Lincoln Speedway Ice Breaker 25

David Reininger - motorsport.com

Abbottstown, PA. (Feb. 26, 2000) - Keith Kauffman won the Ice Breaker 25 at Lincoln Speedway this afternoon. Kauffman led the 25 lap race from flag to flag capturing the $3,000 winner's share of the purse.

"We kind of got lucky by starting up front, but you've got to stay out there all 25 laps," said Kauffman. "Sometimes that's a job, especially for an old guy like me."

Kauffman showed his hand early by taking a five car-length lead on the first wave of the green. But his advantage was erased by a red flag when Dave Ely flipped after making contact with Shane Smith in turn two.

On the second attempt to start the race, Kauffman gassed his No. 7 Middleswarth Potato Chips car from his outside pole position only to have the car launch into a huge wheelie. Kauffman set the front wheels on the ground, gassed it again with the same spectacular results. The field dove under Kauffman dropping him to fourth by the time he reached the flagstand.

Left to the outside groove, Kauffman ran the high side, sliding into second place by the time he reached the end of the back straight.

"The car is pretty good. Maybe I'm too fat or something. Maybe I have too much weight in the back, or something. I can't keep the tires on the ground here. Once I get it rolling a little bit, I'm all right," Kauffman said with a smile.

It was obvious that Kauffman had the car to beat. He'd get another chance to make a clean start when Skip Jackson, driving the Zemco No. 1Z, tangled with Jesse Wentz and Rod George, bringing out the yellow in turn two.

Third time is the charm, right?

Wrong.

Pat Cooper stopped in turn one, causing the field prepare for another complete restart.

After seeing Kauffman's strength, polesitter Todd Shaffer knew he'd have his work cut out for him if he was to keep the lead. When the green dropped, Shaffer made his best start of the afternoon. Shaffer moved to the middle of the track in turn one, forcing Kauffman take the long way around the top.

But it wasn't a problem for the No. 7 car as Kauffman easily powered around the high side to take a commanding lead down the backstretch.

Shaffer ran comfortably in second.

Don Kreitz, driving the No. 69, slid backwards from his third place starting postion, passed first by Lance Dewease, then by Cris Eash.

Kreitz fell to eighth place by lap seven when the yellow appeared for the stopped car of Chris Knopp.

On the restart, Kreitz slid high in turn three, tagged the wall, sending the car into a series of flips. Kreitz was unhurt.

Kauffman proved he had the best car in the show, by holding off Shaffer, who drove brilliantly through traffic to close the gap by the end of the race.

Johnny Mackison Jr. drove a brilliant race as well. Starting tenth, Mackison drove to sixth place when the yellow appeared on lap seven. Mackison picked off Dewease and Steve Siegel, and held off fifth place finisher Fred Raher, to take fourth place. Rahmer started eighth.