Central Pennsylvania weekend summary 2002-08 -17

RAHMER CLAIMS 8TH OF YEAR IN LINCOLN SPRINT CRASHFEST

Fred Rahmer was back in victory lane at Lincoln Speedway Saturday night. But this win was quite different than his other 119 in the Pigeon Hills.

Quite frankly, it was like driving through a minefield for the leaders, with lapped traffic a factor in crashes that took out two apparent winners. Doug Esh looked to be driving to his third Lincoln win of the year when he smacked into the slower car of Danny Murray and then slammed into the wall on the first turn of lap six. On lap 24, leader Cris Eash, on route to his second win of the year, collided with Mark Coldren and plowed into the outside wall as he was trying to avoid a three-car tangle in the middle of the track on turns three and four.

"Cris Eash deserved to win the race tonight," said Rahmer upon exiting his Miller Brothers/Harz Racing #88H, "He was the fastest car and got to the front first. He was doing a great job."

Rahmer was almost apologetic in chastising lapped cars that factored into several crashes.

"It's just so frustrating. We called it before the race ever started. They deserve to be here as much as we do, but it's frustrating to see Cris get taken out for no reason. It's ridiculous."

Doug Esh started outside the front row and was the leader when a third caution flag flew on lap two for Coldren and Murray. Esh caught lapped traffic two laps after the restart, and his lead was nearly two seconds when he and Murray ended up against the outside wall.

Niki Young assumed the lead for the restart, and paced the field for the next eight laps before Cris Eash, who started tenth, slid low in heavy lapped traffic to take the top spot exiting turn four of lap 15. Young finally yielded to Rahmer one lap later, and his night ended when he ran into the back of the lapped car of Chappy Knaack and spun out exiting turn two of lap 19. At the time, he was racing with Lance Dewease for third.

Eash had a comfortable lead when disaster struck on lap 24. He left the track on a wrecker, handing the lead over to Rahmer.

Dewease was second for the restart, but had nothing for Rahmer, who crossed 1.84 seconds in front of Dewease for his eighth Lincoln win and tenth win overall in 2002.

Chris Knopp came from the back after the first-lap crash to finish third, with Bobby Weaver running in the top five all night to finish fourth and Brook Weibley steering clear of all incidents to cross fifth.

Sixth through eighth were Kevin Drury, Billy Sims (who came from the back after replacing a flat tire), and Jerry Parrish. Chappy Knaack and Pat Cooper, both a lap down, were scored ninth and tenth.

"We've been struggling, and realizing that when you go to a new team, you have to pay the price and learn. Keith Kauffman and Todd Shaffer have been with the same team, and they're good, established teams and hard to beat. Greg Hodnett struggled for a few years, but he's the fastest car around right now. It's a learning process, and you don't deserve to win until you learn."

Ed Stimely, Jr. scored his fourth career Lincoln win in a thrilling 25-lap wingless ARDC midget feature that saw three different leaders in the first three laps and a race-long duel with Steve Buckwalter. Stimely, who started tenth, watched Mark Freeland, Bryan Kobylarz, and Buckwalter lead successive laps at the beginning, climbed to second by lap five, lost the runner-up spot to a charging Ray Bull on lap seven, reclaimed second from Bull on lap 11, and slid under Buckwalter on turns three and four for the race lead on lap 14.

Buckwalter yielded second to Ray Bull on lap 16, only to assume the runner-up spot when Bull took a wild series of flips after striking the outside wall in turn two of a 17th-lap restart.

Although Stimely led the rest of the way, he raced wheel-to-wheel with Buckwalter through every turn. He finally pulled away over the last two laps for the 1.67-second victory.

Abbottstown racers Bernie Beard and Duane Watson waged a classic duel over the final 15 laps of the 20 lap thundercar feature, with the official scoreboard showing the lead changing hands five times. But in actuality, it was swapped almost every lap with point leader Beard getting the upper hand in the end to score his third win of the season, and the 66th of his career.

OTHER WEEKEND RACING ACTION

FRED RAHMER BACK-TO-BACK WILLIAMS GROVE WINNER

It took Rahmer more than five months to win his first feature of the season at the Grove, but it didn't take him very long to win his second. Rahmer's first win came just two weeks earlier, the last time the super sprints raced at the historic Mechanicsburg half mile.

