Montieth Claims Seventh Lincoln Speedway 410 Sprint Track Title; Wagaman Jr. Grabs First Ever In 358’s

Story By: BILL MEYER / LINCOLN SPEEDWAY – YORK, PA – Lincoln Speedway track champions were recognized and special year-end awards were handed out at the Wyndham Garden York Hotel Saturday night, November 17th. The top ten finishers in the season-long point series for both sprint car divisions were recognized and special awards were distributed in the annual awards banquet, which officially closed the 2018 racing season.

MONTIETH WINS SIX EN ROUTE TO SEVENTH LAWRENCE CHEVROLET TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP

Phoenixville’s Brian Montieth rode the strength of a division-leading six wins that included 14 top-five finishes in 21 races in 2018 to claim his seventh Lincoln Speedway track title.

Coming off the heels of his sixth track title in 2017, Montieth started the defense of his title with a dismal 11th place finish in the season-opening Ice Breaker 30, followed by a fourth place finish in the next race. But in the third race of the season Montieth found his championship winning form.

Montieth chased down former two-time track champ, pole-sitter, and race-long leader Alan Krimes on the final lap to make another one of his trademark “Edge of your seat” passes for the lead and win for the 56th of his career at the Fabulous Lincoln Speedway. In victory lane that afternoon Montieth summed up his thoughts of the season ahead, “It’s going to be a long season I think for [the competition] because we might tear some stuff up, but it’s going to be fun.”

The fun continued for Montieth as the next time out he captured the big $5,000-to-win Sprint Spring Championship for his 57th career Lincoln win. And with the win Montieth once again rewrote the record books as he took over fifth place on the Lincoln Speedway all-time win list, surpassing the legendary three-time track champion Bobby Abel.

From there his assault continued as he picked up the $6,900-to-win 15th Annual Weldon Sterner Memorial in May, followed by a pair of wins in August to up his overall Lincoln win count to 60. Then on September 1st Montieth was declared the winner of the 2nd Annual Bob Leiby Memorial for his 6th win of the year, clinching his seventh track title over the past 11 years (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018).

That final win of 2018 gave Montieth 61 career wins at the Fabulous Lincoln Speedway, setting the stage for 2019 as he sets his sights on possibly an eighth track title, and quite possibly fourth place on the all-time win list as he now trails the legendary Kenny Weld who sits in fourth place with 73 career wins.

Overall Montieth’s seventh track title only trails Fred Rahmer (11 track championships) and the elder Steve Smith (9 track championships). Montieth’s title also earned Scott Zellers Lincoln’s mechanic of-the-year award.

After finishing third in points in 2017, 2018 Most Improved Driver Award winner Chad Trout got a lot of attention out of the gate this year by starting out the season with his first career win in the prestigious Ice Breaker 30. Though it was his only win at Lincoln in 2018, Trout rode a wave of consistency during the course of the season by posting four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes en route to an impressive second place finish in the final standings behind Montieth. Trout proved his team not only had a driver capable of winning, but a car capable of winning as he set fast time in time trials during the second Pennsylvania Speedweek show at Lincoln that saw NASCAR sensation Kyle Larson second in time trials that same night, followed by perennial fast timer Lucas Wolfe in third.

The only driver to win more than one track title during the past 11-year run of Brian Montieth was 2014 and 2016 track champ Alan Krimes who ended up third in points when the season came to an end. Krimes had once again amassed a division-leading 17 top-10 finishes along with eight top-fives to cap off yet another successful season at Lincoln.

Jim Siegel, a driver who has become a familiar name year-in and year-out at the top of the year-long point series battles, completed yet another fourth place run in the final tally. Siegel has earned three fourth place runs, a pair of thirds, coupled with a single ninth place finish over the past six years, giving him an average of a 4.5 final point finish over the past six years. In 2018 Siegel recorded his 14th career win on June 9th, a night that ended a six-week long battle with Mother Nature that saw cancelations for every show during the entire month of May. Siegel ended up accumulating four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes en route to his second consecutive fourth place finish in the final point standings.

Completing the top-five in points was Cory Haas who failed to register a win in 2018, but garnered six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes en route to yet another top finish in the final point run-down.

Freddie Rahmer kept his name in the headlines as he picked up 3 wins en route to a sixth place finish in the final standings. Of those three wins, none were bigger than on July 19th when he beat the best in winning the $10,000-to-win World of Outlaws Gettysburg Clash at Lincoln. Along with those three wins, Rahmer picked up nine top-five and 14 top-10 finishes as well along the way, gaining him the respect of all as a potential winner each night he was in competition at Lincoln.

