ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 6/28/08 - Doug "the Hammer" Esh took the green flag from wife Kelly and never looked back in scoring the $7,000 win on opening night of the 18^th Annual Cindy Rowe Auto Glass Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek early Sunday morning at Lincoln Speedway.

Esh started on the pole and led every lap of the 9^th Annual Kevin Gobrecht Memorial after the packed house waited through a 3-hour, 40-minute rain delay which began when a thunderstorm stopped action in the middle of the third heat at 8:45 p.m.

By the time the "410" sprint cars resumed action, it was 12:25 a.m. During the delay, organizers of a fund-raising raffle to benefit the Kevin Gobrecht Memorial Fund selected Kelly Esh’s number as the winner of the drawing to determine the honorary starter for the start of the "A" main.

She stood behind the officials in the flagstand for the remainder of the event and watched as her husband was challenged numerous times by Brian Montieth and Fred Rahmer over the middle stages of the race.

Several times between laps 14 and 18, the Premier Auto Works/Auto Locator #21 pulled alongside the leader with Rahmer right behind as the leaders worked through lapped traffic.

The three-car race cooled down after a caution flag was waived for a bizarre turn of events on the front stretch. The string of red lights dropped down dangerously close to the top wings of the sprint cars, and had to be removed before the race could continue.

When the green waived again on lap 19, Esh pulled away to a comfortable lead until the leaders again entered lapped traffic on lap 25. Esh’s .97-second lead on lap 23 evaporated to .66-seconds on lap 26, and a final charge by Montieth over the last two laps reduced the margin of victory to a scant .22-seconds at the end.

Rahmer crossed third, with Chad Layton and Greg Hodnett completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Jeff Shepard, Niki Young, Cody Darrah, Brian Paulus, and 20^th-starting Brian Leppo.

Heats for the 410 Sprinters were won by Young, Layton, Paulus and Shawn Weaver, with Darrah winning the B-Main.

Fast time in time trials over the 36-car field was set by Rahmer, with a one-lap time of 13.510-seconds (99.926 MPH).

A.J. Michael was transported to York Hospital for a check-up after he and Jeff Busby both flipped into the turn one catch fence in heat #4. A.J. was conscious and talking with emergency crews as he was placed into the ambulance. Todd Shaffer was uninjured when he plowed into the outside wall in turn one and brought out the red flag in heat #3. The thunderstorm hit when crews were cleaning up from his crash, leading to the lengthy delay.

Esh left Lincoln with the PA Speedweek points lead (167), six points ahead of 10-time Speedweek champ Fred Rahmer (161). Brian Montieth (145), Chad Layton (133), and Greg Hodnett (127) were third through fifth in Speedweek points after the first night.

Gettysburg’s Brian Walls made his way to Lincoln Speedway victory lane for the first time ever by leading all 20 laps of the thundercar feature.

Walls started on the pole, held off outside frontrow starter Greg Emlet Jr. The first five laps and then held off Doug Bennett the rest of the way to take the checkered 2.58-seconds ahead to also become the fifth different winner in nine events in thundercar action in 2008.

Danny Beard finish third, Al Crammer fourth and Bob Bare fifth. Completing the top-10 were Kyle Martin, Scott Fisher, Ronnie Thomas, Brad Shank and Mikey Guise.

Justin Mong was transported to Hanover Hospital for a check-up after flipping his car in a multi-car crash on the front stretch of lap nine. He was conscious but complaining of shoulder pain after crawling out of his upside down race car. Points leader Sam Gallagher, Will Walls, Mike Slaybaugh, Brad Shank, and Kyle Martin were also involved in the crash. Walls had his door panel ripped off by Mong as he began to flip. Slaybaugh lost his hood in the crash, but he, Shank, and Martin were able to continue after the lengthy red flag.

Heats for the 24 thundercars were won by Brian Walls, Al Crammer and Danny Beard.

