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Smith edges Leppo for Williams Grove All Star win

MECHANICSBURG, PA. -(6-11-10)- By Brian Liskai- All Star Circuit of Champions-
Who won? That was the question the big crowd and the drivers were asking at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, June 11. Timing and scoring showed Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Stevie Smith beat his brother-in-law Brian Leppo by .002 seconds for his 16th career O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Cars victory.

“It’s a great night to win,” said Smith, the 2009 All Star Ohio Sprint Speedweek Champion. “Brian deserves a lot of credit. When you’re leading, you’re trying not to give it away. It’s an advantage for the second place car. I had nothing to lose.”

The feature got off to a wicked start when Donnie Kreitz’s car slowed coming off turn two on the first lap, causing oncoming cars to make contact. Rick Lafferty and Tyler Walker were flip victims and several others were involved. No injuries were reported.

Leppo, of New Oxford, Pa., grabbed the early lead over Chad Layton. The battle for third was on between Smith, Alan Krimes and Brian Montieth, who started 10th. A caution on lap five slowed the pace.

Leppo, who has Steve Smith Sr. as his mechanic, checked out on the field after the restart as Montieth drove by Krimes and into fourth. Montieth and Smith traded sliders in the first and second turns on lap 11 with Smith maintaining third.

Leppo closed on slower traffic on lap 15, and tried to put a lap on All Star charger David Gravel in turn two, but lost momentum allowing Layton, Smith and Montieth to close. Three lapped machines were battling in front of Leppo with 13 laps to go, and just as the race for the lead was about to get interesting, the caution flew for Doug Esh’s slowing machine.

Smith, a former Pennsylvania resident, began closing on Leppo with five laps remaining. Leppo caught Gravel again and followed him for a lap before trying to move low in turn three to put him a lap down. Again Leppo lost his momentum and Smith pounced, using a slider in the first turn to take the lead. Leppo would not give up without a fight, shooting under Smith in turn three. Smith turned back under Leppo as they both mashed the gas to the floor exiting turn four. They were side-by-side as they raced down the front stretch for the checkered flag.

Smith was the winner by inches over Leppo, Montieth, Daryn Pittman – who took the All Star win Thursday in New York – and Fred Rahmer. Rounding out the top 10 were Greg Hodnett, Chad Layton, Lance Dewease and defending All Star champion and current point leader Tim Shaffer.

“I was going to go the opposite direction,” Smith said beside his Zemco Headers, Maxim Racing backed #1. “I got to his bumper and was able to try a slider. We had just enough momentum to keep in front of him.

“It’s hard to swallow because you lead that many laps,” said a dejected Leppo. “I’ve been racing long enough to make better decisions.”

Qualifying - Kistler Engines

1. 27-Daryn Pittman, 16.800; 2. 1-Stevie Smith, 16.816; 3. 71-Brian Leppo, 16.850; 4. 7-Chad Layton, 16.957; 5. 83-Tim Shaffer, 16.969; 6. 87-Alan Krimes, 16.987; 7. 22-Greg Hodnett, 16.991; 8. 69K-Don Kreitz Jr., 16.992; 9. 15-Adam Wilt, 17.020; 10. 21-Brian Montieth, 17.057; 11. 51-Fred Rahmer, 17.081; 12. 30C-Lance Dewease, 17.111; 13. 0-Rick Lafferty, 17.117; 14. 48-Danny Dietrich, 17.119; 15. 7M-Mark Smith, 17.144; 16. 35-Justin Henderson, 17.144; 17. 59-Jim Siegel, 17.190; 18. 39-Doug Esh, 17.194; 19. 17B-Steve Buckwalter, 17.205; 20. W20-Greg Wilson, 17.241; 21. 25-Aaron Ott, 17.260; 22. 8M-Chris Meleason, 17.263; 23. 89G-David Gravel, 17.293; 24. 17-Tyler Walker, 17.302; 25. 75-Dave Ely, 17.309; 26. 6-Bill Rose, 17.374; 27. O4-Cap Henry, 17.412; 28. 88-Todd Shaffer, 17.427; 29. O7-Mark Coldren, 17.487; 30. 11C-Cory Haas, 17.554; 31. 3W-Chris Shuttlesworth, 17.786; 32. 12-Jared Ridge, 17.857; 33. 12W -Troy Fraker, 17.881; 34. 20S-Derek Sell, 17.928; 35. 19M-Brent Marks, 99.998

