By Brad Vores
YORK HAVEN, PA 9/22/16
Danny Dietrich tweeted “it will be a win it or wear it kind of night” Thursday afternoon in reference to Thursday night’s BAPS Coatings & Supplies 410 Sprint Series Justin Snyder “Salute to the Troops” event at Susquehanna Speedway.
And he wasn’t kidding.
While he nearly “wore it” on several occasions during the 30-lap feature event, the Gettysburg driver remained relentless, pounding the top of the speedway and then “won it” when race-long leader Aaron Ott caught a rut on the final on the final lap exiting the second corner.
Ott’s bobble was just what Dietrich needed to blast into the lead and lead the final half lap to become the first repeat winner in BAPS 410 Sprint Series competition this season. It was his eighth career Susquehanna win.
“I was sitting there catching my breath because my arms are just pumping right now,” Dietrich stated in victory lane following the intense high speed battle on the tricky track. “I had a death grip on the steering wheel. I thought I was gonna crash three or four times down there in one and two and lost a lot of ground and had to catch back up.”
By virtue of his dash win, Ott grabbed the lead at the start followed by Greg Hodnett and Dietrich.
It didn’t take Ott long to catch the rear of the field and was racing in heavy traffic on lap nine when Trey Starks stopped in turn one to bring out the caution.
The race went red on lap 10 when Davey Sammons flipped hard in turn three as Australia’s Lynton Jeffrey also turned over. Neither driver was injured.
Ott again stormed into the lead but Hodnett was making some challenges before Ott began to open some distance at the halfway mark of the race.
Hodnett and Dietrich battled hard for the runner-up spot in heavy traffic on lap 18 as Hodnett closed on Ott as they continued to race through traffic as the laps clicked off.
Ott maintained a slight lead with five laps to go as Dietrich used a lapped car to make a move for second spot on Hodnett with three laps remaining.
Dietrich closed on Ott and was right on Ott’s bumper when the East Berlin driver caught the turn two rut, just turning his car enough to allow Dietrich to drive by and score the win.
“I wasn’t following him through one and two and I knew the only way would be around the top,” said Dietrich about his last lap plan to win the race. “I thought maybe he’d baby it but then he hit that rut the wrong way and I knew if I could beat him off the corner, we’d be okay.”
Dietrich’s win was worth $5,000 and was the eighth of the season for the Gary Kauffman Racing owned team. The win came in a race dedicated to the memory of Justin Snyder, a huge race fan and retired combat veteran of the U.S. Army, whose life was cut short earlier this year.
Ott settled for the runner-up spot ahead of Hodnett with California driver Tim Kaeding fourth and North Carolina’s Dave Blaney fifth.
Completing the top 10 finishers were Australian invader James McFadden driving for NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne, Lucas Wolfe, Ryan Smith, Brent Marks and Brian Montieth.
Smith earned $500 from the Beer Hill Gang for his fast time in time trials over the 30-car field.
Sprint car heats were won by Kaeding, Wolfe and Hodnett with Starks winning the consolation.
Tyler Esh earned the Hard Charger award after starting 24th and finishing 18th. He took home $500 courtesy of the McSherrystown’s Moose Lodge 720 along with a $400 gift certificate from Brown and Miller Racing Solutions.
East Berlin’s Bob Stough came home with the win in the 20-lap Servicemasters Clean Central PA Legends feature over Mason Chaney, Scott Houdeshell, Travis Perry and Jeff Herbst.
Heats for the 24 Legends were won by Harlon Leppo, Reed Salony and Chad Earnst.
Susquehanna Speedway returns to action this Saturday, September 24 with the return of the Credit Connection Auto Sales Super Sportsman joined by the 358 Late Models, Street Stocks and Road Warriors. Pits open at 4pm, Grandstands at 5pm with racing at 7pm.
For the latest news and results, fans are reminded to visit www.susquuehannaspeedway.net and follow Susquehanna Speedway on Twitter and Facebook.
SUSQUEHANNA SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS 9/22/16
BAPS COATINGS & SUPPLIES 410 SPRINTS-JUSTIN SNYDER “SALUTE TO THE TROOPS”
(30 LAPS)
1. Danny Dietrich, 2. Aaron Ott, 3. Greg Hodnett, 4. Tim Kaeding, 5. Dave Blaney, 6. James McFadden, 7. Lucas Wolfe, 8. Ryan Smith, 9. Brent Marks, 10. Brian Montieth, 11. Chad Trout, 12. Austin Hogue, 13. Adam Wilt, 14. Tyler Ross, 15. Kyle Moody, 16. Glenndon Forsythe, 17. Dwayne Gutshall, 18. Tyler Esh, 19. Anthony Macri, 20. Steve Storrie, 21. Kody Lehman, 22. Lynton Jeffrey, 23. Davey Sammons, 24. Trey Starks.
Did Not Qualify: Karl Baker, David Quakenbush, Anthony Fiore, Bradley Howard, Brett Michalski, Dustin Baney.