Next Saturday night, July 5th, Lincoln Speedway will hold a five-feature program featuring the 358 Sprints, Super Sportsman and 358 Late Models. The Kreizer Aluminum Wheels 358 Sprints will be in action with a regularly scheduled show, while both the Super Sportsman and MALCO Landscaping, Inc. 358 Late Models will hold make-up features in addition to their regularly scheduled show on the same night.

Gates will open at 5:30 PM, with warm-ups at 7 PM, and green flag action getting underway at 7:30 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 - June 28, 2008
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
18^TH ANNUAL CINDY ROWE AUTO GLASS 410 SPRINT
PENNSYLVANIA SPEEDWEEK OPENER
9^TH ANNUAL KEVIN GOBRECHT MEMORIAL
Feature (30 Laps) - 1. 30-Doug Esh ($7,000); 2. 21-Brian Montieth; 3. 51-Fred Rahmer; 4. 25-Chad Layton; 5. 22-Greg Hodnett; 6. 1-Jeff Shepard; 7. 10N-Niki Young; 8. 89-Cody Darrah; 9. 28-Brian Paulus; 10. 71-Brian Leppo; 11. 17E-Cris Eash; 12. 6W-Josh Wells; 13. 59-Jim Siegel; 14. 11C-Cory Haas; 15. 7-Keith Kauffman; 16. 7M-Mark Smith; 17. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 18. 12-Mike Bittinger; 19. 22Z-Michael Carber; 20. 47J-Jeff Busby; 21. 19-Stevie Smith (DNF); 22. 87-Alan Krimes [alternate] (DNF); 23. 25-Aaron Ott; 24. 4-John Rudisill. DNS-Shawn Weaver. No time.

Lap Leaders - Doug Esh (1-30)

1st Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 10N-Niki Young; 2. 17E-Cris Eash; 3. 51-Fred Rahmer; 4. 30-Doug Esh; 5. 25O-Aaron Ott; 6. 6W-Josh Wells; 7. 45L-Scott Geesey; 8. 3-Bob Bennett; 9. 49-Bob Howard. Time - 2:24.665

2nd Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 25-Chad Layton; 2. 59-Jim Siegel; 3. 7M-Mark Smith; 4. 19-Stevie Smith; 5. 71-Brian Leppo; 6. 89-Cody Darrah; 7. 7-Keith Kauffman; 8. 11T-TJ Winegardner; 9. 43-Doug Dodson (DNF). No Time

3rd Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 28-Brian Paulus; 2. 11C-Cory Haas; 3. 22-Greg Hodnett; 4. 22Z-Michael Carber; 5. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 6. 87-Alan Krimes; 7. 26-Pat Cooper; 8. 5-Adam Lawrence; 9. 88-Todd Shaffer (DNF). Time - 3:40.00 (With rain delay)

4th Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 69-Shawn Weaver; 2. 4-John Rudisill; 3. 21-Brian Montieth; 4. 12-Mike Bittinger; 5. 1-Jeff Shepard; 6. 18-Adam Gordon; 7. 47J-Jeff Busby (DNF); 8. 45-A.J. Michael; 9. 9-Craig Keel (DNS). No Time

B-Main (12 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 89-Cody Darrah; 2. 7-Keith Kauffman; 3. 6W-Josh Wells; 4. 47J-Jeff Busby; 5. 87-Alan Krimes; 6. 49-Bobby Howard; 7. 26-Pat Cooper; 8. 5-Adam Lawrence; 9. 11T-T.J. Winegardner; 10. 3-Bob Bennett (DNF); 11. 18-Adam Gordon (DNS).

