Port Royal, PA — (September 3, 2011) — With nearly 110 racecars pitside, Jeff Rine of Danville notched his first win in the 7th annual Butch Renninger Memorial for late models at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday night after a miscue in lapped traffic with three laps to go cost leader Coleby Frye control of the race.
In the 25-lap sprint car feature, Rick Lafferty had the lead, lost it and got it back to win for the first time this season at the oval.
Defending track champion John Heane won his first of the season in the pro stock feature and Bill Powell won his second enduro dash of the season.
In pre-race activity, racing Spencer family patriarch Ed Spencer was presented with the inaugural Butch Renninger Loyalty, Dedication and Determination Award for his embodiment of Renninger’s likewise feisty and fiery spirit in competition and attitude. Spencer later gave the call for the Renninger Memorial field to start their engines.
Herndons Brett Schadel started second in the 33-lap Butch Renninger Memorial and looked strong early, leading the first eight laps over Mike Lupfer and sixth starter Rine, who moved into second with four away.
But on a restart with eight down, Rine went for the lead as the front pair headed for the first corner and tight quarters between the two found Schadel veering out of line toward the wall as Rine tried to recover and take command.
Dover’s Frye, who started ninth in the field, had other plans however, capitalizing on an out of shape Rine to zip from third to first and lead lap nine.
And then it was Frye’s turn to eye up the victory as he sailed in and out of traffic with the lead after getting into the backmarkers with 17 away.
Rine stayed close for a bit but Frye eventually pulled away from the Danville driver and was nearly home free with three laps to go when a dive to the inside of a lapped car in the third corner proved his undoing.
The dive and attempted slide failed and after contact and a drift into the outside rail, his night was done albeit after tallying some $726 in lap money.
Rine assumed command for the final three loops to pick up his second win of the year at the track and eighth of his career.
Lupfer ended up second with Gary Beward in third, Steve Campbell in fourth and Eric Zembower in fifth.
Sixth through 10th went to Bob Dunn, Terry Naugle, Waylon Wagner, Chad Hollenbeck and Dave Brouse Sr.
Heats went to Beward, Andy Haus and Hollenbeck with Dunn taking the consolation race.
Rick Lafferty led from the outset of the sprint main with fellow front row starter Dylan Cisney of Port Royal going along for the ride.
And when Lafferty entered the rear of the field with 10 laps down, Cisney pulled the trigger for the lead by handily swooping around him and into control exiting the second corner to score lap 13.
Sixth starter Doug Esh soon followed and the pair was pulling away just one lap later when disaster struck both pilots at the same time.
As Esh limped to stop on the backstretch with smoke coming out of this engine compartment, Cisney’s engine expired under caution and as a result back in front was Lafferty.
The New Jersey driver then pulled away to his seventh career win at Port Royal over eighth starter Greg Hondnett, Chad Layton, Curt Stroup and Mike Wagner.
Sixth through 10th went to Ryan Taylor, Lance Dewease, Kevin Nouse, Fred Rahmer and Dan Shetler.
Heats went to Nouse, Joey Hershey, Lafferty and Esh. Keith Kauffman scored the consolation race.
Harold Ranck led the first six circuits of the 15-lap pro stock main before Heane took over and drove the victory.
It was the 20th time of Heane’s Port career that he was able to pick up the checkers.
Dave Bowsman rode home in second followed by Brian Towsey, Derrick Garman and Josh Angle.
Sixth through 10th went to Keith Garman, Jason Davis, Scott Landis, Craig Morgan and Paul Morgan.
Heats went to Dan Berry and John Heane.
Bill Powell took the win in the 30-lap enduro dash. It was Powell’s second dash win of the season.
His wife Jen Powell unofficially recorded the 2011 track title in the division with a finish of fifth.
Adam Yetter was second followed by Carl Miller and Jan Powell.
Feature Finishes
September 3, 2011
Sprint cars, 25 laps: 1. Rick Lafferty, 2. Greg Hodnett, 3. Chad Layton, 4. Curt Stroup, 5. Mike Wagner, 6. Ryan Taylor, 7. Lance Dewease, 8. Kevin Nouse, 9. Fred Rahmer, 10. Dan Shetler, 11. Cliff Brian, 12. Joey Hershey, 13. Keith Kauffman, 14. Davey Sammons, 15. Todd Shaffer, 16. Daryl Stimeling, 17. Nicole Bower, 18. Scott Lutz, 19. Mike Erdley, 20. Dylan Cisney, 21. Doug Esh,, 22. Vince Snyder, 23. Bob Howard, 24. John Brennfleck
Late model feature, 33 laps: 1. Jeff Rine, 2. Mike Lupfer, 3. Gary Beward, 4. Steve Campbell, 5. Eric Zembower, 6. Bob Dunn, 7. Terry Naugle, 8. Waylon Wagner, 9. Chad Hollenbeck, 10. Dave Brouse Sr., 11. Brett Schadel, 12. Mike Mort, 13. Coleby Frye, 14. Andy Haus, 15. Tim Wilson, 16. Scott Haus, 17. Bryon Sipe, 18. Dylan Yoder, 19. Chris Casner, 20. Meade Hahn, 21. Patrick Bryner, 22. Todd Snook, 23. Jim Yoder, 24. Jeremy Miller
Pro stock, feature, 15 laps: 1. John Heane, 2. Dave Bowsman, 3. Brian Towsey, 4. Derrick Bowsman, 5. Josh Angle, 6. Keith Garman, 7. Jason Davis, 8. Scott Landis, 9. Craig Morgan, 10. Paul Morgan, 11. Harold Ranck, 12. Dave Brouse Jr., 13. Adam Imes, 14. Ken Stitt Jr., 15. Dustin Hollinger, 16. Dan Berry, 17. Wayne Burns, 18. Jim King, 19. Nate Fisher, 20. Jim Palm Jr., 21. Nate Kerstetter
Enduro dash, 30 laps: 1. Bill Powell, 2. Adam Yetter, 3. Carl Miller, 4. Jan Powell, 5. Jen Powell, 6. Teresa Kepner, 7. Kevin Mandic, 8. Trent Brenneman, 9. Brady Cauffman, 10. Rick Adair, 11. Devin Hart, 12. Mike Goodwin, 13. Chuck Eckert, 14. Gary Conklin, 15. Ryan Renninger, 16. John Goshorn, 17. Deron Henry, 18. Jason Zook, 19. Craig Imes, 20. Chuck Detweiler