MECHANICSBURG
 For about 25 laps in Saturday night’s 30-lap World of Outlaws sanctioned Summer Nationals at Williams Grove Speedway, it appeared that the Pennsylvania Posse’s winning streak against the traveling series would come to an end at seven.

 But Greg Hodnett made a late race charge through the field, taking the top spot with four laps remaining and driving away for the win, keeping the Posse streak intact at eight straight wins over the visitors.

 Hodnett is responsible for four of those wins, as he won three times last season but his win on Saturday night was his first against the WoO this season in the Jim and Sandy Kline owned sprint car.

 Hodnett’s win was his 44th career Williams Grove win, moving him into fifth place on the track’s all-time win list. His sixth overall win of the year was worth $20,000.

 “It means a lot,” said Hodnett following the win. “All the guys here do a great job. It feels good to be one of the guys that have helped hold them at bay. Every week we come here is tough. I think that competition level puts us in a good spot when the Outlaws come to town. Any little thing you can find that works, you had better take advantage of because it won’t last long.”

 But it didn’t appear Hodnett’s J & S Fabrication, Macri Concrete, Eastern Air Balance, Rock-It Pizza Maxim would be in victory lane as he quickly faded from his third starting spot during the first 10 laps. Hodnett had backpedaled to ninth place when a red flag for Kerry Madsen’s crash in turn four called for a fuel stop.

 Under the red flag, Hodnett’s crew chief loosened up the car for his driver and gave him a chance to win. Following the red, Hodnett brought the huge crowd to its feet by driving by some of the best in the business on his way to the front, taking the lead from Paul McMahan on lap 26 and driving away for the win.

 “We were all balled up and couldn’t run the center, so we actually freed it up and got it to rolling better,” Hodnett said about the changes made under the red. “On the restart, I went to the bottom and I could see those guys weren’t going anymore and I figured they were losing their tires so I just kind of laid back and let them come to me.”

 Hodnett’s win also strengthened the team’s lead in the Lawrence Chevrolet 410 Sprint car point battle at the Grove. Hodnett now leads by 505 points.

 McMahan settled for the $12,000 runner-up pay with Jason Sides third, Sammy Swindell fourth and Harrisburg’s Chad Layton fifth.

 Rounding out the top 10 were 24th starter and Friday night winner Lance Dewease, WoO points leader Joey Saldana, Tyler Walker, Steve Kinser and Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
 Sides set fast time in time trials with a lap of 17.095 seconds.

 Heat races for the 46-car field were won by Brian Leppo, Madsen, Craig Dollansky and Walker. McMahan won the Dash, Brent Marks won the C-Main and Steve Buckwalter won the Last Chance Showdown.


PIT STOPS…Donny Schatz and Kraig Kinser used World of Outlaws provisionals to start the Summer Nationals as did Williams Grove regulars Mark Smith and Alan Krimes…The Outlaws return to Williams Grove on October 1 and 2 for the Williams Grove National Open…