Rahmer Wins Second Of Williams Grove Sprint Car Season
Story By: SHAWN BROUSE / WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY – MECHANICSBURG, PA – Freddie Rahmer Jr. won the third 410-sprint car feature of his young career at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night, stealing the lead on the last lap from Alan Krimes to get his second checkers of the year that totaled $4,550.
Rahmer’s winner’s take of $4,550 included a $500 bonus for winning from the fifth row plus another $250 from WC Eshenaur for making a last lap pass.
In the 40-lap Late Model Speedweek feature, York’s Rick Eckert took the show and the $4,000 payday.
After receiving a gift of the pole position following a false initial start that called for swapped first and second rows, Alan Krimes used the inside pin to take the lead when the first lap was completed.
Aaron Ott came to second early and trailed Krimes into traffic on the eighth circuit with Rahmer up to fourth, racing ahead of 10th starter Lance Dewease.
A caution flag with nine laps completed for the stopped cars of TJ Stutts and Doug Esh regrouped the field and found Krimes streaking away from the pack on open track.
Ott, Anthony Macri, Rahmer and Dewease were battling for position by the halfway point of the 25-lapper with Krimes well out in front.
Rahmer began strengthening with 10 laps to go and was up to third but still a long way behind the leader when the red flag appeared with four laps left for Brock Zearfoss who found himself hung up on the outside first turn fence, facing the stars.
Rahmer blasted past Ott on the restart but was still well back of the leader, headed for the checkers when Rodney Westhafer stopped on the final lap, causing a caution period instead of the finish of the race.
And the final lap restart proved to be Krimes’ undoing as Rahmer got far enough around in the first and second turns to lead down the backchute and into the third turn.
And with the lead pair bunched up in the final turns, Lance Dewease blasted across the middle of the track to steal second in the final moments, relegating Krimes to third for the end of a fine run.
Rahmer’s margin of victory over Dewease was .193 seconds.
Greg Hodnett finished fourth followed by Aaron Ott.
Sixth through 10th went to Anthony Macri, Danny Dietrich, Mark Smith, Brian Montieth and Cory Haas.
Heats went to Haas, Chad Trout and Hodnett with the consolation going to Rick Lafferty.
Polesitter Gary Stuhler would lead from the beginning of the 40-lap main for the super late models chased by Jason Covert.
Fifth starter Gene Knaub was strong early, getting by Covert for second on the second lap as seventh starter Rick Eckert raced his way into the top five.
Eckert was up to third, chasing Knaub on the fourth lap, eventually winning the battle to be runner up with 16 tours recorded.
Shortly afterward, Knaub withdrew from the event but by that time Eckert was challenging Stuhler for control and with the narrowest of gaps opening up at the end of the backstretch with 22 laps to go, Eckert squeezed by Stuhler on the inside to get control.
A caution flag regrouped the field with 21 laps left and eyes would turn to Jeff Rine during the ensuing laps as the Danville driver made good time blasting the top of turnts three and four to work his way up to second, getting by Jamie Lathroum, Kyle Hardy, Covert and Stuhler.
And then it seemed just when Rine needed a caution for a close restart and a shot at the lead and win, he got one with eight laps to go but the race that might have been expected never materialized as Rine instead followed Eckert through the turns for the final loops.
The victory was the sixth of Eckert’s career at the oval, coming by 3.009 seconds over Rine, followed by Covert, Hardy and Stuhler.
Sixth through 10th went to Kenny Pettyjohn, Jamie Lathroum, Coleby Frye, Matt Cosner and Bryan Bernheisel.
Heats went to Covert, Stuhler and Pettyjohn with Covert setting fast time with a lap of 19.5 seconds.
June 9, 2017 – Feature Finishes
410 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Freddie Rahmer, 2. Lance Dewease, 3. Alan Krimes, 4. Greg Hodnett, 5. Aaron Ott, 6. Anthony Macri, 7. Danny Dietrich, 8. Mark Smith, 9. Brian Montieth, 10. Cory Haas, 11. Brandon Rahmer, 12. TJ Stutts, 13. Matt Campbell, 14. Doug Esh, 15. Frankie Herr, 16. Eric Riggins Jr., 17. Rodney Westhafer, 18. Troy Fraker, 19. Shane Hoff, 20. Brock Zearfoss, 21. Lucas Wolfe, 22. Rick Lafferty, 23. George Streaker Jr., 24. Chad Trout
DNQ: George Streaker Sr.
Late models (40 laps): 1. Rick Eckert, 2. Jeff Rine, 3. Jason Covert, 4. Kyle Hardy, 5. Gary Stuhler, 6. Kenny Pettyjohn, 7. Jamie Lathroum, 8. Coleby Frye, 9. Matt Cosner, 10. Bryan Bernheisel, 11. Tyler Horst, 12. Waylon Wagner, 13. Mike Lupfer, 14. Dan Stone, 15. Dylan Yoder, 16. Danny Snyder, 17. Dan Green, 18. Jim Yoder, 19. Rance Garlock, 20. Pancho Lawler, 21. Shaun Jones, 22. Gene Knaub, 23. Austin Hubbard
DNS: Chad Hollenbeck
