ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. — It had been nearly a decade since Cory Haas navigated lapped traffic on his way to victory at Lincoln Speedway, but he remembered how to get the job done in traffic.
The 43-year-old, driving a limited schedule for Buzz Wilson this year after taking a hiatus in 2020, outsmarted Billy Dietrich in heavy traffic on Saturday for his first win at the three-eighths-mile clay oval since October 2012.
“Brings back some memories from when I was a little younger,” Haas said. “We can still get it done.”
After leaving the driver’s seat of John Trone’s sprint car operation at end of 2019, Haas used last year to help his nephew, Chase Dietz, who succeeded Haas as the full-time driver.
Now Haas has returned with Wilson, the owner who once fielded cars for Mark Smith and Steve Buckwalter. Haas’ ninth career win at Lincoln had build-up attached to it.
The year didn’t start off the smoothest, with finishes of 25th, 23rd, 17th, 21st, and 14th, but the team took a month break and have clicked off solid runs since.
Haas and crew haven’t finished outside the top 10 in seven races since May. He also finished second on June 5 and July 31.
“Honestly, I think this is the best race car I’ve ever sat in in my life,” Haas said. “I’m really happy to be driving it and I feel the last month, we are as good as anyone here. It’s just a matter of me not making mistakes and things like that. I think we can end the year pretty well here.”
Since Haas finished second last week, he had to start at the rear of his heat because of Lincoln’s handicap system. Still, he hustled from eighth to third in the 10-lap heat, a pivotal swing that started him ninth in the 30-lap feature.
Haas piggybacked three cautions the first 14 laps to power into second and that’s when he began to work on Dietrich, with traffic becoming a factor with 12 laps to go.
After a four-lap battle, Haas finished Dietrich off by driving under a pair of lapped cars while Dietrich slipped off the top groove trying to find some room.
“I think I ran second nine times since that last win,” Haas said. “I’m damn glad I didn’t finish second [Saturday].”
• Eight of the Pennsylvania Posse drivers have registered for this week’s 60th running of the Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa.
Anthony Macri, Danny Dietrich, and Lucas Wolfe are set to run Wednesday’s qualifying night.
Dylan Cisney, Brent Marks, Logan Wagner, Mike Wagner, T.J. Stutts, and Tyler Esh, meanwhile, are penciled in for Thursday’s qualifying event.
• Devon Borden orchestrated one of the most memorable weekends Pennsylvania Posse fans have seen all year.
The 18-year-old from Raymond, Wash., given an opportunity to drive Mike Heffner’s No. 27 machine, topped Lance Dewease to win his first 410 feature Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway.
He provided an exhilarating encore on Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway, obliterating the field to win by more than 10 seconds.
The @WilliamsGrove winner himself, @devon_borden.
— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) August 7, 2021
First 410 hardware — the Billy Kimmel Memorial trophy — in his possession. Texts from the boss rollin’ in.
A lotta gratitude and elation from the 18-year-old given an opportunity this year to drive the @HeffnerRacing No. 27. pic.twitter.com/YxeDqVPuxO
• Lance Dewease recorded his 10th straight top-five Friday at Williams Grove Speedway, the longest such run in over a decade for the National Sprint Car Hall of Famer.
Even though Dewease still performs better than ever at 56 years of age, he and his Kreitz Racing No. 69k crew aren’t where they need to be with the month of money approaching.
“The motor isn’t taking off,” Dewease said, referring to his slowness on starts and restarts. “We have no clue what’s going on with it. We’ve changed everything we can on the car and can’t fix it. Running second, we’ll take it.”
.@LanceDewease recorded his 10th straight top five last night at @WilliamsGrove, his longest stretch in more than a decade.
— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) August 7, 2021
But the glittering numbers are more tinsel than substance for the Hall of Famer trying to solve gremlins before the month of money https://t.co/5sCGOsZpRC
• On July 10 at Port Royal Speedway, Jared Esh was taken to the hospital for a facial injury caused by a piece of debris striking and damaging his helmet in a heat race.
The driver of the Tom and Fran Chiappelli-owned No. 98 was released from medical care that evening with severe bruising and a few stitches in his nose.
He provided an update on his status Friday at Williams Grove Speedway, which can be heard in the attached tweet below.
Caught up with @JEshMotorsports, who injured his nose a few weeks back at @PortRoyalSpdway.
— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) August 6, 2021
He gives an update.
Finished sixth here at @WilliamsGrove last week and is starting to regain some of that lost ground. pic.twitter.com/MrD7Zojc63