PORT ROYAL
 Greg Hodnett has been knocking on the door all week during Pennsylvania Speedweek events.

 Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway, the Thomasville driver was finally able to put the complete night together as he came out on top of the 30-lap Speedweek feature.

 But Hodnett and the rest of the competitors had to battle adverse track conditions before taking the checkered flag.

 Hodnett became the seventh different winner in as many Speedweek races as he captured his 19th career track win and fourth overall this season aboard the Jim and Sandy Kline owned No. 22.

 “We took advantage of our starting spot tonight,” said Hodnett, who drew the pole position for the feature. “The track was tough and I couldn’t see a thing out there. I didn’t even know the race was over. I never saw the white, or the checkered and I just kept going until I saw  the yellow lights.”

 Hodnett blasted out in the lead early as Rick Lafferty, Fred Rahmer and Daryn Pittman battled for the second, third and fourth spots.

 Hodnett had a straightaway lead wiped out on lap nine when Brian Leppo’s sprinter came to a stop on the speedway.

 On the restart, Hodnett powered away from the field as Pittman took third from Rahmer on lap 12 and then took the runner-up spot from Lafferty on lap 17.

 Hodnett was working his way through traffic as Pittman attempted to reel him in but was unable to gain any ground over the final laps.

 “I was really throttling back hard core until I heard or saw somebody,” said the defending Speedweek champion. “I figured Daryn would be coming but I was kinda just gonna wait until I heard or saw him before I turned it up. It was just a tough track and we’re fortunate to be here.”

 Hodnett has been consistent even since his team tore their car apart and started from scratch earlier in the week.

 “The guys are doing a great job and we tore the car apart on Tuesday and ever since we haven’t qualified out of the top two and I couldn’t be happier,” he added.

 Lance Dewease took the runner-up spot on the final lap when the right rear tire on Pittman’s car exploded. Pittman finished third ahead of Lafferty and Rahmer with Danny Dietrich, Chad Layton, Mark Smith, Don Kreitz, Jr. and Todd Shaffer completing the top 10.

 Hodnett paced the 30-car field in time trials with a lap of 17.755 seconds.

 Heats went to Mike Erdley, Layton and Kreitz while Cliff Brian won the B-Main.

 Heading into Sunday night’s finale, Hodnett holds the point lead with 998 points ahead of Pittman (922), Alan Krimes (887), Dewease (813) and Mark Smith (811).


PIT STOPS…Keith Kauffman’s homecoming to the track he has owned during his career was hampered by mechanical trouble all night. Kauffman missed time trials and his heat race and made only one lap in the B-Main…