From Bill Meyer
Abbottstown, PA — (June 11, 2016) — The thrillers just keep coming at Lincoln Speedway.
This time it was Central PA point series leader Greg Hodnett who had the fans on their feet, sliding under race-long leader Lucas Wolfe exiting the final turn to claim his third win of the year in Saturday night’s 30-lap Leffler Energy Dirt Classic Showcase.
“We never touched,” said Hodnett over the din of boos which were there to meet him in victory lane, “I had to do what I had to do to win. I had a good car. They were out in front, and we chased him down and lucky enough to pass him on the last lap.”
The event included a last lap challenge which polesitter and outside front row starter Lucas Wolfe turned down to go for the top prize and an automatic qualifying spot for Lincoln’s September 24th Third Annual Dirt Classic.
Ryan Smith, who was slated to start third, accepted the last row challenge, and earned $2,050 by advancing from 24th staring spot to finish 15th.
Although he started on the pole, Hodnett lost the drag race to turn one and chased Wolfe the first 29 and three-quarter laps. When the two leaders first hit lapped traffic on lap ten, Wolfe had nearly a two-second lead. He increased the advantage to 2 and-a-half seconds with ten laps to go.
But heavy lapped traffic allowed Hodnett to close the gap as the laps wound down. He began peaking under the Zemco #1 in the turns with three laps to go.
“Lucas was having trouble getting through one and two. He wanted to be up top, and there were a couple of times he split it and went to the middle. That gave me a lot of momentum,” said Hodnett, “Heading into turn three I thought we were faster and we needed to get off turn four better. When he got caught behind the lapped cars, I made my move. I have watched Brian Montieth and Danny Dietrich and the guys that run good do it every time they come here. I’ve been on the receiving end of that slider, so we just put ourselves in a position to get in front of him and make him back off.”
As the two front-runners exited the final turn, Wolfe struck the outside guardrail and wrestled his sprinter home second.
Third through fifth were Stevie Smith, Brent Marks (who came from 14th starting spot), and Gerard McIntyre, Jr. Sixth through tenth were Danny Dietrich, Adam Wilt, Chase Dietz, Aaron Ott, and Brian Montieth.
Fast time in time trials over the 34-car field was set by Brandon Rahmer with a one-lap time of 13.706-seconds. Heats were won by Montieth, Wolfe, Stevie Smith, and Robbie Kendall, with Brandon Rahmer winning the B-Main. And, of course, Greg Hodnett won the Dash.
Lincoln swings back into action next Saturday night, June 18th, with a three-division show that includes the 410 Sprints, 358 Sprints, and Super Sportsman. Heats will get underway at 7:30 PM, with gates opening at 5:30 PM.
RACE RESULTS
Saturday, June 11, 2016
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Abbottstown, PA
LEFFLER ENERGY NIGHT
“DIRT CLASSIC” SHOWCASE
