ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. — A packed grandstand welcomed race fans back to racing action Saturday at Lincoln Speedway they officially launched the 2026 Central PA racing season with the highly anticipated Ice Breaker, featuring a 30-lap, $6,000-to-win sprint car main event.
Ohio’s Zeth Sabo and veteran Lance Dewease led the field to green, with Dewease making his debut with new car owner Rich Eichelberger. The action began immediately, as Sabo thrilled fans with a dramatic wheelie down the frontstretch.
Early momentum quickly shifted as Cameron Smith powered to the front, looking to pick up where he left off with his victory in Lincoln Speedway’s final race of the 2025 season. Sabo settled into second with Dewease running third and Danny Dietrich fourth as the field began to sort itself out.
A lap six caution slowed the pace when Tyler Ross spun in turn three. Just as the field prepared to go back to green, Dewease — running third — pulled to the top of turn three under caution with brake issues, ending his bid for victory despite an early strong run.
Smith executed a strong restart, but Sabo’s aggressive charge resulted in another hard wheelie in turn two that dropped him back to seventh. Dietrich capitalized, advancing to second while Freddie Rahmer moved into third, followed by Logan Rumsey and defending Ice Breaker winner Chase Dietz, who steadily worked forward from his sixth-place starting position.
As lapped traffic came into play on lap 12 Dietz surged past Rahmer for third, while Dietrich closed rapidly on Smith. On lap 16, Dietrich powered off turn two to take command of the race, only to see Dietz continue his charge and claim second one lap later.
The decisive moment came on lap 18 when Dietz made a bold move off turn four to take the lead. A red flag soon followed on lap 19 after Hayden Miller flipped in turn one, bunching the field for a crucial restart with Dietz, Dietrich, Rahmer, Smith, and Rumsey forming the top five.
Over the closing laps, Dietrich mounted several challenges as the leaders navigated heavy traffic, but Dietz showcased patience and precision, slicing through slower cars to maintain control. Behind them, Rahmer and Smith thrilled fans with a side-by-side battle for third that swapped positions multiple times.
Dietrich made one final push in the closing circuits, but Dietz’s masterful moves in traffic allowed him to pull away and secure the season-opening victory as a caution flew simultaneously with the checkered flag when Billy Dietrich spun in turn four.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 23-Chase Dietz[6]; 2. 48-Danny Dietrich[4]; 3. 51-Freddie Rahmer[5]; 4. 41-Logan Rumsey[7]; 5. 75-Cameron Smith[3]; 6. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[13]; 7. 27H-Steven Snyder Jr[8]; 8. 29-Zeth Sabo[1]; 9. 10-Matt Campbell[12]; 10. 1X-Chad Trout[9]; 11. 99M-Kyle Moody[17]; 12. 17-Dylan Norris[14]; 13. X-Aaron Bollinger[19]; 14. 88-Brandon Rahmer[15]; 15. 0-Rick Lafferty[11]; 16. 8-Billy Dietrich[10]; 17. 3-John Jerich[16]; 18. 18J-JT Ferry[18]; 19. 5R-Tyler Ross[20]; 20. 11H-Hayden Miller[21]; 21. 8E-Lance Dewease[2]; 22. (DNS) 55-Domenic Melair