Heat 1 - MSD Ignition (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)

1. 25-Aaron Ott; 2. 15-Adam Wilt; 3. 0-Rick Lafferty; 4. 27-Daryn Pittman; 5. 83-Tim Shaffer; 6. 59-Jim Siegel; 7. 75-Dave Ely; 8. O7-Mark Coldren; 9. 12W -Troy Fraker

Heat 2 - Kear's Speed Shop (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)

1. 21-Brian Montieth; 2. 39-Doug Esh; 3. 1-Stevie Smith; 4. 87-Alan Krimes; 5. 48-Danny Dietrich; 6. 11C-Cory Haas; 7. 20S-Derek Sell; 8. 8M-Chris Meleason; 9. 6-Bill Rose

Heat 3 - All Pro Heads (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)

1. 89G-David Gravel; 2. 22-Greg Hodnett; 3. 7M-Mark Smith; 4. 71-Brian Leppo; 5. 51-Fred Rahmer; 6. 17B-Steve Buckwalter; 7. 19M-Brent Marks; 8. O4-Cap Henry; 9. 3W-Chris Shuttlesworth

Heat 4 - Outerwears Performance Products (8 Laps - Top 5 Transfer)

1. 35-Justin Henderson; 2. 30C-Lance Dewease; 3. 17-Tyler Walker; 4. 69K-Don Kreitz Jr.; 5. 7-Chad Layton; 6. W20-Greg Wilson; 7. 88-Todd Shaffer; 8. 12-Jared Ridge

Dash - Rubbn' Repair (6 Laps - Top - Transfer)

1. 1-Stevie Smith; 2. 30C-Lance Dewease; 3. 7M-Mark Smith; 4. 51-Fred Rahmer; 5. 83-Tim Shaffer; 6. 39-Doug Esh

B-Main -
University of Northwestern Ohio (12 Laps - Top 4 Transfer)

1. 59-Jim Siegel
2. 17B-Steve Buckwalter
3. 88-Todd Shaffer
4. W20-Greg Wilson
5. 75-Dave Ely
6. 11c-Cory Haas
7. 19M-Brent Marks
8. O4-Cap Henry
9. 12-Jared Ridge
10. 20S-Derek Sell
11. 6-Bill Rose
12. O7-Mark Coldren
13. 12W-Mark Coldren
14. 8M-Chris Meleason
15. 3w-Chris Shuttlesworth

A-Main- O'Reilly Auto Parts (30 Laps)

1. 1-Stevie Smith[3]
2. 71-Brian Leppo[1]
3. 21-Brian Montieth[10]
4. 27-Daryn Pittman[5]
5. 51-Fred Rahmer[11]
6. 87-Alan Krimes[4]
7. 22-Greg Hodnett[7]
8. 7-Chad Layton[2]
9. 30C-Lance Dewease[12]
10. 83-Tim Shaffer[6]
11. 15-Adam Wilt[9]
12. 7M-Mark Smith[15]
13. 35-Justin Henderson[16]
14. 17-Tyler Walker[23]
15. 48-Danny Dietrich[14]
16. 88-Todd Shaffer[24]
17. 25-Aaron Ott[21]
18. W20-Greg Wilson[20]
19. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[19]
20. 89G-David Gravel[22]
21. 39-Doug Esh[18]
22. 69K-Don Kreitz Jr.[8]
23. 0-Rick Lafferty[13]
24. 59-Jim Siegel[17]

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