By Tyler Altmeyer
ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. (September 22, 2019) – Earning a second $20,000 Dirt Classic victory at the ‘Fabulous’ Lincoln Speedway is a feat in itself, but to hold back a hard-charging Danny Dietrich, as well as one the nation’s leading sprint car winners, Aaron Reutzel, in the process is down right impressive.
Known as ‘The Edge,’ Brian Montieth, a name certainly synonymous with victories and championships in the Pigeon Hills, accomplished such a feat, leading the final 16 circuits on Saturday night, September 21, to secure his place in Dirt Classic history, again.
“The boys do all of their homework. I’m just the lucky one who gets to stand up here,” a humble Brian Montieth said in Lincoln Speedway victory lane, who earned his first Dirt Classic title in 2015. “All the work is done at the shop through the week. I just can’t thank everyone enough.”
Although starting from the pole position, Montieth, driver of the H&H Contractor/XXX Chassis/Beerhill Gang/No. 21 sprint car, did not take command for the first time until lap 25, wrapping-up what turned out to be a 24-lap battle with recent Tommy Classic winner and current Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 point leader, Aaron Reutzel.
Utilizing his well-known line around the outer edge of the speedway, Montieth stalked Reutzel lap after lap before executing his winning move in turns three and four, eventually slingshotting around the 14-time All Star Circuit of Champions winner in 2019 to take control before the leaders raced back to the flatstand.
A red flag period on lap 11 for Dillsburg’s Anthony Macri, who was battling within the top-five at the time of the caution, incidentally set the stage for Montieth’s eventual takeover. The ensuing restart allowed Reutzel the opportunity to control in clean air, but Montieth stayed in his tracks, eventually knocking down Reutzel’s command that pushed to 1.5 seconds on lap 17 to less than a second by lap 20.
By lap 21, the top-two, as well as Dietrich, who raced into third from 18th on lap 13, were under a blanket. With slower traffic now creating a road black for Reutzel around the bottom of the speedway, Montieth jumped to the top and made his move, executing his slingshot action in turn three of lap 25.
“This is great for the team leading into the next few weeks,” Brian Montieth said. “Honestly, leading here sucks in lapped traffic. Aaron (Reutzel) was doing everything he had to do. I just got lucky and was able to get around him.”
Using a last lap pass to also get around Aaron Reutzel, Dietrich chased Montieth to the final checkers, followed by Reutzel, Freddie Rahmer and Brian Brown. The All Star triumph bumps Montieth’s win total to five with the Series, four of which at Lincoln Speedway.
“Love me or hate me, sounds like everyone enjoyed that one,” an elated Danny Dietrich said. “I feel like all we can do is run second here. Maybe next year we can do one better.”
A quick drive south of the Mason-Dixon will lead the All Star Circuit of Champions to their third and final destination of the weekend: Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, Maryland. Although a staple on the annual Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek schedule, Hagerstown Speedway has not hosted an All Star program since 1983, but that will change on Sunday, September 22, when the Series invades for a shot at $5,000.
Those seeking additional news and notes such as gate times and ticket prices should visit Hagerstown Speedway live on the Web at www.hagerstownspeedway.com.
