bob Allen; 6. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 7. 4-Greg Feltch; 8. 21-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 9. 44-Al Weeks. Time - 2:47.47
3rd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 35-Smoke Christine; 2. 22-Nat Tuckey; 3. 61M-Mike Slaybaugh; 4. 76-Bob Bare; 5. 6-Justin Mong; 6. 17-Choya Young; 7. 21N-Larry Niederer; 8. 129-John Hanson; 9. 51J-Jerry Pownall (DNF). No Time
Consolation (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 70-Rick Weaver; 2. 33-Gino Comi; 3.1F-Brian Walls; 4. 21-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 5. 4-Greg Feltch; 6. 21N-Larry Niederer; 7. 7-Mark Scott (DNF); DNS - John Hanson, Al Weeks, Jerry Pownall. No Time
