Lincoln Speedway results 2004-05-29

Rahmer Wins Third Feature In Four Days; Rochelle two-for-two in Lincoln INEX Legends; Neil Smith picks-up third of the year in thundercars

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA, 5/29/04 - It could be considered one of the best weeks ever for one driver.

After leading all 52 laps to claim his 300th career sprint win in the special 52nd Anniversary show at Lincoln on Wednesday night and then leading all 25 laps in beating the famous World of Outlaws Thursday night, he came back to win his second race of the week at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night.

Rahmer came from his usual 12th starting position, dodged several bullets along the way, and took over the top spot when then race-leader Brian Leppo was caught up in another racer's spin on the 10th lap. From there, Rahmer had to battle wheel-to-wheel with Doug Esh over the final 15 laps to claim his third win in four days.

Polesitter Sam Schlosberg grabbed the lead over outside frontrow starter Chappy Knaack at the outset. Knaack then spun in the first and second turns on the fourth lap, but was able to continue and fell back into line in fifth place. But the next time around, Knaack spun in the same spot, this time bringing out the caution.

Schlosberg had fourth-starting Becca Anderson on his tail for the restart, with sixth-starting Leppo right behind.

Leppo got around Anderson on the restart to move into second and then got around Schlosberg for the lead in the third and fourth turns of the sixth lap.

Meanwhile, Rahmer was on the move to the front. The seven-time Lincoln champ passed several cars during Knaack's spin-and-go on the fourth lap to move into fourth, then passed Anderson for third on the sixth lap. He shot past Schlosberg into second place on a seventh-lap restart for a Brent Kluge spin in the first and second turns.

Leppo was able to open up some ground between himself and Rahmer on that restart. But disaster struck for the Spring Grove speedster on lap 10 when he was forced to slide to a stop in the second turn to avoid the spinning Kluge sprinter.

"The first guy to get to the front was going to win," said Rahmer matter-of-factly, "I got lucky...the one car spun and kept going and I was far enough past to keep on the gas and pass. It was a little bit dangerous, but you gotta do what you gotta do. My dad taught me to always look way ahead. When I'm coming by the flagman, I'm looking across the corner."

"I was pushing Brian Leppo there at the beginning and he ended up having to run into that up there," said Rahmer, "That was a tough break for him because he was operating pretty good."

Though he had the lead for the restart, Rahmer had plenty of company.

Tenth-starting Doug Esh had worked his way in behind Rahmer by the 10th lap caution restart, and immediately began to pressure him for the lead.

Over the race's final 15 laps, Esh tried to go high, then low on several occasions, looking for a way around. But Rahmer matched his every move, and eventually got the upper-hand through lapped traffic over the race's final eight laps. He took the checkered 1.35-seconds ahead, for his fifth overall Lincoln in 2004.

"Doug gave me all I needed tonight," said Rahmer in victory lane, "He did a good job...he just came up a little bit short."

The win, his 127th career win in the Pigeon Hills, and the 302nd of his sprint career, was worth $3,000, counting the $500 bonus provided by race night sponsor Kline's Services. Rahmer picked up another $500 bonus from Kline's in a winner-take-all dash for the top three finishers from each of the two heats.

Heats for the 20 "410" sprinters were won by Esh and Leppo.

Hanover's Neil Smith had the best seat in the house - out front. Because the action behind him was wild.

Smith, who started seventh, worked his way to the front quickly and took the lead from polesitter and race-long leader Doug Devilbiss on the sixth lap. From there he did all he could to stay out in front over the remaining laps to register his third win of 2004 in thundercar action by .59 seconds over his nearest pursue.

Chet McCormick fought hard over the final 10 laps to hold off Mike Walls and Bernie Beard to finish second, with Walls and Beard finishing third and fourth respectively. Nat Tuckey rounded out the top-five.

Completing the top-10 was point leader Mike Zeigler Jr., Howard Williams, Dan Zechman, Jim Martz Jr. and Jake Markey.

Heats for the 29 thundercars were won by McCormick, Devilbiss and Gary Potts, with Ron Schultz winning the consolation.

