Hello folks and welcome to the 1st edition on My thoughts on a racing weekend gone by for 2016. Yeah I know it's week 3 of the 2016 racing season, but your trusted friend here hasn't been able to make it to the track yet with Lincoln Speedway running their first 2 races on a Sunday. But boy did I make up for that this weekend. More on that in a little bit.
First things first want to play catch up a bit. Congratulations to Greg Hodnett and "The Edge" Brian Montieth on picking up the wins the first two weeks. Going to be hard to beat those two AGAIN in 2016.
I promised everyone a while back 2016 was going to be a huge year for Central PA Racing Scene and I was not joking. We held the 1st annual Central PA Racing Scene Awards at the end of 2015 and awarded the drivers with cool plaques for being named the driver of the year in the 410,358 and 360 divisions, as well as the most improved driver in the 410's and 358's, PLUS the best appearing car of 2015, PLUS the best track in Central PA. Well not only will we be doing that again at the emd of the season I am proud to announce that we will be having the 1st ever Central PA Racing Scene 410 Most Popular Driver Award. In case your not familiar I have done a most popular driver award for the 358 division and have handed out what my wife has called "The Big Ass Trophy" for the past 7 years. We it is about time the 410 drivers had a chance to win it as well. Starting in June we will be holding the voting and you the race fans will choose which 410 driver will receive the trophy. Wonder why it's called "The Big Ass Trophy"? Well here is a picture of me and now 410 driver Chase Dietz back in 2013 at Lincoln Speedway...
Not sure how many of you have ever met Chase but I am 5'10'' tall and that thing comes up to the middle of my chest. It is a really "Big Ass Trophy" I need to thank Angela Cucchiara on stepping up and sponsoring the award. Trust me folks that trophy is not cheap by any means, so major thanks to her for not only stepping up and sponsoring the trophy, but also being a loyal reader of Central PA Racing Scene.
Now lets get to this weekends racing action shall we?.....
This weekend we here in Central PA had it made. The schedule Gods looked down on us and said you are the best fans in the country, so I shall give you the chance to see 2 races, in 1 day/evening, at 2 different race tracks. If you can handle it. Guess what folks? We could and we did. Now instead of giving you my normal thoughts on the racing, I thought it would be fun to actually keep a running diary of the entire day, just to show some of those that could't make it to the track what they missed, and those that decided to only do 1 race what they missed. So without further ado here is how my day went for the Lincoln/Port Royal Double of 2016.
11:50 we left the house for Lincoln Speedway
12:10 Got to Lincoln at
12:16 Oh shit it's Starting to rain (just light rain drops)
12:30 16 cars pitside at
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| 1st Beer of the 2016 racing season |
1:30 Heat in motor at lincoln
1:35 21 cars at lincoln
1:39 Warmups start are started
2:00 National anthem
2:06 Heat 1 takes the green
2:10 Brandon Rahmer leads all 10 laps in heat 1.
2:13 Heat 2 lined up at
12:17 G Mac leads all 10 to win heat 2.
Like how the Rahmer twins have different paint jobs in 2016. Bout time
Austin Houge lead all 10 for heat 3.
Why aren't more 358's taging the back of the field to get practice and make $? They will get laps at end of night and do it for free. Makes no sense.
2:25 Heats at lincoln completed at
Only feature left. Wow
Feature lined up at 2:47
2:49 Caution lap 2 for debris
Narrow track for feature
B Dietrich takes lead lap 9
Brandon Rahmer goes for a hell of a ride after jumping Shane Hoff's RR. Went as high as turn 2 catch fence before fliping. Brandon is ok
Cars lining back up at 3:01
3:06 Green is back on out the feature event
1/2 way track starting to dry out
B Dietrich in lap traffic lap 18
5 to go B Dietrich leads over 2w
Dietrich wins over 2w 21 69 48
3:10 Feature over at Lincoln Speedway
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| Going up 194 on our way to Port Royal |
3:30 On the road to Port
4:20 Quick stop at Sheetz for pee break
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| Things you see on the way to the track |
4:55 Got to IOP for supper. Can't eat anywhere else when going to "The Speed Palace"
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| Should have seen this as a sign of things to conme |
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| Crossing the bridge into Port Royal |
5:25 Finally got in the Long line to get our tickets
6:10 Finally into track
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| My boy "Wonder Bread" enjoying his 1st ever race at Port Royal Speedway. |
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| Our seats for the night. |
Port missed the boat on customer service tonight. Should have had people walking around selling admission tickets to get fans in the track faster.
6:25 Late model heats start
6;45 LM heats completed
6:48 Sprint heats start
6:50 Lucas Wolfe wins heat 1
Cars are flat out flying
Wolfe sets new 8 lap track record
6:54 Heat 2 on track
Why does it take the cars so long to line up here?
6:58 Stutts kills in heat 2
D Dietrich with 2nd place finish.
7:02 Heat 3 starts
Love seeing the different ways drivers run the cushion. Bang RR or hook LR
7:05 Hodnett leads all 8 for heat 3 win.
6 sprint car heats, 2 different tracks...0 cautions
7:38 Cars are being pushed off for the 25 lap feature
7:25 Daughter looses her phone
7:35 she finds it (she is a very lucky 13 year old)
7:44 A Main
7:47 2 laps in Logan Wagner gets into turn 2 wall.
7:51 Cars retake the green. With Dietrich leading Lucas Wolfe
7:52 Wolfe takes lead lap 4
7:53 Dietrich shreds a RR on lap 6
7:58 Green drops on restart
1 lap then Buckwalter blows a tire
7:59 We stop for fuel? Why only ran 9 laps. Wow
8:11 Green back out
8:11 Caution back out for 3z
8:13 Restart again lap 8
8:15 Scary crash on lap 10. Eardly tries a slider on Marks causing both to flip
Eardly hard into turn 4 catch fence then catches fire. very scary
Hearing Doug Esh crawled into fire to save Mike.
8:31 DD leaves the track to head home. Major props for being the only guy who ran both races today
8:35 Restart
8:36 1/2 way LW leads 27
8:37 Tough break for Wolfe. RR comes completely off in turn 1. No clue how he didnt flip. Track is bad fast tonight. 27 now leads Stutts
8:42 Green back out
14 cars running with 7 to go
8:43 Hodnett has checked out
8:44 2 to go Greg with straight away lead
8:45 Hodnett wins the opening night of Port Royal Speedway over Stutts, Mike Wagner and Cisney Stroup top 5.
8:52 Pulling out of Port to head home
10:30 Pulled into the house
Had an absolute blast. No better way to start the 2016 racing season for myself and the Family. Was great to get back up to Port Royal again so quickly, and it wont be the last time thats for sure.
Well that's it for this weeks edition of My Thoughts on a racing weekend gone by!!!! Hope you all enjoyed it.
Next week we kick of the 2016 Opening night for Williams Grove Speedway. the 410's and Late Models are in action. We will be right back at it as Saturday afternoon if you looking for something to watch Trail Way Speedway opens the gates on 2016 with a micro sprint show before Lincoln Speedway host their 1st double header race of 2016 with the 410's and 358 Late Models. Port Royal will be in action at 6 as well with 410 Sprints and Big Block Late Models. Selinsgrove Speedway also kicks off 2016 with the Ice Breaker 40 for the Big Block modifieds at 2 pm.
Until then hope the weather stays warm, your beverage of choice stays ice cold, and your racing action stays red hot. See you all next weekend.
©Bill McIntyre & Central PA Racing Scene 2016
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