Wolfe Captures PA Speedweek Finale

SELINSGROVE, Pa. (July 8, 2018) – It was a war on wheels Sunday night at Selinsgrove Speedway to decide the 29th Annual PA Speedweek title for 410 sprint cars.

Danny Dietrich of Gettysburg needed to win the 30-lap Opperman/Bogar Memorial in order to clinch the title but with two laps to race Lucas Wolfe of Mechanicsburg ripped the win and championship away after a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle most of the race.

The $5,000 win was Wolfe’s fourth career at Selinsgrove and second of the 10-race PA Speedweek series.

Greg Hodnett of Spring Grove scored the PA Speedweek title by only two points over Dietrich.

Freddie Rahmer of Salfordville was the night’s Fast Tees fast qualifier with a lap time of 16.509.

Outside front row starter Danny Dietrich pulled ahead of polesitter Freddie Rahmer exiting turn two at the start of the 410 sprint car main event. By lap six, Dietrich began to encounter slower traffic, allowing Rahmer and fourth-place starter Lucas Wolfe to close in.

On the 14th circuit, Wolfe passed Rahmer for the runner up position and set his sites on Dietrich. The race’s only caution flag unfurled on lap 15, at the halfway point, when Trey Stark’s lost the handle in turns three and four. Starks was able to rejoin the race.

When the green flag waved again, a war on wheels unfolded the entire second half of the race between Dietrich and Wolfe. Wolfe tried repeatedly using the inside line to get by Dietrich as the duo race side by side and had the fans on their feet.

With eight laps remaining, third-place starter Blane Heimbach showed a lot of speed and reeled in the leaders to make it a three-car battle at the front of the pack. On lap 28, Wolfe made the winning pass using the inside lane off turn two. Dietrich continued to race in his shadow and made a last-ditch effort to take the lead back.

At the checkered flag, Wolfe was victorious by a mere .86 of a second over Dietrich. Heimbach finished a a close third, followed by Rahmer and 13th-place starter Jason Shultz.

SELINSGROVE SPEEDWAY RACE SUMMARY – 8 July 2018
410 Sprint Cars – 22 Entries
30-Lap A-Main:  1) 24 Lucas Wolfe  2) 48  Danny Dietrich  3) 12 Blane Heimbach  4) 51 Freddie Rahmer  5) 29 Jason Shultz  6) 27 Greg Hodnett  7) 94 Ryan Smith  8) 3 James McFadden  9) 24 Rico Abreu  10) 7K Cale Conley  11) 3Z Brock Zearfoss  12) 1 Kyle Reinhardt  13) 07 Gerard McIntrye  14) 39 Anthony Macri  15) 53 Jessie Attard  16) 33 Jared Esh  17) C4 Jim Shuster  18) 49 Mallie Shuster  19) 19 Landon Myers  20) 44 Trey Starks  21) 33W Michael Walter  22) 49 Bradley Howard

Heat Winners:  Danny Dietrich, Lucas Wolfe, Brock Zearfoss

Time Trials:  1) 51 Freddie Rahmer 16.509  2) 44Trey Starks 16.547  3) 12 Blane Heimbach 16.562  4) 48 Danny Dietrich 16.625  5) 24 Lucas Wolfe 16.691  6) 3Z Brock Zearfoss 16.693  7) 39Anthony Macri 16.701  8) 27 Greg Hodnett 16.707  9) 24R Rico Abreu 16.728  10) 94 Ryan Smith 16.786  11) 7K Cale Conley 16.787  12) 3 James McFadden 16.872  13) 29 Jason Shultz 16.913  14) 07 Gerard McIntrye 16.960  15) 1 Kyle Reinhardt16.977  16) 53 Jessie Attard 17.046  17) 33 Jared Esh 17.103  18) 33W Michael Walter 17.332  19) 19Landon Myers 17.333   20) 49 Mallie Shuster17.347 21) 49 Bradley Howard 17.490  22) C4 Jim Shuster 17.566

—From Selinsgrove PR