Doug Esh moved from his third starting position into the lead on the first lap and went straight to the cushion. Rahmer started tenth, made a strong outside move at the drop of the green and was fifth after one lap had been completed. Rahmer was up to second by lap four and began to stalk the leader. The former four-time Williams Grove champion took the lead briefly on the 18th lap, but Esh pushed him out of the way and quickly regained the top spot. Rahmer's winning pass came when the Salfordville racer shot past Esh on the inside through turns three and four for the lead on the 22nd lap.

Rahmer got away from Esh over the last two laps to score his 49th career Williams Grove victory which was worth $3000. Lance Dewease drove from the 12th starting position to third at the finish and increased his lead in the season-long Williams Grove Speedway super sprint point standings.

In 358 sprint action, York's Adrian Shaffer started 11th, took the lead on the 15th lap and went on to score his second victory of the season at Williams Grove. Dallastown's Cory Haas came from 22nd to finish second, with 358 point leader Chad Layton, finishing third.

TODD SHAFFER TOPS FIELD IN PETE SWARMER MEMORIAL RACE

Millerstown's Todd Shaffer finally ended his streak of bad luck at Port Royal Saturday night by picking up his third win of the season in the Annual Pete Swarmer Memorial. The six-time track champion scored his sixth overall win of the season by passing seven-time 2002 Port Royal winner Keith Kauffman on the 23rd lap for the win with Kauffman settling for second and Len Thompson (driving the Bill and Kay Tanger No.07 sprinter) third.

Danville's Steve Campbell won the 20-lap Hub City Late Model Qualifier for his third win of the season at Port Royal over Travis Dillman and Steve Everhart.

Gary Beward won the 12 lap Pro Stock feature over Scott Dorman and Bill Powell for his second win of the year. Nancy Burdge won the Ladies 10 lap Powder Puff event over Ashley Deihl.

ROOKIE KEVIN NOUSE WINS SECOND OF THE WEEKEND SILVER SPRING SPORTSMAN ACTION

After winning his first career sportsman feature Friday night at Susquehanna Speedway, rookie Kevin Nouse of Lewisberry was going to sit out Saturday night due to a sore back. Nouse, who took the super sportsman tour point lead with his Susquehanna win Friday night, changed his mind and decided to race Saturday night at Silver Spring. He made it worth his while as he started fourth and drove into the lead on the second lap and went on to win the 25-lap super sportsman feature over Matt Morrow and Raymond Myers.

Scott Thunberg of Myerstown started second and took the lead from Randy Kissinger on lap four and went on to win over $1,400 in the 8th Annual Stock 40 for his first win of the season.

ADRIAN SHAFFER SCORES BACK-TO-BACK 358 SPRINT WINS

York's Adrian Shaffer made it two wins in-a-row, and three on the season, at Selinsgrove Speedway following his convincing drive to victory in Saturday night's 25-lap 358 sprint feature.

Shaffer, who won the previous night at Williams Grove Speedway, upped his season win total to six by registering the win over Bob Beidleman and Justin Zimmerman.

Dale Kerstetter of Liverpool won the exciting 30-lap Bob Bender Memorial for late models, while Kyle Bachman of Selinsgrove won his seventh pro stock main event of the season in the division's 12-lap event.

Keith Bissinger of Bloomsburg won his first 10-lap roadrunner event of the year.

PEARSON WINS CONOCOCHEAGUE 100 AT HAGERSTOWN

Pole-sitter Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL lost the lead to Steve Francis on the 26th lap, then battled back to regain the lead on the 47th lap to lead the rest of the way to win the Renegade Dirt Car Racing Series sanctioned Conococheague 100 at the Hagerstown Speedway Saturday night.

In other action, Ronnie Dennis of Jessup banged it out with Mike Warrenfeltz coming down for the checker flag to win his second 15-lap pure stock feature in a photo finish. The 25-lap Summer Championship for the late model sportsman was postponed to Friday night, August 30th, because of the midnight curfew.

JOHN MCDONOUGH AWARDED TRAIL-WAY THUNDERCAR VICTORY FRIDAY

John McDonough picked up his first thundercar win of the year at Trail-Way Speedway Friday night. Bryan Wagaman initially crossed the finish line first, but was penalized for jumping the restart, giving the win to McDonough.

Brad McClelland picked up his eighth win of the year in 250cc micro-sprint action over Keith Woodson and Bill Laughman. Danny Beard picked up his fifth street stock win of the season.

