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Dirt Racing

Whitener and Webster Win at East Bay

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GIBSONTON, FL (February 4, 2021): A pair of local favorites, Mark Whitener, of Middleburg, and Justin Webster, of Sarasota, were victorious in the 45th running of the Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park. Whitener captured the win in the Crate Racing USA Late Models, while Webster scored with the Top Gun Sprints.

When threatening weather forced another series to cancel their Super Late Model races at a different Florida track, Whitener went to Plan B, to run his Crate Late at East Bay. The decision was almost his undoing. While loading that car into the hauler to make the trip to East Bay Whitener fell and sustained a leg injury. He even fell several times at the track, but the injury did not slow his pace in the race car one bit. “I’m gimped up pretty bad right now, but it didn’t really affect me in the race car.”

Whitener made it a clean sweep, setting the fastest time over the 78 car field, winning his heat race, and getting the feature win.

Although Whitener started on the pole for the thirty lapper, he lost the initial lead to Joseph Joiner. Joiner led the first thirteen laps over Whitener, Kyle Lukon, Phillip Cobb, and Dylan Knowles. Kyle Hardy soon cracked the top five, and reached the third position by lap ten. Hoiwever, he was unable to reel in the leaders.

Whitener made a two-for-one move in the first corner with thirteen laps complete. He got by both the leader Joiner and a lapped car to assume command. The leaders went on to complete the lap before another caution was displayed, so Whitener was on the point for the Delaware double file restart.

The restart was costly to Hardy, who got out into the loose dirt at the top of the speedway. He lost four positions, allowing Lukon, Knowles, and Cory Hedgecock to scoot by.

Whitener maintained his advantage but Joiner stayed close until misfortune struck. He clipped the outside wall in turn three and brought his car to a stop. Another quick caution gave Lukon a second shot at the leader, but he was not up to the task.

Whitener completed the remaining six laps without difficulty. Lukon was second in his debut at East Bay. Hedgecock was third despite using a provisional to start dead last in the race. Ashton Winger and Hardy completed the top five.

Three Rivers Karting

Frankie Lloyd, Jake Rainey, Dylan Knowles, Jake Knowles, and Jeremy Shaw finished sixth through tenth.

Whitener’s quick time was 15.995 seconds. Joining him as heat winners were Richie Stephens, Shaw, Winger, Joiner, Dylan Knowles, Lukon, and Nick Gainey. Four B Mains were held, with victories going to Logan Roberson, Colton Leyendecker, Jason Welshan, and Garrett Mosley.

In the Top Gun Sprints, passing points set the starting line up. Dylan Colding and Garrett Green were in the front for 25 trips around the Clay by the Bay. Justin Webster and Shane Butler were in the second row, with Danny Martin, Jr. and A.J. Maddox in row three. Robbie Hoffmann and Ethan Barrow were paired in row four, with Will Hull and Billy Bridges in row five.

Green rolled out to the early lead over Butler and Colding. Martin spun on lap two, with Tyler Orzichowski bringing out the caution soon thereafter.

Green stayed out front until his car suddenly slowed between turns three and four with seven laps in the books. That handed the lead to Webster, who would never be headed.

Webster deftly maneuvered his way through the heavy traffic for fourteen laps until the race was halted due to the flip by John Kall. Kall was unhurt in the wreck. Through that long run, Butler and Hoffman were battling for second. However, all eyes were on Martin, who was picking his way through the field. He lined up fourth for the penultimate restart, with Maddox in fifth.

When racing resumed, Martin swept past Hoffman and now he was all over Butler for the second position. Contact ensued, and Butler’s car turned over in turn four with just four laps remaining in the contest. Hoffmann skipped by the crash scene and was lined up in second for the final restart. He could not hold off the fleet Martin however.

Webster, Martin, and Hoffmann earned the podium positions. Maddox was fourth, with Tyler Clem in fifth. Larry McVay, Barrow, Brandon Grubaugh, Hull, and Luke Hill rounded out the top ten.

Four heats were held for the 28 cars on hand. Victories belonged to Webster, Hoffmann, Barrow, and Green. Andy Cobb prevailed in the B Main. Webster’s heat and feature wins added the Lee and Jeff Barfield Memorial Clean Sweep award to his bounty.

Dirt Racing

Lincoln Beats Weather, Macri and Ely Score Wins

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Photo: Paul Arch

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (April 5, 2025): Lincoln Speedway gambled that an earlier start time would allow for the completion of the fifth event of the season before weather was due to arrive. Anthony Macri and Nash Ely benefited from their roll of the dice, winning the 410 and 358 features, respectively.