Feature (30 Laps) – 1. 27-Greg Hodnett; 2. 1-Lucas Wolfe; 3. 51S-Stevie Smith; 4. 19M-Brent Marks; 5. 16-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 6. 48-Danny Dietrich; 7. 15-Adam Wilt; 8. 2D-Chase Dietz; 9. 25-Aaron Ott; 10. 21-Brian Montieth; 11. 59-Jim Siegel; 12. 55K-Robbie Kendall; 13. 88-Brandon Rahmer; 14. 11C-Cory Haas; 15. 94-Ryan Smith; 16. 8-Billy Dietrich; 17. 37-JJ Grasso; 18. 87-Alan Krimes; 19. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe; 20. 1X-Chad Trout; 21. 10K-Joe Kata, III; 22. 5-Tyler Ross (DNF); 23. 21T-Scott Fisher (DNF); 24. 52-Austin Hogue (DNF). No Time
Lap Leaders – Lucas Wolfe (1-29), Greg Hodnett (30)
Heat One Finish (10 laps/5 to qualify) – 1. 21-Brian Montieth; 2. 11C-Cory Haas; 3. 27-Greg Hodnett; 4. 87-Alan Krimes; 5. 2D-Chase Dietz; 6. 1X-Chad Trout; 7. 88-Brandon Rahmer; 8. 3B-Randy Baughman; 9. 75B-Todd Berkheimer. No Time
Heat Two Finish (10 laps/5 to qualify) – 1. 1-Lucas Wolfe; 2. 19M-Brent Marks; 3. 16-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 4. 52-Austin Hogue; 5. 59-Jim Siegel; 6. 25-Aaron Ott; 7. 74-Dwayne Gutshall; 8. 4-John Rudisill. Time – 2:27.806
Heat Three Finish (10 laps/5 to qualify) – 1. 51S-Stevie Smith; 2. 48-Danny Dietrich; 3. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe; 4. 94-Ryan Smith; 5. 10-Joe Kata, III; 6. 12-Mike Bittinger; 7. 75-Frankie Herr (DNF); 8. 51-Freddie Rahmer (DNF). No Time
Heat Four Finish (10 laps/5 to qualify) – 1. 55K-Robbie Kendall; 2. 8-Billy Dietrich; 3. 15-Adam Wilt; 4. 21T-Scott Fisher; 5. 37-JJ Grasso; 6. 5-Tyler Ross; 7. 69-Shane Hoff; 8. 73-Javon Ahner. Time – 2:39.936
Dash Results (8 Laps) – 1. 27-Greg Hodnett; 2. 1-Lucas Wolfe; 3. Ryan Smith; 4. 15-Adam Wilt; 5. 16-Gerard McIntyre, Jr.; 6. 21-Brian Montieth; 7. 51S-Stevie Smith; 8. 55K-Robbie Kendall. Time – 2:06.201
B-Main Finish (12 Laps/4 to qualify) – 1. 88-Brandon Rahmer; 2. 25-Aaron Ott; 3. 5-Tyler Ross; 4. 1X-Chad Trout; 5. 51-Freddie Rahmer; 6. 75-Frankie Herr; 7. 69-Shane Hoff; 8. 4-John Rudisill; 9. 3B-Randy Baughman; 10. 73-Jevon Ahner; 11. 75B-Todd Berkheimer; 12. 74-Dwayne Gutshall; 13. 12-Mike Bittinger.
TIME TRIALS RESULTS – 1. 88-Brandon Rahmer, 13.706 seconds (98.497 MPH); 2. 16-Gerard McIntyre, Jr., 13.714; 3. 94-Ryan Smith, 13.721; 4. 15-Adam Wilt, 13.870; 5. 27-Greg Hodnett, 13.883; 6. 59-Jimmy Siegel, 13.957; 7. 48-Danny Dietrich, 13.963; 8. 8-Billy Dietrich, 13.995; 9. 2D-Chase Dietz, 14.036; 10. 1-Lucas Wolfe, 14.046; 11. 51S-Stevie Smith, 14.053; 12. 55K-Robbie Kendall, 14.056; 13. 11C-Cory Haas, 14.093; 14. 19M-Brent Marks, 14.099; 15. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe, 14.117; 16. 21T-Scott Fisher, 14.129; 17. 21-Brian Montieth, 14.184; 18. 25-Aaron Ott, 14.253; 19. 51-Freddie Rahmer, 14.291; 20. 37-JJ Grasso, 14.291; 21. 87-Alan Krimes, 14.329; 22. 52-Austin Hogue, 14.344; 23. 75-Frankie Herr, 14.416; 24. 69-Shane Hoff, 14.431; 25. 1X-Chad Trout, 14.445; 26. 74-Dwayne Gutshall, 14.514; 27. 12-Mike Bittinger, 14.576; 28. 73-Javon Ahner, 14.606; 29. 3B-Randy Baughman, 14.684; 30. 4-John Rudisill, 14.762; 31. 10K-Joe Kata, III, 14.839; 32. 5-Tyler Ross, 14.856; 33. 75B-Todd Berkheimer, 15.188; 34. 23-TJ Stutts, NT.