Lincoln Speedway results 2004-05-26

52nd Anniversary Show Ends With Career Win Number 300 For Fred Rahmer; Walls scores fourth win of year in thundercars

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 5/26/04 - Many of the great drivers who contributed to the history of Lincoln Speedway witnessed Fred Rahmer make some of his own Wednesday night.

Fast Freddy led them all in the 52-lap Lincoln 52nd Anniversary show, notching career sprint car win number 300.

"Three-hundred wouldn't mean anything if you don't respect the guys you race with. Dewease, Hodnett, Eash, Esh, Smith, and Kauffman... I respect those guys, which makes it mean so much more. We're in one of the toughest areas to race in, so it's a pretty neat deal," said Rahmer in victory lane, "But like I always say, the only one that really matters is the next one."

Although Rahmer led from start to finish, it was Lance Dewease who battled him to the finish, racing wheel-to-wheel with the leader several times over the final 40 laps.

As part of John Gleim, Jr. Excavating Night, several former track champs in both sprint and late model divisions were on hand for pre-race fan autographs. Among them was Jerry Benjamin, who drove in the first race ever held at Lincoln.

An inversion of eight combined with Jim Siegel's failure to qualify in his heat put Jeff Shepard and Rahmer on the front row and Lance Dewease on the inside of row two for the start. Rahmer grabbed the lead in the first two turns, with Shepard second and Dewease third. They were still running in that order when the first caution flag flew for Josh Wells, who spun on turns three and four of lap seven. Dewease passed Shepard for the runner-up spot on the front stretch as they completed lap 12. At the time, Rahmer had nearly a three-second lead, but that evaporated when Doug Rohrbaugh spun on turn four of lap 16.

Cris Eash caught Shepard for third one lap earlier (lap 15), and ran third the rest of the way.

But the show was up front, where Dewease continued to hound Rahmer over the final 40 laps. A red flag for a fuel stop on lap 21 after a Rohrbaugh spin on turn two, a caution for Brent Kluge on turn four of lap 26, a caution for Shepard and Greg Hodnett on turn four of lap 30, and a caution for Brian Leppo on turn two of the 31st lap restart kept Dewease close through the middle stages of the race.

"I was lucky the yellows came out when we came to lapped cars, because Lance was definitely going to have the advantage. He had a little bit harder tire on than me. In lapped traffic it might have been a different outcome, but I'll take 'er any way I can get it," said Rahmer, "We going to have to be a lot better as a group to run with the Outlaws this week, but we'll go up there and see how it goes."

Dewease, who was shooting for a win a day after the death of long-time sponsor Hank Gentzler, Jr. of Hank's Performance Products, turned up the heat after a 41st-lap caution for Glenndon Forsythe, a first-turn spin in which Dewease dove low and Rahmer went high to avoid. From that point, Dewease ran wheel-to-wheel with the leader through the turns and was never more than two carlengths behind over the final 12 laps. Though he rode the cushion through every turn, Dewease was never able to get by Lincoln's leading active feature winner, who collected $5,200 for scoring career win number 126 at the Abbottstown oval.

Commenting on the death of Hank Gentzler, Rahmer said, "Hank was really good for our sport. He went through a lot, and not many people would be able to endure as long as he did. He was a hell-of-a-good guy for the sport, and it's a shame to lose him. My condolences to the family. Denise (Hank's wife) is a fine woman and I hope she has it good from here on out."

"I don't know that we were very good, but we were off the front," said Rahmer, " The guys had the car as good as we could have it for the way the track was. Starting off the front, you don't get to move around much. I heard Lance back there searching all over. I just did what I could. Timmy (Elwell) was telling me what to do."

Eash crossed third, with Keith Kauffman fourth and Eric Stambaugh fifth. Completing the top ten were Doug Esh, Mark Smith, Niki Young, Brian Montieth, and Curt Michael.

Heats for the "410" sprinters were won by Montieth, Michael and Kevin Drury.

Fast time in time trials was set by Brian Leppo over the 23-car field with a one-lap time of 13.774 seconds.

Gettysburg's Mike Walls continue his early season success by winning his second thundercar feature in-a-row, and his fourth overall in 2004.

Outside frontrow starter Doug Devilbiss grabbed the lead at the outset over polesitter Mike Slaybaugh and led the first 11 laps. But Walls was methodically marching through the field from his 11th starting spot and finally grabbed the lead on the 12th lap. From there he cruised the rest of the way to take the checkered after 20 lap by 2.40 seconds over Devilbiss.

Ron Schultz (started 9th) settled for third, Duane Watson (started 10th) Fourth, and Neil Smith fifth (coming form the rear after an early race spin).

Completing the top-10 were Mike Zeigler Jr., Bernie Beard, Dan Zechman, Nat Tuckey and Craig Wagaman.

Heats for the 25 thundercars were won by Slaybaugh, Devilbiss and Walls, with Tuckey winning the consolation.

This Saturday night, May 29th, Lincoln Speedway comes back with it's regular weekend show featuring the 410 Sprint and Thundercar regulars as they compete in there 14th race of the season. The INEX Legends return for there second appearance of 2004 at the Pigeon Hills oval to round out the three division show.

The night will be capped-off with a spectacular fireworks display.

