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Lucrative Tommy Hinnershitz Spring Classic This Week At Williams Grove Speedway
4/14/13

Mechanicsburg – The Lawrence Chevrolet 410 sprint cars will compete in their first extra-distance event of the season at Williams Grove Speedway this Friday, April 19 at 7:30 pm when the 2013 Diamond Series kicks off with the running of the lucrative Tommy Hinnershitz Spring Classic.

The prestigious 30-lap event will pay $6,000 to win out of a total purse of nearly $30,000 with time trials setting the heat and feature starting grids.

The Tool Shed of America 358 sprint cars will also be on the program along with an exhibition of race cars from the EMMR.

Chad Layton of Harrisburg is the two time and defending champion of the event behind the wheel of the Middleswarth No. 7.


Layton won in 2010 and in 2012 while the 2011 version was rained out.

Formerly known as the Early Bird Championship, The Tommy Spring Classic took its name in 2007, now run in honor of the winner of the first ever motor racing main event at Williams Grove Speedway back in 1939.

An eventual Hall of Fame driver, Hinnershitz of Oley went on to win the track title that year and again in 1949 and 1952.

Winners of the event since taking the Hinnershitz name have been: Craig Keel, 2007; Brian Leppo, 2008; Lance Dewease, 2009; and Layton, 2010, 2012.

The 2013 Tommy Classic will be the first of 11 slated Diamond Series events at Williams Grove this year. The series carries its own crown and point payoff at season’s end.

Reigning track champion Greg Hodnett is also the defending Diamond Series titlist as well.

The first appearance of the season by the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints is slated for the following week, April 26.

The Williams Grove Saturday Night Series headlined by the super sportsman is slated to kickoff on April 20.

Keep up to date on all the latest speedway news and information by visiting the oval’s official website at www.williamsgrove.com.
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Early Bird Championship Winners
1983 No. 1A Bobby Allen
1984 No. 5W Randy Wolfe
1985 No. 29 Doug Wolfgang
1986 No. 10 Dave Blaney
1987 No. 29 Doug Wolfgang
1988 No. 69 Don Kreitz Jr.
1989 No. 1W Kenny Jacobs
1990 No. 69 Don Kreitz Jr.
1991 No. 23S Frankie Kerr
1992 No. 69 Don Kreitz Jr.
1993 No. 69 Don Kreitz Jr.
1994 No. 69 Don Kreitz Jr.
1995 No. 461 Lance Dewease
1996 No. 461 Lance Dewease
1997 No. 12 Kevin Gobrecht
1998 No. 19 Stevie Smith
1999 No. 11 Kevin Gobrecht
2000 No. 77E Dave Ely
2001 No. 12 Greg Hodnett
2002 No. 12 Greg Hodnett
2003 No. 77 Lance Dewease
2004 No.12 Greg Hodnett

RACE BECOMES THE “SPRING CLASSIC”
2005 No. 88H Fred Rahmer
2006 No. 30 Doug Esh

RACE BECOMES THE TOMMY HINNERSHITZ CLASSIC

2007 No. 9 Craig Keel
2008 No. 71 Brian Leppo
2009 No. 30C Lance Dewease
2010 No. 7 Chad Layton
2011 Rain
2012 No. 7 Chad Layton