MECHANICSBURG
 I think it’s safe to say that Chad Layton secured himself a ride in Pete Postupack’s No. 25 sprint car for the 2008 season after Friday night’s performance at Williams Grove Speedway.

 Layton piloted the Pete’s Bridge Street Motors sprinter to victory in the 25-lap World of Outlaws sanctioned Williams Grove National Open preliminary event. It was Layton’s first ever win against the traveling stars and it guarantees him a pole position start in the first heat tonight for the $50,000 to win Open.

 Layton’s win made him the 19th different driver to win at Williams Grove this season and also the second Pennsylvania driver to set back the Outlaws. Brian Leppo won during the Summer Nationals in July.

 “I didn’t think I was gonna get one this year,” said the Harrisburg driver after collecting the $5,000 first place prize. “I’ve won at this race track every year since I started racing and this season was beginning to come to an end and I hadn’t won yet. So this feels great.”

 Billy Pauch rolled the Don Ott owned sprinter on the start of the feature after contact with Daryn Pittman.

 On the restart, defending National Open winner Doug Esh flipped in turn two as a result from contact from another car.

 Layton and Kerry Madsen traded slide jobs through the first several laps when a yellow for a hard crash when Carlisle’s Chris Meleason was forced into the front stretch guardrail on lap five.

 Layton extended his lead over Madsen as good racing was taking place all the way back through the field.

 Liverpool’s TJ Stutts made his presence known on lap 19 by taking the fourth spot just before Kevin Nouse slowed on the track for another caution with five laps to go.

 Stutts drove by Jeff Shepard for third on lap 22 and then moved Madsen back to third with a move on lap 23.

 Stutts made a last lap run on Layton in turn four but fell a car length short at the finish in the Joh Trone owned No. 39 sprinter.

 But the night belonged to Layton, who also has a win in the Postupack owned car at Lincoln Speedway.

 “I saw the 39 hop on the board with a couple to go and I’ve raced with TJ for a long time and he’s one heck of a race car driver,” said Layton. “I didn’t think he had anything for me and I was really hoping those guys would get to mixing it up there for second and third but I guess that didn’t happen. I’m just glad we were able to hang on at the end.”

 Madsen held on for third with Donny Schatz turning in a spectacular run from the 21st position to lock himself into tonight’s heat races for the big money. The top four finishers do not have to run time trials tonight.

 Fifth went to Shepard over Greg Hodnett, who was in a brand new Maxim chassis for the first time season, Joey Saldana, Tim Shaffer, Jason Solwold and Mechanicsburg’s Lucas Wolfe.

 Solwold paced the 57-car field during time trials with a lap of 16.941 seconds.

 Heats were won by Stutts, Madsen, Layton and Steve Kinser. Layton won the Dash, Esh won the B-Main, Brian Montieth won the C-Main and Fred Rahmer won the D-Main.

PIT STOPS…Fred Rahmer and Mike Erdley used Williams Grove provisionals to start the feature event….Todd Shaffer finished 17th and holds a 165 point advantage over Rahmer for the $15,000 to win Cindy Rowe Auto Glass sprint car championship battle. Shaffer still has a provisional to use should he need it for the Open while Rahmer has used up his free passes for the season…Time trials begin tonight at 7:45p.m….The National Open Chili Cook Off takes place today beginning at noon at the back pit gate along with the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Silent Auction…