ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. — Chase Dietz added a win at one of Pennsylvania Sprint Car racing’s most prestigious races to his résumé Monday night, driving from the outside of the front row to capture the 35-lap Steve Smith Tribute Race at Lincoln Speedway and collect the $50,019 winner’s payday.
Freddie Rahmer, who won the 2023 Steve Smith Tribute Race, started from the pole alongside Dietz, and the pair put on a show for the packed grandstands by racing side-by-side into Turn 1 at the drop of the green flag.
Rahmer emerged with the early advantage while Dietz settled into second. Behind them, Brady Bacon and James McFadden battled for third before the race’s first caution flew on lap two when McFadden spun while running fourth.
Rahmer controlled the opening laps, gradually stretching his advantage as Cameron Smith and Ryan Newton traded positions inside the top five.
Brent Marks worked his way into fifth before Dietz began reeling Rahmer back in as the leaders approached lapped traffic.
Dietz made his first serious bid for the lead on lap 10 with a slider entering Turn 1, but Rahmer held him off. One lap later, Dietz got another run down the backstretch, pulled alongside Rahmer, and completed the pass at the stripe to officially lead lap 11.
As Dietz navigated heavy lapped traffic, Brady Bacon closed in on the leaders before another caution slowed the field on lap 15 after Brent Marks spun while running fifth.
On the restart, Cameron Smith immediately charged forward, slipping past Bacon for third before setting his sights on Rahmer.
Smith executed a slider in Turn 4 on lap 19 to take second and narrowly held the position by just .048 seconds at the line the following lap as Rahmer fought back. Bacon reclaimed third, while Logan Schuchart moved into the top five.
With the fierce battle for second raging behind him, Dietz started to pull away, building a lead of more than four seconds before reaching lapped traffic again in the closing stages.
Meanwhile, Danny Dietrich put together one of the drives of the night. After starting 22nd, Dietrich methodically carved his way through the field, advancing into the top five before passing Schuchart for fourth and eventually taking over third.
In the closing laps, Dietrich continued his charge and ultimately claimed the runner-up position to earn Hard Charger honors after gaining 20 positions.
Dietz was never seriously challenged over the final laps, crossing the finish line to earn the richest victory of his career in the Steve Smith Tribute Race.
Dietrich finished second after his remarkable drive from 22nd, while Cameron Smith completed the podium in third. Logan Schuchart was fourth and Brady Bacon finished fifth.
The finish:
Feature (35 Laps): 1. 23-Chase Dietz[2]; 2. 48-Danny Dietrich[22]; 3. 1A-Cameron Smith[6]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart[13]; 5. 20-Brady Bacon[4]; 6. 41-Carson Macedo[10]; 7. 66-Ryan Newton[5]; 8. 51-Freddie Rahmer[1]; 9. 71-Logan Rumsey[12]; 10. 99M-Kyle Moody[18]; 11. 11T-TJ Stutts[8]; 12. 69K-Ryan Smith[20]; 13. G67-Justin Whittall[16]; 14. 21-James McFadden[3]; 15. 55-Kerry Madsen[11]; 16. 8-Billy Dietrich[23]; 17. 19M-Brent Marks[9]; 18. 22-Doug Hammaker[7]; 19. 75-Aaron Bollinger[17]; 20. 1X-Chad Trout[14]; 21. (DNF) 19H-Kody Hartlaub[15]; 22. (DNF) 91-Preston Lattomus[24]; 23. (DNF) 5-Tyler Ross[21]; 24. (DNF) 17-Dylan Norris[19]
