From Steve Inch, image courtesy of Rick Rarer/sprintcarnews.com
Port Royal, PA – Greg Hodnett of Thomasville took the lead from Fred Rahmer and drove to victory in Saturday night’s Weikert’s Livestock, All Star Circuit of Champions Bob Weikert Memorial at Port Royal Speedway.
Including lap monies and $200 for fast time earlier in the evening, Hodnett took home $9,000 for his 30 laps of work in the feature. It was his second win in the prestigious event, having also scored in the 2007 version.
Brian Towsey won his second feature of the season in the 15-lap pro stock main while Joel Robinson took the win in the companion 15-lap sidewinder sprints main event.
After setting fast time over the 32-car field of All Star sprints with a lap of 16.708, Hodnett finished fourth in the dash to start the main from the outside of the front row.
But it was polesitter and 2009 Weikert Memorial champion Stevie Smith who took the lead at the start followed closely by second starter Rahmer of Salfordville.
Smith was able to garner $100 for leading the first lap before Rahmer took over with two away after muscling past Smith’s Zemco racer.
Rahmer began to pull away while racking up laps at $100 each after he got the lead, entering the backmarkers with nine away while Smith ran second with Chad Layton third and Hodnett still fourth.
But by the time the races first caution flag unfurled with 12 down for a flat tire on Smith’s machine, Hodnett was up to second for the restart.
Hodnett went to work when action resumed and slid Rahmer entering the first corner to take command and end Rahmer’s run at the front, which netted him some $1,100 in lap monies despite the setback.
And then it was Rahmer’s turn for a flat with 14 laps to go but before he stopped with the deflation, eighth starting All Star Dale Blaney of Hartford, Oh., entered the picture in third.
Blaney restarted the race on Hodnett’s tail and was sticking with the leader when the red flag waved abruptly with eight laps to go for a wild flip by Kerry Madsen on the backstretch. Madsen’s racer vaulted outside the oval’s backstretch but Madsen escaped uninjured.
Blaney gave it a run for the lead on the final restart, trying to stick a nose under Hodnett in the first corner but Hodnett slammed the door as the pace quickened before pulling away to his first win anywhere aboard his new ride in the John Trone-owned No. 39 machine.
Aside from his financial earnings, Hodnett and car owner Trone won free, personalized jackets from the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in honor of NSCHOF inductee Bob Weikert.
In victory lane, Todd Weikert, the son of race honoree Bob Weikert, made a huge announcement to Hodnett and the legions of fans in attendance by saying that he and his family decided earlier in the evening that the 2012 memorial for patriarch Bob Weikert will pay a hefty $10,000 to win to go along with all the contingency monies.
The announcement was met with raucous applause from fans as well as Hodnett himself.
Blaney finished second and picked up a free front wheel from Keizer Aluminum Wheels.
Mike Wagner, Harrisonville, finished third followed by Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls, Sd.; and Lance Dewease, Fayetteville.
Sixth went to Steve Buckwalter, Royersford, followed by Ryan Taylor, Perkasie; Mark Smith, Tower City; a rebounding Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, Okla.; and Doug Esh, Lancaster.
Stevie Smith also received a free Keizer front wheel.
Heats worth $100 each courtesy of Hoseheads.com, Sports Plus Video and Middleswarth Chips went to Tyler Walker, Dewease, Mark Smith and Esh.
Stevie Smith won the dash to earn the pole and the B Main went to Tim Shaffer.
Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale, Tx., pocketed $100 as the first non-qualifier.
Towsey picked up his pro stock win over Scott Landis, Harold Ranck, Josh Angle and Jason Davis. Twin heats went to Derrick Garman and Towsey.
Rohan Beasley and Danny Wykes picked up sidewinder heats before Robinson scored the feature over Wykes, Christian Wright, Donnie Hendershot and Beasley.
Port Royal returns to action on May 7 at 7 PM with Ladies Night featuring $2.00 off Adult Ladies General Admission as well as a kids Easter Egg scramble and free chocolate Easter Rabbits to the first 150 youngsters passing thru the gates. 410 sprints, late models, ARDC Midgets and powder puffs are on the program.
Port Royal Speedway thanks the following Weikert’s Livestock associate sponsors for helping make the night a success with lap monies:
Richard Childress Racing, Welcome, NC, Lap 3; Scott’s Body Shop, Gettysburg, PA; Miller & Associates Real Estate, LLC., Gettysburg, PA, Lap 25; S&B Livestock, Inc., Herndon, PA; South Branch Livestock Exchange, Moorefield, WV; Virginia Livestock Inc., Front Royal, VA; Virginia Cattle Company, Radiant, VA; Craig Livestock Market, Shippensburg, PA; Greencastle Livestock Market, Greencastle, PA; Hickory Bridge Farms, Orrtanna, Pa; Nicholas Packing, Loganton, PA; JAB Hauling, Jersey Shore, PA; Folkens Brothers Hauling, Lester, IA, Lap 1; Joel Stein Showhorses, Gettysburg, PA; Stan’s Beverages, Carlisle, PA; Holtapp Trucking, Pomeroy, IA; Weiss Trasport, Hills, MN; JW Trueth Inc., Baltimore, MD; High Plains Feedyard, Montezuma, KS; Irsik & Doll Feedyards, Garden City, KS; Century Golf Partners/Arnold Palmer Golf Management, Orlando, FL; Diedrichsen Cattle Company, Neligh, NE; Roth Racing, Fresno, CA; Steve K. Bierly Trucking, Mill Hall, PA; Roadcap Livestock, Harrisonburg, VA; Heritage Cattle Company, Garden City, KS; M&R Livestock, Inc., Gettysburg, PA; Highland Farms, Gettysburg, PA; Weikert’s Livestock, Inc., Fairfield PA, Lap 29; Upper Marsh Creek; Gettysburg, PA.
April 30, 2011 Feature Finishes:
410 sprints, 30 laps: 1. Greg Hodnett, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Mike Wagner, 4. Justin Henderson, 5. Lance Dewease, 6. Steve Buckwalter, 7. Ryan Taylor, 8. Mark Smith, 9. Stevie Smith, 10. Doug Esh, 11. Daryn Pittman, 12. Tyler Walker, 13. Tim Shaffer, 14. Keith Kauffman, 15. Aaron Ott, 16. Fred Rahmer, 17. David Gravel, 18. Davey Sammons, 19. Pete Miller, 20. Mike Erdley, 21. Jessica Zemken, 22. Kerry Madsen, 23. Chad Layton, 24. Jack Thornton
Pro stocks, 15 laps: 1. Brian Towsey, 2. Scott Landis, 3. Harold Ranck, 4. Josh Angle, 5. Jason Davis, 6. Keith Garman, 7. Lucas Bryner, 8. Ken Stitt Jr., 9. Dave Berry, 10. Dave Bowsman, 11. Derick Garman, 12. Greg Scott, 13. Dan Berry, 14. Nate Fisher
Sidewinder sprints, 15 laps: 1. Joel Robinson, 2. Danny Wykes, 3. Christian Wright, 4. Donnie Hendershot, 5. Rohan Beasley, 6. Jerry Strausbaugh, 7. Jason Eisehnart, 8. Gary Funck, 9. JD Casazza, 10. Brandon Yarlett, 11. Mike Denier, 12. Jason Eisenhart, 13. Kerry Schanz, 14. Rich Halter, 15. Zack Overmiller, 16. Ben Murphy