From Bill Meyer
Abbottstown, PA — (August 26, 2015) — Technically, it was his sixth Lincoln win and the 197th of his storied career. But Lincoln Speedway and Fred Rahmer Promotions will let it to the pundits as to whether it counts.
But for Todd Shaffer, his win in Wednesday night’s “Legends of Central PA Sprint Car Racing” feature event was one that he will cherish for the rest of his days.
Second heat winner Kenny Adams of Malibar, Florida drew a zero pill for the inversion and led the first 10 laps of the feature event, losing a sizeable lead over Shaffer and the rest of the field when the competition yellow came out at the half-way point for what many drivers called an “oxygen break.”
On the 11th-lap restart, Adams bounced off the outside wall and lost the lead to Shaffer, who led the rest of the way. Adams settled for second, with Kenny Jacobs making a late-race pass to catch Cris Eash, who finished fourth. Keith Kauffman rounded out the top five in an event which featured 12 of the winningest drivers in Central PA history and among Fred Rahmer’s idols that he competed against throughout his career.
Qualifiers for the legends were won by the two 88 cars, Shaffer and Adams.
Danny Dietrich continued his hot streak by claiming two of the six match races and taking home the winner-take-all $10,000 among the six drivers elected by the fans through on-line voting.
Other winners of the five-lap match races were Dale Blaney (2) and Montieth (2).
In the end, Dietrich earned 53 points, followed by Lucas Wolfe with 50, Blaney with 48, and Montieth with 44. Greg Hodnett was sidelined in the first set of match races with a broken lifter, and Alan Krimes suffered mechanical problems in the last set of match races, ending both of their nights.
McClure’s Phil Walter, who raced against all but one of the legends on hand, took care of all the 358 sprinters in winning the 20-lap “358” sprint car feature.
Polesitter Cody Fletcher, grandson of one of the mechanics recognized as part of the evening’s festivities (Harry Fletcher), started on the pole and led the first five laps before giving way to fourth-starting Walter.
Though he led the rest of the way, he had to hold off the challenges of Central PA point series and Lincoln points leader Doug Hammaker over the second half of the race, taking the checkered .94 seconds in front for the $1,200 win.
Matt Campbell, second in Lincoln points, came on strong at the end to finish third, with Adrian Shaffer and Jeff Halligan completing the top five.
Heats for the 22 358’s on hand were won by Campbell, Shaffer, and Isaac Sneeringer.
This Saturday night, August 29, it will be APPLE CHRYSLER/DODGE/JEEP/RAM OF HANOVER NIGHT featuring the 410 Sprints, 358 Late Models, Street Stocks and York Flooring KIDS BIG WHEEL RACES. Gates open at 5:30 PM with racing action getting underway at 7:30 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
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
LEGENDS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SPRINT CAR RACING NIGHT
358 SPRINT FEATURE FINISH (20 laps) – 1. 5-Phil Walter; 2. 66-Doug Hammaker; 3. 16-Matt Campbell; 4. 27S-Adrian Shaffer; 5. 45H-Jeff Halligan; 6. 119-Chandler Leiby; 7. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 8. 18-Nyle Berkes; 9. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 10. 89-Ashley Cappetta; 11. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 12. 23-Chris Arnold; 13. 19D-Wyatt Hinkle; 14. 4-Dwight Leppo; 15. 35-Tyler Esh; 16. 5A-Brian Allman; 17. 23J-Jake Eldreth; 18. 10-Brandon Noel (DNF); 19. 17-Cole Young (DNF); 20. 12-Mike Bittinger (DNF); 21. 22-Nathan Prezenica (DNF); 22. 30-Seth Kearchner (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders – Cody Fletcher (1-5), Phil Walter (6-20)
358 Sprint Heat One Finish (10 laps) – 1. 16-Matt Campbell; 2. 17-Cole Young; 3. 119-Chandler Leiby; 4. 5A-Brian Allman; 5. 10B-Brandon Noel; 6. 22-Nathan Prezenica (DNF); 7. 30-Seth Kearchner (DNF); 8. 35-Tyler Esh (DNF). No Time
358 Sprint Heat Two Finish (10 laps) – 1. 27S-Adrian Shaffer; 2. 66-Doug Hammaker; 3. 5-Phil Walter; 4. 89-Ashley Cappetta; 5. 45-Jeff Rohrbaugh; 6. 19D-Wyatt Hinkle; 7. 4-Dwight Leppo. Time – 2:26.87
358 Sprint Heat Three Finish (10 laps) – 1. 19Z-Isaac Sneeringer; 2. 66A-Cody Fletcher; 3. 45H-Jeff Halligan; 4. 18-Nyle Berkes; 5. .23-Chris Arnold; 6. 23J-Jake Eldreth; DNS – 12-Mike Bittinger. Time – 2:31.50
LEGENDS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SPRINT CAR RACING
Legends Feature Finish (20 Laps) – 1. 88-Todd Shaffer; 2. 88A-Kenny Adams; 3. 29-Kenny Jacobs; 4. 17E-Cris Eash; 5. 77-Keith Kauffman; 6. 2-Steve Siegel; 7. 19-Steve Smith; 8. 12-Steve Stambaugh; 9. 4J-Jeff Shepard (DNF); 10. 1-Billy Pauch (DNF); 11. X-Bobby Weaver (DNF); 12. 77A-Lynn Paxton (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders – Kenny Adams (1-10), Todd Shaffer (11-20)
Legends Heat #1 (8 Laps) – 1. 88-Todd Shaffer; 2. 29-Kenny Jacobs; 3. 1Z-Billy Pauch; 4. 12-Steve Stambaugh; 5. 2-Steve Siegel (DNF); DNS – 77A-Lynn Paxton. Time – 1:56.268
Legends Heat #2 (8 Laps) – 1.88-Kenny Adams; 2. 17E-Cris Eash; 3. 77-Keith Kauffman; 4. X-Bobby Weaver; 5. 4J-Jeff Shepard; 6. 19-Steve Smith. Time – 1:57.618
$10,000-TO-WIN MATCH RACE
Match Race #1 (5 laps) – 1. 1-Dale Blaney; 2. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe; 3. 48-Danny Dietrich; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 27-Greg Hodnett; 6. 87-Alan Krimes. Time – 1:10.210
Match Race #2 (5 laps) – 1.1-Dale Blaney; 2. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe; 3. 87-Alan Krimes; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 48-Danny Dietrich; 6. 27-Greg Hodnett. Time – 1:11.417
Match Race #3 (5 laps) – 1. 48-Danny Dietrich; 2. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe; 3. 1-Dale Blaney; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 87-Alan Krimes. Time – 1:11.047
Match Race #4 (5 laps) – 1. 48-Danny Dietrich; 2. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe; 3. 1-Dale Blaney; 4. 21-Brian Montieth; 5. 87-Alan Krimes. Time – 1:12.682
Match Race #5 (5 laps) – 1. 21-Brian Montieth; 2. 48-Danny Dietrich; 3. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe; 4. 1-Dale Blaney; 5. 87-Alan Krimes; DNS – 27-Greg Hodnett. Time – 1:14.861
Match Race #6 (5 laps) – 1. 21-Brian Montieth; 2. 48-Danny Dietrich; 3. 1Z-Lucas Wolfe; 4. 1-Dale Blaney; DNS – 87-Alan Krimes, 27-Greg Hodnett. Time – 1:13.077