RAHMER GETS 75TH VICTORY IN GROVE OPENER
MECHANICSBURG, PA -- Following two weather related cancellations Williams
Grove Speedway finally opened its 2008 racing season on Sunday afternoon and
Fred Rahmer dominated the 25-lap sprint car feature.
Rahmer drew a zero for feature inversion which allowed him to start on the
pole with World of Outlaws driver Lucas Wolfe alongside.
Rahmer beat Wolfe into the first turn and set the early pace.
A restart with 12 laps complete allowed Wolfe to duck to the inside of
Rahmer exiting the second corner. They raced side-by-side down the backstretch
before Rahmer regained control. After that there would be no more challenges.
Wolfe settled for second ahead of Chad Layton, who turned in an exciting
performance charging from the 11th starting position.
Layton cracked the top five by lap 21, found the outside groove to his
liking and drove by Lance Dewease for fourth place on lap 23.
On the final tour Layton went to the outside again in turn two, gained some
momentum, then switched lanes and took third from Mark Smith entering turn
three.
Smith settled for fourth place and Dewease completed the top five.
Greg Hodnett, Chris Meleason, Steve Buckwalter, Cody Darrah and Brian Leppo
completed the top ten.
Heats for the 25 cars were won by Rahmer, Meleason and Wolfe.
It was the fourth win in a Williams Grove opener for Rahmer, who tied Keith
Kauffman for the most opening day victories.
Each time Rahmer has won the opener he has gone on to win the track
championship, and he assured everyone in attendance that he would get his
Clemens Racing Team a title.
"I will win the championship," Rahmer proclaimed in victory lane.
"That's one of our goals for this year."
The victory also marked the 75th of his illustrious career at Williams
Grove where he is the all-time leading feature winner.
Williams Grove Speedway will present another afternoon of sprint car racing
on March 16 beginning at 2:00.
Williams Grove Speedway Feature Finish - March 9, 2008
Sprint Car Feature - 25 laps - 1. Fred Rahmer, 2. Lucas Wolfe, 3.Chad
Layton, 4. Mark Smith, 5. Lance Dewease, 6. Greg Hodnett, 7. Chris Meleason,
8. Steve Buckwalter, 9. Cody Darrah, 10. Brian Leppo, 11. Alan Krimes, 12.
Keith Kauffman, 13. T. J. Stutts, 14. Michael Carber, 15. Niki Young, 16.
Brian Montieth, 17. John Westbrook, 18. John Rudisill, 19. Todd Shaffer, 20.
Mike Erdley, 21. Doug Esh, 22. Bob Bennett, 23. Rick Lafferty, 24. Davey
Sammons, 25. A. J. Michael