Freddie Rahmer of Salfordville earned the 2023 Williams Grove Speedway Lawrence Chevrolet 410 Sprint Car track title on Sept. 30 with his runs in the Champion Oil National Open and National Open Preliminary make-up race, both sanctioned by the World of Outlaws.
The hard-fought track crown was the third of young Rahmer’s career at Williams Grove but a career first for car owner and veteran driver Rich Eichelberger of Dillsburg and his No. 8.
Rahmer took previous crowns aboard his father’s No. 51 sprinter in 2017 and in 2020. His father being a Hall of Fame sprint car racer.
Just like last season, Rahmer fought with Danny Dietrich for the title and laurels in a championship chase that again, just like last season, came down to the final races and laps of the year.
But where it was Dietrich coming out on top last year, it was 27-year old Rahmer in the 2023 edition.
Rahmer competed in all 20 shows at Williams Grove during the year, ending the season with an average feature finish of 6.8.
To his credit were a pair of wins, on May 19 and June 2, along with a trio of runner-ups and third place finishes plus two sixths, two sevenths, one eighth, one ninth and two 10th place finishes.
Team wrenches Matt Stover and Harold Lieb have been named recipients of the Davey Brown Sr. Mechanic of the Year Award.
Freddie Rahmer now joins a list of other three-time track champions including Todd Shaffer, Lynn Paxton, Smokey Snellbaker, George Speck and Tommy Hinnershitz.
The top five in the points following Rahmer and second place Dietrich was Devon Borden, TJ Stutts and defending champion Lance Dewease.
Danny Dietrich did earn the 2023 Hoosier Diamond Series crown at Williams Grove Speedway aboard Gary Kauffman’s No. 48.
It is Dietrich’s first crown in the Williams Grove series that dates to 1999.
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The management of Big Diamond and Grandview Speedways have together reached a decision on the topic of the left side pan hard bar suspension for 358 Modified and 602 Sportsman race teams that compete weekly at both raceways.
The Rogers Family who promote and operate Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa. and Jake Smulley who promotes and operates Big Diamond Speedway in Forestville, Pa. have recently held conversations between the two Speedways regarding what has become a hot topic in local auto racing – the left side pan hard bar suspension that has become a common and popular set-up for Modified & Sportsman teams over the last couple of seasons.
Both Speedways have thoroughly discussed the topic and have decided to phase out the left side suspension set-up, by allowing racers to use the left side suspension for one more season in 2024, before all race teams must return to the previous standard right side suspension set-up to begin the 2025 race season.
As was the case in the gradual switching of the Sportsman class from open motors to the GM 602 engines, the gradual phase out is being done as a consideration to race teams that have already begun preparing their equipment for the upcoming 2024 racing season.
Grandview Speedway competition director Brad Missimer stated that “We wanted to be fair to all competitors about making a switch. We needed to give them some advance notice and time to prepare since a lot of race teams are already preparing for next season. We realize that this suspension set-up needs to go eventually.”
Race promoter and longtime friend Bob Miller shared these thoughts with me about a well known name in the sport. The words iconic and legendary say it all when I reflect on the history of Glenn and Bonita Hyneman and the 126 Racing Team.
I’m fortunate, that my time in racing offered me the opportunity to watch all the years of the 126 movement. As a race official in some capacity, and at different tracks in the area, I have personally seen the impact this team had on local racing. Glenn and Bonita always pushed the envelope to be a better team always in the chase of a win, and in turn, they elevated their competitors both on the track and in the pits. It goes without saying, they made race tracks, organizations and officials step up their game as well.
I could recall many stories between Team 126 and myself over the years, but I will hold those thoughts for another day.
Instead, we extend our sincere appreciation to this team for their support and commitment over the many, many years. Local racing is better today thanks to the participation of Glenn and Bonita Hyneman, and I feel that I am better at what I do in racing thanks to Glenn. It’s hard to imagine walking the pits on race night and not seeing the familiar #126 and the team actively preparing the car for action. I’ll miss those off the record comments exchanged between Glenn and I as well as the joyous hugs from Bonita after a good run or a visit to victory lane.
Glenn, Bonita and the 126 Team have been a staple at the Miller-promoted Thunder on the Hill. They are the only car owners that have won both a modified and 410 sprint car Thunder on the Hill Title as well as feature wins in both classes. As car owners, Glenn and Bonita were Thunder on the Hill winners in more than thirty of the thirty-four year run of Thunder on the Hill. Again, we say thank you and this legacy will live on forever.
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Since that first Thunder on the Hill event at Grandview Speedway in August of 1990, when Steve Smith took the inaugural win, 152 Thunder events were presented distributing in excess of $5.6 million dollars.
Looking to 2024, Tuesday night, June 11 the Jesse Hockett Classic will return with Thunder on the Hill once again hosting the opening event of the USAC Non-wing Sprint National Tour. This popular double-header will find the NASCAR Modifieds sharing the program with race time set for 7:30 PM.
Always a popular event, Tuesday night, July 2 will host the Hodnett Cup, the $10,000 to win Pennsylvania 410 Sprint Speed Week Series event as it returns to Grandview Speedway. The NASCAR Modifieds will once again be on this race card. Rico will be looking for the “hat trick” in 2024.
Although the date is not confirmed as yet, we did get the nod that the High Limit 410 Sprints will also be back on the Hill in 2024. Rico Abreu won the first ever High Limit Sprint event in the Northeast at Grandview on July 26 and in addition, won the 2022 Thunder on the Hill Speed Week event.
Also returning in 2024 is the Balls to the Wall 50 for Modifieds and the 602 Sportsman will also be on the program with both divisions taking part in the unique Invert Race format. The date for this event will be confirmed shortly.
Appreciation is extended to the many sponsors who helped present this popular series. We salute our long time Series Sponsor NAPA Auto Parts as well as Associate Sponsors Levan Machine & Truck Equipment, HVAC Distributors, Pioneer Pole Buildings, Rich Mar Florist and GT Radiator Repairs.