Macri explained that he did not feel comfortable riding the rim in turns three and four, which is usually his lane of choice. Instead, he tried to stay on the bottom and bide his time. The strategy worked, albeit aided by some attrition.

Macri also commented that he had a tough time dealing with the lapped traffic. “I was kinda sketchy in traffic. I just didn’t have the confidence.”

Were that not enough weighing him down, Macri was involved in a scuffle coming off turn two that sent his challenger, Dallas Schott, for a tumble midway down the backstretch. “I hope that Dallas is OK,” Macri said apologetically. “I was told that it was just a racing deal. I tried to keep my car down and he came up on me.”

Macri added that, after that incident, he picked up a vibration in his motor. “I smelled oil when I got out of the car,” He could not determine the problem, however, and he was hoping that post-race maintenance would sort things out.

The track’s point average handicapping system was used to set the line-up for this event. Under that scheme, the first three finishers in the heat races are inverted based upon their point averages. The remaining heat transfers fill in based upon their finishing order.

The B Main transfers tag the tail of the field.

So, Cole Knopp was the pole sitter, with J.J. Loss on his right. In row two were Lucas Wolfe and Schott. Kyle Moody and Dylan Norris occupied the third row. Then came Brandon Rahmer and Brock Zearfoss. Macri was inside row five, withFreddie Rahmer, Jr. and his partner. In row six were Mike Bittinger and Tyler Ross.

Further back in the line-up were Jeff Halligan, starting fourteenth, points leader Troy Wagaman, Jr. in fifteenth, last week’s winner Matt Campbell in seventeenth, Chad Trout in nineteenth, and Danny Dietrich in twentieth.

Loss rolled through the middle of turn one to take the early lead over Knopp, Schott, Norris, and Wolfe. Things changed rather quickly, though, when Knopp spun in turn two with two laps completed. During that caution period, Norris pitted, relinquishing his position in the top five.

These changes moved Macri into the top three for the restart. While many observers expected Macri to race into the lead, Loss continued out front when things resumed. Surprisingly, it was Schott who challenged him for the lead.

Schott took control around lap twelve. Loss got another crack at the leader just one lap later. Norris stopped in turn four to bunch the field back up again.

Soon after the restart, Macri moved into second. He was followed by Loss and Moody. Behind them, a good battle was brewing. The Rahmer brothers, Ross, and Wagaman were the contestants.

Three Rivers Karting

As the leaders worked their way through traffic, Macri was able to close in on Schott, who was seeking his first career win at the track. Macri’s experience paid off on lap twenty-two as he was able to dive to the low side to overtake Schott. On the next lap around, Schott tried to duplicate the maneuver. He drew up beside Macri, but there was contact coming off turn two. Schott got crossed up and he flipped several times. Fortunately, he was not injured.

Macri thus had the point for the final restart, with Loss and Moody next in line. The Rahmer brothers held fourth and fifth, followed by Wagaman, Ross, Campbell,, Halligan, and Zearfoss.

Macri got away cleanly and led the last seven laps to close out the thirty-lap event. Loss and Moody ran second and third. Behind them, Wagaman continued to struggle with the Rahmer boys. Wagaman climbed to third, but Freddie Rahmer rallied in the closing laps to take that position from him. Meanwhile, Brandon Rahmer began to fall back in the running order.

In the final tally, it was Macri over Loss, Moody, Freddie Rahmer, and Wagaman, Campbell advanced to sixth to claim the hard charger award. Brandon Rahmer held on for seventh. Ross, Halligan, and Zearfoss completed the top ten.

Heat wins for the twenty-nine cars belonged to Schott, Moody, and Wolfe. Trout captured the B Main.

In the 358 Sprint nightcap, fourth generation driver Nash Ely picked up his first career win at the speedway. “It feels like it’s been way too long,” he quipped. “It’s maybe five years since my last win.” Ely admitted that he was not watching the scoreboard to see who was running behind him in the closing laps. “I didn’t look at the board because I didn’t want it to get into my head.” He kept his cool and drove confidently in the waning laps.

The top three heat race finishers re-drew for their starting positions in this one. Jayden Wolf and Cody Fletcher were on the front row for their twenty lapper. Ely lined up in third, beside Adam Best. Olivia Thayer and Austin Reed were in row three. Steve Owings and Jude Siegel came next. Ashley Cappetta and Eli Tuckey held down row five, followed by Michael Smith and Seth Schnoke.

