Series Mechanicsburg report, results 2009-10-03

A Night of Firsts: Greg Hodnett Wins First Career National Open While Cody Darrah Wins First Career World of Outlaws Race

Mechanicsburg, PA-- October 3, 2009--It was a night of firsts at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania on Saturday night, as Greg Hodnett won the Morgan Hughes National Open for the first time in his career, pocketing $50,000, while Cody Darrah scored his first career World of Outlaws victory in the completion of the Cleveland Brothers Summer Nationals which was postponed by rain back in July to earn $20,000.

Hodnett dominated the 40-lap National Open from start to finish to win for the third time this season with the World of Outlaws at Williams Grove Speedway. For the veteran driver, it was his 10th career World of Outlaws A-Feature win, in the event which was broadcast live on SPEED in front of a standing room only crowd at the famed half-mile.

"This is the biggest race I have ever won," said Hodnett. "It means a great deal. I've been trying to win this race for a long, long time. I've been decent and not nearly as good as we were tonight. I'm just thankful that I'm able to be part of it and get this elusive win and this prestigious win. I can't say enough. I'm ecstatic."

The race took a couple of starts to get going with first a red flag flying before the first circuit was completed and then a yellow followed on the ensuing restart, but Hodnett charged to the lead each time with Brian Montieth in tow, with Donny Schatz moving into third at the start.

By the sixth lap, Hodnett had opened a sizeable advantage in the Macri Concrete Maxim and continued to lead when the second red flag of the night flew on the 11th circuit for Montieth who was running second when he lost a tire and got in the wall and upside down. This gave the crews a chance to work on their machines.

On the restart, Schatz, who had moved into second, looked high in turns one and two and then low in turns three and four to no avail. The leaders found themselves in some light lapped traffic near the halfway point of the race. Schatz nearly took the lead on the 21st lap going low in turns three and four. On the 27th lap Schatz ran side by side with Hodnett through turns one and two with the yellow flag flying later that lap.

Hodnett used another strong restart to quickly jump out to a few car length lead on Schatz. As the laps wound down, Schatz kept pace with him and with five laps to go gained a little bit of ground, with the caution coming out with four laps to go. Another strong restart propelled Hodnett to a sizeable lead, only to have the red flag fly just after he took the white flag, leading to an open red flag which gave the crews one last chance to make adjustments on their race cars.

"They said that Donny (Schatz) was changing gears and I didn't know if he was going high or low," he explained. "I figured he would have to get a pretty good run on top to get by so I kept it moving. I tried to keep it going forward and not slip a lot. Fortunately for us it worked out. I just tried to stay out front all night long and not abuse my car or my tires and it worked out."

On the final restart, Schatz looked high in turns one and two, though Hodnett was able to use a strong charge down the back straightaway to pull away and pocket the $50,000. Schatz wound up second in the Armor All J&J as he made a bid for his fifth career National Open Triumph.

"If I would have had half the car I had in that makeup deal, we wouldn't have run second in the National Open," said Schatz. "We brought a new car here and it was an awesome, awesome car. We didn't have everything just right and it took us a little bit to get going. It is what it is, and we were there. We never hit lapped traffic. We were strung out and go the whole time. That's the way it goes."

Jason Meyers wound up third in the GLR Investments KPC, with Fred Rahmer coming all the way from 18th to finish fourth. Danny Lasoski was fifth in the Casey's General Store JEI, with Pat Cannon sixth in the Highlands Tire & Service Center Maxim. Joey Saldana came all the way from 25th to finish seventh in the Budweiser Maxim to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award, with Steve Kinser in eighth aboard the Quaker State Maxim. Mark Smith was ninth piloting the Bricker's French Fries Mach 1, with Alan Krimes rounding out the Top-10 in the Conestoga Valley Garage Maxim.

In the completion of the Summer Nationals finale which was postponed by rain back in July and completed on Saturday night, Darrah started on the pole and led from start to finish after winning the Crane Cams Dash to earn the top starting spot for the 30-lapper, and eventually took the checkered flag over a second ahead of Joey Saldana.

"If you are going to win one, it's good to win a big one," said Darrah. "My hat is off to the guys that work on this race car. They put a phenomenal car under me. As long as I keep my arms straight, the car was going forward. It's awesome to get my first World of Outlaws win here at Williams Grove my home track and in my territory. You never forget the first one."

The only stoppage of the event came on the 17th lap when Brian Leppo got upside down while running fifth. Darrah used a strong restart to quickly open a comfortable lead on Saldana at this point. As the laps wound down, he encountered some light lapped traffic and easily worked his way through it en route to the victory aboard the J&K Salvage Maxim.

