J&J Sprinters update 2001-09-06

McKENZIE, TN - Annually the Labor Day weekend is a time for claiming championships in short tracks across the country. With the Pennzoil World of Outlaws' season not ending until November and while some Central Pennsylvania tracks won't determine a champion until October, J&J teams still have time to collect more victories. Last week, Andy Hillenburg claimed two Outlaw wins while Lance Dewease won a special feature event and Fred Rahmer claimed another victory at Lincoln Speedway. Mike Ward found victory lane twice last weekend and Eric Burns scored a victory in Indiana.

World of Outlaws

Since returning from injury following the Knoxville Nationals, Andy Hillenburg has been one of the fastest competitors in the Outlaw ranks. Hillenburg piloted his #2 Luxaire J&J sprint car to a dominating performance at Watsonville Speedway (Watsonville, CA) leading all forty laps. On Saturday Night, Hillenburg won the second preliminary feature event in the Harvest Classic at Calistoga. He looked to be the class of the field in Sunday's Harvest Classic finale, but a tire failure cost him the victory.

Pennsylvania

Lance Dewease has been winning feature events all over the state of Pennsylvania this season and added Grandview Speedway to the list last Tuesday by winning the third leg of the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series. Dewease drove the Joe Harz #88 J&J from the pole and led all 35 laps to claim the $4500 paycheck. WoO Gumout points leader Daryn Pittman was impressive in his #3 Winneabago/Gaerte Engines J&J finishing second and Fred Rahmer made it three J&J's in the top five as he drove Al Hamilton's #77 J&J to a fifth place finish.

Rahmer bounced back on Saturday night and claimed his 12th win of the year in the 30-lap Seventh Annual Bobby Abel Memorial at Lincoln Speedway. Rahmer started the Hamilton Motorsports #77 J&J next to Port Royal Speedway Track Champion, Keith Kauffman, in the Middleswarth #7M J&J in the sixth row and was able to reach the top five by lap four. Craig Keel had the #9 Pearl J&J in the lead from the third lap through the 12th when a caution flag appeared. On the 13th lap, Rahmer made a three-car battle for the lead with Keel and Cris Eash. Rahmer got the lead for good on the next lap and lead the final 11 laps. Rahmer was joined in the top six by fellow J&J competitors Brian Montieth (3rd), Keith Kauffman (5th), and Craig Keel (6th).

Midwest

Mike Ward made his seventh trip to victory lane on Saturday Night at the Auto Tire and Parts Racepark in Benton, MO. Ward took command of the feature on the ninth lap and led the final 16 laps in his #88 J&J. He also picked up his third USCS win of the season on Monday night at Garnertown, TN.

Eric Burns drove the #86 Britt Tool J&J to victory lane on Saturday at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Lawrenceburg, IN.

-j&j