Kyle Larson Makes Winning Move On Freddie Rahmer To Take Hodnett Cup At Grandview

Story By: BOB MILLER / THUNDER ON THE HILL – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – A late race slider led Elks Grove, California’s Kyle Larson to a $10,000 win in the Pennsylvania 410 Sprint Car Speed Week event presented by Red Robin.

With scattered showers over Grandview Speedway from noon to 7 PM the track crew and staff of Thunder on the Hill was determined to get this event in the books, and they did. The win also earned Kyle Larson his place on the Greg Hodnett Cup and perpetual trophy. Hodnett, a six time Thunder Champion and nine time Thunder on the Hill feature winner was remembered Tuesday night after losing his life in a racing accident in 2018.

In the 410 Sprint Cars, Larson overtook Freddie Rahmer to win was his third Grandview win in four years after scoring the 2017 and 2018 editions of the Speed Week event.

“Freddie (Rahmer) set such a good pace on the restarts, I’m surprised I could stay with him,” Larson said while celebrating his big payday. “At times we were good, it’s great to get a win.”

NASCAR Cup Series competitor, Christopher Bell set Fast Time and by the luck of the draw started on the pole of the 35-lap A-Main event. At the drop of the green flag, Bell pulled away to about a straightaway lead over Freddie Rahmer setting the pace for the first five circuits around the the one-third mile, Grandview high banks.

Bell’s night would come to an end quickly, after Kyle Reinhardt slowed collecting the leader, and handing the lead to Freddie Rahmer.

Rahmer hit lapped traffic on the 11th trip around the track, but that didn’t faze him, he switched lanes sliding passed cars, while Larson had his hands full battling Sammy Swindell for second position.

Larson would move into second on the 20th lap, and closed on Rahmer in lapped traffic.

A late race restart opened the door and Larson pulled a slide job on Rahmer, pulling away for the victory and the Greg Hodnett Memorial Cup.

Rahmer finished in second and Sammy Swindell rounded out the podium. Ryan Smith finished in fourth and Danny Dietrich completed the top five finishers.

The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series returns on Tuesday, August 4 with the Ken Brenn Midget Masters featuring the USAC National Midget Series and the return of the NASCAR 358 Modifieds.

Race Results

410 Sprint Cars
Time Trials – 1. Christopher Bell 11.552, 2. Kyle Larson 11.581, 3. Aaron Reutzel 11.631, 4. Freddie Rahmer 11.634, 5. Cory Eliason 11.675, 6. Sammy Swindell 11.696, 7. Brock Zearfoss 11.722, 8. Anthony Macri 11.772, 9. Ryan Smith 11.790, 10. TJ Stutts 11.834, 11. Logan Wagner 11.850, 12. Danny Dietrich 11.851, 13. Lucas Wolfe 11.884, 14. Brandon Rahmer 11.895, 15. Kyle Reinhardt 11.904, 16. Lance Dewease 11.913, 17. Dylan Cisney 11.938, 18. Jared Esh 11.986, 19. Mike Wagner 11.986, 20. Kyle Moody 12.055, 21. Alan Krimes 12.065, 22. Brent Marks 12.092, 23. Ryan Taylor 12.132, 24. Chase Dietz 12.151, 25. JJ Grasso 12.200, 26. Robert Ballou 12.294, 27. Tyler Walton 12.333, 28. Brett Michalski 12.441, 29. Dave Carlberg 12.793, Rico Abreu N/T, Brent Shearer N/T

Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Ryan Smith 2. Christopher Bell 3. Lucas Wolfe 4. JJ Grasso 5. Alan Krimes

Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Sammy Swindell 2. Kyle Larson 3. TJ Stutts 4. Brandon Rahmer 5. Brent Marks

Heat 3 (10 Laps) – 1. Brock Zearfoss 2. Logan Wagner 3. Aaron Reutzel 4. Kyle Reinhardt 5. Ryan Taylor

Heat 4 (10 Laps) – 1. Danny Dietrich 2. Anthony Macri 3. Lance Dewease 4. Freddie Rahmer 5. Brett Michalski

B-Main (10 Laps) – 1. Rico Abreu 2. Dylan Cisney 3. Robert Ballou 4. Kyle Moody

A-Main (35 Laps) – 1. Kyle Larson 2. Freddie Rahmer 3. Sammy Swindell 4. Ryan Smith 5. Danny Dietrich 6. Lance Dewease 7. Brock Zearfoss 8. Aaron Reutzel 9. Anthony Macri 10. Logan Wagner 11. JJ Grasso 12. Alan Krimes 13. Brent Marks 14. Ryan Taylor 15. Dylan Cisney 16. Lucas Wolfe 17. TJ Stutts 18. Kyle Moody 19. Brandon Rahmer 20 Robert Ballou 21. Brett Michalski 22. Kyle Reinhardt 23. Rico Abreu 24. Christopher Bell