HARRISBURG – Chad Layton of Harrisburg claimed his first sprint car win of the season anywhere Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway, holding off Mark Smith and Lance Dewease for his fifth career victory at the oval, worth $3,000.
In the 25-lap late model championship event, it was Selinsgrove sensation Dylan Yoder picking up the $1,500 win while Tim Krape recorded his second pro stock main of the season. Mike Goodwin won the enduro dash event.
Both Layton and Todd Shaffer shared the front row for the start of the 25-lap Aumiller’s Insurance sprint feature but the race was red flagged on the initial start when TJ Stutts went flipping in the first turn, collecting the cars of Greg Hodnett, Doug Esh, Keith Kauffman, Kenny Jacobs and Brian Ehrenzeller. There were no injuries and the cars of Hodnett and Esh were able to rejoin for the restart.
With nine down, Mark Smith was up to third and he soon moved past early season point-leader Ryan Taylor for the runner-up position; while eighth starter Lance Dewease followed into third shortly thereafter.
The second and third place cars of Smith and Dewease were reeling in leader Layton in traffic with seven laps to go when the races final caution flag unfurled, clearing the track in front of the leaders. On the open track, however, defending champion Layton was cool and calm out front over the final stages, after getting away from Smith on the backstretch following the restart.
Scott Geesey came earned his first career Super Sportsman feature win at Williams Grove, winning Saturday night's 22-lap race after starting from the number-eight spot.
Mechanicsburg’s Bill Stine took the lead from polesitter and race-long leader Derek Sell and then had to hold him off behind lapped traffic Saturday at Lincioln Speedway to win the first 410 sprint car race of his career.
"We do what we can. We can’t run a whole season because we can only afford one re-build a year," said Stine after exiting his Sanderson PowerSports/Unique Images/Baker Door Company/Beer Hill Gang #71X in victory lane, according to the track's official website. "So, we took June off and went down to Florida and Vegas and had some fun. We came back here for July.
Despite losing the lead, Sell never gave up, and crossed less than a car length behind Stine in second. Jim Siegel, Alan Krimes, and Brian Leppo completed the top five, with Cory Haas, Aaron Ott, Brent Marks, Brad McClelland, and Sam Schlosberg rounding out the top ten.
"We come out here a of times and look like rookies," said Stine, "We try different set-ups and tonight we tried something we never tried before and figured we had nothing to lose. I told the guys before we came out that we’d either win it or head to the rear. But it worked out. I want to thank my crew, including Bob Knisely, Scott Garrett, who is formerly Billy Kimmel’s mechanic, and John Jackson. We have some good guys behind us."
Also on Saturday night, 2011 Late Model point leader Justin Ehrhart of Dover claimed the spotlight for himself this week by winning his fourth win of the year at Susquehanna Speedway Park. In victory lane, Ehrhart successfully did his patented backflip off of his race car.
Hanover’s Dan Zechman picked up win number seven in the Street Stock division. Lancaster’s Donnie Broderick continues to dominate in the Xtreme Stock Car class, winning his fourth consecutive feature of the season.
York Haven’s Daryl Sipe won the 10-lap Mini Van feature for the fourth consecutive time this season. Reed Salony of Seven Valleys was victorious in the 20-lap Sidewinder Sprint Car feature event.
Information used in this story was provided by Shawn Brouse/Port Royal Speedway, Lincoln Speedway, and Susquehanna Speedway Park. Video used in this report is courtesy of www.SportsPlusVideo.com and Lynn Schaeffer Productions; and Dave Zortman of www.lap1photo.com/.BILL
