From Bill Meyer
Abbottstown, PA — (March 23, 2013) — “This ranks up there with all the wins of my whole career,” said a jubilant Cole Duncan after claiming his first career Lincoln win in the 25-lap “410” sprint car feature Saturday evening.
“I want to thank all you fans for coming out,” said Duncan after exiting his Bobby Labonte Racing #22 in victory lane, “The only place in the country that would pack a place when it’s 35 degrees is Central Pennsylvania. That’s
why it’s so fun to come out here and race. The promoters that put this race
on.everywhere else cancelled, we had plenty of options to go to, but we
decided to come here because it’s’ the only place racing.”
The win came one day after the Lockbourne, Ohio racer’s 21st birthday, and
Duncan became the 200th different winner in sprint car competition in
Lincoln history.
Points handicapping placed Duncan on the pole for the feature event, and he
led every lap, despite heavy late-race pressure from opening day winner and
four-time track champ Brian Montieth as the two raced through heavy lapped
traffic.
Montieth, who started tenth, advanced to fourth by the end of the first lap
and caught Greg Hodnett for the runner-up spot on lap seven. At the time,
Duncan hit lapped traffic for the first time.
A red flag for the flipping cars of Billy Pauch, Jr. and then Jason Leffler
put Montieth on Duncan’s back bumper for the ensuing eighth-lap restart.
Duncan pulled away over the next seven laps until lapped traffic again
became a factor. Montieth closed and pulled alongside Duncan in nearly every
turn just before the final caution of the race came out on lap 18 for Logan
Schuchart, who came to a stop on the back stretch.
“He (Montieth) kept poking his nose under there, and I kept telling myself
that I don’t care what he does, I’m not lifting. He raced me clean. That was
awesome. If he wouldn’t have raced me clean, we probably would have both
been hanging in the catch fence, because I wasn’t gonna lift to win at this
place.”
On the final restart, third-place Brent Marks (who started 12th), attempted
a slider on Montieth, giving Duncan the space he needed to pull off the
upset win. Montieth closed again on the final lap, but couldn’t pull off the
pass in the final turns to the checkered.
Duncan’s win was worth $3,300, thanks to a $100 contribution from John
Gleim, Jr. Restart Raffle winner Kevin Strausbaugh, who gave his winnings to
Duncan in memory of his father Thomas, who passed away Sunday after
attending Lincoln races weekly for 40 years.
Marks crossed, followed by Fred Rahmer and Hodnett. Sixth through tenth were
Danny Dietrich, Cory Haas (racing the car he crashed opening day), J.J.
Grasso, Jim Siegel, and Lance Dewease.
“There’s no better local competition than Central PA,” said Duncan, “To come
beat these guys, I don’t care if I started on the pole or not, that was a
lot of fun. I just respect all these guys so much. To win here is awesome!”
Heats for the 27 “410” Sprinters were won by Alan Krimes, Jim Siegel, and
Brent Marks.
Gene Knaub came from 11th starting spot to claim the season opening win in
the 358 late model division.
The Superior Homes #1 came on late to track down Jake Jones and become the
event’s fourth different leader in turns three and four of lap 15.
Outside front row starter Brad Shank led the first two laps before spinning
in turn two. That handed the lead over to polesitter Bernie Beard, who paced
the field until Jones caught the “X” car on lap five. Jones led the next
laps before Knaub drove under the Miller Auto Parts #43 to take the lead for
good.
Knaub moved into fourth on lap seven, caught Paul Cursey for third on lap
11, and then drove by Beard for the runner-up spot on lap 11, all under
green flag racing conditions.
Jones settled for second, with Cursey crossing third, and Beard and Chase
Billet rounding out the top five. Kyle Lear, 22nd starting Grant Adams (who
was unable to start his heat), Cam Zeigler, Travis Mease, and Ron Coleman
completed the top ten.
Heats for the 25 “358” Late Models were won by Lear, Knaub, and Billet.
Defending track champ Duane Watson started on the pole by luck of the draw
and led every lap, including a one-lap dash to the checkered, in the
season-opening “Spring Thaw 20” for the thundercars.
It was Watson’s 38th career win in the Pigeon Hills, and was worth $500.
Brian Walls finished second, with Todd Miller, Jimmy Combs, and Danny Beard
completing the top five.
Heats for the 14 Thundercars were won by Watson and Miller.
Lincoln swings back into action next Saturday, March 23rd (6 PM) with the
annual 410 Sprint Spring Championship paying $4,000 to win. The 358 Sprints
will return for their second event of 2013, and the Central PA Legends will
join the card in their first Lincoln appearance of the year. Gates will open
at 4 PM, with time trials for the 410 sprinters getting underway at 6 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.
Sat., March 23, 2013
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
LAWRENCE CHEVROLET 410 SPRINTS
Feature (25-Laps) – 1. 22-Cole Duncan ($3,200); 2. 21-Brian Montieth; 3.
19M-Brent Marks; 4. 20S-Fred Rahmer; 5. 39-Greg Hodnett; 6. 48-Danny
Dietrich; 7. 11C-Cory Haas; 8. 25-JJ Grasso; 9. 59-Jim Siegel; 10. 27-Lance
Dewease; 11. 87-Alan Krimes; 12. 15-Adam Wilt; 13. 50-Tim Glatfelter; 14.
