ABBOTTSTOWN
 It’s not too often that a driver passes Fred Rahmer at Lincoln Speedway.

 But in Saturday night’s 20th annual Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek opener at Lincoln Speedway, Tower City driver Mark Smith drove by Rahmer on lap 10 and managed to keep the 10-time Lincoln champion at bay over the final 20 laps to bring home the big $7,000 payday in front of a huge opening night crowd.

 The win for Smith was this second 410 Sprint car win of the season, after winning the season opener back in March.

 “When you get by Fred on a restart, that’s doing something,” said the driver of the Brian Scandle owned J & B Sprints, Brickers French Fries, MACH1 Chassis sprinter. “He’s the best on restarts and we beat him on one of them tonight.”

 Smith started third in the feature as Kyle Pruitt led the first lap before yielding to Rahmer on the next lap.

 While Rahmer maintained the lead, Smith moved into second spot on lap four and immediately began to challenge for the top spot.

 Rahmer held the point when Bob Howard slowed on lap nine but it was Smith who drove into the lead on the restart and held the top spot on lap 10 when another caution appeared for Sam Schlosberg who stopped on the track.

 With Smith now setting the pace, Rahmer had his hands full with Brian Montieth over the few laps until a red flag came out for Aaron Ott, who flipped on lap 15.

 Smith maintained the lead as Rahmer settled into second while Montieth and Lance Dewease put on a torrid battle for the third spot over the final laps.

 Smith as able to beat Rahmer to the checkered flag by 1.39 seconds to kick off Speedweek in style with an exciting win.

 “I was slowed down there at the end because I didn’t wanna kill my tires,” Smith said.  “I know how Rahmer is a sleeper and he’ll come on at the end when your stuff’s all used up and  beats it to ya. So I didn’t want him to sneak back on me.”

 Salfordivlle’s Rahmer barely held off Montieth, of Phoenixville for second at the finish with Denver’s Alan Krimes fourth and Fayetteville’s Dewease fifth.

 Completing the top 10 were Daryn Pittman, Johnny Mackison, Greg Hodnett, Cory Haas and Doug Esh.

 Hodnett paced the 35-car field during time trials with a lap of 13.696 seconds. 

 Dewease, Esh, Mackison and Smith won heats with Tyler Walker winning the B-Main.

 Smith is the early Speedweek points leader with 165 points over Rahmer (151), Montieth (143), Krimes (124) and Dewease (123).

 Speedweek continues Sunday night at Bedford Speedway.


PIT STOPS….Keith Kauffman looked good in just his second start in the Trone Motorsports sprinter and held a top 10 spot during most of the feature until the late stages when the sprinter appeared to get loose on him and he finished 15th…