Freddie Rahmer Adds Icebreaker Win To Resume At Lincoln Speedway
Freddie Rahmer Adds Icebreaker Win To Resume At Lincoln Speedway
Two-time defending Lincoln Speedway track champion Freddie Rahmer scored his first career season-opening victory in Sunday's Icebreaker 30.
Abbottstown, PA – Fresh off his second consecutive track championship, Freddie Rahmer added yet another accomplishment to his already impressive resume on a brisk and sunny afternoon at Lincoln Speedway, winning his first ever season opener in the pigeon hills.
Sunday’s race was Rahmer’s first at Lincoln Speedway for new car owner Rich Eichelberger, “Rich and Nancy gave me the opportunity to drive this car and I’m going to run as hard as I can every lap.” A win is a great way to start the season, let alone with a new team, “I’m glad to get this out of the way with the start with Rich,” Rahmer shared in victory lane.
After making his way to the front of the field early in the race, lapped traffic and late race restarts allowed Brent Marks to close in on Rahmer, “I knew Marks was going to be tough because this is his kind of racetrack. I saw his shadow on the restart, so I knew on the third one I needed to change it up.” The top of the track came in later in the race and was the preferred line for the leaders. On the final restart with four laps to go Rahmer said, “I knew if I could beat him through 1 and 2, I knew he wasn’t going to beat me after that.”
On winning his first Ice Breaker at Lincoln Rahmer said, “We’re going to celebrate this one and stay focused and go onto the next one.”
Pole-sitter Jordan Givler and Aaron Bollinger shared the front row for the 30-lap season opener. Freddie Rahmer and Billy Dietrich made up row two.
Just as the green flag dropped and the front of the field was off and running, the yellow came out before they reached turn 1. Rick Lafferty’s car lost power on the back stretch and collected Chase Dietz who was lined up behind him in turn 3. Both cars rejoined the field for the complete restart.
Bollinger got by Givler and had the lead coming out of turn 2. Freddie was all over Givler for second and Brent Marks was up to fifth from his eighth starting spot.
Marks slid by Billy Dietrich for fourth in turn 2 on lap 3.
Rahmer got by Givler for second and started reeling in Bollinger to challenge him for the lead.
Marks once again used turn 2 to advance position, this time sliding by Givler for third.
Freddie went low into turn 1 on lap 7 and tried to slide by Bollinger for the lead but was not able to complete the pass. Lapped traffic loomed ahead of the leaders as Bollinger continued to hold off Rahmer.
As Bollinger and Rahmer worked through lapped traffic, Marks closed in and joined the battle at the front of the pack.
Freddie took the lead coming out of turn 2 on lap 10. Marks dove under Aaron for second as they raced into turn 3 on the next lap but Bollinger held the spot. Turn 2 proved lucrative yet again for Marks when he took second from Bollinger on lap 12. Anthony Macri and Danny Dietrich followed, sending Bollinger back to fifth.
Macri was searching for a way around Marks as they worked through lapped traffic when the caution came out on lap 18 for Brandon Rahmer. Rahmer spun out in turn 2.
Freddie led Marks, Macri, Danny and Bollinger to the cone for a single-file restart.
Givler went to work on Bollinger searching for a way into the top five with 10 laps to go.
Just as the leaders got back into lapped traffic the caution flag waved again when Justin Peck slowed and came to a stop on the back stretch on lap 23.
Marks got a good run on Freddie on the restart and tried to slide him for the lead in turn 2 but Rahmer held the spot.
Givler was back at it, challenging Bollinger for a spot in the top five with five laps to go.
The final yellow flag of the race came on lap 26 when Dylan Norris parked it in the turn 4 wall.
Freddie had a solid restart and a commanding lead coming out of turn 2 over Marks. Givler went back to work on Bollinger, getting by him for fifth with three laps to go.
A battle for third was brewing between Macri and Danny as the laps wound down. Danny got by Macri for the spot with two laps to go but Macri battled back to reclaim the position.
Freddie crossed the line ahead of Marks, Macri, Dietrich and Givler to earn $5,000 and his first Ice Breaker win. Devon Borden earned hard charger honors, driving from 24th to finish 11th.
Next Saturday, March 5, Lincoln Speedway is back in action with 410 Sprint Cars and open practice. Racing starts at 3PM with pit gates opening at 12:30PM and grandstand gates opening at 1PM. The open practice is open to divisions on the 2022 Lincoln Speedway schedule.
To get all the latest news, results, schedule changes and rule changes, visit Lincoln Speedway’s website at http://www.lincolnspeedway.com to stay up-to-date on all the action or pending weather conditions at Central Pennsylvania’s “Premier” Saturday night racetrack – The Fabulous Lincoln Speedway.