Watson wins fifth of the year by a foot over Kyle Martin in Thundercars

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 9/24/2011 – Four-time track champ Brian Montieth used a page out of the Fred Rahmer playbook to score his fifth Lincoln win of the year in the 40-lap Kenny Weld/Hilly Rife Memorial at Lincoln Speedway Saturday night.

The driver known as “the Edge” started third, slid under new one-lap track record holder Rahmer for second on a seventh-lap restart, and then slid under polesitter and race-long leader Stevie Smith in turns three and four following an 11^th-lap restart.

“I guess I learned my lesson from Fred (Rahmer) being used up all those years,” said Montieth of the restart passes to move into second and then first, “You’ve gotta grab cars on the initial starts, and luckily this thing was good enough to accelerate off the corners.”

After that, only late-race lapped traffic kept the win from being in doubt. Fourth-starting Greg Hodnett, who caught Smith for second on lap 18, and third-place Smith closed on Montieth as the three raced through heavy lapped traffic over the final five laps.

Montieth, who enjoyed a two-second lead with 10 to go, saw his lead cut in half over the next five laps. The lead dwindled to .56-seconds at the end, with Hodnett (who was racing without brakes at the end) and Smith crossing second and third.

“My hat’s off to Scott (Zellers) and the boys,,” continued Montieth, “They gave me a car that I could pretty much drive anywhere. It sorta’ sucks running up front, because I knew Greg was back there, and…running in traffic here…it’s better to be second than first. Greg took his shot and I knew he was there, so it was just block for the win.”

Counting bonus money from the Larry Rife, Jr. family (grandson of Hilly Rife) and Pat Sterner from Sterner Rental Properties, lap money, and his heat race finish, Montieth’s 25^th career Lincoln win was worth $6,850.

Danny Dietrich received a $500 bonus for being the top-finishing car with Weld Tech heads in fourth, with Rahmer crossing fifth. Completing the top ten were 15^th-starting Gerard McIntyre, Jr., Lance Dewease, Jim Siegel, 24^th-starting and hard charger Chad Layton, and Cory Haas.

410 Sprint heats were won by Brent Marks, JJ Grasso, Brad McClelland, and Kyle Pruitt, with Justin Henderson winning the B-Main.

Fast time in time trials over the 35-car field was set by Fred Rahmer with a new one-lap track record time of 13.241 seconds (100.597 MPH).

Duane Watson scored his fifth win of the year in a wild Thundercar feature that saw him cross a foot in front of Kyle Martin at the finish. Polesitter Tom Walls led the first four laps before third-starting Martin grabbed the lead. Martin then held off the challenges of 11^th-starting Watson and Brian Walls from lap nine until Watson finally took the lead on lap 19. Martin came back and challenged Watson off the final turn to the checkered, with Watson crossing .19-seconds in front of the #54. Walls finished a close third, with Jamie Zentmyer and Danny Beard completing the top five.

Heats for the 20 Thundercars were won by Tom Walls, Martin, and Watson.

Lincoln Speedway will be dark next Saturday night, Oct. 1^st. The Pigeon Hills oval will swing back into action the following Saturday, Oct. 8^th, with the ANNUAL HANK GENTZLER MEMORIAL MANUFACTURERS APPRECIATION RACE for 410 Sprints, plus 358 Sprints. Time Trials will get underway at 6 PM, with gates opening at 4 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, Sept 24, 2011
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
15^th ANNUAL KENNY WELD/HILLY RIFE MEMORIAL

Feature (40 Laps) - 1. 21-Brian Montieth ($6,750); 2. 39-Greg Hodnett; 3. 1-Stevie Smith; 4. 48-Danny Dietrich; 5. 51-Fred Rahmer; 6. 85-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 7. 30C-Lance Dewease; 8. 59-Jim Siegel; 9. 7-Chad Layton; 10. 11c-Cory Haas; 11. 30-Doug Esh; 12. 87-Alan Krimes; 13. 38N-Nick Schlauch, Jr.; 14. 14-Brent Marks; 15. 6-Brad McClelland; 16. 71X-Bill Stine; 17. 69-Tim Glatfelter (DNF); 18. 1S-Logan Schuchart (DNF);19. 35-Justin Henderson (DNF);20. 92-JJ Grasso (DNF); 21. 27-Daryn Pittman (DNF); 22. 15-Adam Wilt (DNF); 23. 21K-Kyle Pruitt (DNF); 24. 30L-Brian Leppo (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders – Stevie Smith (1-10), Brian Montieth (11-40)

1st Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 14-Brent Marks; 2. 51-Fred Rahmer; 3. 48-Danny Dietrich; 4. 38N-Nick Schlauch, Jr.; 5. 59-Jim Siegel; 6. 87-Alan Krimes; 7. 175-Jeff Geiges; 8. 8-Steve Petry; DNS – 20S-Derek Sell. No Time

