HAGERSTOWN, MD – It was a matter of clean air and a late race restart that propelled Stevie Smith into victory lane at Hagerstown Speedway on Wednesday night for the 25th Annual PA Sprint Car Speedweek triumph. The $5,000 victory was his third in the four events held so far aboard the Fred Rahmer sprint and also his first Hagerstown win since May 2009.
Defending winner and fast timer Greg Hodnett started from the pole with a zero invert and after swapping the lead numerous times in the middle of the race with Lincoln’s winner Danny Dietrich, Smith used a lap 23 restart to build up a head of steam to grab second and continue on and come out of the fourth turn like a cannon ball to take command on the 25th lap.
Moon (Byers) told me the car was perfect so I thought, ‘You better get your ass in gear,’” Smith said. “We got some clean air and got by Danny, then got another gasp of clean air and once we could get out in all clean air, it was pretty much over. I never give up , I just got a good break there; it’s hard to explain, I got some clean air on the top wing and the thing just set down better and I got a run on Hodnett going in, I thought “You know what, we can win this thing.’”
Hodnett turned the fast lap of 15.631 seconds around the half mile and heats were inverted four positions with Hodnett finishing second and later pulling a zero invert for the feature which put Dietrich alongside with Cory Haas and Smith in row two.
On the first start, the red was displayed for an Anthony Fiore incident on the back stretch when he made contact with the inside fence.
On the second attempt, another red flag brought out an open red as Glendon Forsythe, Freddie Rahmer and Alan Krimes were involved when Krimes was contacted from the rear and Forsythe tumbled down the front stretch while Rahmer’s car launched over the inside fence into the pit area only a few stalls from where the team was parked.
The third time was a charm as Hodnett took off with Dietrich, Smith and Haas in tow. The action heated up when Hodnett wasn’t escaping Dietrich and they caught the rear of the field by the tenth lap.
Dietrich led the 12th lap with Hodnett on the high side coming back the next and Dietrich not giving up. The lead was swapped at least six times in four laps.
Hodnett led until the lap 23 yellow when earlier fourth place runner Sheldon Haudenschild had motor issue and stopped off turn two.
Following the restart, Smith went into action and charged past Dietrich and just hammered under Hodnett off the fourth turn and checked out to claim the win by 1.46 second.
“We just really had a good race car, “Smith said. “These guys worked on this thing all night .It’s a great feeling to be here at Hagerstown in victory lane. Our goal is to win the championship and sure going to try our best. I’ve been in this racing business and anything can happen. We’re just going to enjoy each night as it comes and do the very best we can.”
“I’m feeling bittersweet,” Rahmer said. “I wish my boy would have got a chance to race. By far, the best driver in central Pennsylvania is standing right there beside the race car. I was thinking the car didn’t look that good and he drove the hell out of it. We had to change the motor, fuel tanks, fuel pump. We didn’t even know if was going to start for the feature. Stevie just got lucky there on the restart and got the car going. “
Dietrich ended third over Lucas Wolfe and Aaron Ott. Haas lost two spots on the final restart to finish sixth with Mike Wagner, Lance Dewease, Krimes (from 19th and a restart on the rear) and Doug Esh (22nd) to complete the top ten.
Heat wins went to Davey Sammons, Wolfe, Haudenschild and Wagner while Brock Zearfoss was the consolation winner.
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Hagerstown Speedway Results
25th Annual PA Sprint Car Speedweek – 30 Laps: 1.Stevie Smith, 2.Greg Hodnett,3.Danny Dietrich, 4.Lucas Wolfe, 5.Aaron Ott, 6.Cory Haas, 7.Mike Wagner, 8.Lance Dewease, 9.Alan Krimes, 10.Doug Esh, 11.Brock Zearfoss, 12.Kevin Nouse, 13.Davey Sammons, 14.Brent Marks, 15.Billy Dietrich, 16.Robbie Stillwagon, 17.Ryan Wilson, 18.Joey Hershey, 19.Brady Bacon, 20.Gerard McIntyre Jr. 21.Glendon Forsythe, 22.Sheldon Haudenschild, 23.Freddie Rahmer, 24.Anthony Fiore, DNQ-Kyle Pruitt, Curt Stroup, Bradley Howard, Troy Fraker, Karl Baker, Wayne Dadetto, George Streaker Jr., T.J. Stutts, Jay Reichard