Gates will open at 5:30 PM, with heats getting underway at 7:30 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
Wednesday - May 26, 2004
52 ANNIVERSARY/JOHN GLEIM JR. EXCAVATING NIGHT

410 Sprints:

Feature (52 Laps) - 1. 88H-Fred Rahmer ($5,200); 2. 77-Lance Dewease; 3. 17E-Cris Eash; 4. 7-Keith Kauffman; 5. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 6. 30-Doug Esh; 7. 1-Mark Smith; 8. 10N-Niki Young; 9. 21-Brian Montieth; 10. 2-Curt Michael; 11. 12-Greg Hodnett; 12. 59-Jim Siegel; 13. 71-Brian Leppo; 14. 31D-Kevin Drury; 15. 66-Glenndon Forsythe; 16. 38-Chappy Knaack; 17. 29K-Brent Kluge; 18. 6W-Josh Wells (DNF); 19. 32-Brook Weibley (DNF); 20. 70-Sam Schlosberg (DNF); 21. 10X-Doug Rohrbaugh (DNF); 22. 25-Jeff Shepard (DNF); 23. 51-Karl Baker (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders - Fred Rahmer (1-52)

1st Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 21-Brian Montieth; 2. 70-Sam Schlosberg; 3. 17E-Cris Eash; 4. 77-Lance Dewease; 5. 71-Brian Leppo; 6. 6W-Josh Wells; 7. 59-Jim Siegel; 8. 10X-Doug Rohrbaugh. No Time

2nd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 2-Curt Michael; 2. 32-Brook Weibley; 3. 88H-Fred Rahmer; 4. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 5. 10N-Niki Young; 6. 12-Greg Hodnett; 7. 66-Glenndon Forsythe; 8. 51-Karl Baker. Time - 2:28.41

3rd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 31D-Kevin Drury; 2. 30-Doug Esh; 3. 25-Jeff Shepard; 4. 1-Mark Smith; 5. 7-Keith Kauffman; 6. 29K-Brent Kluge; 7. 38-Charles "Chappy " Knaack (DNF). Time - 2:29.31

Time Trials - 1. 71-Brian Leppo, 13.774 seconds; 2. 12-Greg Hodnett, 13.922; 3. 1-Mark Smith, 13.946; 4. 59-Jim Siegel, 13.954; 5. 4-Eric Stambaugh, 13.964; 6. 7-Keith Kauffman, 13.997; 7. 77-Lance Dewease, 14.009; 8. 88H-Fred Rahmer, 14.053; 9. 25-Jeff Shepard, 14.129; 10. 17E-Cris Eash, 14.137; 11. 10N-Niki Young, 14.149; 12. 30-Doug Esh, 14.160; 13. 21-Brian Montieth, 14.232; 14. 32-Brook Weibley, 14.238; 15. 38-Chappy Knaack, 14.246; 16. 70-Sam Schlosberg, 14.257; 17. 2-Curt Michael, 14.259; 18. 31D-Kevin Drury, 14.317; 19. 6W-Josh Wells, 14.410; 20. 66-Glenndon Forsythe, 14.498; 21. 29K-Brent Kluge, 14.610; 22. 10X-Doug Rohrbaugh, 15.061; 23. 51-Karl Baker, 16.071.

Thundercars:

Feature (20 Laps) - 1. B52-Mike Walls; 2. 15-Doug Devilbiss; 3. 31-Ron Schultz; 4. 3R-Duane Watson; 5. 1-Neil Smith; 6. 21A-Mike Zeigler Jr.; 7. X-Bernie Beard; 8. 2-Dan Zechman; 9. 52-Nat Tuckey; 10. 30-Craig Wagaman; 11. 12-Jake Markey; 12. 51-Kyle Lear; 13. 41-Howard Williams; 14. 37-Jim Rost; 15. 57-Willie Godfrey (Alt.); 16. 33-Jeff Allen (DNF); 17. 34M-Jim Martz Jr. (DNF); 18. 20-Sam Gallagher (DNF); 19. 5-Gary Potts (DNF); 20. 81-Mike Zeigler Sr. (DNF); 21. 61S-Mike Slaybaugh (DNF); 22. 61-Mike Ciezobka (DNF); 23. 14-Chet McCormick (DNF); 24. 8-Mike Gladfelter (DNF); DNS - 4-Greg Feltch. No Time

Lap Leaders - Doug Devilbiss (1-11), Mike Walls (12-20)

1st Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 61S-Mike Slaybaugh; 2. 2-Dan Zechman; 3. 31-Ron Shultz; 4. 81-Mike Zeigler, Sr.; 5. 33-Jeff Allen; 6. 8-Mike Gladfelter; 7. 52-Nat Tuckey; 8. 4-Greg Feltch; 9. 11-Jim Rost (DNF); 10. 51-Kyle Lear (DNF). No time.

2nd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 15-Doug Devilbiss; 2. 1-Neil Smith; 3. 3R-Duane Watson; 4. 30-Craig Wagaman; 5. 61-Mike Ciezobka; 6. 21A-Mike Zeigler, Jr.; 7. 12-Jake Markey; 8. 37-Frankie Dee. Time - 2:50.71

3rd Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. B52-Mike Walls; 2. 20-Sam Gallagher; 3. 14-Chet McCormick; 4. 5-Gary Potts; 5. 34M-Jim Martz Jr.; 6. 41-Howard Williams; 7. 57-Willie Godfrey; 8. X-Bernie Beard (DNF). Time - 2:51.05

Consolation (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 52-Nat Tuckey; 2. 12-Jake Markey; 3. X-Bernie Beard; 4. 4-Greg Feltch; 5. 51-Kyle Lear; 6. 37-Frankie Dee; 7. 11-Jim Rost (DNF); 8. 57-Willie Godfrey (DNF). Time - 2:09.33

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