"I just had to keep my tires under me," noted the 20-year old. "Every time we had a caution, my tires cooled off and the track was cleaned off. We kind of made a wrong decision on (tire) compounds and the long runs kind of hurt me. Other than that, we were pretty good."

Saldana wound up second in the completion of the Summer Nationals to pick up his finish of the season at Williams Grove Speedway and remains third in the World of Outlaws championship standings with four races remaining on the 2009 schedule.

"It was a pretty good night," Saldana stated. "We kept working on our car and had it 100 percent better for the (first) feature and had it even better than that for the second feature. We're definitely going in the right direction and I felt good. You want to get better and we'll just keep working."

Lance Dewease finished third in the Infinity Design J&J, with Danny Lasoski in fourth. Steve Kinser rounded out the Top-Five, with Donny Schatz coming all the way from 22nd to finish sixth to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award. Keith Kauffman was seventh piloting the Lelands.com J&J, with Jason Meyers in eighth. Sammy Swindell was ninth in the Tom Rolfe Trucking Maxim, and Fred Rahmer rounded out the Top-10.

The World of Outlaws return to action on Saturday, October 10 at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in New York as part of Super Dirt Week.

WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY NOTES

* NATIONAL OPEN NIGHT #1 FAST QUALIFIER: Pat Cannon paced the 57 cars that took time with an AMB i.t. timed lap around the semi-banked half-mile oval at 16.368 seconds at 109.971 mph. For his qualifying effort, Cannon earned five bonus points. The next four fastest qualifiers also earned bonus points, including: Greg Hodnett (4), Ed Lynch Jr. (3), Aaron Ott (2), and Dave Ely (1).

* SUMMER NATIONALS NIGHT #2 FAST QUALIFIER: Cody Darrah paced the 41 cars that took time with an AMB i.t. timed lap around the semi-banked half-mile oval at 16.528 seconds at 108.906 mph. For his qualifying effort, Darrah earned five bonus points. The next four fastest qualifiers also earned bonus points, including: Aaron Ott (4), Lucas Wolfe (3), Danny Lasoski (2) and Jason Meyers (1).

* NATIONAL OPEN NIGHT #1 QUALIFYING WINNERS: Jason Meyers, Danny Lasoski, Paul McMahan and Jac Haudenschild won heat races. Greg Hodnett won the Crane Cams Dash. Brian Leppo won the B-Main. Rick Lafferty won the C-Main. AJ Michael won the D-Main.

* SUMMER NATIONAL NIGHT #2 QUALIFYING WINNERS: Joey Saldana, Craig Dollansky, Steve Kinser and Brian Leppo won heat races. Cody Darrah won the Crane Cams Dash. Chad Layton won the B-Main.

* FEATURE WINNERS: There has been 61 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature event held in 2009. The winners include: Joey Saldana (Volusia Speedway Park, Silver Dollar Speedway-twice, Thunderbowl Raceway, Lone Star Speedway, Houston Raceway Park, The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway, Virginia Motor Speedway, Lawrenceburg Speedway, Dodge City Raceway Park-twice, U.S. 36 Raceway, 34 Raceway, I-55 Raceway, Castrol Raceway-twice, Skagit Speedway and Deer Creek Speedway), Donny Schatz (Volusia Speedway Park-twice, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Knoxville Raceway, Eldora Speedway, Canandaigua Speedway, Lawrenceburg Speedway, River Cities Speedway, Cedar Lake Speedway, Eldora Speedway, K-C Raceway and Dacotah Speedway), Jason Meyers (Silver Dollar Speedway, Paducah International Raceway, I-96 Speedway, Red River Valley Speedway, Ohsweken Speedway, Skagit Speedway, Cottage Grove Speedway and Clay County Fair Speedway), Danny Lasoski (Delaware International Speedway, Nodak Speedway, Eagle Raceway, Charter Raceway Park and Lernerville Speedway), Craig Dollansky (Lebanon Valley Speedway, I-55 Raceway and River Cities Speedway), Greg Hodnett (Williams Grove Speedway-three times), Steve Kinser (Tri-State Speedway and Limaland Motorsports Park), Terry McCarl (Knoxville Raceway and Eldora Speedway), Jason Sides (Ohsweken Speedway and Eldora Speedway), Dale Blaney (Attica Raceway Park), Cody Darrah (Williams Grove Speedway), Randy Hannagan (Thunderbowl Raceway), Tim Kaeding (Riverside International Speedway),Chad Kemenah (Manzanita Speedway) and Stevie Smith (Lernerville Speedway).

* PRELIMINARY FEATURE WINNERS: There has been two World of Outlaws preliminary features this season. The winners include: Jason Meyers (Silver Dollar Speedway) and Joey Saldana (Silver Dollar Speedway).

