Local Racing
Mike Hopkins Wins Motor Mountain Masters At Jennerstown

JENNERSTOWN, PA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Mike Hopkins survived a late-race restart to win the 3rd annual “Motor Mountain Masters” Saturday night at Jennerstown Speedway.
Hopkins held off Josh Brock, Carson Hocevar, Travis Braden and Derek Griffith on the final restart of the race after a caution flag on lap 147 of the 150-lap race.
Hopkins, of Hermon Maine, took the early lead from pole starter Albert Francis when lap one was officially scored. On lap 7, Francis passed Hopkins for the top spot. At lap 30, Francis held a commanding lead but a spin by ARCA Series superstar Travis Braden, of West Virginia, slowed the action at lap 33, which led to the scheduled five minute race break on lap 40.
Hopkins grabbed the lead again at the start of segment two with Francis falling back to third spot after being passed by World Series of Asphalt Racing Champion Derek Griffith. Griffith’s hold on second place didn’t last long as Josh Brock took over the runner-up spot on lap 56. On lap 62, Cale Gale moved into fourth place passing Griffith but immediately after the pass, Gale slowed with mechanical problems.
Hopkins chose the outside lane for the double-file restart for the final 60-lap segment. Hopkins maintained the lead as Griffith regained second place with a bold move to pass two cars. Francis didn’t let him hold that spot long as raced back into the runner up spot but on lap 111, Francis made contact with a lapped car and spun with damage.
Hopkins, Griffith, Hocevar, and Brock were the top four when the green flag was displayed on lap 115. Hopkins maintained the top spot but the racing action was slowed again on lap 120 when a three-car crash eliminated 2020 Jennerstown winner, Garry Wiltrout.
The restart with 25 laps to go gave Griffith, Hocevar and Brock another opportunity to steal the lead from Hopkins but they couldn’t pull it off. The final caution flag on lap 147 made for some drama but Hopkins ended it by taking the checkered flag and the $10,000 grand prize.
Brock finished second with Hocevar coming home in third. Braden rallied for a fourth place finish and Griffith settled for a top 5.
Rick Sibila captured the checkered flag in the Stoystown Auto Wreckers Modifieds 30-lap feature. Sibila joined his father Bob, the legendary ASA Series and Late Model racer, as a visitor to Stoney’s victory lane at Jennerstown.
Next Saturday, August 15th, Jennerstown Speedway presents five division racing on Autograph Night. Before the racing begins, fans will be invited onto the front straightaway of the oval, to meet the drivers, touch the cars, and take photos. For more information visit, www.Jennerstown.org.
3rd Annual Motor Mountain Masters 150
Martella’s Pharmacies Late Model division
Position – Start – Driver – Hometown – Car No.
- 2 – Mike Hopkins – Hermon, ME – #15H
- 7 – Josh Brock – Corbin, KY – #17
- 8 – Carson Hocevar – Portage, MI – #14H
- 12 – Travis Braden – Wheeling, WV – #26
- 3 – Derek Griffith – Hudson, NH – #12G
- 1 – Albert Francis – Painesville, OH – #33F
- 18 – Devin O’Connell – Madison, CT – #85
- 13 – Cory Casagrande – Stafford Springs, CT – #7CT
- 26 – Bryan Shipp – Scottdale, PA – #40
- 23 – Brandan Marhefka – Windber, PA – #13
- 16 – Nate Walton – Hudsonville, MI – #66
- 27 – Mike Sweeney – Nesquehoning, PA – #D11
- 14 – Jimmy Tucker – Mount Clemens, MI – #98
- 10 – Eldon King – Freedom, NY – #0
- 15 – Evan Shotko – Coopersville, MI – #22
- 22 – Chad Pendleton – Plain City, OH – #22P
- 25 – Jeremy Shaffer – Derry, PA – #16
- 32 – Scott Wylie – Blasdell, NY – #92W
- 20 – Zane Ferrell – Ruffs Dale, PA – #14
- 34 – Lauren Butler – West Mifflin, PA – #53
- 11 – Jarred Barclay – Somerset, PA – #92
- 17 – Garry Wiltrout – Somerset, PA – #95
- 33 – Todd Price – Bedford, PA – #96
- 35 – Patrick Waugh – New Florence, PA – #21
- 19 – Barry Awtey – Jenners, PA – #75
- 21 – Joe Maruca – Slickville, PA – #90
- 5 – Cale Gale – Winston-Salem, NC – #44
- 4 – Weston Griffith – Crown Port, IN – #33G
- 31 – Chola Shay – Matamoras, PA – #2
- 6 – Jerick Johnson – Mooresville, NC – #76
- 30 – Mike Hemminger – Stoystown, PA – #72
- 9 – Brian Campbell – Wyoming, MI – #47
- 24 – Teddy Gibala – Coulter, PA – #3
- 28 – Glenn Gault – Hubbard, OH – #40G
- 29 – Gerry Shepard – Comstock Park, MI – #77
Dirt Racing
Dietz Does It

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (March 25, 2023): Chase Dietz recovered from an inauspicious start to his night at the Lincoln Speedway by leading all thirty laps of the 410 Sprint Car A Main. The $4,000 victory was the first since he returned to his own equipment for the 2023 season. Also scoring was Tanner Jones in the debut for teh Central PA Legends Cars.