TIM DIETZ TAKES 3RD TRAIL-WAY 600CC MICRO-SPRINT WIN

Tim Dietz held off Jimmy Brookens for his 3rd win of the season in 600cc micro-sprint action at Trail-Way Speedway Saturday night. Jerry Bard picked up his second win of the season in four-cylinder stock car action while Bill Brown Jr. was victorious for the fourth time this season in classic car competition. Figure 8 (111") racing saw Tom Caravello gain his fourth win of the season while Richard Wolfe grabbed his sixth win of the season in Figure 8 (112") racing. Richard Eck picked up his first win of the season in four-cylinder scramble car competition and Daryl Hanson won his second of the season in the six-cylinder scramble car feature.

RICK LAUBACH & GARY HAGER WIN SUSQUEHANNA TWIN 20'S

Rick Laubach and Gary Hager scored wins in twin 20 lap features for the modifieds at Susquehanna Speedway Friday night. Rookie driver Kevin Nouse picked up his first win of the season in super sportsman action. Matt Smith won the enduro.

BRIAN SEIDEL BECOMES 16TH DIFFERENT WINNER IN URC COMPETITION

Allentown's Brian Seidel became URC's sixteenth different winner of the 2002 at Delaware International Speedway on Saturday night. Seidel took the lead on lap three and was never challenged in the twenty-five lap feature. This event was Delaware State Sprint Series race and Bill Brian Jr. now leads that Series, as well as the URC championship series.

TIM SHAFFER GETS FIRST WIN AT GRAYS HARBOR

Western Pennsylvania racer Tim Shaffer scored his first Pennzoil World of Outlaws A-feature win of the season Saturday night at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, WA.

Shaffer passed Steve Kinser for the lead in heavy traffic on the high side exiting turn four and went on to score the 1.4 second victory over Steve Kinser.

"I'm just glad to finally get a win," said Shaffer. "We've been close a few times this year, but things just haven't gone our way...we haven't had a week off in a long time, so I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do, but it' ll be a lot better after tonight."

MARK KINSER BREAKS SLUMP WITH GRAY'S HARBOR PRELIM WIN

Mark Kinser, struggling through his least productive season in 10 years, returned to victory lane Friday when the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series opened a $95,350 event at Grays Harbor Raceway Park in Elma, WA. The series' two-time champion passed cousin Steve Kinser following a third-lap restart and led the final 22 1/3 laps to claim his third Preliminary Feature victory of the year. The $5,000 victory was Mark's first since April 24th at Lakeside Speedway.

SHEPARD WINS THIRD THUNDER THROUGH THE PLAINS

Jeff Shepard took advantage of a lap 10 restart to win his third All Stars vs. O'Reilly NCRA Thunder Through the Plains Sprint Car A feature Saturday Tulsa Speedway IN Tulsa, OK. Kelly Kinser had just inherited the lead from Kenny Jacobs when Shepard rocketed to the high side in turn three following a lap 10 restart. Shepard came out of turn four with the lead and pulled away over the final 20 laps to record his third victory in four nights.

JOHNSON HOLDS ON FOR 81 SPEEDWAY WIN

Tire wear took its toll Friday night at 81 Speedway. The yellow flag waved eight times during the 30-lap feature, much of the time for tire wear, but Jason Johnson survived to win the All Stars vs. O'Reilly NCRA Thunder Through the Plains Sprint car feature.

SHEPARD WINS SECOND STRAIGHT THUNDER THROUGH THE PLAINS TOUR

Jeff Shepard combined a little luck and a lot of patience to win his second straight All Stars vs. NCRA Thunder Through the Plains event Thursday at Mid-Nebraska Speedway in Doniphan, NE. The luck came when early leader Jerrod Hull suffered a flat right rear. Shepard's patience then paid off as he inherited the lead at that point and then raced away to his second win in-a-row.

SHEPARD ROLLS TO NCRA THUNDER THROUGH THE PLAINS TOUR WIN

Fresh off a win at the 1200 lb Nationals last month, Jeff Shepard picked up where he left off winning the All Stars vs. NCRA Thunder Through the Plains main event at WaKeeney Speedway Tuesday night in Wakeeney, KS.

Rain washed out the series opener the night before at Thunder Hill Speedway in Mayetta, KS, but Shepard got things rolling across the Western Kansas plains with his fourth career All Stars/NCRA co-sanctioned victory.

-billmeyer-