Lincoln Speedway 1999-07-04

Sunday - July 4, 1999 LINCOLN SPEEDWAY Abbottstown, Pa.

DARREN EASH STILL UNBEATEN IN 358 SUBSTITUTE ROLE; Wilbur, Whitely win super sportsman, street stock features

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 7/4/99 - Lincoln Speedway has seen it's share of bizarre features of late. But Sunday night's 20-lap 358 sprint feature may have been the strangest of them all.

Darren Eash claimed the 358 win for the second straight night, making him a perfect three-for-three in his role as substitute driver in the Leach Racing Team #30. Brother Cris was racing in Pennsylvania Speedweek action at Selinsgrove, so Darren climbed behind the wheel to see if he could keep his perfect record intact. It didn't look like he would.

Todd Shaffer crew member T.J. Stutts of Etters grabbed the lead from the pole and led until he did a 360 exiting the second turn of the 13th lap. Joe Whitcomb nearly nailed him while running second, but had to stomp on the brakes. Stutts righted the car and stayed in front of Whitcomb, but Gary Gollub slipped by both drivers from his fifth starting spot to take the lead.

Gollub led for two laps before coming to a stop on the fourth turn of lap 15. During those two laps, Stutts thought he was still leading, as he had not seen the Gollub No.51 get by. But it was academic after the 15th lap caution for Gollub. Stutts inherited the lead for the restart and led the next three laps until Eash, who started 10th, slipped by entering the first turn of the 19th lap.

Stutts ran the race of his life to finish second, with Whitcomb third, Jake Raudabaugh fourth, and Doug Eash, who advanced from his 12th starting position to finish fifth. Completing the top-10 were Dan Dietrich, Mike Lehman, Greg Leiby, Bob Hagan and Chad Layton.

In victory lane, Darren gave one major clue as to why the Leach teams has been fielding such fast race cars. Chief mechanic Butch Hoover spent some recent time with Karl Kinser.

"I didn't spend a whole lot of time with Karl," explained Hoover after acknowledging by car-owner Dick Leach in victory lane. "But you don't have to. You just watch and learn."

Heats for the 35 358 sprinters on hand were won by Esh, Eash, Bob Beidleman and Rick Horn. Twin consolation events were claimed by Eric Stambaugh and Mark Yinger.

Mechanicsburg's Steve Wilbur came home first in the 20 lap super sportsman feature, besting a strong 43-car field that saw Mark Smith advance from his 16th starting spot to pass Bob Gutshall for second on lap six. Despite an eighth lap caution for Dave Ort (who got sideways on the second turn), Smith was unable to too keep up with Wilbur over the final 13 laps. Several sportsman made impressive runs to the front of the feature. Russ Mitten started 12th and finished third. Rich Eichelberger started 13th and finished fourth. Bob Gutshall crossed fifth, followed by Ken Carberry, Gerry Strawser, Bill Schoffstall, Jim Shuttlesworth (who started 21st), and Scott Snyder. Heats were won by Rod Adams, Joe Reneker, Wilbur and Schoffstall. Consolation wins were claimed by Lanny hake and Dave Neuman.

Joe Whitely ended a long dry spell with a win in the 15 lap street stock feature. He grabbed the lead from his outside frontrow starting spot and led every lap. Tim Fedder, Randy Askey, Sam Leonard, and George Eash completed the top-five. Heats for the 26 street stocks were won by Eash, Fedder and Whitely.

Don't forget to check-out Lincoln Speedway On-line at http://www.lincolnspeedway.com for all the latest results, statistics and point standings. Next weekend, Saturday July 10th, Lincoln Speedway will have all three regular divisions back in action - the super sprints, 358 sprints, and thundercars - plus a kids big wheel race. Racing action gets underway at 7:30 PM, with gates opening at 5 PM.

RACE RESULTS Sunday - July 4, 1999 LINCOLN SPEEDWAY Abbottstown, Pa.

