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CODY DARRAH WINS NATIONAL OPEN AT WILLIAMS GROVE Click here for Cody's Victory lane Interview on PaPosseRacing.com MECHANICSBURG, PA - Cody Darrah stunned the Eastern sprint car establishment with a convincing victory in the Morgan Hughes National Open for sprint cars presented by Cleveland Brothers Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway. The Red Lion, Pa., teenager led all 40 laps and earned $12,000 for his first ever victory at this historic speedway and chose the season's the most prestigious event to get it done. Darrah started on the pole and beat Mark Smith into the first corner to set the early pace. By lap six, track champion Fred Rahmer had cracked the top five and was working well on the inside of the racetrack. Rahmer moved up one spot on each of the next three circuits and was in the runnerup position on lap nine. Although Rahmer owns 79 career victories at Williams Grove Speedway, he has never won the National Open and with 31 laps left and a driver with precious little experience in front of him, this seemed like his best shot. But Darrah set a blistering pace and never faltered. A fuel stop with ten tours remaining gave Rahmer new life, but Darrah?s family-owned racecar, wrenched by veteran crew chief Lee Stauffer, was the fastest in the field and the winner was never challenged. Rahmer settled for a second place National Open finish for the third time in his career. Brian Montieth mounted a spectacular late race charge to finish third after starting 21st. Jim Siegel was a solid fourth with Greg Hodnett fifth. Doug Esh, Mark Smith, Alan Krimes, Todd Shaffer and Brian Leppo finished in positions six through ten respectively. Leppo out-qualified the 44 sprint cars in competition with a lap of 16.762. Heats went to Ed Lynch, Jr., Lance Dewease, Don Kreitz, Jr. and Danny Lasoski. Esh won the B-main. The race was originally scheduled for September 26-27, but rain washed out the entire weekend and also the World of Outlaws sanction. Saturday night's event was run without sanction for the first time since 1998 and played to a large crowd on a near perfect fall evening. The National Open concluded the 2008 racing season at Williams Grove Speedway. Williams Grove Speedway Feature Finish: October 11, 2008 National Open Sprint Car Feature - 40 laps : 1. Cody Darrah, 2. Fred Rahmer, 3. Brian Montieth, 4. Jim Siegel, 5. Greg Hodnett, 6. Doug Esh, 7. Mark Smith, 8. Alan Krimes, 9. Todd Shaffer, 10. Brian Leppo, 11. Stevie Smith, 12. Chad Layton, 13. Danny Lasoski, 14. Mike Erdley, 15. Lance Dewease, 16. Don Kreitz, Jr., 17. Craig Keel, 18. Aaron Ott, 19. Pat Cannon, 20. Niki Young, 21. Ed Lynch, Jr., 22. A. J. Michael, 23. Ryan Bohlke, 24. Keith Kauffman, 25. Tim Shaffer, 26. Adam Wilt
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