“I’m still pissed that I spun in hot laps,” Dietz said. He recovered nicely in his heat race, though, winning in dominant fashion. In the feature event, he weathered six tries to get the race going. Although he was credited with leading the entire distance, Dietz benefited from a caution on lap eight, when he lost the lead briefly to Zane Rudisill in traffic. Rudisill could not get back around to the scoring loop before the caution was displayed, so Dietz was restored to the point for the restart.
Dietz was able to retain his advantage throughout the remainder of the race despite losing his brakes. “It was a long race in general,” he noted. “I lost my brakes, I was trying not to use them in traffic, I was just holding on.” He added that he tried to stay on the bottom, but he admitted to making some mistakes along the way.
Dietz was handicapped to the pole for teh start of the event, with Rudisill next to him. Cole Young and Lucas Wolfe were in row two. The third row belonged to Aaron Bollinger and Tyler Ross. Then came Tim Wagaman and Kyle Moody. The fifth row paired Dylan Norris and Justin Peck. Devon Borden and Cameron Smith were slated for row six. High point men Danny Dietrich and Freddie Rahmer, Jr. were buried deep in the pack after lackluster heat race finishes.
Four cautions, two reds, and a fuel stop delayed the start of the thirty lapper. No racers were injured in the incidents, which included solo flips by Bollinger and Young. Eight cars were eliminated from the action before a single lap was scored, though. Track officials opted for a single file start, which worked like a charm.
Dietz took the early advantage, but Rudisill remained close. Wolfe settled into third, followed by Ross, Moody, Peck, Norris, Smith, Anthony Macri, and Brandon Rahmer. Dietz and Rudisill drew away from Wolfe, who was hounded by Ross and Peck through the first segment of the race.
The caution on lap eight put Dietz back in the lead, which he resumed under green flag conditions. Surprisingly, the green remained out for the rest of the race.
At the halfway mark, Dietz and Rudisill again had a substantial lead over Wolfe. Peck was up to fourth, followed by Ross, Norris, Moody, Smith, Macri, and Brandon Rahmer.
Peck went to work on Wolfe, and he finally took over third with twenty-four laps down. Macri surrendered his top ten spot during that stint.
The final laps were uneventful for those in the top positions. Matt Campbell made some headway, though, racing into the back half of the top ten before the checkers came out.
Following Dietz and Rudisill was a fast closing Peck. Then came Wolfe and Ross to complete the top five. Norris, Moody, Smith, Campbell, and Brandon Rahmer rounded out the top ten.
Heat wins were scored by Rudisill, Dietz, and Wolfe. There was no B Main, as all twenty-five entrants started the race.
Tanner Jones came from seventh to earn the win in the nightcap for the Central PA Legends. Seth Kearchner, Stephen Wurtzer, Lincoln Kearchner, and Travis Perry completed the top five.
The next five finishers were Chris Transeau, Rick Hartwig, Colton Fries, Jeremy Ott, and Justin Wagaman. Fries was the hard charger, passing seventeen cars in the contest.
Jones, Wurtzer, Transeau, and Logan Carbaugh triumphed in the heats, The B Main went to Bill Diehl.
Next weekend, on April 1, Lincoln Speedway will present its first Sprint Car double header of the season. The 358 Sprints will make their first start of the year, while the 410 Sprints will take the sixth green flag of the season. The same program will be presented on April 8 and 15. April 22 will have the Central PA Legends Cars back on the card with the 410 Sprints. The month of April will close out with 410 and 358 Sprints joined by the Penn-Mar Vintage Modifieds.
Dirt Racing
Rico Races to Outlaws Win

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (March 18, 2023): Rico Abreu made his 2023 Sprint Car debut a triumphant one, scoring his second career win at the Fabulous Lincoln Speedway. This one was especially memorable for the diminutive California hotshoe, as it came against the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series.
“I have never been in Pennsylvania in March, he noted. He added that he was worried about the weather, as he observed snow along the side of the road coming across the Pennsylvania Turnpike. But his crew chief, Ricky Warner, cut his teeth in the midstate area before going on to great success for many years with the touring series.