2nd Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 92-JJ Grasso; 2. 71X-Bill Stine; 3. 27-Daryn Pittman; 4. 39-Greg Hodnett; 5. 1-Stevie Smith; 6. 84C-Chad Criswell; 7. 17-Todd Shaffer; 8. 31-Jim Campbell. Time – 2:21.090

3rd Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 6-Brad McClelland; 2. 30L-Brian Leppo; 3. 11C-Cory Haas; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 30C-Lance Dewease; 6. 35-Justin Henderson; 7. 7-Chad Layton; 8. 23-Todd Rittenhouse, Jr.; 9. 69-Tim Glatfelter (DNF). No Time

4th Heat (10 Laps/5 to qualify) - 1. 85-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 2. 21K-Kyle Pruitt; 3. 30-Doug Esh; 4. 15-Adam Wilt; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart; 6. 44-Frank Cozze; 7. 3B-Randy Baughman; 8. 12W-Troy Fraker; 9. 74-Dwayne Morris (DNF). No time.

B-Main (12 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 35-Justin Henderson; 2. 87-Alan Krimes; 3. 7-Chad Layton; 4. 69-Tim Glatfelter; 5. 17-Todd Shaffer; 6. 44-Frank Cozze; 7. 20S-Derek Sell;

Time Trials – 1. 51-Fred Rahmer, 13.241 seconds (100.597 MPH)(New 1-Lap Track record); 2. 1-Stevie Smith, 13.484; 3. 21-Brian Montieth, 13.487; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.497; 5. 48-Danny Dietrich, 13.524; 6. 39-Greg Hodnett, 13.529; 7. 30C-Lance Dewease, 13.553; 8. 15-Adam Wilt, 13.564; 9. 87-Alan Krimes, 13.587; 10. 84C-Chad Criswell, 13.616; 11. 11C-Cory Haas, 13.621; 12. 30-Doug Esh, 13.635; 13. 59-Jim Siegel, 13.639; 14. 27-Daryn Pittman, 13.648; 15. 30L-Brian Leppo, 13.678; 16. 85-Gerard McIntyre, Jr., 13.679; 17. 14-Brent Marks, 13.706; 18. 71X-Bill Stine, 13.721; 19. 6-Brad McClelland, 13.764; 20. 3B-Randy Baughman, 13.778; 21. 38N-Nick Schlauch, Jr., 13.784; 22. 92-JJ Grasso, 13.784; 23. 35-Justin Henderson, 13.797; 24. 21K-Kyle Pruitt, 13.849; 25. 20S-Derek Sell, 13.874; 26. 17-Todd Shaffer, 13.884; 27. 69-Tim Glatfelter, 13.893; 28. 44-Frank Cozze, 13.986; 29. 175-Jeff Geiges, 14.062; 30. 31-Jim Campbell, 14.185; 31. 23-Todd Rittenhouse, Jr., 14.317; 32. 12W-Troy Fraker, 14.653; 33. 8-Steve Petry, 15.314; 34. 7-Chad Layton, 22.128; 35. 74-Dwayne Morris, NT.

THUNDERCARS

Feature (20 laps) - 1. 3W-Duane Watson; 2. 54-Kyle Martin; 3. 2W-Brian Walls; 4. 81J-Jamie Zentmyer; 5. 60-Danny Beard; 6. 25-Sam Gallagher; 7. 93-Mikey Guise; 8. 3-Todd Miller; 9. 9-Al Crammer; 10. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 11. 54W-Roy Warehime; 12. 61-Mike Slaybaugh; 13. 8J-Justin Bittle; 14. 25L-Jed Latchaw; 15. 71-Rick Weaver; 16. 99-John Remlein; 17. 33X-Kenny Kluge; 18. 77-Justin Mong (DNF); 19. 11-Tom Walls (DNF); 20. 9X-Brian Diehl (DNF). No time.

Lap Leaders –Tom Walls (1-4); Kyle Martin (5-18); Duane Watson (19-20)

1st Heat (8 Laps) - 1. 11-Tom Walls; 2. 25-Sam Gallagher; 3. 60-Danny Beard; 4. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 5. 9-Al Crammer; 6. 33X-Kenny Kluge (DNF); 7. 54W-Roy Warehime. No Time

2nd Heat (8 Laps) - 1. 54-Kyle Martin; 2. 9X-Brian Diehl; 3. 2W-Brian Walls; 4. 93-Mikey Guise; 5. 3-Todd Miller; 6. 25L-Jed Latshaw; 7. 99-John Remlein. Time – 2:39.91