Jason Rochelle made in two wins in two 2004 Lincoln races in the 15-lap INEX Legends feature. Rochelle, who was slated to start 12th, advanced to the outside of the third row after a wild 8-car crash on the front stretch of the original start. Moving to the low side in the turns, Rochelle advanced to third by the end of the second lap. At the time, he was part of a four-car battle for the top spot, with polesitter Josh Morrow still leading the way. Others involved in the battle were teammate Ronnie Dunstan and ninth-starting Tim Tomson.

Rochelle made his race-winning pass exiting turn two of lap 8. Tomson caught Morrow for second on lap 13. That's the way they finished, with Dunstan fourth and Harry Garber fifth.

Heats for the 30 INEX Legends were won by Rochelle, Denny Rothermel and Dunstan.

Dunstan claimed the winner-take-all $500 bonus in the Kline's Services Cash Dash.

Next Saturday night, June 5th, Lincoln Speedway will host the Mid-Season 358 Sprint Championship. The 358 sprinters will take center stage this night with the other two point divisions - Cindy Rowe Auto Glass 410 Sprints and thundercars.

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
410 Sprints:

Feature (25 Laps) - 1. 88H-Fred Rahmer ($3,000); 2. 30-Doug Esh; 3. 21-Brian Montieth; 4. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 5. 17E-Cris Eash; 6. 71-Brian Leppo; 7. 59-Jim Siegel; 8. 10N-Niki Young; 9. 47J-Jeff Busby; 10. A18-Becca Anderson; 11. 32-Brook Weibley; 12. 70-Sam Schlosberg; 13. 10X-Doug Rohrbaugh; 14. 32W-Gerry Robison; 15. 96-Larry Shive; 16. 38-Chappy Knaack (DNF); 17. 64-Rick Horn (DNF); 18. 29-Tony Strine (DNF); 19. 29K-Brent Kluge (DNF); 20. X-Bobby Weaver (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders - Sam Schlosberg (1-5), Brian Leppo (6-9), Fred Rahmer (10-25)

1st Heat (10 Laps) - 1. 30-Doug Esh; 2. 88H-Fred Rahmer; 3. 70-Sam Schlosberg; 4. 59-Jim Siegel; 5. 47J-Jeff Busby; 6. 10N-Niki Young; 7. X-Bobby Weaver; 8. 32-Brook Weibley; 9. 64-Rick Horn; 10. 29-Tony Strine. Time - 2:26.01

2nd Heat (10 Laps) - 1. 71-Brian Leppo; 2. 17E-Cris Eash; 3. 21-Brian Montieth; 4. 4-Eric Stambaugh; 5. A18-Becca Anderson; 6. 38-Chappy Knaack; 7. 29K-Brent Kluge; 8. 10X-Doug Rohrbaugh; 9. 96-Larry Shive; 10. 32W-Gerry Robison. No time.

Kline Services Dash (5 Laps) - 1. 88H-Fred Rahmer ($500); 2. 30-Doug Esh; 3. 71-Brian Leppo; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 70-Sam Schlosberg; 6. 17E-Cris Eash. Time - 1:13.04

Thundercars:
Feature (20 Laps) - 1. 1-Neil Smith; 2. 14-Chet McCormick; 3. B52-Mike Walls; 4. X-Bernie Beard; 5. 52-Nat Tuckey; 6. 21A-Mike Zeigler Jr.; 7. 41-Howard Williams; 8. 2-Dan Zechman; 9. 34M-Jim Martz Jr.; 10. 12-Jake Markey; 11. 61S-Mike Slaybaugh; 12. 8-Mike Gladfelter; 13. 11-Jim Rost; 14. 54-Roy Warehime (DNF); 15. 31-Ron Schultz (DNF); 16. 3R-Duane Watson (DNF); 17. 54J-Jimmy Combs (DNF); 18. 11-Jim Rost (DNF); 19. 25-Sean Herrick (DNF); 20. 15-Doug Devilbiss (DNF); 21. 5-Gary Potts (DNF); 22. 0-Eric McClane (DNF); 23. 76-Bob Bare (DNF); 24. 81-Mike Zeigler Sr. (DNF). No Time

Lap Leaders - Doug Devilbiss (1-5), Neil Smith (6-20)

1st Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 14-Chet McCormick; 2. 1-Neil Smith; 3. 11-Jim Rost; 4. 81-Mike Zeigler, Sr.; 5. 41-Howard Williams; 6. 54-Roy Warehime; 7. 0-Eric McClane; 8. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 9. 07-Robert Stough (DNF); 10. 31-Ron Shultz (DNF). No time.

