Port Royal results 2003-05-26

PORT ROYAL, PA - At night, the speedway is scary fast.

At least that's the way Greg Hodnett describes the conditions of Port Royal Speedway when the sun goes down and nightfall has its way with the half-mile oval.

But on Monday's Memorial Day holiday afternoon race, Hodnett tamed the baked speedway surface, put things in slow motion and led the last 15 laps en route to claiming his third feature race at as many speedway this season.

"We don't get much of an opportunity to come here," Hodnett said. "I don't know...this place can be very intimidating."

Hodnett's victory came over speedway points leader Mike Wagner, Lance Dewease, Todd Shaffer and Keith Kauffman. Fred Rahmer, Todd Hestor, Brook Weibley, Mike Erdley and Mark Smith completed the top-10 spots.

Hodnett, the eighth-place starter, was running in fourth on lap 3. He eventually moved by Dewease for second during the completion of lap 7.

Then, Hodnett, of Memphis, Tenn., caught and passed Mike Wagner in turn 1 on lap 10.

The first caution of the race came out on lap 10 when Len Thompson spun in turn 4.

The restart, albeit Wagner and Dewease close behind, didn't both the race leader.

"I had a good car that really connected with the track," Hodnett said. "We've had a good car all year, but unfortunately we've had a lot of rain outs."

The only red flag of the race came out on lap 13 when Dustin Hoffman had something break on his car. The car veered hard into the outside turn 4 cement wall and the car went flipping several times down the frontstretch. He was not injured in the single-car crash.

When green-flag racing resumed, Hodnett easily distanced himself from Wagner and Dewease, who were battling for the runner-up spot.

A final caution came out on lap 18. It bunched the field for a final time, but it didn't hinder Hodnett's efforts as he posted a 1.89-second victory at race end.

Heats for the 30 entries went to Weibley, Jason Hagenbuch and Dewease. Doug Esh won the consolation race.

Harrisburg's Chad Layton moved his all-time 358 Sprint Car win total to 43 with a victory in the 25-laps KARS feature race. He is now one behind Mike Lehman's record.

Dan Dietrich jumped into the lead early in the 25-lap KARS-sanctioned feature.

Two consecutive cautions for Adam Wilt on lap 1 and 3 slowed the field twice before Layton started his trek forward. He was running in second on lap 7.

A two-car incident which resulted in Mike Ressler spinning down the speedway backstretch slowed the field for a third time on lap 10.

Layton held back on the ensuring restart and Dietrich maintained a five-car length lead until a lap 13 caution for Will Urkoski's spin in turn 4.

Layton then pulled out all the stops as he moved by Dietrich for the lead in turn 1 on the restart. Layton moved out to a 10-car length lead, but Dietrich fought back and came within three car lengths when Nyle Berkes and Dan Richcreek tangled in turn 4 on lap 23.

Layton defeated Dietrich, Cory Haas, Kenny Foor and Brian Eichelberger. Cliff Brian, Keith Prutzman, Vince Snyder, Dale Hammaker and Dave Gable Jr. filled the top 10.

Layton, Brian and Dietrich captured the three heat races for the 25 KARS Sprint entries.

Sprint Cars-30 entries

Heat 1: 1. 32-Brook Weibley; 2. CIII-Len Thompson; 3. 25-Adrian Shaffer; 4. 49-Mike Walters; 5. 9-Kevin Schaeffer; 6. 07-Mark Coldren; 7. 21-Rod Stroup; 8. 21-Rod Stroup; 9. 8-Mark Secrist (DNF); 10. 26-Curt Stroup (DNF)

Heat 2: 1. 17h-Jason Hagenbuch; 2. 88h-Fred Rahmer; 3. 88-Todd Shaffer; 4. 7-Keith Kauffman; 5. 11-Mike Erdley; 6. 10n-Niki Young; 7. 17b-Troy Whitesel; 8. 98-Daryl Stimeling; 9. 35-Brian Bossinger; 10. 0-Rick Lafferty (DNS)

