ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. — Freddie Rahmer made a statement on Saturday night at Lincoln Speedway, leading all 30 laps to capture the win in the third race of the season.
Rahmer surged into the lead at the drop of the green flag with Jeff Halligan, Chad Trout, and Chase Dietz in pursuit. Danny Dietrich quickly made his presence known, challenging Chad Trout for fourth before Chad pulled away.
Rahmer wasted no time building a lead, stretching it out as he reached lapped traffic by lap five. Dietz began closing in on Halligan for second as the leaders navigated heavy traffic. On lap 10, Dietz powered past Halligan coming out of turn four to take over the runner-up spot.
Trout pressured Halligan for third but bobbled on the back stretch allowing Dietrich to get by. Trout got back by Dietrich but the two continued to swap positions in a spirited battle behind the leaders. Dietz methodically reeled Rahmer in as the laps clicked off in traffic.
The race was halted on lap 14 when Preston Lattomus flipped in turn three, with Kelby Watt having nowhere to go his night ended as well. Both drivers were unharmed.
On the restart, Rahmer chose the high side while Dietz went low. Dietrich took advantage of the restart to grab third from Halligan. Another red flag flew on lap 16 after Dylan Norris and Tyler Ross tangled on the front stretch. Norris was able to rejoin the field.
Rahmer maintained control on the restart with Dietz and Dietrich in tow. Halligan pulled away from Chad Trout in the battle for fourth as lapped traffic came into play again on lap 22. Dietz kept Rahmer in his sights and began closing in with five laps to go.
Behind the leaders, Troy Wagaman worked his way past Trout for fifth, but Trout fought back in the closing laps.
Rahmer held off Dietz’s late charge to capture the win, with Dietrich completing the podium. Halligan and Trout rounded out the top five.
Frankie Herr kicked off the 358 sprint car season at Lincoln Speedway in dramatic fashion, surviving multiple restarts and holding off a hard-charging field to score the win.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 51-Freddie Rahmer[1]; 2. 23-Chase Dietz[6]; 3. 48-Danny Dietrich[3]; 4. 45-Jeff Halligan[2]; 5. 1X-Chad Trout[4]; 6. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[8]; 7. 8Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 8. 88-Brandon Rahmer[13]; 9. 33-Gerard McIntyre Jr[7]; 10. 5E-Aaron Bollinger[12]; 11. 75-Cameron Smith[18]; 12. X-Matt Campbell[16]; 13. 12-Mike Bittinger[5]; 14. 11P-TJ Stutts[22]; 15. 17-Dylan Norris[14]; 16. 5W-Lucas Wolfe[15]; 17. 11H-Hayden Miller[17]; 18. 88J-Joey Amantea[24]; 19. 11-Mike Thompson[21]; 20. (DNF) 5R-Tyler Ross[9]; 21. (DNF) 91-Preston Lattomus[10]; 22. (DNF) 1K-Kelby Watt[23]; 23. (DNF) 8-Billy Dietrich[20]; 24. (DNF) 23A-Chris Arnold[19]
