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DOUG ESH AND TODD RITTENHOUSE, JR. WIN AT THE GROVE
MECHANICSBURG, PA ? Doug Esh ended a spate of early season woes with a victory in the 25-lap sprint car feature Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway.
Todd Rittenhouse, Jr. won the 20-lap limited (358 c.i.) sprint feature.
Esh, who started second, took the lead from pole sitter Rick Lafferty at the start, but Lafferty drove by on the inside exiting turn four to lead the first lap. He held on until Esh drove around him in turn four 0n lap four.
Once in front Esh began to open a huge lead over the field as a tremendous battle for top five positions raged behind him.
Don Kreitz, Jr. slipped past Lafferty on the ninth tour, but Jeff Shepard and Brian Montieth, who comprised the fourth row in the starting lineup, made things very interesting.
With positions changing on every lap, Montieth got by Kreitz for the last time with five laps left and began to wipe out Esh?s huge lead.
Montieth had nearly caught the leader when a caution flag fell on the last lap.
Esh won the half mile dash to the finish and scored his 14th career victory at Williams Grove.
Montieth settled for second.
Shepard took third place from Kreitz on the final lap.
Defending Cindy Rowe auto Glass champion Todd Shaffer completed the top five.
Lafferty, Mark Smith, Fred Rahmer, Chad Layton and Mike Erdley finished in positions six through ten respectively.
Heats for the 29 sprint cars were won by Lafferty, Esh and Shaffer. Brian Leppo claimed the consolation race.
Rittenhouse took the early lead from the pole in the 358 feature, but lost it to John Westbrook on lap two. Rittenhouse was back in front on lap ten and rolled to his first victory at Williams Grove.
Danny Massey, Cory Haas and current Bass Pro Shops point leader Pat Cannon followed.
Adam Wilt, Aaron Ott, Scott Geesey, Dave Calaman, Chad Criswell and Mark Freeland completed the top ten.
P. Cannon, Calaman, Ott and Freeland captured heats for the 39 limited sprint cars in the pit area. The consolation races were won by Elvin Diller III and Blane Heimbach.
Williams Grove will host the $30,000 Tommy Classic for sprint cars on April 25.
Williams Grove Speedway Feature Finishes ? April 18, 2008
Sprint Car Feature ? 25 laps ? 1. Doug Esh, 2. Brian Montieth, 3. Jeff Shepard, 4. Don Kreitz, Jr., 5. Todd Shaffer, 6. Rick Lafferty, 7. Mark Smith, 8. Fred Rahmer, 9. Chad Layton, 10. Mike Erdley, 11. Lance Dewease, 12. Greg Hodnett, 13. Cody Darrah, 14. Stevie Smith, 15. Niki Young, 16. Brian Leppo, 17. Michael Carber, 18. Pat Cooper, 19. Judi Bates, 20. T. J. Stutts, 21. A. J. Michael, 22. Steve Buckwalter, 23. Michael Heckman, 24. Bob Bennett
Limited (358 c.i.) Sprint Car Feature ? 20 laps ? 1. Todd Rittenhouse, Jr., 2. Danny Massey, 3. Cory Haas, 4. Pat Cannon, 5. Adam Wilt, 6. Aaron Ott, 7. Scott Geesey, 8. Dave Calaman, 9. Chad Criswell, 10. Mark Freeland, 11. Eric Tomecek, 12. Billy Johns, 13. Chad Trout, 14. John Barnett, 15. Chad Myers, 16. Keith Prutzman, 17. Elvin Diller, III, 18. Rich Eichelberger, 19. Matt Boland, 20. Randy Rhoads, 21. Steve Cannon, 22. Blane Heimbach, 23. John Westbrook, 24. Derek Locke
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