Wolf and Fletcher were battling for the top spot on the first lap. Wolf had a slight advantage entering turn three, but Fletcher drove in too hard, and he spun. Remarkably, there was no contact and Fletcher was able to rejoin the race at the tail of the field.

On the second attempt, Ely rode the rim in turn one to grab the lead over Wolf, Best, Reed, and Owings. Ely set a brisk pace while Wolf was under attack from Best. Best took over second on lap eight.

Best was unable to make any headway, however. A caution with four laps remaining brought Ely back to him. But Ely easily drove away in the closing laps.

At the checkers, Ely prevailed over Owings, who had a good closing charge. Best, Wolf, and Reed completed the top five. Tuckey, Schnoke, Siegel, Fletcher, and Tylar Rutherford took positions six through ten.

Owings, Ely, and Best won their heat races. There was no B Main for the twenty-car field.

Next week, Lincoln Speedway will present a Sprint Car doubleheader consisting of the 410 Sprints and the USAC East Coast 360 Sprints racing sans wings. Then, on Easter Eve, the track will host the twenty-first annual Weldon Sterner Memorial for 410 and 358 Sprints. The final event in April will be for the 410 Sprints and the Limited Late Models.

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Dirt Racing

Rain Halts Williams Grove Speedway

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Williams Grove Speedway

MECHANICSBURG, PA (April 4, 2025): The second rain shower of the night stopped the action at the Williams Grove Speedway just five laps into the season-opening 410 Sprint Car feature event. An earlier sprinkle delayed the consolation events.

At the time of the caution, Matt Campbell was leading over Anthony Macri, Danny Dietrich, Jeff Halligan, and Brock Zearfoss, Campbell, who started on the pole, led all five laps contested.

The balance of the top ten at the stoppage were Cameron Smith, Chase Dietz, T.J. Stutts, Lance Dewease, and Troy Wagaman, Jr.

Three Rivers Karting

The three heat races for the 410 Sprints went to Ryan Taylor, Smith, and Campbell. Preston Lattomus won the B Main. Twenty-nine cars registered for the event.

In the 358 Sprints, Andy Best, Jacob Galloway, and Jude Siegel won the heat races. Cole Young claimed the B Main. Thirty cars signed in for that division.

The balance of the 410 Sprint Car feature will be added to next week’s program, which will include complete shows for the 410 and 305 Sprints and the Wingless Sportsman Tour. The 358 Sprint feature will be added to the card on April 25. There will be no increase in ticket prices on either night.

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Dirt Racing

Dietrich and Fletcher Beat Rain at BAPS

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BAPS Motor Speedway

NEWBERRYTOWN, PA (March 30, 2025): Two-time and defending track champion Danny Dietrich, of Gettysburg, picked up his twenty-second career 410 Sprint Car victory at BAPS Motor Speedway. It was his sixth triumph in the last eleven non-sanctioned races held at the venue. In the nightcap. For the 358 Sprint Cars, Cody Fletcher, of East Berlin, held off persistent challenges from Seth Shnoke and, later, Dylan Norris to grab the prestigious win.

Dietrich explained that the key to victory was “being patient, really patient.” That was certainly true in the late stages of the thirty lapper.

However, Dietrich was anything but patient earlier in the contest. In the middle stage of the race, Dietrich and Freddie Rahmer, Jr. waged a spectacular battle, often with the help of Brock Zearfoss, for the third position. That episode lasted for several laps before Dietrich dispatched them both.

Dietrich explained that “Rahmer, Zearfoss, and I ran each other so tight.” Dietrich noted that, during the confrontation with Rahmer, there was a close call in turn three. “We were so tight, we almost drove through Brock and he never knew it.” That was fortunate, as Zearfoss had checked up because a lapped car spun just ahead of him.

Then, in the final laps, Dietrich chased down, and passed, early leader Kyle Moody and his successor, Chase Dietz. To do so, Dietrich switched lanes. “It got dark in the middle, and I figured there was some grip there. I got to it first.”

In conclusion, Dietrich gushed, “Man, that was fun, see you all in two weeks!”

Moody and Dietz had the front row for the feature, which was staged under heavy cloud cover. They were the lucky drivers in the top twelve re-draw. Behind them were Kody Hartlaub, making his first start of the new season, and Jeff Halligan. Dietrich and Zearfoss were in row three. Lucas Wolfe and Rahmer made up the fourth row. A pair of 39s were in row five, with Anthony Macri flanked by Aussie Lynton Jeffrey. Mike Thompson and Austin Bishop were the unfortunate racers when it came to the luck of the draw.