* HALF-MILE WINNERS: Williams Grove Speedway is a high-banked half-mile oval. The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series has raced 20 times this season on a track that size. The winners include: Donny Schatz (Volusia Speedway Park-twice, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Knoxville Raceway and Eldora Speedway), Joey Saldana (Volusia Speedway Park, Lone Star Speedway and Virginia Motor Speedway), Greg Hodnett (Williams Grove Speedway-three times), Terry McCarl (Knoxville Raceway and Eldora Speedway), Jason Meyers (I-96 Speedway and Red River Valley Speedway), Cody Darrah (Williams Grove Speedway), Craig Dollansky (Lebanon Valley Speedway), Chad Kemenah (Manzanita Speedway),Danny Lasoski (Delaware International Speedway) and Jason Sides (Eldora Speedway).

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; National Open at Williams Grove Speedway; Mechanicsburg, PA; October 3, 2009

Qualifying
1) 3-Pat Cannon 16.368
2) 22H-Greg Hodnett 16.459
3) 2L-Ed Lynch Jr. 16.539
4) 25A-Aaron Ott 16.572
5) 75-Dave Ely 16.610
6) 71-Brian Leppo 16.623
7) 7-Chad Layton 16.645
8) R19-Jac Haudenschild 16.667
9) 25-Brooke Tatnell 16.692
10) 21-Brian Montieth 16.699
11) 13-Paul McMahan 16.710
12) 15-Donny Schatz 16.724
13) 14-Jason Meyers 16.729
14) 6-Danny Lasoski 16.748
15) 59-Jim Siegel 16.752
16) 11-Steve Kinser 16.772
17) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. 16.777
18) 51-Fred Rahmer 16.782
19) 69K-Donald Kreitz Jr. 16.795
20) 87-Alan Krimes 16.800
21) 7S-Jason Sides 16.813
22) O7-Mark Caldren 16.816
23) 20-Kraig Kinser 16.826
24) 83X-Tim Shaffer 16.833
25) 7M-Mark Smith 16.848
26) 5W-Lucas Wolfe 16.856
27) 19-Brad Sweet 16.870
28) 30C-Lance Dewease 16.871
29) 17B-Steve Buckwalter 16.876
30) 27C-Craig Dollansky 16.876
31) 11E-Mike Erdley 16.885
32) 10-Sammy Swindell 16.901
33) 9-Joey Saldana 16.953
34) 17-Dayrn Pittman 16.953
35) 89-Cody Darrah 16.970
36) 15X-Adam Wilt 17.009
37) 8M-Chris Meleason 17.014
38) O-Rick Lafferty 17.038
39) 22-Brian Ellenberger 17.056
40) 88-Todd Shaffer 17.075
41) 18-Ryan Bohlke 17.084
42) 65-Johnny Mackison 17.085
43) 83-Tim Kaeding 17.090
44) 16-Gerald McIntyre 17.093
45) 1-Stevie Smith 17.097
46) 27-Keith Kauffman 17.149
47) 41-Jason Johnson 17.178
48) 39-Brent Marks 17.212
49) 39T-Timothy Glatfelter 17.263
50) 45-A J Michael 17.325
51) 11C-Cory Haas 17.388
52) 19K-Kyle Pruitt 17.407
53) 3B-Randy Baughman 17.631
54) 5-Adam Lawrence 17.826
55) 49-Bob Howard 17.951
56) 23-Todd Zinn 18.259
57) 35-Chad Kemenah -.---
58) 12W-Troy Fraker -.---
59) 21X-Jerry Speck 18.536

Heat 1 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 14-Jason Meyers
2) 25-Brook Tatnell
3) 3-Pat Cannon
4) 7S-Jason Sides
5) 75-Dave Ely
6) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.
7) 17B-Steve Buckwalter
8) 1-Stevie Smith
9) 9-Joey Saldana
10) 8M-Chris Meleason
11) 18-Ryan Bohlke
12) 7M-Mark Smith

Heat 2 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 6-Danny Lasoski
2) 21-Brian Montieth
3) 22H-Greg Hodnett
4) 27C-Craig Dollansky
5) 51-Fred Rahmer
6) 5W-Lucas Wolfe
7) 27-Keith Kauffman
8) O-Rick Lafferty
9) 17-Dayrn Pittman
10) 71-Brian Leppo
11) O7-Mark Caldren
12) 65-Johnny Mackison

Heat 3 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 13-Paul McMahan
2) 7-Chad Layton
3) 59-Jim Siegel
4) 20-Kraig Kinser
5) 69K-Donald Kreitz Jr.
6) 11E-Mike Erdley
7) 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.
8) 19-Brad Sweet
9) 83-Tim Kaeding
10) 22-Brian Ellenberger
11) 41-Jason Johnson
12) 89-Cody Darrah

