Williams Grove: Thursday Prelim report

Rahmer Wins 400th Feature in Williams Grove Opener

MECHANICSBURG, PA (May 27) -- When Fred Rahmer won Thursday's World of Outlaws Sprint Series' Preliminary Feature at Williams Grove Speedway, it was the 400th feature victory of his career.

Rahmer took the checkered flag a straightaway ahead of Steve Kinser, who celebrated the 500th main event victory of his World of Outlaws Sprint Series career March 27th.

"This is pretty awesome," the emotional Rahmer said. "I got my 300th sprint car win last night, and counting the modifieds tonight makes 400 feature wins. It couldn't have happened at a better time.

"I got lucky there. Danny (Lasoski) was faster in traffic and he got by me, then I saw that car spun in turn three and I bumped the wall trying to get by, and Danny got taken out. Sometimes when it's your time to win, it just works out.

"I have to thank my guys. They work really hard on this thing, and J&J Chassis, Don Ott Engines, VRP Shocks and Hoosier Tires are great, too. I couldn't ask for any better car owners than Joe and Peggy (Harz). I know this means a lot for them, too. You know when you race the Outlaws that you have to be pretty good in time trials, and tonight being 12th ended up working out for us to get on the front row of the dash. Winning tonight keeps us from having to worry about it tomorrow, too."

Three of the 12 fastest qualifiers failed to qualify for the 25-lap Preliminary Feature through their Heat Races. Rahmer earned the privilege of starting the evening's main event outside the front row by winning the Second Dash Race.

Rahmer drove the #88H Miller Brothers Chevrolet J&J into the lead as the green flag fell in the Preliminary Feature. Brian Paulus, a member of the World of Outlaws Sprint Series' "Mean 15" who calls Mechanicsburg home, exchanged eighth place with First Heat Race winner Craig Dollansky during the third and sixth laps.

Rahmer was a half-straightaway ahead of pole-sitter Jonathan Allard when he entered lapped traffic during the eighth lap. Dollansky, who swept the feature races in the Inaugural Polydome Princeton National a week earlier, took the high line through turn four to pass Paul McMahan for seventh place the next time around.

Brooke Weibley took the leaders out of lapped traffic when he spun in front of Rahmer in the fourth corner late in lap 10. Allard, a Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year candidate, kept pace with Rahmer as the green flag replaced the yellow. Jonathan raced wheel-to-wheel with Rahmer through turns one and two during the 14th and 17th laps, but was unable to surge ahead. Rahmer extended his advantage to five car-lengths late in lap 18 when Allard's #35 PRT Travel Maxim jumped the cushion in the fourth corner. Rahmer, who won a World of Outlaws Sprint Series main event at Williams Grove on May 19, 2000, was six car-lengths ahead of Allard when he caught the back-markers again with five laps remaining.

Lasoski drove 2002 NASCAR Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart's #20 J.D. Byrider Eagle to the lowest point in the second corner to pass Allard for second place early in lap 21. "The Dude," who was injured in a crash at Williams Grove Speedway on July 26, 2002, continued his run to the front two laps later, using an identical move to pass Rahmer. Lasoski lost the lead several seconds later, however, when he collided with his nephew, Brian Brown, and Allard in turn three.

Kinser, winner of 24 World of Outlaws Sprint Series "A" Features at "The Grove," drove his #11 Quaker State Maxim past Jason Sides in the low groove between the third and fourth corners late in lap 24. The series' standings leader increased his advantage to 81 points over Lasoski with the runner-up run.

Sides finished in third place, ahead of Third Heat Race winner Donny Schatz, McMahan, Dollansky, Kenny Jacobs, Mark Smith, 18th-starting Daryn Pittman and Paulus.

Schatz, who drove his family's #15 Parker Store J&J past six cars, passed Jason Meyers for third place in the point standings. Sides, who equaled his best feature finish of the season, moved past Joey Saldana into 10th place.

Tim Shaffer, a "Mean 15" member who lives in Aliquippa, PA, drove the #83 Beef Packers Eagle into 13th place from outside the 12th row.

Kinser paced the qualifying session with a 107.946-M.P.H. lap around the legendary half-mile oval.

Sammy Swindell was the fourth-fastest qualifier, won the "B" Feature, but engine problems in the #12X Beaver Drill & Tool Maxim forced him to stop as the cars were lining up for the Fourth Heat Race and the Preliminary Feature. Mark Kinser, who has won 10 main events at "The Grove," replaced Swindell in the feature lineup.

-WoO