Super Sportsman: Feature (20 Laps) - 1. 59-Steve Wilbur; 2. 22-Mark Smith; 3. 7-Russ Mitten; 4. 8-Rich Eichelberger; 5. 65-Bob Gutshall; 6. 47-Ken Carberry; 7. 25-Gerry Strawser; 8. 07-Bill Schoffstall; 9. 41S-Jim Shuttlesworth; 10. 17S-Scott Snyder; 11. 77-Howie Locke; 12. 66-Leroy Martin; 13. 3-Frankie Herr; 14. 21-Dave Neuman; 15. 1-Bob Fannasy; 16. 23-John Stehman; 17. 5B-Dave Berkheimer; 18. 340-Smokey Snellbaker; 19. 6-Rod Adams; 20. 2M-Matt Ondek (DNF); 21. 91-Lanny Hake (DNF); 22. 41-Dave Ort (DNF); 23. 2A-Carmen Perigo (DNF); 24. 25S-Joe Reneker. No Time

1st Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 6-Rod Adams; 2. 25-Gerry Strawser; 3. 65-Bob Gutshall; 4. 66-Leroy Martin; 5. 42-J.R. Fry; 6. 41S-Jim Shuttlesworth; 7. 4-John Stoner; 8. 1A-Terry Leininger; 9. 55H-Tom Haxall; 10. 17W-Denny Willey. No Time

2nd Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 25S-Joe Reneker; 2. 22-Mark Smith; 3. 47-Ken Carberry; 4. 8-Rich Eichelberger; 5. 5B-Dave Berkheimer; 6. 91-Lanny Hake; 7. 6M-Craig Morrow; 8. 41-Dave Ort; 9. 88-Jim Wentz; 10. 93-Pat Cannon (DNF); DNS - George Riden. No Time

3rd Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 59-Steve Wilbur; 2. 7-Russ Mitten; 3. 17S-Scott Snyder; 4. 2A-Carmen Perigo; 5. 340-Smokey Snellbaker; 6. 28-Keith Prutzman; 7. 14-Chris Reed; 8. 23-John Stehman; 9. 51-Mark Zimmerman; 10. 00P-Bill Brown; 11. 49-Bobby Howard (DNF). No Time

4th Heat (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 07-Bill Schoffstall; 2. 77-Howie Locke; 3. 1-Bob Fannasy; 4. 2M-Matt Ondek; 5. 21-Dave Neuman; 6. 23C-Steve Cannon; 7. 58-Paul Miller; 8. 82-Bill Heckert; 9. 10-Donnie Beaver (DNF); 10. 3-Frankie Herr (DNF). No Time

1st Consolation (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 91-Lanny Hake; 2. 5B-Dave Berkheimer; 3. 41-Dave Ort; 4. 41S-Jim Shuttlesworth; 5. 4-John Stoner; 6. 69-Bob Hockenberry; 7. 42-J.R. Fry; 8. 55H-Tom Haxall; 9. 1A-Terry Leininger (DNF); 10. 17W-Denny Willey (DNF); 11. 6M-Craig Morrow (DNF); DNS - 88-Jim Wentz, 93-Pat Cannon, 32-George Riden. No Time

2nd Consolation (10 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 21-Dave Neuman; 2. 3-Frankie Herr; 3. 340-Smokey Snellbaker; 4. 23-John Stehman; 5. 23C-Steve Cannon; 6. 49-Bob Howard; 7. 51-Mark Zimmerman; 8. 82-Bill Heckert; 9. 00P-Bill Brown; 10. 14-Chris Reed; 11. 58-Paul Miller (DNF); DNS - 28-Keith Prutzman, 10-Donnie Beaver. Time - 2:59.66

Street Stocks: Feature (15 Laps) - 1. 33-Joe Whitely; 2. 34-Tim Fedder; 3. 4-Randy Askey; 4. 8-Sam Leonard; 5. 69-George Eash; 6. 98-Sam Gipe; 7. 4C-John Greider; 8. 32-Scott Dellinger; 9. 64-Stan Wanner; 10. 31-Bob Dellinger; 11. 29-Greg Foster; 12. 67-Paul Watts; 13. 88-Don Butler; 14. 21-Roger Leaman; 15. 5-Mike Fletcher; 16. 32X-Tim Sharp; 17. 66-Chas Potts; 18. 23-Richard Rhodes; 19. 11-Craig Morgan (DNF); 20. 27-Doug Hoffman (DNF); 21. 15-Joe Krick (DNF); 22. 12-Bill Deardorff (DNF); 23. 94-Joe Racine (DNF); 24. 6-Scott Hanna (DNF); 25. 28A-Butch Kennedy (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders - Joe Whitely (1-15)