2nd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 15-Doug Devilbiss; 2. 34M-Jim Martz, Jr.; 3. 52-Nat Tuckey; 4. 21A-Mike Zeigler, Jr; 5. 2-Dan Zechman; 6. 3R-Duane Watson; 7. 4-Greg Feltch; 8. 69-Justin Stambaugh; 9. 65-Walt Mann (DNF); 10. 70-Craig Wagaman (DNF). No time.

3rd Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 5-Gary Potts; 2. X-Bernie Beard; 3. B52-Mike Walls; 4. 12-Jake Markey; 5. 76-Bob Bare; 6. 25-Sean Herrick; 7. 1E-Greg Emlet; 8. 61S-Mike Slaybaugh (DNF); 9. 8-Mike Gladfelter (DNF). No Time

Consolation (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 31-Ron Schultz; 2. 4-Greg Feltch; 3. 0-Eric McClane; 4. 1E-Greg Emlet; 5. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 6. 8-Mike Gladfelter; DNS - 69-Justin Stambaugh, 61S-Mike Slaybaugh, 07-Robert Stough, 65-Walt Mann, 70-Craig Wagaman. Time - 2:10.95

INEX Legends:
Feature (20 Laps) - 1. 17R-Jason Rochelle; 2. 22T-Tim Tomson; 3. 29A-Josh Morrow; 4. 7-Ronnie Dunstan; 5. THP-Harry Garber; 6. 99-Rod Kistler; 7. 8-Allen Felix; 8. 12J-Clint Penkauskas; 9. 44-Darryl Bloom; 10. 555-Bill Harris; 11. 46-Ray Swank; 12. 54-Jason Ewing; 13. 888-Wayne Young; 14. 4-Paul Fitzsimmons; 15. 88-Andy Lupfer; 16. Z-Jim Black; 17. 6F-Nathan Fisher; 18. 80-Bob Lash; 19. 48K-Ron Cooper; 20. 21M-Mike Amoroso; 21. 6D-Dave Kline (DNF); 22. 63-John Shirk (DNF); 23. 22-Randy Fetterhoff (DNF); 24. 7R-Denny Rothermel (DNF); 25. 55-John Feehan (DNF); 26. 21-Greg Burd (DNF); 27. 48-Randy Kissinger (DNF); 28. 5K-Brian Levan (DNF); 29. 14W-Ed Wentz (DNF). No time.

Lap Leaders - Josh Morrow (1-7), Jason Rochelle (8-15)

1st Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 17R-Jason Rochelle; 2. 22T-Tim Thompson; 3. 5K-Brian Levan; 4. 12J-Clint Penkauskas; 5. 80-Bob Lash; 6. 22-Randy Fetterhoff; 7. 555-Bill Haris; 8. 6F-Nathan Fisher; 9. 88-Andy Lepfur; DNS - 7M-Bob Murray. Time - 2:10.92

2nd Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 7R-Denny Rothermel; 2. THP-Harry Garber; 3. 44-Darryl Bloom; 4. 21-Greg Burd; 5. 14W-Ed Wentz; 6. 63-John Shirk; 7. 55-John Feehan; 8. 4-Paul Fitzsimmons (DNF); 9. 88-Wayne Young (DNF); 10. 21M-Mike Amoloso (DNF). No Time

3rd Heat (6 Laps/6 to qualify) - 1. 7-Ronnie Dunstan; 2. 99-Rod Kistler; 3. 48-Randy Kissinger; 4. 29A-Josh Morrow; 5. 46-Ray Swank; 6. 54-Jason Ewing; 7. 48K-Ben Cooper; 8. 8-Allen Felix; 9. z-Jim Black; 10. 6D-Dave Kline. Time - 2:08.91

Kline Services Dash (5 Laps) - 1. 7-Ronnie Dunstan ($500); 2. 22T-Tim Thompson; 3. 17R-Jason Rochelle; 4. 555-99-Rod Kistler; 5. THP-Harry Garber; 6. 7R-Denny Rothermel. Time - 1:50.58

-bill meyer-