Contingency Awards/Results: Lincoln Speedway – September 21, 2019:
Event: Dirt Classic 6
Entries: 49
C&R Racing All Star Warm-Ups: Aaron Reutzel – 13.599 seconds
Lincoln Electric Fast Qualifier: Aaron Reutzel – 13.492 seconds
Ford Performance Heat #1: Aaron Reutzel
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #2: Jimmy Siegel
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #3: Brian Brown
Mobil 1 Heat #4: Paul McMahan
Kistler Racing Products Heat #5: Anthony Macri
Ford Performance Heat #6: Dylan Norris
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat #7: Glenndon Forsythe
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat #8: Brian Montieth
Mobil 1 Heat #9: Chase Dietz
Kistler Racing Products Heat #10: Trey Starks
Classic Ink USA Screenprinting B-Main Winner: Lance Dewease
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet A-Main Winner: Brian Montieth
MSD Performance Hard Charger Award: Danny Dietrich (+16)
Cometic Gasket Most A-Main Laps Led: Aaron Reutzel (1-24)
Rayce Rudeen Foundation First Non-Transfer: Gio Scelzi
(Lincoln Electric, MSD Performance, Fatheadz Eyewear, Rayce Rudeen Foundation, Cometic Gasket: Need decal to qualify for contingency award)
Dirt Classic
Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1
Lincoln Speedway
Abbottstown, PA
Saturday September 21, 2019
Qualifying
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 13.492[44]
2. 59-Jim Siegel, 13.567[11]
3. 21-Brian Brown, 13.649[31]
4. 13-Paul McMahan, 13.690[19]
5. 9-James McFadden, 13.705[49]
6. 26-Cory Eliason, 13.721[2]
7. 87K-Alan Krimes, 13.733[41]
8. 21M-Brian Montieth, 13.746[4]
9. 99-Skylar Gee, 13.797[1]
10. 39M-Anthony Macri, 13.801[13]
11. 51-Freddie Rahmer, 13.811[48]
12. 70-Brock Zearfoss, 13.819[10]
13. 70X-Justin Peck, 13.827[47]
14. 1X-Chad Trout, 13.858[21]
15. 5-Dylan Cisney, 13.858[27]
16. 71-Giovanni Scelzi, 13.859[36]
17. 99M-Kyle Moody, 13.864[8]
18. 69K-Lance Dewease, 13.872[25]
19. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 13.892[34]
20. 07-Gerard McIntyre Jr, 13.932[29]
21. 14T-Tyler Walton, 13.942[9]
22. 72-Ryan Smith, 13.950[28]
23. 29-Dan Shetler, 13.958[5]
24. 75-Chase Dietz, 14.015[26]
25. 48-Danny Dietrich, 14.015[15]
26. 11S-T.J. Stutts, 14.022[23]
27. 24-Lucas Wolfe, 14.024[30]
28. 19M-Landon Myers, 14.035[22]
29. 88-Brandon Rahmer, 14.054[7]
30. 39-Cory Haas, 14.082[33]
31. 69-Tim Glatfelter, 14.085[14]
32. 15-Adam Wilt, 14.106[24]
33. 2-A.J. Flick, 14.132[38]
34. 55K-Robbie Kendall, 14.145[3]
35. 91-Kyle Reinhardt, 14.145[17]
36. 1-Tim Wagaman II, 14.183[39]
37. 16-Matt Campbell, 14.187[32]
38. 37-J.J. Grasso, 14.222[46]
39. 5H-Jeff Halligan, 14.266[45]
40. 44S-Trey Starks, 14.335[12]
41. 44-Dylan Norris, 14.339[42]
42. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe, 14.362[43]
43. W20-Greg Wilson, 14.388[20]
44. 10-Joe Kata, 14.405[37]
45. 73B-Brett Michalski, 14.468[18]
46. 40-George Hobaugh Jr., 14.507[35]
47. 21T-Scott Fisher, 14.577[6]
48. 11-Dale Blaney, 59.998[40]
49. 97-Brie Hershey, 59.999[16]
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 87-Aaron Reutzel, [1]
2. 51-Freddie Rahmer, [3]
3. 26-Cory Eliason, [2]
4. 71-Giovanni Scelzi, [4]
5. 14T-Tyler Walton, [5]
6. 11S-T.J. Stutts, [6]
7. 1-Tim Wagaman II, [8]
8. 69-Tim Glatfelter, [7]
9. 44-Dylan Norris, [9]
10. 40-George Hobaugh Jr., [10]
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 59-Jim Siegel, [1]
2. 87K-Alan Krimes, [2]
3. 70-Brock Zearfoss, [3]
4. 99M-Kyle Moody, [4]
5. 72-Ryan Smith, [5]
6. 16-Matt Campbell, [8]
7. 15-Adam Wilt, [7]
8. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe, [9]