1st Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 69-George Eash; 2. 4-Randy Askey; 3. 4C-John Greider; 4. 31-Bob Dellinger; 5. 94-Joe Racine; 6. 27-Doug Hoffman; 7. 88-Don Butler; 8. 6-Scott Hanna; 9. 88B-James Baker (DNF). Time - 2:08.28 (New track record)

2nd Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 34-Tim Fedder; 2. 21-Roger Leaman; 3. 15-Joe Krick; 4. 64-Stan Wanner; 5. 12-Bill Deardorff; 6. 5-Mike Fletcher; 7. 32-Scott Dellinger; 8. 66-Chas Potts; 9. 28A-Butch Kennedy (DNF). No Time

3rd Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 33-Joe Whitely; 2. 8-Sam Leonard; 3. 98-Sam Gipe; 4. 11-Craig Morgan; 5. 29-Greg Foster; 6. 32X-Tim Sharp; 7. 23-Richard Rhodes; 8. 67-Paul Watts (DNF). No Time

358 Sprints: Feature (20 Laps) - 1. 30E-Darren Eash; 2. 11T-T.J. Stutts; 3. 71-Joe Whitcomb; 4. 4B-Jake Raudabaugh; 5. 6E-Doug Esh; 6. 8-Dan Dietrich; 7. 59-Mike Lehman; 8. 77-Greg Leiby; 9. 5-Bob Hagan; 10. U1-Chad Layton; 11. 8E-Rich Eichelberger; 12. 88-Terry Leininger; 13. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 14. 10K-Mark Yinger; 15. 22J-Joe Ilg; 16. 55E-Brian Eichelberger; 17. 6F-Bill Fannasy; 18. 51-Gary Gollub; 19. 5A-Brian Allman; 20. 66-Eric Patteson; 21. 79-Duaine Smith; 22. 11-Rick Horn (DNF); 23. 81-Bob Beidleman (DNF); 24. 8D-Billy Dietrich (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders - T.J. Stutts (1-12), Gary Gollub (13-14), T.J. Stutts (15-18), Darren Eash (19-20)

1st Heat (8 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 6E-Doug Esh; 2. 71-Joe Whitcomb; 3. 5-Bob Hagan; 4. 8-Dan Dietrich; 5. 66-Eric Patteson; 6. 99-Rich Carnathan; 7. 17M-Mike Creaghan; 8. 50-Mark Richard (DNF); 9. 8E-Rich Eichelberger (DNF). No Time

2nd Heat (8 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 30-Darren Eash; 2. 4B-Jake Raudabaugh; 3. 11T-T.J. Stutts; 4. 8D-Billy Dietrich; 5. 56-Nate Snyder; 6. 79-Duaine Smith; 7. 80-Todd Reed (DNF); 8. 727-Lyndon Mathias (DNF); 9. 4-Eric Stambaugh (DNF). No Time

3rd Heat (8 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 81-Bob Beidleman; 2. 5A-Brian Allman; 3. U1-Chad Layton; 4. 88-Terry Leininger; 5. 10K-Mark Yinger; 6. 6F-Bill Fannasy; 7. 15-Tracy Templin; 8. 7K-Dan Shelter; DNS - 80R-Dan Richcreek. Time - 2:18.75

4th Heat (8 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 11-Rick Horn; 2. 59-Mike Lehman; 3. 51-Gary Gollub; 4. 77-Greg Leiby; 5. 22J-Joe Ilg; 6. 55E-Brian Eichelberger; 7. 00-Elmer Stoltzfus; 8. 55-Jimmy Layton. Time - 2:16.57

1st Consolation (8 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 2. 66-Eric Patteson; 3. 8E-Rich Eichelberger; 4.79-Duaine Smith; 5. 80-Todd Reed; 6. 50-Mark Richard; 7. 56-Nate Smith; 8. 727-Lyndon Mathias; 9. 17M-Mike Creaghan; 10. 99-Rich Carnathan (DNF). No Time

2nd Consolation (8 Laps/4 to qualify) - 1. 10K-Mark Yinger; 2. 22J-Joe Ilg; 3. 55E-Brian Eichelberger; 4. 6F-Bill Fannasy; 5. 7K-Dan Shetler; 6. 15-Tracy Templin (DNF); 7. 00-Elmer Stoltzfus (DNF); 8. 55-Jimmy Layton (DNF). No Time