Rahmer Repeats In Williams Grove Sprints, Brights Scores Big With USAC East

Fred and Freddie Rahmer. (T.J. Buffenbarger photo)

By Shawn Brouse
Mechanicsburg –

Fred and Freddie Rahmer. (T.J. Buffenbarger photo)

Elsewhere, the 30-lap USAC East 360 sprint Bill Gallagher Memorial event was scored by Alex Bright for the second year in a row.

Teenager Cameron Smith of Spring Grove started second in the 25-lap 410 sprint car main and would end up leading over half the race before Rahmer would get control.

Rahmer started seventh in the field and was up to fifth on the fifth lap while fifth starter Lucas Wolfe raced in second and challenged for the lead on al lap five restart.

Wolfe put a dive on for the top spot deep in the third turn only to see Smith reclaim command.

Rahmer made all of his passes for the front positions using the low line in turns one and two.

He motored by Steve Buckwalter for third on lap eight and then used the same move to get Wolfe for second on the 11th tour.

Rhamer then quickly drove down the lead that Smith had built, chopping off half-seconds by the lap to be running nose to tail for the win as the leaders completed the 14th lap.

And just after scoring the lap, Rahmer again broke low into the first corner to pull off the winning pass as the pair shot onto the backchute.

Eighth starter Danny Dietrich surged into second with a low swoop around Wolfe in the third turn with five laps to go.

A restart a lap later placed Dietrich on Rahmer’s tail for the new green but Rahmer proved up to the task, taking his 17th career oval victory by two car lengths.

Dietrich was second followed by Wolfe, Smith and Steve Buckwalter.

Sixth through 10th went to Billy Dietrich, TJ Stutts, Kyle Moody, Dylan Norris and Devon Borden.

Heats went to Austin Bishop, Smith and Buckwalter.

Christian Bruno took the lead at the start of the USAC East feature run in honor of former car owner Bill Gallagher.

Having just moved into the seat of Mike Heffner’s No. 27 machine within the past week, Alex Bright started 13th in the field and blasted into contention early, already up to fourth on just the second circuit.

Bright rose to second on lap four and then went to work running down Bruno’s advantage before taking the top spot on lap 13.

The rest of the event was all Bright while final starter and USAC East series point leader Briggs Danner put on a show using the high side.

Danner methodically passed car after car to eventually end up third at the finish, behind winner Bright and Chris Allen Jr.

Worth $5,000, the win was Bright’s fourth in a row in USAC East appearances at the track dating back to last season.

Bruce Buckwalter Jr. finished fourth with Steve Drevicki ending up fifth.

Sixth through 10th went to Joey Amantea, Carmen Perigo Jr., JT Ferry, Dalton Herrick and David Swanson.

Heats went to Danner, Bruno and Mike Thompson.

Feature Finishes:

410 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Freddie Rahmer, 2. Danny Dietrich, 3. Lucas Wolfe, 4. Cameron Smith, 5. Steve Buckwalter, 6. Billy Dietrich, 7. TJ Stutts, 8. Kyle Moody, 9. Dylan Norris, 10. Devon Borden, 11. Tim Glatfelter, 12. Austin Bishop, 13. Cody Fletcher, 14. Aaron Bollinger, 15. Jarrett Cavalet, 16. Justin Whittall, 17. Gordon Senft III., 18. Kody Hartlaub, 19. Troy Fraker, 20. Steve Downs.

DNS: Jim Siegel

USAC East sprints, 30 laps: 1. Alex Bright, 2. Chris Allen Jr., 3. Briggs Danner, 4. Bruce Buckwalter, 5. Steve Drevicki, 6. Joey Amantea, 7. Carmen Perigo Jr., 8. JT Ferry, 9. Dalton Herrick, 10. David Swanson, 11. Jason Cherry, 12. Mike Thompson, 13. Bobby Butler, 14. Tim Stallings, 15. Billy Ney, 16. Austin Grabey, 17, Troy Fraker, 18. Christian Bruno, 19. Brian Nornhold,