Stevie Smith Is Ready For Outlaws With Williams Grove 410 Sprint Victory
Kevin Nouse gets third in 358s
7/11/14
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mechanicsburg – Stevie Smith drove to his third 410 sprint car win of the season on Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway as he tuned up for next week’s World of Outlaws Summer Nationals with a victory worth $4,000.
In 358 sprint action it was Kevin Nouse of Lewisberry taking his third win of the season at the track as well.
Second starter Ryan Smith tried to lead the first lap but polesitter Cory Haas nipped him at the line to be scored in control.
Stevie Smith started fourth in the field and was third behind the pair almost immediately.
The eventual winner got around Ryan Smith for second on the third circuit and chased Haas for the lead for six tours before driving by for command as the pair raced out of the second corner.
Eyes then turned to ninth starter Brian Montieth who was up to fifth as Stevie Smith took the lead.
Montieth had worked his way up to third behind the leader and Haas by the time the races only caution flag unfurled with 10 laps to go in the 25 lap main for the stopped racers of Doug Esh and sixth runner Don Kreitz Jr.
Montieth overtook Haas on the restart and began his attempts at racing with the leader.
The Phoenixville flyer had closed right up on the leader’s bumper as the pair raced into the third corner headed for the two-to-go sign but when Smith hesitated as he worked traffic entering the turn, Montieth nearly crashed into him and was forced to lay on the brakes and turn the car partially sideways to avoid collision.
This in turn allowed Stevie Smith to drive away as Montieth tried to recover and Smith took the checkers by .441 seconds.
“This one’s just as fun as the first one, that’ll never wear off,” Smith said of taking the victory.
Car owner Fred Rahmer expressed his pleasure with the team’s third win of the year at the oval.
“I knew that Stevie was the best driver there is and he’s provin’ it,” Rahmer said.
Lucas Wolfe drove from sixth starting spot to finish third followed by Ryan Smith and Gerard McIntyre Jr.
Sixth through 10th went to Steve Buckwalter, Greg Hodnett, Pat Cannon, Alan Krimes and Tim Glatfelter.
Heats for the 23 cars went to Wolfe, Ryan Smith and Haas. Haas won the dash to earn the pole for the feature.
Wolfe set his fifth quick time of the season in time trials with a lap of 17.077 seconds.
Brie Hershey lead the first four circuits of the 20-lap 358 sprint main before 10th starter Adrian Shaffer took over.
Shaffer appeared headed for his third win of the season while running on the cushion but with eight laps to go he jumped the cushion in the second corner, allowing Knouse to erase nearly all of the two-turn lead he had amassed at the front.
And then when Shaffer seemed to miss his entry with five to go in the third corner that was all it took for Knouse to drive across the middle of the track to take control.
A caution flag with a lap to go appeared for a tangle in the fourth corner that took out top five runners Ryan Wilson and Brock Zearfoss but Shaffer was helpless on the restart, instead settling for second.
Doug Hammaker was third followed by Rich Eichelberger and Hershey.
Heats for the 15-car field went to Shaffer and Brock Zearfoss.
July 11, 2014 Feature Finish:
410 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Brian Montieth, 3. Lucas Wolfe, 4. Ryan Smith, 5. Gerard McIntyre Jr., 6. Steve Buckwalter, 7. Greg Hodnett, 8. Pat Cannon, 9. Alan Krimes, 10. Tim Glatfelter, 11. Lance Dewease, 12. Rick Lafferty, 13. Adam Wilt, 14. Glenndon Forsythe, 15. TJ Stutts, 16. Austin Hogue, 17. Nicole Bower, 18. Jordan Givler, 19. Scott Wilson, 20. Cory Haas, 21. Don Kreitz Jr., 22. Doug Esh
DNS: Jay Reichard
358 sprints, 20 laps: 1. Kevin Nouse, 2. Adrian Shaffer, 3. Doug Hammaker, 4. Rich Eichelberger, 5. Brie Hershey, 6. Kody Lehman, 7. Matt Findley, 8. Chris Arnold, 9. Tony Smolenyak, 10. Scott Fisher, 11. DJ Montgomery, 12. Ryan Wilson, 13. Brock Zearfoss, 14. Matt Campbell, 15. Chandler Leiby