Cory Haas collects $3,800 in Billy Kimmel Memorial win at Williams Grove
MECHANICSBURG: Cory Haas has shown speed over the last month and flirted with a spot in Victory Lane at Williams Grove Speedway. But in typical Haas fashion, he just couldn’t catch a break. There were times lapped traffic didn’t cooperate. Another instance, he got caught from behind by a charging competitor. He’s also ran out of laps and, in some cases, it was all of the above.
That wasn’t the case during Sunday’s 25-lap Billy Kimmel Memorial. Haas took advantage of Rodney Westhafer’s misfortune and made it stand for his sixth career win at the historical half-mile oval.
“We have been good here,” Haas said. “We’ve just had dumb stuff happen. The car has been fast the last month, but we just had circumstances that kept us from winning. “I just have to thank all my guys. Last night, we had motor problems … it just shut off, and I stuffed it in the wall. We got this car done today at 4 p.m., and I told Mike [Barshinger] I’m going to run the crap out of it and whatever happens, happens.”
Continued Haas, “We basically did that. I wasn’t very comfortable [running the top], but when you see the leader, you get a little more hungry.”
The result was well worth the effort. Westhafer started on the outside pole and blew around the cushion to take the lead away from Tim Glatfelter in Turn 2.
It was difficult to pass the first half of the event. Cars stuffed their right rears on the cushion and a freight train ensued. Danny Dietrich brought out the first caution on lap 10, when he broke a rear end and slowed on the backstretch. Haas seized the opportunity to slide Glatfelter in Turns 3 and 4 to take the runner-up position. “We started fourth and got up there pretty nice,” Haas said. “Track position was key. The top was very good, but there was a little on the bottom.
“When you have a bottom and a top, it makes for nice racing. It was a little better tonight, and fans saw a good race.” Lance Dewease followed suit to take third on lap 11. Two circuits later, Lucas Wolfe, who started seventh, passed three cars to take fourth. Greg Hodnett followed and passed Pat Cannon for fifth.
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Category: Local Racing News / Williams Grove Speedway