Completing the top-10 in points were; 7th place Brandon Rahmer (1 top-5/9 top-10), 8th place Tim Glatfelter (1 win, 4 top-5/8 top-10), 9th place Glenndon Forsythe (2 top-5/8 top-10) and was also was voted the 2018 Harry Fletcher Sportsmanship Award winner, and 10th place Kyle Moody (5 top-5/13 top-10).

Of note, Tim Glatfelter’s win came in the 2018 season finale which ended a nine-year wait for his second career win after registering his first career win on May 9, 2009.

Brett Michalski culminated his inaugural season in competition at Lincoln with a respectable 11th place finish in the final points, and earning him the 2018 Rookie of the Year Award.

Lincoln’s second winningest driver of 2018 was Danny Dietrich who picked up five wins over the course of a season that saw him travel many nights to other area tracks. Those wins included back-to-back Pennsylvania Speedweek victories and the National Fallen Firefighters Night Brandon Little Memorial. Those wins also vaulted him past Lance Dewease and Cris Esh into seventh place on the Lincoln All-time win list with 43 career wins and counting.

In all there were 10 different winners over the 21 races held in 2018. In addition to those mentioned above, Chase Dietz picked up his third career win, while Anthony Macri picked up his second career win. First-time Lincoln winners included Carson Macedo in All Star action and Tyler Esh.

2018 SPECIAL AWARDS WINNERS (410 Sprints)

Super Sprint Champion – Brian Montieth
Mechanic of the Year – Scott Zellers
Rookie of the Year – Brett Michalski
Most Improved Driver – Chad Trout
Harry Fletcher Sportsmanship Award – Glenndon Forsythe

TROY WAGAMAN, JR. CLAIMS FIRST-EVER LINCOLN SPEEDWAY KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP

On July 7th Troy Wagaman, Jr. won one of the biggest races of the year for the 358 sprints at Lincoln Speedway. A little bit of good fortune helped Wagaman register the win in the special 25-lap $1,500-to-win K1 RaceGear 358 Sprint Summer Series feature. The win was Wagamans’ first of 2018 at Lincoln, and the second of his career. It also vaulted him atop the point standings.

From that night forward, Wagaman then drove strong and consistent, over the remaining nine races, earning him the Most Improved Driver Award. He registered a division-leading eight top-five and 12 top-10 finishes en route to his first-ever track title. That division-leading consistency separated Wagaman from the other 358 sprint competitors as he never relinquished the top spot the remainder of the season in a field of cars that only saw two repeat winners over the course of 16 events in 2018.

Matt Findley fought with Wagaman down to the final race of the season in the battle for the track title, but came up 170 points short when the dust settled. Findley’s runner-up season saw him pick up his first career win along with three top-five, and 10 top-10 finishes.

Brett Shearer also was one of the other 14 drivers to register a win at Lincoln in 2018 and finished third in the final standings. Along the way he picked up five top-five and 6 top-10 finishes to go along with along with his lone win.

Dylan Norris had a special rookie year at Lincoln in 358 sprint competition as he recorded his first career Lincoln Speedway 358 sprint win in the final show of 2018. That win, coupled with a pair of top-five, and six top-10 finishes earned Norris the 2018 Rookie of the Award.

Ashley Cappetta once again had a solid, consistent season by finishing fifth in the final standings on the heels of her career-best four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

Tyler Walton was one of two drivers to register two wins on the year to finish sixth at season’s end in the ultra-competitive 358 sprint division in 2018. Along with his career first and second career wins were three top-five and eight top-10 finishes along the way.

Cody Fletcher record three top-five and nine-top finishes en route to a seventh place finish and picked up the Harry Fletcher Sportsmanship Award.

Steve Wilbur recorded his first career Lincoln 358 sprint win and ended up in eighth position at season’s end.

Jeff Halligan showed great promise to start the year by winning the season opening race for the 358 sprints and then his second four races later. Bad luck on the track set him back along the way, relinquishing the top spot in the point battle to eventual champion Wagaman in July. He fought hard the rest of the way and salvaged a hard-fought ninth place in the end.

Kody Hartlaub completed the top-10 in points.

Other winners in 2018 were first time winners Chris Frank and Dave Brown, along with single race winners CJ Tracy, Doug Hammaker, Tyler Ross and Wyatt Hinkle.

All told, there were 14 different winners in 16 events.

2018 SPECIAL AWARDS WINNERS (358 Sprints)