Abreu was thankful for the efforts of Warner and the rest of his crew. “I’ really thankful, thankful for my guys. They worked so hard on this thing.” Abreu went on to explain that Warner was able to adapt to the new Hoosier tires which were rolled out for this event. “New tires. I didn’t know that until we rolled through the gate tonight.” Abreu added that he was patient, knowing that Warner would have his car set up for the end of the race, after the fuel load burned off.
Still, Abreu had a close call during the race. Freddy Rahmer, Jr. was challenging Brad Sweet for the lead with eight laps down. The two made contact and Rahmer spun between turns one and two. Abreu, who was running in fourth at the time, clipped Rahmer as he went by. “I thought that my tire was going down, or that I knocked the (Jacobs) ladder out of it,” he commented. But whatever damage there was to Abreu’s car was minor, for his car got better as the race went on.
By winning the dash, four time and defending Outlaws champion Brad Sweet had the pole and two-time Lincoln winner Freddie Rahmer, Jr. was beside him. Abreu and Devon Borden lined up in row two. Logan Schuchart and David Gravel lined up in the third row. Danny Dietrich and Spencer Bayston were the final dash participants, starting in row four. Then came Carson Macedo and Buddy Kofoid, followed by Matt Campbell and Justin Peck.
Sweet powered off turn four with a slight advantage over Rahmer heading to the green flag. Abreu fell into third ahead of Borden, Gravel, Bayston, Schuchart, Dietrich, Macedo, and Kofoid. Things stayed the same through the early laps, with the exception of Peck slipping ahead of Kofoid for the tenth position.
Sweet caught the rear of the field by lap seven. While he dealt with the slower cars, Rahmer closed in. Rahmer was ready to make a move to the front when misfortune struck. Not only did the spin take him out of contention, but his crew was unable to make repairs to get him back into the fray.
Rahmer’s miscue benefited Borden, who had moved ahead of Abreu just before the caution. Borden took up the chase of Sweet, but he was unable to make any headway. Gravel was now up to third, while Abreu raced along ahead of Schuchart and Dietrich.
Another brief caution, on lap twelve, for a spin by Dylan Norris gave Borden another shot at the leader. This time, he stayed closer to Sweet. Abreu moved back into third, and Macedo picked his way into the top five.
The green flag remained out for the next twenty-three laps. About halfway through that long run, Borden made his move. He did briefly nose ahead of Sweet in between turns one and two, but he could not hold the position. Sweet scooted back into the lead, and Abreu moved into second.
Sweet moved up the track, leaving the inside line open for Abreu. On lap twenty-three, Abreu went low into turn one, pulling up beside Sweet. They raced wheel to wheel through turn two. Abreu got a slight advantage coming off that corner and he pulled ahead as they raced toward turn three. Abreu pulled away coming off turn four.
Sweet held onto second the rest of the way. Borden maintained third. Macedo crossed in fourth, good enough to take the bonus money offered for a handful of early season races scheduled for Florida and Pennsylvania. Fifth went to Peck. Dietrich, Schuchart, Giovanni Scelzi, Brent Marks, and Gravel rounded out the top ten.
Heat wins went to Gravel, Dietrich, Rahmer, and Sweet. Troy Wagaman, Jr, captured the C Main, and Scelzi won the B. Provisional starting spots were granted to James McFadden, Sheldo.n Haudenschild, Kyle Moody, Donny Schatz, Casey Kahne, and Brock Zearfoss. Ryan Timms was unhurt in the only flip of the night
Lincoln Speedway will be back in action next Saturday, March with 410 Sprints and Central PA Legends, with a 6 p.m. start. Sprint Car doubleheaders, 410 and 358 style, will be held on April 1, 8, and 15, also with 6 p.m. starts.
Dirt Racing
$90K up for grabs in ’23 Western PA Sprint Speedweek

SHIPPENVILLE, PA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Western PA Sprint Speedweek is putting up some serious cash and prizes for competitors in 2023 with over $90,000 in prize money available for the five-day event.
The Speedweek point fund increases to $12,250 with the payout for positions 3-12 improving between 20-30%. The point fund is fully guaranteed as long as three or more races are completed.
Contingency awards are returning as well including ‘Quick Time’, ‘Hard Charger’, ‘Week Long Hard Charger’, ‘Hard Luck’ and a nightly drawing for a Hoosier RR tire.
Western PA Sprint Speedweek starts May 31 at Knox Raceway, moves to ‘Dirt’s Monster Half-Mile’ at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Thursday June 1, with ‘The Action Track’ Lernervillle Speedway taking center stage on Friday June 2. Sharon Speedway hosts Saturday June 3rd’s action with Tri-City Raceway Park crowning the Champion on Sunday June 4th.
For more information visit the Western PA Sprint Speedweek website at www.westernpaspeedweek.com.