From Lincoln Speedway
Abbottstown, PA — (March 17, 2012) — Two early-race bad breaks combined with two late-race good breaks resulted in a thrilling win for Brian Leppo in the 25-lap “410” sprint car feature at Lincoln Speedway Saturday night.
Leppo, racing for just the fifth time for new car owners Jesse and Lorraine Keen, scored his first win of the season by holding off the charging sprinters of 12th-starting Brian Montieth and ninth-starting Danny Dietrich to score his eighth career Lincoln win.
“I don’t like to say that I ever get nervous, but I was probably pretty nervous there at the end,” said Leppo upon exiting the Peterbuilt/Swope’s Salvage and Recycling, Keen Motorsports #17 in victory lane, “The 21 guys are fast here. We talk about that every time we’re fortunate enough to pick up a win. I saw him putting some pressure on me. I wasn’t necessarily taking it easy, but I think Siegel was kinda’ coming to us a little. He was just so fast there at the beginning, and I knew on the first start that came back if he got me on the start, it was going to be hard to catch him.”
“Jim is my best friend here,” continued Leppo, “His dad works hard and he has a small crew that helps him out. Then Montieth started coming and that messed up the first plan of being conservative. I think we have a little bit of a wounded motor…we had a temperature problem earlier and it got a little warm again…but it’s pretty obvious that with starting on the front row, I would have been disappointed to back up. To look at our new chapter with the Keens, we have a fast car. Everybody knows their car is one of the best there is for sure.”
Leppo took the lead at the outset, but the start was called back when opening day winner and 20th-starting Adam Wilt flipped in the first turn. He then followed polesitter Jim Siegel for the first seven laps, and appeared to make the pass for the lead in turns three and four. But just as he was making the pass, the caution came out for Ryan Bohlke, who stopped in turn two. Siegel assumed the lead for the restart, and led the next 15 laps before getting crossed up by a lapped car and flipping hard in turn three of lap 23.
At the time, it appeared Montieth was in the process of passing Leppo for second, but Leppo was scored second at the end of lap 22 and became the race leader. Leppo held off Montieth over the final three laps to cross .53 seconds ahead of the four-time defending track champ, with Dietrich crossing third, Aaron Ott fourth, and Alan Krimes fifth.
Sixth through tenth were 11th-starting Brent Marks, 13th-starting J.J. Grasso, Johnny Mackison, Jr., 21st-starting Bill Stine, and 16th-starting Brad McClelland.
Another driver with a good run was Cory Haas, but his car expired in turn four while running third on lap 12.
Heats for the 29 “410” Sprints were won by Kevin Nouse, Cory Haas, and Alan Krimes, with Logan Schuchart winning the consolation.
Gettysburg’s Kyle Martin passed polesitter Brad Shank at the line to complete the second lap, then held Roy Warehime and Duane Watson off his bumper literally the last 10 laps en route to the big $500-to-win Spring Thaw 20 opener for the Thundercars.
Martin, who started third, had to endure several restart over the final 10 laps with fourth-starting Warehime and seventh-starting racing side-by-side right behind all the way.
In a final green-white-checkered finish, Martin held off Warehime by .63-seconds for his second career thundercar feature win at the Pigeon Hills oval.
Warehime was followed by Watson, 10th-starting Justin Mong, 11th-starting Mikey Guise, Mike Slaybaugh, Brian Walls, Jamie Zentmyer, Todd Miller, and Jimmy Combs.
Heats for the 17 Thundercars were won by Brian Walls and Watson.
Next Saturday, March 24th, Lincoln Speedway will host its first 3-division show of 2012 with the 410 Sprint and thundercar regulars sharing the night with the 358 Late Models who open there season that night. Race time will be 6PM. Gates will open at 4 PM.
To get all the latest news, results, schedule changes and rule changes, visit Lincoln Speedway’s website at http://www.lincolnspeedway.com to stay up-to-date on all the action or pending weather conditions at Central Pennsylvania’s “Premier” Saturday night race track – The Fabulous Lincoln Speedway.
