It was a beautiful night of racing presented by Levan Machine and Truck Equipment with a full house of spectators to watch the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series doubleheader. Rico Abreu of St Helena, California claimed his first 410 Sprint Car win on ‘the Hill’ as part of Pennsylvania Speedweek presented by Red Robin and Brett Kressley won the 358 Modified portion of the event.
Abreu claimed $10,000 and the Hodnett Cup trophy for his efforts in a race that proved tricky for the leaders barely dodging multiple incidents and avoiding fighting through heavy-lapped traffic.
“We had some breaks with cautions,” Abreu said in post-race ceremonies. “But you have to do everything right to get those breaks in the first place.”
Abreu may have started on the pole but it wasn’t easy for the California native with Christopher Bell moving from inside row 2 into the second position on the start. Abreu fired off fast, approaching a full-straight lead by the fourth circuit with lapped traffic quickly approaching.
With Abreu in a comfortable lead, the battle for second heated up, between Brent Marks and Bell – but a Lap 7 yellow slowed the field when Dylan Norris spun directly in front of the leaders.
On the restart, Rico shot to the high side of the one-third-mile speedway with Marks moving passed Bell and Anthony Macri powering around the outside of Kyle Larson.
Marks pressured Abreu as the laps ticked away, approaching lapped traffic until the red flag flew on lap 14 for Kyle Larson, whose No. 57 machine tipped on its side with a broken rear end.
Abreu continued on the restart, racing around the inside of the speedway while Marks rode around the high side hot on his heels.
The final caution flew on lap 23 for Zach Hampton, who spun in front of the leaders.
Just over ten laps remained on the scoreboard, Abreu took the green flag creating some distance between himself and the battle for second between Anthony Macri and Brent Marks.
Heavy lapped traffic challenged the leaders in the late stages, as the top five positions were nose-to-tail when the white flag flew, but Abreu held them off to claim his third Pennsylvania Speedweek win.
Anthony Macri finished in the second spot, Brent Marks in third, Danny Dietrich in fourth, and Christopher Bell finished in fifth
Macri also picked up the $150 Quick Time Bonus from Clever Girl Winery for the 410 Sprint Cars. Qualifying Heat Races were won by Rico Abreu, Justin Peck, Tanner Thorson, and Kyle Larson.
Brett Kressley picked up his third NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series win on Tuesday night passing Jared Umbenhauer in the second half of the 30-lap feature.
Mike Lisowski led the twenty-four car field to the drop of the green flag with Umbenhauer taking the lead on the second circuit of the event. Umbenhauer dominated the early stages of the race, before Kressley – who started in the fifth position – closed quickly and overtook the top spot with the help of side-by-side lapped traffic.
The only caution of the event flew on lap 26 when Ron Kline stopped at the top of the speedway with a right rear flat tire.
Kressley rolled on to the $3,000 win with Duane Howard moving into the second position on the restart, Umbenhauer settling for third, Alex Yankowski in fourth, and Billy Pauch jr. in the fifth position.
GT Radiator Repair $200 Fast Time for the 358 Modifieds was won by Jared Umbenhauer with a lap of 14.272. Modified Qualifying Heat Races were won by Rick Laubach, Ron Kline, and Craig Whitmoyer who all claimed a $200 bonus from GT Radiator Repair.
The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series returns on Tuesday, August 2 with the Big-Block Modifieds and Small-Block Modifieds competing in the ‘Roaring’ Triple 20s event. The 602 Sportsman round out an exciting program of racing action.
