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Central Pennsylvania weekend report 2002-05-12

Cris Eash victorious in Saturday Lincoln action. There's nothing like a win to get you back on top of your game. That's exactly what the doctor ordered for Hanover's Cris Eash, as he chased down race-long leader Billy Sims of Enola, passed him for ...

Published: May 14, 2002, 2:16 PM

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Cris Eash victorious in Saturday Lincoln action.

There's nothing like a win to get you back on top of your game. That's exactly what the doctor ordered for Hanover's Cris Eash, as he chased down race-long leader Billy Sims of Enola, passed him for the lead on the 21st lap, and then held off friend and rival Steve Siegel in a two-lap shoot-out to the checkered for his first win of the year in the 25-lap super sprint feature at Lincoln Speedway Saturday night.

"We've been kind of struggling...I think our best finish was fifth place here," said Eash, "And we're not real used to that. We're hoping we can build from this."

But the win didn't come easy for Eash, as a determined Sims fought wheel-to-wheel with the former World of Outlaw Rookie of the Year for five straight laps before Eash was able to slide up in front of him exiting the fourth turn of the 21st lap.

"Boy, I didn't think I was going to get Billy (Sims) there for the longest time," said Eash,"We ran side-by-side there for several laps, and he wasn't giving up. Finally I got a good run and slid up in front of him and then it was pretty clear sailing from there."

Sims was scored second on lap 21, but gave way to charging Steve Siegel and Lance Dewease on lap 22. Siegel actually slid under both Sims and Dewease to move from fourth to second on that lap. A lap later, disaster struck for Dewease, who squeezed between the spinning car of Dan Shelter and the outside wall on turn one, but bounced off the wall and came to a stop. The caution gave Siegel a shot a Eash, but Eash took away the low groove on the restart, and hung on for a .66-second win.

"I looked over and saw Steve (Siegel) was back there and I knew where he would be," said Eash, "So I just figured I'd hug the bottom those last couple of laps."

Advancing to third at the finish was 12th-starting Fred Rahmer, with Sims and Chris Knopp completing the top five.

York's Adrian Shaffer started third, followed Mike Bittinger for six laps, then used the low side of the race track to grab the lead and drive away to his first Lincoln win of the year in the 20-lap "358" sprint feature. It was his second career win in the Pigeon Hills. Joe Ilg lost second to Cory Haas on the final lap, with Jim Siegel finishing fourth and Bittinger holding on for fifth.

Survival was the name of the game in the thundercar feature as over half the field was eliminated by three multi-car melees in the opening laps. Emerging unscathed was former street stock stand-out Chet McCormick who was able to score his first career thundercar win after swapping the lead with Greg Messersmith over the final three laps. Even more amazing was the fact that Messersmith came from his 17th starting position to bag his inaugural win.

This Wednesday night, May 15th, Lincoln Speedway will swing back into action with special night of racing to celebrate 50 years of continuous racing action at the Pigeon Hill's oval.

Beside's a pre-race autograph session with past and present drivers, the night will be capped of with a special "50 lap" feature for the super sprinters who will be going after a $5,050 top prize. And not to be forgotten, the fendered racers, more commonly known as - Thundercars - will be on hand for there own special feature which will offer $305 to the winner. Gates will open at 5 PM, with warm-up at 6:30 PM, and time trials scheduled to start at 7 PM.

DEWEASE SCORES SECOND CONSECUTIVE WIN AT WILLIAMS GROVE

Lance Dewease tuned up for this week's World of Outlaws invasion with a convincing victory in the 25-lap sprint car feature Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway.

Dewease started eleventh in the sprint feature and charged into third place on the third lap as front row starter Doug Esh set the pace. Dewease drove by Chris Knopp the next time around and began to cut into Esh's lead. The winning pass came on the ninth circuit exiting the second corner. Once in front Dewease opened a comfortable lead and cruised to his second consecutive victory becoming the first driver to win three features at the Grove this year. The defending super sprint champion padded his point lead with his 52nd career victory, which was worth $3000.

