Hodnett Blasts To First Win Of The Season

ABBOTTSTOWN
It hasn’t been the start that Greg Hodnett had hoped for so far in 2008.

Dismal results in Florida carried back to the start of racing in Central Pennsylvania for Hodnett in his second season driving for car owners Jim and Sandy Kline but in the first Saturday night race of the season at Lincoln Speedway, Hodnett turned up the wick and drove off from the field to score his first victory of the 2008 season.

Ironically, the win was the 22nd career win for the Thomasville resident aboard the J & S Fabrication, Macri Concrete, Eastern Air Balance No. 22 sprinter with the win coming on March 22.

Hodnett blasted around Pat Cooper on a lap six restart and worked his way through heavy traffic before scoring the win by nearly three seconds ahead of Selinsgrove’s Mark Smith, Perkesie’s Ryan Taylor, Elk River, Minnesota’s Craig Dollansky and Salfordville’s Fred Rahmer, who started 20th.

“We’ve had a few problems here and there over the last few weeks but tonight we were finally able to capitalize on a decent starting spot,” said Hodnett, a native of Memphis, Tennessee. “We made it through out heat, which obviously are really really tough and that put us in good position for the feature. The team’s been working hard and although we’ve been struggling, Jim and Sandy have stuck behind us and they know we’ll get it all worked out and things will be fine.”

The red flag was displayed before a lap was completed with Cody Darrah spun in turn two, collecting John Westbrook and World of Outlaw regular Chad
Kemenah.

Cooper grabbed the lead from the pole as Hodnett motored from his sixth starting spot into the runner-up spot with three laps complete.

Hodnett pressured Cooper until a lap six caution for debris slowed the field.

Hodnett made the winning pass around Cooper entering turn one on the restart and checked out from the field, despite working through heavy lapped traffic during the mid-stages of the 25-lap event.

“I was pretty good in the open, obviously because I didn’t have to slow down,” said Hodnett, whose team will compete at Port Royal Speedway’s during regular Saturday night competition this season. “When I started slowing down for the other guys, I kinda got a little fouled up and I just didn’t want to crash and do anything stupid. I just tried to stay out of trouble and keep it out front.”

Hodnett’s big lead was wiped out on lap 20 when runner-up Mark Smith ran into Westbrook while attempting to lap his car in turn four. Westbrook flipped but was not injured.

Smith was no challenge to Hodnett on the restart as Hodnett drove off and never looked back in the $3,000 victory. He moved into 11th place on the all-time win list at Lincoln with his win and because the third different winner this season in the Pigeon Hills.

Hodnett and the rest of the Pennsylvania Posse were challenged once again by several drivers from the World of Outlaws tour along with NASCAR Sprint Car star Kasey Kahne.

“It’s a treat for not only for myself but everyone else to see them run,” Hodnett said of the invaders. “The way Dollansky ran his heat race was phenomenal and that’s why they are the best in the business. We are fortunate to be able to compete against guys like them but we have a pretty good set of drivers right here so I’m not going to say they are leaps and bounds ahead of our guys either because our guys can give them fits too.”

Kahne, who qualified Friday at Williams Grove wasn’t quite as fortunate at Lincoln, struggling during his heat and consolation event. Lincoln officials offered a provisional to Kahne for the feature event but he did not accept citing a poor handling race car as the reason. But Kahne was instrumental in bringing out a large contingent of fans on a very cold evening.

Completing the top 10 were Cris Eash, Chad Layton, 23rd starting Brian Montieth, Cooper and Lucas Wolfe.

Duane Watson started defense of his 2007 thundercar championship with a win in the Lawrence Chevrolet Spring Thaw winning over Danny Beard, Larry Neiderer, Sam Gallagher and Mike Slaybaugh.

Geremy Sheaffer scored the win in the INEX Legend car feature over Steve Nederostek, Josh Morrow, Tom Mayberry and Scott Haudeshell.

Heats for the 34 sprint cars were won by Jeff Busby, Cooper, Doug Esh and Rick Lafferty. TJ Stutts topped the consolation event.

Lincoln returns to action next Saturday night with Sprints, thundercars and street stocks beginning at 6 p.m.

Racing cards at Selinsgrove, Port Royal, Hagerstown and Trail-Way Speedway were all canceled due to cold temperatures on Saturday.