ABBOTTSTOWN -- Danny Dietrich took advantage of problems by two leaders in scoring his biggest career 410 sprint car win in Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts "A" Main at Lincoln Speedway.
In a field that included NASCAR great Tony Stewart, Dietrich started third and followed front row starter Steve Smith and pole sitter Cap Henry for the first three laps before Henry broke and dove into the pits on lap four. Smith then took over and led the next ten laps before he jumped the cushion in turn four, handing the lead over to Dietrich.
One lap later, Smith recovered and reclaimed second from Tyler Walker. Those three ran first through third over the middle stages of the race, and once they closed on lapped traffic, Greg Hodnett -- who started tenth -- closed on all three, making it a four-car race. Included in that traffic? None other than two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, who was fast enough to keep the leaders from getting by.
The multi-car battle ended with the second and final caution of the race, which came out for Mark Smith, who slowed on the backstretch on lap 24. Ironically, Smith brought out the first caution when he stopped on turn four with one lap complete.
Dietrich drove away on the restart, and was never challenged after that. As he pulled away to the 1.79-second, $5,000 win, Walker and Hodnett battled wheel-to-wheel over the final five laps for second, with Hodnett edging Walker at the line. Smith settled for fourth, with 2010 Knoxville Nationals winner Tim Shaffer the first All-Star to cross the line in fifth.
"This definitely is my biggest win," said Dietrich, after exiting his Sandoe’s Fruit Market/APM Buildings/Racers Used Parts Warehouse #48 in victory lane, according to the track website. "I got to thank these guys behind me (race team). One night I’m fast; and the next night we’re not. I don’t know what the issue is, but tonight we put it all together, and that’s all that matters."
"Every lap around the top of this place tonight..." continued Dietrich, "You gotta be on your tippy toes, because as all the fans can see, you’re running really fast three feet from the wall."
Sixth through tenth were hard charger Brian Leppo (who started 15th), Sam Schlosberg, Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Lance Dewease, and Brian Montieth.
Fast time in time trials over the 36-car was set by Stevie Smith with a one-lap time of 13.367 seconds (100.995 MPH).
Information used in this story was provided by Lincoln Speedway.