Todd Shaffer, who started tenth, got by Esh for second with two laps remaining and Sean Michael passed twenty cars in an impressive drive to a third place finish. Esh settled for fourth, a career best for the 2000 limited (358) champion. Mark Smith completed the top five in his strongest run of the season.

In the ARDC midget feature, Marc Dailey of Brownsburg, IN, bested defending 2-time ARDC champion Ray Bull and Ed Stimely for the win in the 20 lap ARDC Midget feature.

TODD HESTOR VICTORIOUS AT PORT ROYAL

Middleburg's Todd Hestor picked up his first win of the year in winning the 25 lap super sprint feature at Port Royal Speedway Saturday night. Hestor passed race-long leader Joe Deihl for the lead on the fourth lap, but surrendered the top sport to teammate Keith Kauffman on the 10th. But while Kauffman was attempting to lap Dave Hahn on the next lap there was contact, sending Kauffman flipping. Hestor reclaimed the lead for the restart and was chased by Todd Shaffer to the checkered to become the third different winner is as many races at the Juniata County racing facility. Mike Erdley finished third, Mark Smith fourth, and Alan Cole was fifth.

Hamburg's Scotty Haus led all 20 laps en route to the win in the 20 lap late model feature over Kenny Dickson and Jere Wierman.

Gary Beward won the pro stock feature for his first win of 2002. The 30 lap enduro dash was won by Neil Foust.

NEUMAN & KIMMEL SCORE FIRST WINS OF 2002 AT SILVER SPRING

Dave Neuman drove to victory in the 25 lap super sportsman feature at Silver Spring Speedway Saturday night. Neuman inherited the lead with three laps remaining when race leader Dave Berkheimer fell from competition. The win was Neuman's first of the season, and the fifth of his career.

Josh Kimmel of Dillsburg held off Gene Wrightstone and led all 20 laps in registered his first career limited late model win. A wild last lap scramble saw Carl Graves slide into second, with Carl Billet moving from fifth to third, Mark Billet from sixth into fourth and Wrightstone hanging on for fifth.

ANDERSON KICKS OFF VALVOLINE CUP CHALLENGE WITH WIN

After exchanging leads several times, Andy Anderson of Martinsburg, WV fought off D J Myers to kick off the Valvoline Cup Challenge by winning the 25-lap ITSI late model feature at the Hagerstown Speedway Saturday.

It was much of the same in the late model sportsman 20-lap feature as Terry Lescalleet of Chambersburg out-dueled Pete Weaver for his first win of the year and Kenny Dillon of Hanover edged Hans Stamberg to notch his first win in the 15-lap pure stock feature. Derrick Riley of Braddock Heights, MD won the 30-lap enduro dash.

LAYTON MAKES IT BACK TO BACK WINS IN 358 ACTION AT SELINSGROVE

Harrisburg's Chad Layton made it two wins in-a-row in 358 sprint action Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway. Layton took the checkered for his 14th career win over early race leader Tim Higgins and Brian Powell.

Tony Adams picked up his second career Selinsgrove win in late models while Peanut Heintzelman won his first of the year in pro stocks. Billy McNeal won the 10-lap nightcap roadrunner feature, his third of the season.

SCOTT ELLERMAN WINS 305 SPRINTS AT TRAIL-WAY

Scott Ellerman started on the pole and led every lap to pick up the feature win on 305 sprint action. Eric Hollenbach became the first repeat winner in the 4-cylinder feature while Steve Owings went wire to wire to win the 600cc micro-sprint race.

Randy Crunkilton was the Figure 8 111" winner, while Richard Wolfe earned the victory in the 112" race. In Scramble Car action, Bill Kress won the 4-cylinder race and Daryl Hanson was the winner of the 6cylinder race.

-bill meyer-

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