ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. – Matt Campbell has six career wins at Lincoln Speedway in the 358 sprint car division, but has been searching for his first 410 victory at Lincoln.
After mechanical issues last week, track officials didn’t even know if the Campbell team would make it back to the track on Saturday. Campbell and his team are running a limited slate this year, but put their big track motor in the No. 16 to race at Lincoln Saturday night.
To say the plan worked would be an understatement.
Campbell and Justin Whittall shared the front row of the 25-lap feature. Campbell was the race leader coming out of turn two on the first lap, with Billy Dietrich moving into second. Chase Dietz got around Whittall to take third.
From there, he made running away look almost effortless. Campbell made easy work of a lone lapped car on lap four as the racing behind him heated up.
Brian Montieth entered the battle for fifth after Alan Krimes took it back from Landon Myers. Montieth went into the night 10 points ahead of Krimes in the point standings, so every position counted as they battle for the track championship.
Krimes pulled away from Montieth and Myers to let them battle for sixth. Krimes had his eyes set on Whittall and the fourth spot.
Campbell entered lapped traffic on lap eight.
Ryan Smith, who just got back behind the wheel of the No. 72 machine last week after crashing at Selinsgrove during Speedweek, was up to eighth. It was a three-way battle for the spot, as both Brandon Rahmer and Cory Haas were in striking distance.
At the halfway point of the race Campbell held a 1.6-second lead over Dietrich.
Dietrich went to work reeling Campbell in, and had cut his lead to half a second on lap 17 when the caution came out for Krimes, who was running fifth at the time. Krimes took a ride on the hook back to the pits, ending his night.
Campbell led Dietrich, Dietz, Whittall and Myers on the restart.
Dietrich went to the bottom, with Campbell going to the top of the track on the restart. Campbell held onto the lead, despite Dietrich getting a nose under him for the lead in turns three and four.
Montieth passed Whittall and Myers in one move to take fourth on lap 18.
Campbell was pulling away from the field, with a nearly two-second lead with five laps to go.
Myers and Dietz battled for third behind Dietrich, as he pulled away trying to catch Campbell.
But in the end, Campbell held on to add his name to the Lincoln record books with his first 410 win at the track.
In only his second week back at the track, Dietrich earned a second-place finish. Myers finished third and Dietz crossed the line fourth. Montieth rounded out the top five.
Ashley Cappetta won her first 358 sprint car feature in Saturday’s 20-lap event for that division. Dylan Norris, Tyler Ross, Matt Findley and Brett Strickler followed in the top five.
Ray Cable Jr. took down the Mid-Atlantic Modifieds’ 20-lap feature win.
The finish:
1. 16-Matt Campbell ($3,500); 2. 8-Billy Dietrich; 3. 19M-Landon Myers; 4. 75-Chase Dietz; 5. 21-Brian Montieth; 6. 72-Ryan Smith; 7. 39-Cory Haas; 8. 88-Brandon Rahmer; 9. 59-Jim Siegel; 10. 67-Justin Whittall; 11. 1X-Chad Trout; 12. 99-Kyle Moody; 13. 69-Tim Glatfelter; 14. 73B-Brett Michalski; 15. 21T-Scott Fisher; 16. 90-Jordan Givler; 17. 91-Anhtony Fiore; 18. 11P-Greg Plank; 19. 27G-Jay Galloway; 20. 87-Alan Krimes (DNF); 21. 12-Barry Shearer (DNF); 22. 17-Cole Young (DNF); 23. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe (DNF).