Greg Hodnett wrestled the lead away from Shane Stewart and controlled the final 10 laps to score his first win of the season Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway in the Pennsylvania Posse's final tune-up for the World of Outlaws invasion this weekend.
Donnie Kreitz started on the pole and jumped into the lead, but Stewart blasted by on the outside off turn two and led down the backstretch. Hodnett, of Thomasville, challenged Kreitz for the runnerup spot as Stewart built a comfortable lead.
Hodnett secured second and then after getting under Stewart a few times in turns one and two made an outside pass off turn four to grab the lead and eventual win. Stewart jumped the cushion twice in the final laps and faded to seventh.
Doug Esh, Kreitz, Ryan Smith and Lance Dewease followed Hodnett. Lucas Wolfe set fast time over the 31-car field with a lap of 16.728 and earned an extra $300. He ended up 10th in the main event.
Kevin Nouse passed Phil Walter of Beavertown with a few laps to go to win the 358 sprint car feature. Walter settled for second ahead of Matt Campbell, Adrian Shaffer and Kody Lehman.
The World of Outlaws come to central Pennsylvania this week, beginning Wednesday night at Lincoln Speedway, near Hanover. Gettysburg driver Danny Dietrich has beaten the traveling professionals in each of the last two seasons.
The Outlaws will race against the Pennsylvania Posse Friday and Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway. The Saturday night race is considered the Morgan Cup and pays $17,000 to win, while Friday pays $8,000. The top sprint car drivers in the country will be on hand in one of the most competitive sprint car fields assembled anywhere this season.
The racing program at Selinsgrove Speedway -along with all other area tracks - was rained out on Saturday night.
Sunbury's Mark Smith continues to lead the 360-sprint car standings and is a two-time feature winner. He leads one-time winner T.J. Stutts by 160 points.
The Jack Gunn Memorial will be made up Saturday, June 7, and will be sanctioned by the United Racing Co. The race pays $3,500 to win and $225 to start.
The Empire Super Sprints - New York State's 360 sprint car group - will sanction this Saturday's racing program at the Snyder County track. The super late models, pro stocks and roadrunners will be part of the program which starts at 7 p.m.
In the super late models, Selinsgrove's Jim Yoder leads Danville's
Steve Campbell by only 20 points. Brad Mitch leads the pro stock points and has won all three races. Keith Bissinger leads the roadrunners.
Chad Trout won the winged super sportsman feature at Big Diamond Speedway Friday night, defeating Scott Dellinger, Frankie Herr, Rich Eichelberger and Chad Criswell.
Teenager Chase Dietz was the 2012 Trail-Way track champion in the 600cc micro sprint class. Dietz made his first ever 358 sprint car start at Trail-Way Friday night and turned that into a win.