Fast Freddie gets popular win in prestigious 51st annual event

10/5/13
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mechanicsburg – Fast Freddie Rahmer of Salfordville wrote what could be the Cinderella ending to his storybook career at Williams Grove Speedway on Saturday night when he beat the World of Outlaws for a $50,000 payday in the 51st annual National Open for sprint cars at the oval.

It was Rahmer’s first and only win in the prestigious event that came in his final chance for the victory as he declared weeks ago that he would retire from the sport at the end of the year.

Rahmer also discussed prior to the Open that if he were to win, he may just call it a career and walk away after the show and after calming down in victory lane Saturday night, he commented further on his plans, saying that he will take a few days and talk to his family about the decision but he may let Stevie Smith finish the year out in his No. 20S ride.

The race began with Steve Buckwalter on the pole with a souring motor and Rahmer alongside and from the drop of the green Rahmer seemed on a mission.

He stayed right on Buckwalter as the laps ticked off and was able to get by the Royersford driver to lead the ninth tour when Buckwalter hopped the fourth turn cushion.

But Buckwalter went deep in the first corner to reclaim the lead and again have Rahmer pasted to his back bumper when the first caution flag unfurled with 13 laps recorded.

Craig Dollansky, Lance Dewease and Daryn Pittman restarted behind the duo.

Rahmer pounded the bottom groove when action resumed and went out front as the field scored 14 laps following the restart, lifting his right front tire off of the ground as he passed the flagstand to take the lead at the line.

And after getting control, Rahmer pulled out to a near straightway lead by the halfway point with Buckwalter in second followed now by Dewease who was up to third.

Rahmer was just beginning to work the rear of the field with 25 down when Chad Layton brought out another yellow flag, forcing a stoppage for refueling.

Rahmer chose the bottom for the double-file restart and pulled way from Buckwalter when green reappeared as Dewease blistered by for the runner-up position.

And for a moment it looked like Dewease might be able to close on the leader but once the pace got going Rahmer again began pulling away.

With 12 laps to go in the 40-lapper he had amassed a full straightaway advantage over Dewease as he instead now began feeling heat from Pittman who had driven into third on the 27th tour.

Rahmer entered the backmarkers with six laps to go and carefully threaded his way through traffic with a large lead as Pittman overtook Dewease for second with three laps to go with Rahmer out of sight.

And then it was the final lap and as opposed to waiting until the final turn as many times is the case, the mass of humanity in the stands rose to their feet in a wave of motion as the white flag waved and they felt assured of a Rahmer win.

For an entire lap the entire grandstands were up on their feet in an uncharacteristic show of support and appreciation for Rahmer who picked up the thrilling victory by 3.41 seconds over Pittman.

First Rahmer stopped on the backstretch, climbed out of this car and jumped up and down for the fans in the stands before being enveloped in a throng of fans and drivers in victory lane on the frontchute.

“The guys we race against weekly make you good enough to win this thing,” Rahmer said.

“I don’t know what to say but I’ll be drunk as hell tonight!”

“My boy and Moon (Byers) (mechanics), they’re the ones that did it,” Rahmer said of getting him the win.

Rahmer went on to ponder this season and his past few.

“They had me dead and buried but not quite so dead,” he said.

“The one thing I learned the last few years is the people that you are with can beat you way easier than the people you race against.”

“I’m just spent. I’m just spent on a weekly deal,” Rahmer said of his decision to retire after years of weekly competition.

Pittman, the World of Outlaws point leader, was happy for Rahmer, who reclaimed the Williams Grove point lead with his run to the victory after losing the lead in Friday night’s race.

“That’s probably the happiest second I’ve had all year,” the Oklahoma driver said.

“I couldn’t be any happier. I’ve learned a lot about him (Rahmer) over the last four years.”

“He’s a really good person. And it has nothing to do with racing.”

Dewease, a three-time Open winner in his career, rode home third at the finish.

“We gave it everything we had,” he said.

“With it being wet early we didn’t know how far to go with it (car) and we didn’t go far enough.”

“But we left everything we had on the track.”

Paul McMahan was fourth and Dollansky fifth.

Sixth through 10th went to Buckwalter, Greg Hodnett, David Gravel, Joey Saldana and Donny Schatz.

Fast time for the 62-car field was set by Saldana with a time of 17.192 seconds.

Heats went to Rahmer, Sammy Swindell, Gravel, Rodney Westhafer and Logan Schuchart.

Buckwalter earned the feature pole by winning the dash.

The D Main went to Kerry Madsen with Justin Henderson taking the C and Hodnett scoring the B Main.



October 5, 2013 Feature Finish:
410 sprint cars, 40 laps: 1. Fred Rahmer, 2. Daryn Pittman, 3. Lance Dewease, 4. Paul McMahan, 5, Craig Dollansky, 6. Steve Buckwalter, 7. Greg Hodnett, 8. David Gravel, 9. Joey Saldana, 10. Donny Schatz, 11. Brent Marks, 12. Brian Montieth, 13. Danny Dietrich, 14. Jason Sides, 15. Danny Holtgraver, 16. Sammy Swindell, 17. Cody Darrah, 18. Logan Schuchart, 19. Chad Kemenah, 20. Pat Cannon, 21. Rodney Westhafer, 22. Brian Brown, 23. Trey Starks, 24. Justin Barger, 25. Chad Layton, 26. Don Kreitz Jr, 27. Tim Shaffer, 28. Steve Kinser
DNQ: Brock Zearfoss, Gerard McIntyre Jr., Lucas Wolfe, Justin Henderson, Ryan Bohlke, Kraig Kinser, Kerry Madsen, Mark Smith, Brian Paulus, TJ Stutts, Jac Haudenschild, Aaron Ott, Sheldon Haudenschild, Davey Sammons, Bill Rose, Tyler Ross, Jimmy Seger, Kyle Moody, Cory Haas, Ryan Smith, Dylan Cisney, Curt Michael, Nicole Bower, Mark Bitner, Rick Lafferty, Ryan Taylor, Adam Wilt, Alan Krimes, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Dale Blaney, Brian Leppo, Jacob Allen, Jim Siegel, Brad Howard