Leiby Takes 2016 Track Title in Lincoln 358 Sprint Division
Story By: BILL MEYER / LINCOLN SPEEDWAY MEDIA
Photos By: DAN DEMARCO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
YORK, PA, – November 21, 2016- Lincoln Speedway track champions and special year-end awards were handed out at the Wyndham Garden York Hotel Saturday night, November 19th. The top ten finishers in the season -long point series for both sprint car divisions, and special awards were distributed to rookies’ of-the-year and most improved driver.
KRIMES SCORES SECOND LAWRENCE CHEVROLET TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP IN THREE YEARS
Denver’s Alan Krimes rode the strength of two wins and consistent top finishes to his second track title in three years in the 410 sprint car division. Ironically, Krimes’ second win came in the final points race of the year to clinch the track title. Capping off a strong second half of the season, Krimes dethroned five-time and defending track champ Brian Montieth with 13 top-five and a division-leading 19 top-ten finishes in 23 events.
Krimes’ two wins in the Wayne Corini CPA/Abe Service Company/Krimes Racing Engines/Conestoga Valley Garage #87 moved into sole possession of 20th place on the all-time Lincoln win list with 18 career wins. Krimes title also earned his father Larry Lincoln’s mechanic of-the-year award.
Five-time track champ Brian Montieth rode the strength of three wins, 12 top-five finishes and 18 top tens to second in season points. His three wins kept him in sole possession of sixth place on the all-time Lincoln win list with 53, three wins behind Bobby Able.
New Oxford’s Jim Siegel won once and scored four top-five and 15 top-tens to finish third in season points. His win came in August on McSherrystown Moose Lodge #720 Night.
Dallastown’s Cory Haas went winless at Lincoln in 2016, but did register three top-five and 11 top ten finishes to end fourth in season points.
Rounding out the top five in the season point series was Gerard McIntyre, Jr., who finished in the top-five six times and in the top ten 13 times.
Sixth through tenth in season points were Harry Fletcher Sportsmanship Award winner Austin Hogue, Glenndon Forsythe, Robbie Kendall, Freddie Rahmer, and Adam Wilt.
Kasey Kahne and most improved driver Tyler Ross both scored their first-career Lincoln 410 sprint wins during the season. Kahne’s win came in the March 26th Spring Championship.
There were a host of one-time winners who scored their second career Lincoln win, including Chase Dietz, Hogue, Brandon Rahmer, Freddie Rahmer, Kyle Moody, and Billy Dietrich.
Greg Hodnett, who set a new one-lap track record and set fast time in three of the eight time trial events and won the season-opening “Icebreaker 30,” “Dirt Classic Showcase” in June and the Annual Weldon Sterner Memorial in July, was the leading feature winner on the season with four, followed by Montieth’s three wins.
Other Lincoln wins in 2016 were recorded by Danny Dietrich (two, including the annual Lincoln All-Star show), J.J. Grasso (National Fallen Firefighters Night in August), Lance Dewease (who won the Gobrecht Memorial Lincoln PA Speedweek opener), and Stevie Smith (whose lone victory came in the $20,000-to-win Third Annual “Dirt Classic”).
All told, there were 16 different winners in 23 races at Lincoln in 2016.
SPECIAL AWARDS WINNERS (410 Sprints)
Super Sprint Champion – Alan Krimes
Mechanic of the Year – Larry Krimes
Rookie of the Year – Joe Kata III
Harry Fletcher Sportsmanship Award – Austin Hogue
Most Improved Driver – Tyler Ross
CHANDLER LEIBY CLAIMS FIRST-EVER LINCOLN SPEEDWAY KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS TRACK CHAMPIONSHIP
Carlisle’s Chandler Leiby scored his first win of the year in the next-to-last points race and went on to claim his first track title in Lincoln’s 358 sprint car division. It was especially gratifying for Chandler to pick up the win and, ultimately, the track championship on the following week in the presence of his late grandfather and Lincoln co-promoter Bob Leiby, who passed away shortly thereafter. All told, Leiby scored eight top-five and a division-leading 14 top-ten finishes in 18 events, which gave him a slim 35-point lead Matt Campbell and 45-point lead over Adrian Shaffer, who were all vying for the track title entering the final points race of the year.
Campbell won the third race of the year and finished second in season points. He challenged Leiby down the stretch with ten top-five and 13 top-ten finishes.
Shaffer finished an impressive third in season points. He claimed his 11th career Lincoln and moved alongside Cris Eash and Doug Esh on the all-time win list with his victory on April 18th, and ended the season with eight top-five and 13 top-ten finishes.
Rookie of-the-year Brent Shearer was fourth in season points. Shearer scored his first career win on September 10th and ended the season with three top-five and nine top-ten finishes.
Former track champ and two-time winner Jeff Rohrbaugh rounded out the top five in season points. Despite an abbreviate schedule, Rohrbaugh scored seven top-five and 12 top-ten finishes.
Sixth through tenth in season points were Central PA point series champ Jeff Halligan, most improved driver Tyler Esh, Matt Findley, and two-time winners Doug Hammaker and Brie Hershey.
Six different drivers picked up their first Lincoln career wins in 2016. In addition to Shearer, the others were C.J. Tracy, Dalton Dietrich, Trey Hivner, Troy Wagaman, Jr., and Wyatt Hinkle.
Other 2016 winners included Chris Arnold, Halligan, and Kevin Nouse.
All told, there were 15 different winners in 18 events. The only repeat winners at Lincoln in ‘16 were Hershey, Rohrbaugh, and Hammaker. Hershey led the most feature laps by a clear margin in ’16, with 51 to Wyatt Hinkle’s 22.
SPECIAL AWARDS WINNERS (358 Sprints)
358 Sprint Champion – Chandler Leiby
Rookie of the Year – Brent Shearer
Harry Fletcher Sportsmanship Award – Cody Fletcher
Most Improved Driver – Tyler Esh
