RICO ABREU WINS THUNDER FIRST IN SPEEDWEEK 410S; KRESSLEY CLAIMS MODIFIEDS IN DOUBLEHEADER

BECHTELSVILLE, PA (June 28, 2022) – It was a beautiful night of racing presented by Levan Machine and Truck Equipment with a full house of spectators to watch the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series doubleheader.  Rico Abreu claimed his first 410 Sprint Car win on ‘the Hill’ as part of Pennsylvania Speedweek presented by Red Robin and Brett Kressley won the 358 Modified portion of the event.

Abreu claimed $10,000 and the Hodnett Cup trophy for his efforts in a race that proved tricky for the leaders barely dodging multiple incidents and avoiding fighting through heavy-lapped traffic.

“We had some breaks with cautions,” Abreu said in post-race ceremonies.  “But you have to do everything right to get those breaks in the first place.”

Abreu may have started on the pole but it wasn’t easy for the California native with Christopher Bell moving from inside row 2 into the second position on the start.  Abreu fired off fast, approaching a full-straight lead by the fourth circuit with lapped traffic quickly approaching.

With Abreu in a comfortable lead, the battle for second heated up, between Brent Marks and Bell – but a Lap 7 yellow slowed the field when Dylan Norris spun directly in front of the leaders.

On the restart, Rico shot to the high side of the one-third-mile speedway with Marks moving passed Bell and Anthony Macri powering around the outside of Kyle Larson.

Marks pressured Abreu as the laps ticked away, approaching lapped traffic until the red flag flew on lap 14 for Kyle Larson, whose No. 57 machine tipped on its side with a broken rear end.

Abreu continued on the restart, racing around the inside of the speedway while Marks rode around the high side hot on his heels.

The final caution flew on lap 23 for Zach Hampton, who spun in front of the leaders.

Just over ten laps remained on the scoreboard, Abreu took the green flag creating some distance between himself and the battle for second between Anthony Macri and Brent Marks.

Heavy lapped traffic challenged the leaders in the late stages, as the top five positions were nose-to-tail when the white flag flew, but Abreu held them off to claim his third Pennsylvania Speedweek win.

Anthony Macri finished in the second spot, Brent Marks in third, Danny Dietrich in fourth, and Christopher Bell finished in fifth

Macri also picked up the $150 Quick Time Bonus from Clever Girl Winery for the 410 Sprint Cars.  Qualifying Heat Races were won by Rico Abreu, Justin Peck, Tanner Thorson, and Kyle Larson.

Brett Kressley picked up his third NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series win on Tuesday night passing Jared Umbenhauer in the second half of the 30-lap feature.

Mike Lisowski led the twenty-four car field to the drop of the green flag with Umbenhauer taking the lead on the second circuit of the event.  Umbenhauer dominated the early stages of the race, before Kressley – who started in the fifth position – closed quickly and overtook the top spot with the help of side-by-side lapped traffic.

The only caution of the event flew on lap 26 when Ron Kline stopped at the top of the speedway with a right rear flat tire.

Kressley rolled on to the $3,000 win with Duane Howard moving into the second position on the restart, Umbenhauer settling for third, Alex Yankowski in fourth, and Billy Pauch jr. in the fifth position.

GT Radiator Repair $200 Fast Time for the 358 Modifieds was won by Jared Umbenhauer with a lap of 14.272.  Modified Qualifying Heat Races were won by Rick Laubach, Ron Kline, and Craig Whitmoyer who all claimed a $200 bonus from GT Radiator Repair.

The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series returns on Tuesday, August 2 with the Big-Block Modifieds and Small-Block Modifieds competing in the ‘Roaring’ Triple 20s event.  The 602 Sportsman round out an exciting program of racing action.