410 Sprint Cars
Clever Girl Winery Time Trials – 1. Anthony Macri – 12.025 2. Danny Dietrich – 12.030 3. Christopher Bell – 12.037 4. Brent Marks – 12.059 5. Rico Abreu – 12.070 6. Justin Peck – 12.176 7. Tanner Thorson – 12.187 8. Kyle Larson – 12.207 9. Ryan Smith – 12.219 10. Kyle Moody – 12.221 11. Freddie Rahmer – 12.243 12. Skylar Gee – 12.268 13. Zach Hampton – 12.275 14. Austin Bishop – 12.304 15. TJ Stutts – 12.337 16. Lucas Wolfe – 12.368 17. Tyler Ross – 12.401 18. Devon Borden – 12.430 19. Dylan Norris – 12.432 20. Brandon Rahmer – 12.475 21. Jeff Halligan – 12.510 22. Chad Trout – 12.533 23. Chase Dietz – 12.534 24. Mark Smith – 12.573 25. Ryan Taylor – 12.590 26. Tyler Reeser 12.600 27. Eddie Lumbar – 12.643 28. Jon Stewart – 12.798 29. Dave Brown – 12.800 30. Jordan Givler – 12.820 31. Devin Adams – 13.022
Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Rico Abreu 2. Anthony Macri 3. Ryan Smith 4. Tyler Ross 5. Ryan Taylor
Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Justin Peck 2. Kyle Moody 3. Austin Bishop 4. Danny Dietrich 5. Devon Borden
Heat 3 (10 Laps) – 1. Tanner Thorson 2. Christopher Bell 3. Freddie Rahmer 4. TJ Stutts 5. Dylan Norris
Heat 4 (10 Laps) – 1. Kyle Larson 2. Lucas Wolfe 3. Skylar Gee 4. Brandon Rahmer 5. Brent Marks
B-Main (8 Laps) – 1. Jeff Halligan 2. Zach Hampton 3. Chad Trout 4. Mark Smith
Feature (35 Laps) 1. Rico Abreu 2. Anthony Macri 3. Brent Marks 4. Danny Dietrich 5. Christopher Bell 6. Tanner Thorson 7. Justin Peck 8. Ryan Smith 9. Lucas Wolfe 10. Freddie Rahmer 11. Kyle Moody 12. Austin Bishop 13. Tyler Ross 14. Brandon Rahmer 15. TJ Stutts 16. Skylar Gee 17. Jeff Halligan 18. Ryan Taylor 19. Mark Smith 20. Dylan Norris 21. Chad Trout 22. Devon Borden 23. Zach Hampton 24. Kyle Larson
358 Modifieds
Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Rick Laubach 2. Duane Howard 3. John Willman 4. Jared Umbenhauer 5. Craig VonDohren 6. Brett Gilmore
Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Ron Kline 2. Alex Yankowski 3. Mike Lisowski 4. Brett Kressley 5. Tim Buckwalter 6. Kevin Beach
Heat 3 (10 Laps) – 1. Craig Whitmoyer 2. Jeff Strunk 3. Jim Housworth 4. Billy Pauch Jr. 5. Jimmy Leiby 6. Brad Brightbill
Consi (10 Laps) – 1. Bobby Trapper Jr. 2. Kyle Smith 3. Doug Manmiller 4. Ryan Watt 5. Justin Grim 6. Nate Brinker
Feature (30 Laps ) – 1. Brett Kressley 2. Duane Howard 3. Jared Umbenhauer 4. Alex Yankowski 5. Billy Pauch Jr. 6. Jeff Strunk 7. Mike Lisowski 8. Craig VonDohren 9. Craig Whitmoyer 10. Rick Laubach 11. Doug Manmiller 12. Timmy Buckwalter 13. Ryan Watt 14. John Willman 15. Jimmy Leiby 16. Kyle Smith 17. Nate Brinker 18. Kevin Beach 19. Ron Kline 20. Brad Brightbill 21. Bobby Trapper Jr. 22. Jim Housworth 23. Brett Gilmore 24. Justin Grim
2022 NAPA AUTO PARTS THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES
Associate Sponsors Pioneer Pole Buildings, Levan Machine & Truck Equipment, GT Radiators, Clever Girl Winery
NAPA AUTO PARTS THUNDER ON THE HILL RACING SERIES – Presented by Levan Machine & Truck Equipment 7:30 PM
TUESDAY, AUGUST 2 Triple Roaring 20’s for 358/Big Block Modifieds Possible $11,000 to win. . . plus 602 SPORTSMAN
* Indicates NASCAR Point Race
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