Moody took control at the start of the race and, for several laps, it appeared that he may finally break through for the win. Dietz stayed close as the leaders migrated to the top of the track. They were followed by Halligan, Zearfoss, Rahmer, Hartlaub, Dietrich, Jeffrey, Bishop, and Wolfe.

Bishop spun in turn three on lap five, beginning a disjointed segment of the race. As the officials sorted through additional cautions on the restart lap, and laps seven, eight, and nine, the fans got restless and worried that a downpour could end the day early. While some moisture did begin to fall, it was not enough to stop the race.

Moody led through much of it, but Dietz was able to put together one successful lap, riding the rim to take the lead away from him on lap seven. Moody did try a slider entering turn one on the lap eight restart. Zearfoss continued in third, with the battle for fourth between Dietrich and Rahmer began to heat up.

With Dietz and Moody comfortably ahead, Zearfoss jumped the cushion in turn one, allowing Dietrich and Rahmer to close in on him. Following a lap fourteen restart, the three-cars were swapping positions with great frequency.

The leaders were starting to work through traffic and, soon thereafter, the three contestants for third had to navigate through the slower cars as well. Dietrich was superior to Zearfoss and Rahmer, and he claimed third as the laps were counting down.

The traffic got heavier for Dietz and Moody. Dietrich saw his opportunity when the lapped cars clogged up the bottom groove. He moved up just enough to clear them, and that was where he picked up speed. He closed in on Moody, who was also cutting into Dietz’ advantage.

Three Rivers Karting

In the final five rounds, Dietrich maintained his charge. He picked off Moody and Dietz in traffic. In the mad scramble at the end of the race, Zearfoss and Rahmer also worked their way forward. Dietz and Moody remained in the top five.

At the checkers, it was Dietrich over Zearfoss, Dietz, Rahmer, and Moody. Macri, Dylan Norris, Tyler Ross, Cameron Smith, and Wolfe comprised the next five finishers.

The three heat winners were Moody, Halligan, and Dietrich. Gerard McIntyre, Jr. won the B Main.

With a temporary halt to the rain, the 358 Sprints staged for their finale. Fletcher and Shnoke occupied the front row, with Derek Locke and Norris in the Second row. Wyatt Hinkle and Tyler Rutherford put a pair of 19s in the third row. They were followed by Cole Young and Austin Reed, Nash Ely and Jay Galloway took row five as their domain. Adam Carberry and Jacob Galloway completed the redraw for this division.

Fletcher powered into the lead using the low groove, while Shnoke flogged the cushion. Norris, Locke, Hinkle, and Rutherford followed.

Cautions five, ten, and eleven laps into the race bunched te field up again, but there were no changes at the front of the pack despite those opportunities to advance. Carberry did make some forward progress, though, as he reached sixth midway through the twenty-five lapper.

On lap nineteen, the drizzle intensified, requiring a caution to sort things out. The cars continued to circulate, and after several slow laps, the rain relented, allowing the final six laps to be presented.

When the race resumed for the penultimate time, Shnoke increased his pressure on Fletcher. The two ran close, particularly in turns three and four. But Fletcher was good coming off turn four and he was able to maintain his lead.

Shnoke made on last, desperate attempt to drive by Fletcher. He sailed it into turn one in the middle groove, pulling even with Fletcher. But, there was nothing ther for him, and the car began to slide up the track. He made contact with the fence in turn two. He spun at the exit of the corner, a disappointing end to an impressive effort.

On the final restart, Norris attempted the same maneuver. However, he was able to keep his wheels under him. Although he lost a few car lengths to Fletcher, he was able to keep going for second at the finish.

Locke was third, followed by Hinkle and Carberry. Ely, Reed, Rutherford, Young, and Jay Galloway completed the top ten.

Fletcher said in victory lane that he was hoping that track officials would call the race after the rain delay. But, he admitted that it was satisfying that he was able to see the race go the entire distance. “I tried to make the car as wide as possible while racing those guys clean.”

Hinkle, Rutherford, and Carberry took the preliminaries. Andrew Hake won the B Main. Notably, he towed his car to the track on an open trailer behind a U-Haul rental truck!

The next 410 Sprint car event at BAPS Motor Speedway will be held on April 13. Also on the card will be the Limited Late Models and Wingless Sportsmen. The speedway will host the Winged Super Sportsmen on April 5 and 12.

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