9. 24-Lucas Wolfe, [6]
10. 21T-Scott Fisher, [10]
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 21-Brian Brown, [1]
2. 21M-Brian Montieth, [2]
3. 70X-Justin Peck, [3]
4. 69K-Lance Dewease, [4]
5. 37-J.J. Grasso, [8]
6. 19M-Landon Myers, [6]
7. 2-A.J. Flick, [7]
8. 29-Dan Shetler, [5]
9. W20-Greg Wilson, [9]
DNS: 11-Dale Blaney,
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 13-Paul McMahan, [1]
2. 2M-Kerry Madsen, [4]
3. 99-Skylar Gee, [2]
4. 75-Chase Dietz, [5]
5. 1X-Chad Trout, [3]
6. 88-Brandon Rahmer, [6]
7. 10-Joe Kata, [9]
8. 55K-Robbie Kendall, [7]
9. 5H-Jeff Halligan, [8]
DNS: 97-Brie Hershey,
Heat Race #5 (8 Laps)
1. 39M-Anthony Macri, [2]
2. 48-Danny Dietrich, [5]
3. 5-Dylan Cisney, [3]
4. 39-Cory Haas, [6]
5. 73B-Brett Michalski, [9]
6. 07-Gerard McIntyre Jr, [4]
7. 44S-Trey Starks, [8]
8. 9-James McFadden, [1]
9. 91-Kyle Reinhardt, [7]
Heat Race #6 (8 Laps)
1. 44-Dylan Norris, [1]
2. 14T-Tyler Walton, [5]
3. 1-Tim Wagaman II, [2]
4. 51-Freddie Rahmer, [7]
5. 87-Aaron Reutzel, [9]
6. 26-Cory Eliason, [8]
7. 11S-T.J. Stutts, [4]
8. 69-Tim Glatfelter, [3]
9. 71-Giovanni Scelzi, [6]
DNS: 40-George Hobaugh Jr.,
Heat Race #7 (8 Laps)
1. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe, [1]
2. 15-Adam Wilt, [3]
3. 72-Ryan Smith, [5]
4. 99M-Kyle Moody, [6]
5. 70-Brock Zearfoss, [7]
6. 59-Jim Siegel, [9]
7. 16-Matt Campbell, [2]
8. 87K-Alan Krimes, [8]
9. 24-Lucas Wolfe, [4]
10. 21T-Scott Fisher, [10]
Heat Race #8 (8 Laps)
1. 21M-Brian Montieth, [8]
2. W20-Greg Wilson, [1]
3. 2-A.J. Flick, [3]
4. 37-J.J. Grasso, [2]
5. 21-Brian Brown, [9]
6. 69K-Lance Dewease, [6]
7. 70X-Justin Peck, [7]
8. 19M-Landon Myers, [4]
DNS: 29-Dan Shetler
DNS: 11-Dale Blaney,
Heat Race #9 (8 Laps)
1. 75-Chase Dietz, [5]
2. 5H-Jeff Halligan, [2]
3. 88-Brandon Rahmer, [4]
4. 2M-Kerry Madsen, [6]
5. 1X-Chad Trout, [7]
6. 13-Paul McMahan, [9]
7. 99-Skylar Gee, [8]
8. 10-Joe Kata, [1]
DNS: 55K-Robbie Kendall
DNS: 97-Brie Hershey,
Heat Race #10 (8 Laps)
1. 44S-Trey Starks, [2]
2. 39M-Anthony Macri, [8]
3. 07-Gerard McIntyre Jr, [6]
4. 48-Danny Dietrich, [5]
5. 73B-Brett Michalski, [1]
6. 39-Cory Haas, [4]
7. 9-James McFadden, [9]
8. 5-Dylan Cisney, [7]
DNS: 91-Kyle Reinhardt,
B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 69K-Lance Dewease, [3]
2. 5-Dylan Cisney, [1]
3. 07-Gerard McIntyre Jr, [2]
4. 88-Brandon Rahmer, [5]
5. 71-Giovanni Scelzi, [4]
6. 15-Adam Wilt, [6]
7. 39-Cory Haas, [7]
8. 11S-T.J. Stutts, [9]
9. 37-J.J. Grasso, [11]
10. 2-A.J. Flick, [8]
11. 1-Tim Wagaman II, [12]
12. 44-Dylan Norris, [16]
13. 44S-Trey Starks, [10]
14. 73B-Brett Michalski, [18]
15. 21T-Scott Fisher, [20]
16. 5H-Jeff Halligan, [17]
17. 40-George Hobaugh Jr., [19]
18. 11-Dale Blaney, [21]
19. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe, [14]
20. 19M-Landon Myers, [13]
DNS: 29-Dan Shetler,
A-Main (40 Laps)
1. 21M-Brian Montieth, [1]
2. 48-Danny Dietrich, [18]
3. 87-Aaron Reutzel, [2]
4. 51-Freddie Rahmer, [7]
5. 21-Brian Brown, [4]
6. 59-Jim Siegel, [5]
7. 13-Paul McMahan, [6]
8. 87K-Alan Krimes, [9]
9. 70-Brock Zearfoss, [10]
10. 2M-Kerry Madsen, [12]
11. 26-Cory Eliason, [8]
12. 88-Brandon Rahmer, [24]
13. 69K-Lance Dewease, [21]
14. 07-Gerard McIntyre Jr, [23]
15. 75-Chase Dietz, [13]
16. 99-Skylar Gee, [11]
17. 73B-Brett Michalski, [26]
18. 70X-Justin Peck, [15]
19. W20-Greg Wilson, [27]
20. 99M-Kyle Moody, [14]
21. 9-James McFadden, [20]
22. 21T-Scott Fisher, [28]
23. 5-Dylan Cisney, [22]
24. 72-Ryan Smith, [19]
25. 39M-Anthony Macri, [3]
26. 1X-Chad Trout, [17]
27. 14T-Tyler Walton, [16]
28. 11-Dale Blaney, [25]