ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. — Cameron Smith led from the opening lap and never looked back, capturing Saturday night’s 35-lap Rack Daddies Rumble presented by L&M Tire and Wheel at Lincoln Speedway and collecting the $7,000 winner’s paycheck.
Smith and Doug Hammaker shared the front row for the start of the feature following the evening’s scramble format, with Smith immediately powering into the lead. Troy Wagaman Jr. and Logan Rumsey engaged in the battle behind him, with Wagaman working underneath Rumsey to take second.
Freddie Rahmer and Danny Dietrich battled wheel-to-wheel early, with Rahmer securing fifth before moving underneath Hammaker in Turn 2 on Lap 3 to take fourth. Dietrich followed Rahmer past Hammaker shortly afterward.
The first caution appeared on lap 6 when Gerard McIntyre slowed in turn 2 with a broken front axle. Smith led Wagaman, Rumsey, Rahmer and Dietrich back to the green flag.
There was no change in the top five on the restart, although Rumsey stayed within striking distance of Wagaman for second. A lap 7 caution followed when Kasey Weaver spun in turns 1 and 2.
Once racing resumed, Wagaman was able to maintain second while Rahmer pressured Rumsey for third. Meanwhile, Chase Dietz, the winningest sprint car driver in the country, began his march forward from sixth. Dietz moved into fifth and then closed in on Rahmer for fourth before making the pass.
Smith entered lapped traffic on lap 14, while the battle behind him intensified. Dietz continued his charge, moving into third as Rahmer and Rumsey swapped positions behind him. With cars running three-wide at times, the battle for second through fourth tightened considerably.
Dietz then began challenging Wagaman for second as the field closed in on Smith.
The race’s biggest incident came on Lap 22 when Weaver spun in turns 1 and 2, collecting Dietz, who was running third. Dietz had nowhere to go and was caught up in the incident, bringing out the red flag.
Smith, Wagaman, Rumsey, Rahmer and Dietrich made up the top five for the restart.
Matt Campbell showed a strong run around the topside on the restart, while Wagaman attempted to keep Smith within reach. Smith, however, began to pull away from the field.
Another caution flew on Lap 28 when Campbell spun in Turn 1 and collected Ryan Newton.
Smith again led Wagaman, Rumsey, Rahmer and Dietrich back to the green flag. A fuel stop followed before the field returned to competition.
Rahmer pulled alongside Rumsey in a bid for third but was unable to complete the pass. Dietrich then moved past Rahmer for fourth as the closing laps unfolded.
Smith remained in control at the front of the field, completing the 35-laps to score the $7,000 victory in the Rack Daddies Rumble presented by L&M Tire and Wheel.
Wagaman finished second, Rumsey crossed the line third and Dietrich was fourth. Rahmer, who had been undefeated in Rack Daddies Rumble competition prior to tonight, finished fifth.
Tyler Ulrich led from the pole and held off a late charge from Cameron Merriman to score the $2,000 victory in Saturday night’s 20-lap McConkey Insurance & Benefits 358 Sprint Car feature.
The finish:
Feature (35 Laps): 1. 1A-Cameron Smith[2]; 2. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[3]; 3. 71-Logan Rumsey[4]; 4. 48-Danny Dietrich[6]; 5. 51-Freddie Rahmer[10]; 6. 11-TJ Stutts[8]; 7. 99M-Kyle Moody[9]; 8. 22-Doug Hammaker[1]; 9. 67W-Justin Whittall[7]; 10. 5-Tyler Ross[20]; 11. 39-Lucas Wolfe[23]; 12. X-JJ Loss[19]; 13. 55S-Dallas Schott[18]; 14. 91-Preston Lattomus[16]; 15. 2-Jude Siegel[21]; 16. 6-Cole Knopp[24]; 17. 10-Matt Campbell[15]; 18. 66-Ryan Newton[11]; 19. 23-Chase Dietz[5]; 20. 4W-Kasey Weaver[13]; 21. 11T-Talan Haas[17]; 22. 1X-Chad Trout[22]; 23. 33-Gerard McIntyre Jr[14]; 24. 8-Billy Dietrich[12]
