By Shawn Brouse
Mechanicsburg – Chase Dietz and Chase Gutshall won the sprint car races at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night.
Dietz of York scored in the 410 sprint car main while Gutshall of Middletown won the 358 sprint cars.
Dietz would end up wiring the field from the pole for the $5,000 victory in the 25-lap 410 sprint main.
The win was the fourth of his career at the oval.
Dietz had just entered traffic with the lead when the only caution flag of the race appeared on lap eight for a spun Anthony Macri while at the same time Lance Dewease slowed and pulled pitside.
The restart saw Steve Buckwalter and TJ Stutts line up in second and third but fail to challenge.
Dietz entered traffic again with seven laps to go and began moving through the field at will.
Buckwalter failed to close on the leader and instead finished 1.559 seconds behind at the finish.
Stutts was third and Cameron Smith was fourth.
After starting 18th, Danny Dietrich made the race exciting at the finish as he raced with point leader Freddie Rahmer for the fifth spot.
On the final lap as the pair sped out of turn four for the finish, Dietrich nipped Rahmer at the line for the spot.
Rahmer was sixth followed by Troy Wagaman Jr., Justin Whittall, Matt Campbell and Devon Borden.
Heats went to Dietz, Wagaman and Dewease with Matt Campbell scoring the consolation race.
Stutts set quick time in hot laps with a lap of 17.064 seconds.
Like his counterpart, Chase Gutshall would wire the field in the 20-lap 358 sprint car main.
After two tries at an initial start, Gutshall took control over Dwight Leppo.
But Leppo would slow to a stop at the halfway point, handing second to Scott Fisher with Frankie Herr racing third.
No one was able to challenge Gutshall during the second half of the race as he drove uncontested to the win.
Herr got by Fisher for second on lap 13.
Logan Rumsey rode home third followed by Cody Fletcher and Fisher.
Sixth through 10th went to Chris Frank, Cole Young, Doug Hammaker, Derek Locke and Preston Lattomus.
Heats went to Gutshall, Leppo and Cole Knopp.
The win was the first of Gutshall’s career at Williams Grove.
The features were delayed 90 minutes due to rain that hit the track just after all qualifying races had been completed.
Feature Finish:
8/16/24
410 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Chase Dietz, 2. Steve Buckwalter, 3. TJ Stutts, 4. Cameron Smith, 5. Danny Dietrich, 6. Freddie Rahmer, 7. Troy Wagaman Jr., 8. Justin Whittall, 9. Matt Campbell, 10. Devon Borden, 11. Lucas Wolfe, 12. Kody Hartlaub, 13. Tyler Ross, 14. Dylan Norris, 15. Austin Bishop, 16. Ryan Taylor, 17. JT Ferry, 18. Mike Thompson, 19. Nash Ely, 20. Jake Karklin, 21. Chad Trout, 22. Lance Dewease, 23. Anthony Macri, 24. Bryn Gohn
DNQ: Rick Lafferty, Mike Walter II., John Jerich, Ricky Dieva, Matt Miller, Kyle Keen
358 sprints, 20 laps: 1. Chase Gutshall, 2. Frankie Herr, 3. Logan Rumsey, 4. Cody Fletcher, 5. Scott Fisher, 6. Chris Frank, 7. Cole Young, 8. Doug Hammaker, 9.Derek Locke, 10. Preston Lattomus, 11. Matt Findley, 12. Cole Knopp, 13. Zach Newlin, 14. Samuel Miller, 15. Nat Tuckey, 16. Seth Schnoke, 17. Andy Best, 18. Joe Timmins, 19. Chad Criswell, 20. Hank Donovan Jr., 21. Steve Owings, 22. Dwight Leppo, 23. Austin Reed, 24. Dylan Norris
DNQ: Justin Foster, Jake Galloway, Wyatt Hinkle, Brandon Mickley