8R-Michael Ruttkamp; 15. 14-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 16. 92-Ryan Smith; 17.
1S-Logan Schuchart (DNF); 18. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe (DNF); 19. 4-John
Rudisill (DNF); 20. B52-Scott Geesey (DNF); 21. 21A-Will Rose (DNF); 22.
29-Ryan Wilson (DNF); 23. 56-Billy Pauch, Jr. (DNF); 24. 13-Jason Leffler
(DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders – Cole Duncan (1-25)
1st Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 87-Alan Krimes; 2. 12-Brian Montieth;
3. 48-Danny Dietrich; 4. 56-Billy Pauch, Jr.; 5. 50-Tim Glatfelter; 6.
14-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 7. 21A-Will Rose; 8. 55K-Robbie Kendall (DNF); 9.
8-Billy Dietrich (DNF). No Time
2nd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 59-Jim Siegel; 2. 29-Ryan Wilson; 3.
27-Lance Dewease; 4. 22-Cole Duncan; 5. 11C-Cory Haas; 6. 13-Jason Leffler;
7. 1S-Logan Schuchart; 8. 15-Adam Wilt; 9. 4-John Rudisill. Time – 2:17.329
3rd Heat (10 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 19M-Brent Marks; 2. 20S-Fred Rahmer; 3.
25-J.J. Grasso; 4. 39-Greg Hodnett; 5. 8R-Michael Ruttkamp; 6. 2W-Glenndon
Forsythe; 7. 92-Ryan Smith; 8. B52-Scott Geesey (DNF); 9. 1A-Jacob Allen
(DNS). No time.
PRECISE RACING PRODUCTS 358 LATE MODELS
Feature (20-Laps) – 1. 1-Gene Knaub ($700); 2. 43-Jake Jones; 3. 37-Paul
Cursey; 4. X-Bernie Beard; 5. 22-Chase Billet; 6. 151-Kyle Lear; 7. 64-Grant
Adams; 8. 21Z-Cam Zeigler; 9. 116-Travis Mease; 10. 72-Ron Coleman; 11.
62-Devin Frey; 12. 9-Matt Adams; 13. 14-Tyler Horst; 14. 121-Larry Neiderer;
15. 57-Brad Shank; 16. 5-Jed Latshaw; 17. 5-John Moser; 18. 68-Caar Leach;
19. 7-Pat Beard (DNF); 20. 18-Tommy Slanker (DNF); 21. 4S-Danny Snyder
(DNF); 22. 18-Travis McClelland (DNF); 23. 12-Charlie Schaeffer (DNS); 24.
29-Steve Clabaugh (DNS). No time.
Lap Leaders – Brad Shank (1-2), Bernie Beard (3-4), Jake Jones (5-14), Gene
Knaub (15-20)
1st Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 151-Kyle Lear; 2. 116-Travis Mease; 3.
121-Larry Niederer; 4. 14-Tyler Horst; 5. 12-Charlie Scheaffer (DNF); 6.
7-Pat Beard(DNF); DNS – 18-Travis McClelland, 64-Grant Adams. Time – 2:11.84
2nd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 1-Gene Knaub; 2. 37-Paul Cursey; 3.
43-Jake Jones; 4. 57-Brad Shank; 5. 29-Steve Clabaugh; 6. 5-Jed Latshaw; 7.
68-Carl Leech; 8. 18-Tommy Slanker *DNF). Time – 2:08.78 (New 8-Lap Track
Record)
3rd Heat (8 Laps/6 to qualify) – 1. 22-Chase Billet; 2. 4S-Danny Snyder; 3.
21Z-Cam Zeigler; 4. X-Bernie Beard; 5. 72-Ron Coleman; 6. 5-John Moser; 7.
9-Matt Adams; 8. 62-Devin Frey. No Time
THUNDERCARS
Feature (20-Laps) – 1. 3W-Duane Watson ($500); 2. 2W-Brian Walls; 3. 3-Todd
Miller; 4. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 5. 60-Danny Beard; 6. 83-Mikey Guise; 7.
11-Bobby Beard; 8. 44-Tom Walls III; 9. 11S-John Stoll, Jr.; 10. 101-Dave
Good, Sr.; 11. 39-Wayne Dutterer (DNF); 12. 72-Jason Townsend (DNF); 13.
23-Donnie Murphy (DNS); 14. 81J-Jamie Zentmyer (DNS). No Time
Lap Leaders – Duane Watson (1-20)
1st Heat (8 Laps) – 1. 3W-Duane Watson; 2. 23-Donnie Murphy; 3. 44-Tom Walls
III; 4. 101-Dave Good, Sr.; 5. 81J-Jamie Zentmyer (DNF); 6. 72-Jason
Townsend (DNS); 7. 11S-John Stoll, Jr. (DNS). Time – 2:35.68
2nd Heat (8 Laps) – 1. 3-Todd Miller; 2. 2W-Brian Walls; 3. 39-Wayne
Dutterer; 4. 83-Mikey Guise; 5. 11-Bobby Beard; 6. 54J-Jimmy Combs; 7.
60-Danny Beard (DNF). Time – 2:36.84