Heat 3: 1. 77-Lance Dewease; 2. 55-Mike Wagner; 3. 12-Greg Hodnett; 4. 7t-Dustin Hoffman; 5. 53-Mark Smith; 6. 7m-Todd Hestor; 7. 30-Doug Esh; 8. 3b-Randy Baughman; 9. 18-Dan Bolger; 10. 0-Kyle Ganoe (DNS)

Consolation: 1. 30-Doug Esh; 2. 21-Rod Stroup; 3. 17b-Troy Whitesel; 4. 98-Daryl Stimeling; 5. 17-Tim Wilson; 6. 3b-Randy Baughman; 7. 0-Kyle Ganoe; 8. 18-Dan Bolger; 9. 8-Mark Secrest; 10. 35-Brian Bossinger; DNS: 0-Rick Lafferty; 26-Curt Shoop

Feature, 25 Laps: 1. 12-Greg Hodnett; 2. 55-Mike Wagner; 3. 77-Lance Dewease; 4. 88-Todd Shaffer; 5. 7-Keith Kauffman; 6. 88h-Fred Rahmer; 7. 7m-Todd Hestor; 8. 32-Brook Weibley; 9. 11-Mike Erdley; 10. 53-Mark Smith; 11. 25-Adrian Shaffer; 12. 17b-Troy Whitesel; 13. 10n-Niki Young; 14. CIII-Len Thompson; 15. 30-Doug Esh; 16. 17h-Jason Hagenbuch; 17. 98-Daryl Stimeling; 18. 17-Tim Wilson; 19. 7t-Dustin Hoffman; 20. 21-Rod Stroup; 21. 3b-Randy Baughman; 22. 9-Kevin Schaeffer; 23. 07-Mark Coldren. Disqualified: 49-Mike Walters. Did Not Qualify: 0-Kyle Ganoe; 18-Dan Bolger; 8-Mark Secrest; 35-Brian Bossinger; 0-Rick Lafferty; 26-Curt Shoop.

KARS Sprints-25 entries

Heat 1: 1. 8-Dan Dietrich; 2. 55e-Brian Eichelberger; 3. 15-Vince Snyder; 4. 64-Kyle Purks; 5. 28-Keith Prutzman; 6. 80-Dan Richcreek; 7. 14-Will Urkuski; 8. 66n-Nate Hammaker; 9. 15-Adam Wilt (DNF)

Heat 2: 1. 16-Cliff Brian; 2. 11c-Cory Haas; 3. 42-Alan Spriggle; 4. 10d-Kenny Foor; 5. 8c-Troy Long; 6. 1-Dave Gable Jr. (DNF); 7. 85-Ken Berwager (DNF); 8. 99-Nyle Berkes (DNF)

Heat 3: 1. 46-Chad Layton; 2. 5-Rusty Pressley; 3. 8-Billy Dietrich; 4. 66h-Dale Hammaker; 5. 11t-T.J. Stutts; 6. 4b-Jake Raudabaugh; 7. 7-Mike Ressler; 8. 49-Bob Howard (DNS)

Feature, 25 Laps: 1. 46-Chad Layton; 2. 8-Dan Dietrich; 3. 11c-Cory Haas; 4. 10d-Kenny Foor; 5. 55e-Brian Eichelberger; 6. 16-Cliff Brian; 7. 28-Keith Prutzman; 8. 15-Vince Snyder; 9. 66h-Dale Hammaker; 10. 1-Dave Gable Jr.; 11. 42-Alan Spriggle; 12. 14-Will Urkuski; 13. 11t-T.J. Stutts; 14. 66n-Nate Hammaker; 15. 8d-Billy Dietrich; 16. 99-Nyle Berkes; 17. 4b-Jake Raudabaugh; 18. 80r-Dan Richcreek; 19. 64-Kyle Purks; 20. 5-Rusty Pressley; 21. 8c-Troy Long; 22. 7-Mike Ressler; 23. 15-Adam Wilt. Did Not STart: 49-Bob Howard; 85-Ken Berwager

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