RACE RESULTS
Sat., March 17, 2012
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
LAWRENCE CHEVROLET 410 SPRINTS
Feature (25-Laps) – 1. 17-Brian Leppo ($3,200); 2. 21-Brian Montieth; 3. 48-Danny Dietrich; 4. 77-Aaron Ott; 5. 87-Alan Krimes; 6. 19M-Brent Marks; 7. 92-JJ Grasso; 8. 65-Johnny Mackison, Jr.; 9. 71X-Bill Stine; 10. 6-Brad McClelland; 11. 8-Billy Dietrich; 12. 2-Ryan Bohlke; 13. 14-Kevin Nouse; 14. 21K-Kyle Pruitt; 15. 38N-Nick Schlauch, Jr.; 16. 50-Austin Reed; 17. 20S-Derek Sell; 18. 4-John Rudisill; 19. 1S-Logan Schuchart (DNF); 20. 59-Jim Siegel (DNF); 21. 11C-Cory Haas (DNF); 22. 84-Chad Criswell (DNF); 23. 85-Gerard McIntyre, Jr. (DNF); 24. 15-Adam Wilt (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders – Jim Siegel (1-22), Brian Leppo (23-25)
1st Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 14-Kevin Nouse; 2. 77-Aaron Ott; 3. 19M-Brent Marks; 4. 2-Ryan Bohlke; 5. 92-JJ Grasso; 6. 6-Brad McClelland; 7. 21K-Kyle Pruitt; 8. 85-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 9. 15B-John Barnett; 10. 175-Jeff Geiges. Time – 2:2-.521
2nd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 11C-Cory Haas; 2. 48-Danny Dietrich; 3. 17-Brian Leppo; 4. 65-Johnny Mackison, Jr.; 5. 84-Chad Criswell; 6. 4-John Rudisill; 7. 1S-Logan Schuchart; 8. 56-Dave Wilson; 9. 15-Adam Wilt (DNF); DNS – 0-Steve Storrie. Time – 2:24.790
3rd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 87-Alan Krimes; 2. 21-Brian Montieth; 3. 59-Jim Siegel; 4. 38N-Nick Schlauch, Jr.; 5. 8-Billy Dietrich; 6. 20S-Derek Sell; 7. 50-Austin Reed; 8. 71X-Bill Stine; 9. 95-Hunter Mackison. Time – 2:26.623
Consolation (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 1S-Logan Schuchart; 2. 15-Adam Wilt; 3. 71X-Bill Stine; 4. 21K-Kyle Pruitt; 5. 50-Austin Reed; 6. 85-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 7. 56-Dave Wilson; 8. 15B-John Barnett; 9. 175-Jeff Geiges; 10. 95-Hunter Mackison. Time – 2:32.194
THUNDERCARS
Feature (20-Laps) – 1. 54-Kyle Martin ($500); 2. 54-Roy Warehime; 3. 3W-Duane Watson; 4. 77-Justin Mong; 5. 83-Mikey Guise; 6. 61-Mike Slaybaugh; 7. 2W-Brian Walls; 8. 81J-Jamie Zentmyer; 9. 3-Todd Miller; 10. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 11. 11-Chuck Walls; 12. 9X-Brian Diehl (DNF); 13. 47-Jimmy Jesmer (DNF); 14. 57-Brad Shank (DNF); 15. 55W-Tommy Walls III (DNF); 16. 60-Danny Beard (DNF); 17. 39-Wayne Dutterer (DNS). No Time
Lap Leaders – Brad Shank (1); Kyle Martin (2-20)
1st Heat (8 Laps) – 1. 2W-Brian Walls; 2. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 3. 54W-Roy Warehime; 4. 81J-Jamie Zentmyer; 5. 9X-Brian Diehl; 6. 83-Mikey Guise; 7. 47-Jimmy Jesmer; 8. 11-Chuck Walls; 9. 39-Wayne Dutterer. Time – 2:40.44
2nd Heat (8 Laps) – 1. 3W-Duane Watson; 2. 61-Mike Slaybaugh; 3. 54-Kyle Martin; 4. 57-Brad Shank; 5. 77-Justin Mong; 6. 60-Danny Beard; 7. 3-Todd Miller; 8. 55W-Tommy Walls III. Time – 2:37.47