VON DOHREN GETS FIRST WIN FOR NEW CAR OWNER IN SUSQUEHANNA OPENER
Newberrytown, PA: Craig VonDohren captured the Mountain Dew 40 at Susquehanna Speedway Sunday afternoon winning for the first time for his new car owner, Bill Devine and Devine Transportation. VonDohren pulled off the trifecta capturing both his heat and the 4 Star Lettering Cash Dash and then the main event.
Back in 1998, VonDohren took the opener enroute to a ten win season and the track championship. It was his 24th victory at the speedway placing him third on the all-time modified career win list. Today’s efforts garnered the Barto, PA native another $2,303 keeping him atop the modified money earnings.
The race saw only four cautions, but lap two was the killer for seven drivers in three separate accidents. Among those casualties was Kenny Brightbill, the all-time feature winner. Kevin Hirthler led the field at the start and had control for the first three circuits. Hirthler gave way to VonDohren on lap four, but held on to the runner-up spot for 31 laps.
The race ran non-stop for the final 35 laps and it wasn’t until the last six laps when it became very interesting. Duane Howard struggled with Rick Laubach for half the race, but when finally got by he breezed past Ricky Elliott, Doug Manmiller and Hirthler moving into second with five to go. Using lapped traffic, Howard reeled in the cruising VonDohren and all of a sudden it was a battle to the finish.
With a lap to go Howard made his move going to the outside of a lapped car while VonDohren shot low. They were three abreast, but Howard couldn’t make the move stick. Duane rallied to chase Craig to the checker, but time ran out and had to settle for a close second.
Hirthler, Manmiller and Elliott hung on to round out the top five respectively. Laubach came home sixth followed by a charging Ray Swinehart and solid runs from 1999 track champion, Meme DeSantis, Ryan Watt and Bob Ebersole.
The central Pa Legends put on another exciting race at the York County oval and this time newcomer Jason Rochelle took the laurels. Rodney Kistler grabbed the early lead followed by John Fraker as Rochelle slipped back to third. The New Jersey native gathered himself after that and stole the lead at the halfway point and never looked back. Kistler managed to hang on to second followed by Fraker, Ronnie Dunstan and Tim Henry.
Just like the Legends, the enduro race saw plenty of action all around the racetrack. A non-stop 40 lap, 28 car extravaganza that is just amazing to watch. Steve Failor brought the pack around for the first circuit when Jim Smith took the lead away only to have Matt Frye wrestle it from him on consecutive laps.
Smith re-captured the lead and held it until lap 17 when Pat Hires stole the top spot. Smith reluctantly took the lead back again and held off Hires all the way to the finish. Al Miller finished third, Jerry Blauch got fourth and last year’s two-time winner Karl Windish grabbed fifth.
Summary:
Modified: (40 Laps) 1- Craig VonDohren; 2- Duane Howard; 3- Kevin Hirthler; 4- Doug Manmiller; 5- Ricky Elliott; 6- Rick Laubach; 7- Ray Swinehart; 8- Meme DeSantis; 9- Ryan Watt; 10- Bob Ebersole; 11- John Willman; 12- Al Shawver; 13- Tom Umbenhauer; 14- Danny Erb; 15- Mike Gular; 16- Rick Shaffer; 17- Jeff Sechrist; 18- Tom Mayberry; 19- Kenny Brightbill; 20- Kyle Strickler; 21- Keith Hoffman; 22- Steve Swinehart; 23- Paul Kline; 24- John Tshudy
Heat Winners: Umbenhauer, VonDohren, Hirthler
4 Star Lettering Cash Dash: VonDohren
Legends: (12 Laps) 1- Jason Rochelle; 2- Rodney Kistler; 3- John Fraker; 4- Ronnie Dunstan; 5- Tim Henry; 6- Zack Dunkleberger; 7- Ricky Harring; 8- Paul Fisher; 9- Donnie Potts; 10- Randy Fetterolf; 11- Greg Burd; 12- Randy Kissinger; 13- Darryl Bloom; 14- Brian Swartz; 15- Denny Rothermel; 16- Rich Landis; 17- Jason Ewing; 18- Lawrence Garrison; 19- Bill Harris; 20- Allen Felix; 21- Bob Murray; 22- Stan Landis; 23- Andy Lupfer; 24- Lamar Shaffer
Enduro: (40 Laps) 1- Jim Smith; 2- Pat Hires; 3- Al Miller; 4- Jerry Blauch; 5- Karl Windish; 6- Mike Goodwin; 7- Ron Vance; 8- Matt Smith; 9- Tom Slanker; 10- Brian Lammer; 11- Brian Sanders; 12- Rick Hippensteel, Sr.; 13- Adam Almoney; 14- Rickey Hippensteel, Jr.; 15- Justin Ehrhart; 16- Brian Boyer; 17- Tom Caravello; 18- Paul Tiemann; 19- Virgil Cain; 20- Dave Yingst; 21- Greg Miller; 22- Tony Toumas; 23- Jason Doolittle; 24- Matt Frye; 25- Jim Gross; 26- Ray Repp; 27- Steve Failor; 28- Mike Mixell