By Shawn Brouse
Mechanicsburg – Chase Dietz of York made a two-car pass to win the 410 sprint car feature at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night, pocketing $6,000 in the Kevin Gobrecht Classic Challenge.
The win sets Dietz up for a $3,000 bonus if he can go on and win Saturday night’s $8,000 Kevin Gobrecht Classic at BAPS Motor Speedway.
The Dirty Deeds 25 for the 358 sprints at Williams Grove went to Andy Best of Dover, Delaware.
The initial start of the 25-lap 410 sprint main was red-flagged for a violent backstretch series of flips by Preston Lattomus.
After vaulting under the bridge, Lattomus seemingly escaped injury.
Aboard the Kreitz No. 69K, polesitter Buddy Schweibinz jetted into control when the first lap was scored.
Schweibinz was racing ahead of Logan Rumsey, Freddie Rahmer and Dietz on lap five when the caution flag unfurled for a stopped JJ Loss.
The yellow flag erased a .928 second advantage as built by Schweibinz.
The red flag again unfurled on lap six, this time for Rumsey who was running a challenging second only to misjudge his entry into the first corner and slam the front end of his car off of the inside rail.
The violent impact turned his car over in the middle of the track.
Rahmer got to restart second when action resumed and while he was able to keep the leader close, he failed to mount a challenge.
However as the laps ticked off Rahmer gradually crept closer and by lap 13 he was ready to make his move.
The pair crossed the stripe for the lead nearly side by side on lap 13 before Rahmer finished the move for control a few seconds later with 14 away.
Rahmer then began blasting the cushion as the pacesetter with Schweibinz and Dietz both within striking distance.
And when Rahmer hopped over the fourth turn cushion and swung wide with Schweibinz close in tow, low rider Dietz swept by both pilots to zoom up the frontstretch as the leader with eight laps to go.
Dietz then drove uncontested to his 21st overall victory of the season despite getting bunched up behind traffic on the final lap.
Rahmer was second and Austin Bishop rode home third after getting by Schweibinz.
After starting 17th, Danny Dietrich finished in the fifth spot behind Schweibinz.
Sixth through 10th went to Lucas Wolfe, Cameron Smith, Troy Wagaman Jr., Dylan Norris and TJ Stutts.
Heats went to Schweibinz, Rahmer, Wolfe and Brent Shearer with Dylan Cisney taking the last chance race.
Logan Rumsey set quick time with a lap of 16.543 seconds.
The start of the 358 sprint main was immediately halted for a spectacular four-car crash on the frontstretch as the machines of Steve Owings and Josh Tuckey flipped wildly.
Also involed were the cars of Brock Hammaker and Chase Gutshall with all drivers reported to be uninjured.
Austin Reed would end up leading the first lap over Andy Best before Best decided to push his No. 34 a lane higher and nearer to the outside fence in order to net command.
Best squeezed his machine between Reed and the outside wall on the third circuit to drive into command.
His pace was slowed with nine laps completed for a stopped Jacob Galloway, wiping out what had been a 3.066 second lead he had amassed over the field.
But Best was up to the challenge during the rest of the race as he ripped the top side of the track all the way to the finish, to score his second career oval victory by 2.634 seconds.
Reed settled for second followed by Derek Locke, Dylan Smith and Cody Fletcher.
Sixth through 10th went to Matt Findley, Cole Young, a rebounding Gutshall, Chance Hendershot and Bryn Gohn.
Heats went to Owings, Tuckey and Smith.
Fast time was set by Best with a lap of 17.980 seconds.
Feature Finishes
9/18/26
410 Sprints, 25 Laps: 1. Chase Dietz, 2. Freddie Rahmer, 3. Austin Bishop, 4. Buddy Schweibinz,5. Danny Dietrich,6. Lucas Wolfe, 7. Cameron Smith, 8. Troy Wagaman Jr., 9. Dylan Norris, 10. TJ Stutts, 11. Lance Dewease,12. Brent Shearer, 13. Matt Campbell, 14. Talan Haas, 15. Kyle Moody, 16. Tyler Ross, 17. Dylan Cisney, 18. JT Ferry, 19. Joey Amantea, 20. Jake Karklin, 21. Logan Rumsey, 22. Doug Hammaker, 23. JJ Loss, 24. Preston Lattomus
DNQ: Dirk Rimrott, Cole Knopp, Ayden Hare, Brie Hershey, Dave Grube, James Roselli, Samuel Miller, Troy Fraker
358 sprints, 25 Laps: 1. Andy Best, 2. Austin Reed, 3. DerekLocke, 4. Dylan Smith, 5. Cody Fletcher, 6. Matt Findley, 7. Cole Young, 8. Chase Gutshall, 9. Chance Hendershot, 10. Bryn Gohn, 11. Brett Wanner, 12. Colton Moyer, 13. Tylar Rutherford, 14. Justin Foster, 15. Kenny Edkin, 16. Will McNeal, 17. Doug Dodson, 18. Jacob Galloway, 19. Adam Carberry, 20. Steve Owings, 21. Josh Tuckey, 22. Brock Hammaker, 23. Denny Gross,
DNS: Reece Raudabaugh, Brayden Mickely