410 Sprint Cars
Time Trials – 1. Anthony Macri – 12.025  2. Danny Dietrich – 12.030  3. Christopher Bell – 12.037  4. Brent Marks – 12.059  5. Rico Abreu – 12.070  6. Justin Peck – 12.176  7. Tanner Thorson – 12.187  8. Kyle Larson – 12.207  9. Ryan Smith – 12.219  10. Kyle Moody – 12.221  11. Freddie Rahmer – 12.243  12. Skylar Gee – 12.268  13. Zach Hampton – 12.275  14. Austin Bishop – 12.304  15. TJ Stutts – 12.337  16. Lucas Wolfe – 12.368  17. Tyler Ross – 12.401  18. Devon Borden – 12.430  19. Dylan Norris – 12.432  20. Brandon Rahmer – 12.475  21. Jeff Halligan – 12.510  22. Chad Trout – 12.533  23. Chase Dietz – 12.534  24. Mark Smith – 12.573  25. Ryan Taylor – 12.590  26. Tyler Reeser 12.600  27. Eddie Lumbar – 12.643  28. Jon Stewart – 12.798  29. Dave Brown – 12.800  30. Jordan Givler – 12.820  31. Devin Adams – 13.022
Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Rico Abreu  2. Anthony Macri  3. Ryan Smith  4. Tyler Ross  5. Ryan Taylor
Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Justin Peck  2. Kyle Moody  3. Austin Bishop  4. Danny Dietrich  5. Devon Borden
Heat 3 (10 Laps) – 1. Tanner Thorson  2. Christopher Bell 3. Freddie Rahmer  4. TJ Stutts 5. Dylan Norris
Heat 4 (10 Laps) – 1.  Kyle Larson  2. Lucas Wolfe  3. Skylar Gee  4. Brandon Rahmer  5. Brent Marks
B-Main (8 Laps) – 1. Jeff Halligan  2. Zach Hampton 3. Chad Trout  4. Mark Smith
Feature (35 Laps)  1. Rico Abreu  2. Anthony Macri  3. Brent Marks  4. Danny Dietrich  5. Christopher Bell  6. Tanner Thorson  7. Justin Peck  8. Ryan Smith  9. Lucas Wolfe  10. Freddie Rahmer  11. Kyle Moody  12. Austin Bishop  13. Tyler Ross 14. Brandon Rahmer  15. TJ Stutts  16. Skylar Gee  17. Jeff Halligan  18. Ryan Taylor  19. Mark Smith  20. Dylan Norris  21. Chad Trout  22. Devon Borden 23. Zach Hampton  24. Kyle Larson

358 Modifieds
Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Rick Laubach  2. Duane Howard  3. John Willman  4. Jared Umbenhauer  5. Craig VonDohren  6. Brett Gilmore
Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Ron Kline  2. Alex Yankowski  3. Mike Lisowski  4. Brett Kressley  5. Tim Buckwalter  6. Kevin Beach
Heat 3 (10 Laps) – 1. Craig Whitmoyer  2. Jeff Strunk  3. Jim Housworth  4. Billy Pauch Jr.  5. Jimmy Leiby  6. Brad Brightbill
Consi (10 Laps) – 1. Bobby Trapper Jr.  2. Kyle Smith  3. Doug Manmiller  4. Ryan Watt  5. Justin Grim  6. Nate Brinker
Feature (30 Laps ) – 1. Brett Kressley  2. Duane Howard  3. Jared Umbenhauer  4. Alex Yankowski  5. Billy Pauch Jr.  6. Jeff Strunk  7. Mike Lisowski  8. Craig VonDohren  9. Craig Whitmoyer  10. Rick Laubach  11. Doug Manmiller  12. Timmy Buckwalter  13. Ryan Watt 14. John Willman  15. Jimmy Leiby  16. Kyle Smith  17. Nate Brinker  18. Kevin Beach  19. Ron Kline  20. Brad Brightbill  21. Bobby Trapper Jr.  22. Jim Housworth  23. Brett Gilmore  24. Justin Grim