MECHANICSBURG – Chad Layton of Harrisburg wired the field Friday for his second victory in a row in the Tommy Hinnershitz Spring Classic for sprint cars at Williams Grove Speedway, earning $6,000 for the victory.
In the 305 sprint feature, Tyler Bear scored the win.
Layton started on the pole of the 30-lap Tommy Classic and blew by an attempted slide job by Daryn Pittman in the first corner at the start to take command.
The race was halted with four laps completed when Doug Esh and Fred Rahmer got together while racing for fourth on the frontstretch. Rahmer clouted the outside wall and nearly saved the car before slowly rolling over.
Pittman took a look on the restart but watched Layton drive away and by lap 10, he was watching as Layton opened up a straightaway of distance with the lead.
The leaders had just gotten to lapped traffic when the caution flag unfurled with 12 away for a stopped Donnie Kreitz.
Sixth starter Greg Hodnett moved up to second with eleven laps remaining. Hodnett had been unable to bite into Layton’s lead; however, Brent Marks came up with a blown left rear tire with eight laps to go to bring out a red for refueling.
Hodnett tried to make a race of it over the final four miles but Layton opened up a one-turn lead in the final laps to record his eighth career victory at the historic oval. Second went to Hodnett followed by Pittman, Esh and Ott. Sixth through 10th went to 19th starter Brian Montieth, Danny Dietrich, Logan Schuchart, Alan Krimes and Sam Hafertepe Jr.
Bear lead all 20 laps of the 305 sprint main.
Mike Wagner II, moved into second two laps in but failed to challenge for the lead. The race was red flagged with six laps to go for a fourth corner crash by third place runner Logan Wagner. Wagner II, finished second followed by Mark Watkins, Matt Mountz and Randy Kaylor.
Defending track champ Jeff Rohrbaugh kept a personal winning streak alive by leading wire-to-wire in the 25-lap 358 sprint car feature Friday at Trail-Way Speedway.
“It’s nice to get a win early this year,” said Rohrbaugh upon exiting the Trone Outdoor Advertising/Pro-Mobile Alignment Specialists/L&R Auto Body/Valley Welding #45 in victory lane, according to the track website. “Last year it was August before we won.”
“I love racing here,” he added. “It’s a great facility. I know Austin (Hogue) was closing at the end, but he would’ve had to wreck me to beat me.”
With the victory, Rohrbaugh has now won at Trail-Way in each year since 2004.
Handicapping placed Rohrbaugh on the pole for the start, and he and Hogue ran first and second the entire way. Although Hogue closed in lapped traffic over the final few laps, Rohrbaugh’s margin of victory was .63 seconds.
Information used in this story was provided Shawn Brouse/Williams Grove Speedway and Trail-Way Speedway, respectively. Video used in this report is courtesy of www.SportsPlusVideo.com and Lynn Schaeffer Productions.