Heat 4 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) R19-Jac Haudenschild
2) 15-Donny Schatz
3) 87-Alan Krimes
4) 83X-Tim Shaffer
5) 25A-Aaron Ott
6) 10-Sammy Swindell
7) 16-Gerald McIntyre
8) 30C-Lance Dewease
9) 15X-Adam Wilt
10) 39-Brent Marks
11) 11-Steve Kinser
12) 88-Todd Shaffer

Crane Cams Dash (6 laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature)
1) 22H-Greg Hodnett
2) 21-Brian Montieth
3) 14-Jason Meyers
4) 15-Donny Schatz
5) 6-Danny Lasoski
6) R19-Jac Haudenschild
7) 7-Chad Layton
8) 3-Pat Cannon
9) 13-Paul McMahan
10) 25-Brooke Tatnell

D-main (8 laps, top 2 finishers transferred to C-main)
1) 45-A J Michael
2) 3B-Randy Baughman
3) 19K-Kyle Pruitt
4) 5-Adam Lawrence
5) 23-Todd Zinn
6) 49-Bob Howard
7) 39T-Timothy Glatfelter
8) 11C-Cory Haas
9) 35-Chad Kemenah
10) 12W-Troy Fraker
11) 21X-Jerry Speck

C-main (10 laps, top 2 finishers transferred to B-main)
1) O-Rick Lafferty
2) 18-Ryan Bohlke
3) 22-Brian Ellenberger [$125]
4) 83-Tim Kaeding [$125]
5) 1-Stevie Smith [$125]
6) 27-Keith Kauffman [$100]
7) 41-Jason Johnson [$100]
8) 3B-Randy Baughman [$100]
9) 16-Gerald McIntyre [$100]
10) 45-A J Michael [$100]
11) 65-Johnny Mackison [$100]
12) 88-Todd Shaffer [$100]
13) 39-Brent Marks [$100]
14) 17-Dayrn Pittman [$100]

B-main (12 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 71-Brian Leppo
2) 11-Steve Kinser
3) 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.
4) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.
5) 7M-Mark Smith [$200]
6) 5W-Lucas Wolfe [$180]
7) 89-Cody Darrah [$175]
8) 19-Brad Sweet [$160]
9) 17B-Steve Buckwalter [$150]
10) 11E-Mike Erdley [$150]
11) 30C-Lance Dewease [$150]
12) 10-Sammy Swindell [$150]
13) 9-Joey Saldana [$150]
14) 15X-Adam Wilt [$150]
15) 8M-Chris Meleason [$150]
16) 18-Ryan Bohlke [$150]
17) O7-Mark Caldren [$150]
18) O-Rick Lafferty [$150]

A-main (40 laps) - Starting Position [#]
1) 22H-Greg Hodnett[1] [$50,000]
2) 15-Donny Schatz[4] [$12,000]
3) 14-Jason Meyers[3] [$7,500]
4) 51-Fred Rahmer[18] [$4,000]
5) 6-Danny Lasoski[5] [$3,500]
6) 3-Pat Cannon[8] [$3,000]
7) 9-Joey Saldana[25] [$1,800]
8) 11-Steve Kinser[16] [$2,500]
9) 7M-Mark Smith[28] [$1,300]
10) 87-Alan Krimes[20] [$2,100]
11) 59-Jim Siegel[15] [$2,000]
12) 20-Kraig Kinser[22] [$1,650]
13) 19-Brad Sweet[27] [$650]
14) 25-Brook Tatnell[10] [$1,200]
15) 88-Todd Shaffer[26] [$200]
16) 27C-Craig Dollansky[24] [$1,050]
17) 83X-Tim Shaffer[23] [$1,000]
18) 71-Brian Leppo[14] [$950]
19) 7S-Jason Sides[21] [$950]
20) 25A-Aaron Ott[12] [$950]
21) 13-Paul McMahan[9] [$900]
22) 2L-Ed Lynch Jr.[11] [$900]
23) 21-Brian Montieth[2] [$900]
24) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[17] [$900]
25) 69K-Donald Kreitz Jr.[19] [$900]
26) 75-Dave Ely[13] [$900]
27) R19-Jac Haudenschild[6] [$900]
28) 7-Chad Layton[7] [$900]

Lap Leaders: Greg Hodnett 1-40

SuperClean Start of the Night Award: Craig Dollansky
Penske Power Position Award: Jason Meyers
KSE Hard Charger Award: Joey Saldana

Note- Joey Saldana and Brad Sweet used World of Outlaws Provisionals to start the A-Feature. Todd Shaffer and Mark Smith used Williams Grove Speedway Provisionals to start the A-Feature.

-credit: WoO