MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Troy Wagaman Jr. claimed the 30-lap Tommy Hinnershitz Classic for Lawrence Chevrolet 410 sprint cars at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night.
It was his first win in the race, worth $8,000. It was also the first Grove win of the season for the defending track champion.
Both Wagaman and Danny Dietrich shared the front for the start of the main event with Wagaman getting back to the line first when the first lap was scored while Dietrich got shuffled backward.
On the opening lap both Brock Zearfoss and Brent Shearer split Dietrich in the second corner, relegating him to fourth before Freddie Rahmer also drove by.
Zearfoss was chasing Wagaman when the first caution flag of the race unfurled with five laps away for a spin by Kody Hartlaub.
Rahmer went to work on Shearer when action resumed and took third with seven laps down.
As Zearfoss raced to stay with Wagaman, Rahmer began gaining on the second place driver.
And then just as Rahmer was ready to make a pass for the spot, Zearfoss slowed suddenly and withdrew on lap 14.
At the same time the race at the front of the field entered the backmarkers, allowing Rahmer to begin running down the leader.
And then a final caution flag with 11 laps to go wiped out a 1.3-second lead built by Wagaman when Lance Dewease stopped on the track while running seventh.
Austin Bishop restarted third for the new green with Chase Dietz having slipped up to fourth.
When action got back underway it was Dietrich who came to life and as both he and Dietz challenged Rahmer for second with Bishop faltering.
Fans rose to their feet as the trio dueled for the spot.
Dietz challenged on the bottom and Dietrich worked the top groove on Rahmer at the new green with both drivers advancing to second and third respectively by lap 23.
But by the time the pair had rid themselves of Rahmer and could focus on the top spot, Wagaman had driven out to a comfortable margin.
And it would be an advantage of .971 seconds that he would hold to the finish over Dietz, Dietrich, Rahmer and Cameron Smith.
The victory was the fifth overall of Wagaman’s career at Williams Grove Speedway. It was also the second of the season at the track for mounts owned by Mike Heffner as Steven Snyder Jr. wheeled to a win for the stables in early April.
Wagaman set fast time with a lap of 16.786 seconds.
Sam Rial won the 15-lap xtreme stock main to close the night.
The finish:
Feature (30 laps): 1. Troy Wagaman Jr., 2. Chase Dietz, 3. Danny Dietrich, 4. Freddie Rahmer, 5. Cameron Smith, 6. Justin Whittall, 7. Austin Bishop, 8. Doug Hammaker, 9. Matt Campbell, 10. Brent Shearer, 11. Preston Lattomus, 12. Briggs Danner, 13. TJ Stutts, 14. Kody Hartlaub, 15. Dylan Cisney, 16. Mike Thompson, 17. Joey Amantea, 18. James Roselli, 19. Lance Dewease, 20. Brock Zearfoss, 21. Jude Siegel, 22. Dylan Norris, 23. Ryan Smith, 24. Samuel Miller