Time Trials - 1. 51-Fred Rahmer, 13.510 seconds (99.926 MPH); 2. 89-Cody Darrah, 13.559; 3. 87-Alan Krimes, 13.563; 4. 21-Brian Montieth, 13.655; 5. 30-Doug Esh, 13.670; 6. 7-Keith Kauffman, 13.784; 7. 22-Greg Hodnett, 13.843; 8. 1-Jeff Shepard, 13.866; 9. 6W-Josh Wells, 13.876; 10. 25-Chad Layton, 13.882; 11. 28-Brian Paulus, 13.886; 12. 47J-Jeff Busby, 13.936; 13. 10N-Niki Young, 13.942; 14. 43-Doug Dodson, 13.950; 15. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr., 13.991; 16. 69-Shawn Weaver, 14.008; 17. 17E-Cris Eash, 14.012; 18. 59-Jimmy Siegel, 14.040; 19. 11C-Cory Haas, 14.050; 20. 4-John Rudisill, 14.074; 21. 25O-Aaron Ott, 14.094; 22. 7M-Mark Smith, 14.174; 23. 22Z-Michael Carber, 14.182; 24. 9-Craig Keel, 14.196; 25. 45L-Scott Geesey, 14.215; 26. 71-Brian Leppo, 14.217; 27. 26-Pat Cooper, 14.231; 28. 12-Mike Bittinger, 14.262; 29. 3-Bob Bennett, 14.287; 30. 19-Stevie Smith, 14.313; 31. 88-Todd Shaffer, 14.388; 32. 45-AJ Michael, 14.424; 33. 49-Bobby Howard, 14.677; 34. 11T-TJ Winegardner, 14.699; 35. 5-Adam Lawrence, 15.068; 36. 18-Adam Gordon, 15.099.

2008 PA Speedweek points: 1. 30-Doug Esh, 167; 2. 51- Fred Rahmer, 161; 3. 21- Brian Montieth, 145; 4. 25-Chad Layton, 133; 5. 22-Greg Hodnett, 127; 6. 1-Jeff Shepard, 117; 7. 10N-Niki Young, 115; 8. 89-Cody Darrah, 113; 9. 28-Brian Paulus, 107; 10. 17E-Cris Eash, 89.

THUNDERCARS:
Feature (20-Laps) - 1. 2W-Brian Walls; 2. 7M-Doug Bennett; 3. 60-Danny Beard; 4. 9-Al Crammer; 5. 76-Bob Bare; 6. 54-Kyle Martin; 7. 20-Scott Fisher; 8. 21-Ronnie Thomas; 9. 57-Brad Shank; 10. 93-Mikey Guise; 11. 8J-Justin Bittle; 12. 1E-Greg Emlet, Jr. (DNF); 13. 61M-Mike Slaybaugh (DNF); 14. 21W-Will Walls (DNF); 15. 77-Justin Mong (DNF); 16. 61-Hurricane Menges (DNF); 17. 25-Sam Gallagher (DNF); 18. 33-Gino Comi (DNF); 19. 1X-Scott Yount (DNF); 20. 54J-Jimmy Combs (DNF); 21. 21N-Larry Neiderer (DNF); 22.00-Barry Rinehart (DNF); 23. 81J-Jamie Zentmyer (DNS); 24. 44- A.J. Parsons (DNS).

Lap Leaders - Brian Walls (1-20)

1st Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 2W-Brian Walls; 2. 1E-Greg Emlet, Jr.; 3. 76-Bob Bare; 4. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 5. 25-Sam Gallagher; 6. 54-Kyle Martin; 7. 61-Hurricane Menges; 8. 81J-Jamie Zentmyer (DNS). No time.

2nd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 9-Al Crammer; 2. 1X-Scott Yount; 3. 57-Brad Shank; 4. 93-Mike Guise; 5. 77-Justin Mong; 6. 61M-Mike Slaybaugh; 7. 8J-Justin Bittle; DNS - 44-AJ Parsons. Time - 2:36.56

3rd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 60-Danny Beard; 2. 7M-Doug Bennett; 3. 20-Scott Fisher; 4. 21N-Larry Niederer; 5. 21-Ronnie Thomas; 6. 33-Gino Comi; 7. 00-Barry Rinehart; 8. 21W-Will Walls. No Time