Port Royal – “The Selinsgrove Sensation,” Blane Heimbach won the biggest sprint car race of his career to date Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway when he claimed the sixth edition of the Living Legends Dream Race aboard the Creasy Signs/Goff Racing No. 12.
Sprint car driver and owner greats Lynn Paxton and Al Hamilton were honored during the evening as the 2012 Port Royal Speedway Living Legends Dream Race honorees.
By the end of the night of racing, Heimbach’s take neared $13,000 after all was totaled up.
Early in the night, Heimbach and reigning NASCAR champion Tony Stewart of Rushville, Ind., drove to victory in the twin 16-lap semi mains that were used to set the 30-lap Dream A Main field and both drivers claimed $2,000 for their efforts.
Heimbach also scored $320 in lap money for wiring the semi field while Stewart claimed $280 in lap money for leading 14 circuits of his semi with Davey Sammons picking up $40 in lap money for leading the first pair of circuits.
The 30-lap Dream A feature got started with Rick Lafferty and Heimbach sharing the front row and Lafferty jumping out to the early lead when the green flag fell.
Fourth starter Aaron Ott drove into third on the first circuit and gave chase of the leaders.
Heimbach started reeling in leader Lafferty with about five laps down and he quickly closed up the advantage and took the lead coming off of turn four to complete lap number nine.
The first 17 circuits of the race went non-stop with Heimbach entering lapped traffic as the leader while Ott scooted by Lafferty for second with 10 away.
Lap 11 saw sixth starter Danny Dietrich drive into third and begin closing in on the pair of frontrunners and by the halfway point Doug Esh was riding fourth with Tony Stewart in fifth.
The front five cars were racing together and through hectic traffic with Stewart working on Esh for fourth when the caution flag unfurled with 13 laps to go for a stopped Derek Sell.
The final caution of the race came out with 10 laps left, this time for a spun Adam Wilt.
And when action resumed, Heimbach began driving off from the field, stretching out a commanding lead over the closing circuits to pick up the victory by 2.737 seconds over Ott.
It was his second career checkered flag at Port Royal Speedway and with $440 in lap money from the Dream A along with the posted $10,000 Dream winner’s share and his semi feature earnings of $2,320, Heimbach’s final tally on the night was $12,760 for the CHR stables.
With a finish of second in the Dream A and a third in his semi main, Ott rode home with $5,700.
Third in the Dream went to Dietrich who took home $3,000 in total counting his finish of second in his semi feature.
Fourth place in the Dream A was taken by Stewart who pocketed a total of $3,700 on the night thanks to his lap money and a semi win.
Mike Erdley took fifth in the Dream A Main and scored $2,000 for his combined A and semi main finishes.
Sixth through 10th in the Dream A Main went to Alan Krimes, $1,750 combined total; Doug Esh, $2,000 combined total; Greg Hodnett, $1,800 combined total; Brent Marks, $1,305 combined total and Lance Dewease, $1,650 combined total.
Fast time awards worth $225 each went to Fred Rahmer and Adam Wilt as both set fast times for their respective semi mains out of a field of 41 cars. Rahmer’s overall fastest lap came in at 16.324 seconds with Wilt timing in at 16.359.
The B Main was taken by Derek Sell. Keith Kauffman won the fan-voted 25th starting position in the Dream A feature.
The Dream A Main Hoseheads Hard Charger Award worth $300 went to Brent Marks who passed 14 cars.
Hard charger awards in the semi mains worth $100 each went to Chad Layton and Aaron Ott.
Layton picked up a free dyno from Ott Racing Engines in the Dream A while free Rider Engine dynos went to Danny Dietrich and Ryan Taylor in the A.
Free Goodyear tires out of the semi finishers went to Curt Stroup, Bill Stine, Vince Snyder, Nate Snyder, Jordan Frontz and Rod Stroup with free Hoosier tires going to Blane Heimbach and Tony Stewart.
A free set of Penske shocks went to Dylan Cisney for finishing 16th in the Dream A.
John Heane exchanged the lead with AJ Stroup midway through the 20-lap pro stock feature before picking up his third pro stock Port win of the season.
Heane allowed Stroup to lead only two laps before driving back into control.
Dan Berry sureged in to second at the finish followed by Stroup, Nate Kerstetter and Harold Ranck Jr..
Sixth through 10th went to Scott Landis, Lucas Bryner, Andrew Shoop, Jeff Bryner and Derrick Garman.
Twin pro stock heats went to Garman and Heane.
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August 4, 2012 Feature Finishes:
410 sprints, 30 lap Dream A finish: 1. Blane Heimbach, 2. Aaron Ott, 3. Danny Dietrich, 4. Tony Stewart, 5. Mike Erdley, 6. Alan Krimes, 7. Doug Esh, 8. Greg Hodnett, 9. Brent Marks, 10. Lance Dewease, 11. Rick Lafferty, 12. Chad Layton, 13. Mike Wagner, 14. Davey Sammons, 15. Fred Rahmet, 16. Dylan Cisney, 17. Bob Bennett. 18. Dan Shetler, 19. Keith Kauffman, 20. Curt Stroup, 21. Joey Hershey, 22. Adam Wilt, 23. Brian Montieth, 24. Derek Sell, 25. Ryan Taylor
Odd time trial finishers semi main finish, 16 laps: 1. Blane Heimbach, 2. Danny Dietrich, 3. Doug Esh, 4. Greg Hodnett, 5. Fred Rahmer, 6. Chad Layton, 7. Alan Krimes, 8. Bob Bennett, 9. Curt Stroup, 10. Dan Shetler, 11. Daryl Stimeling, 12. Keith Kauffman, 13. Trenton Sheaffer, 14. Dave Hahn, 15. Derek Sell, 16. Troy Fraker, 17. Brent Marks, 18. Bill Stine, 19. Steve Buckwalter, 20. Craig Folmar, 21. Vince Snyder
Even time trial finishers semi main finish, 16 laps: 1. Tony Stewart, 2. Rick Lafferty, 3. Aaron Ott, 4. Lance Dewease, 5. Mike Erdley, 6. Davey Sammons, 7. Adam Wilt, 8. Mike Wagner, 9. Brian Montieth, 10. Dylan Cisney, 11. Cliff Brian, 12. Nate Snyder, 13. Andy McKisson, 14. Joey Hershey, 15. Ryan Taylor, 16. Bob Hoawrd, 17. Duane Troutman, 18. Jordan Frontz, 19. Rod Stroup, 20. John Brennfleck
Pro stocks, 20 laps: 1. John Heane, 2. Dan Berry, 3. AJ Stroup, 4. Nate Kerstetter, 5. Harold Ranck Jr., 6. Scott Landis, 7. Lucas Bryner, 8. Andrew Shoop, 9. Jeff Bryner, 10. Derrick Garman, 11. Kyle Parsons, 12. Matt Hornberger, 13. Dan Condo, 14. Dustin Kirk, 15. Shawn Stall, 16. Dave Berry, 17. Nate Fisher