MECHANICSBURG
 It was one for the ages Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway.

 Literally.

 Keith Kauffman and Fred Rahmer have amassed huge win totals during their sprint car careers and Friday night, it was Kauffman fending off challenges from Rahmer to capture his first win of the season in the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass 410 Sprint car feature.

 Kauffman, who was making only his fifth start of the season in the Dave Middleswarth-owned Middleswarth Potato Chips No. 7 sprinter, held Rahmer at bay during the final 11 laps of the feature earning a well deserved standing ovation following the win.

 For Kauffman, it marked his 51st Williams Grove feature win and 303rd overall win of his racing career.

 “I haven’t even raced that much and I didn’t know whether I could sit up in the seat but I didn’t do too bad,” said the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame member in victory lane. “I knew who was there because I saw him come up through there in the heat race. The car seemed pretty good and Kriner’s do a super job on the motors.”

 Kauffman, 57,started fifth in the field as Dillsburg’s John Westbrook set the pace during the first three laps before a torsion stop broke ending his run early.

 Bob Bennett inherited the lead and maintained the spot until Kauffman drove under him for the top spot on lap nine.

 Rahmer, starting in the 12th spot, entered the top five with just four laps complete and appeared to have the car to beat again as he raced into fourth with 10 laps completed and took third the following lap.

 With Kauffman out front, Rahmer moved by AJ Michael for the runner-up spot on lap 14 and set his sights on Kauffman’s chip machine.

 As Kauffman and Rahmer began to battle, defending track champion Todd Shaffer showed some strength, moving into third place on lap 15 and began to close in on Rahmer.

 Rahmer made a bid for the top spot entering turn three on lap 20 but Kauffman didn’t budge and was able to keep the Salfordville racer behind.

 “I got the wing back a little bit and I got it back too far and the car started pushing,” said the Man from Mifflintown. “Once I had a chance to run it forward, I could stick it in there pretty good. When you play around with the wing, you really don’t know how fast you really are, so I knew the fast guys would be coming so I knew I had to step it up or we would lose it. I just wanted to get it over with.”

 Following Kauffman and Rahmer was Shaffer, of Millerstown in the Gary and Patty Beam owned entry with Harrisburg’s Chad Layton fourth and Denver’s Alan Krimes fifth.

 Completing the top 10 were Cody Darrah, Brian Montieth, TJ Stutts, 20th starting Greg Hodnett and Mike Erdley.

 Glenndon Forsythe led all 20 laps to win the 358 Sprint car feature. 

 Pat Cannon chased Forsythe’s Shipp Construction entry down on lap 13 but Forsythe was able to hold off all challenges despite a yellow for Kevin Nouse and  red flag for John Barnett.

 Cannon, the track point leader finished second in the Highlands Tire Service sprinter followed by Westbrook, Scott Geesey and Steve Cannon.

 Rounding out the top 10 were Aaron Ott, Cory Haas, Chad Trout, Tim Berkheimer and Rich Eichelberger.

 Sprint car heats were won by Westbrook, Michael and Kauffman. Brian Leppo won the consolation. There were 30 cars on hand.

 Heats for the 40 358 sprints were won by Matt Boland, Berkheimer, Forsythe and Gerard McIntyre, Jr. The two consolations went to Nouse and Haas.


PIT STOPS
 The track’s portion of the 50/50 drawing was given to the Monroe Township Fire Company…The Grove returns to action tonight with the Super Sportsman, 358 late models and street stocks…Next Friday night, the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions invade the speedway…