Tag Archive for: #410sprintcars

Williams Grove Speedway finally opened their 2023 season Friday night after several weeks of cancellations due to weather.  The combination of a time trial qualifying format (timed hot laps) and the mandated use of the new Hoosier tires for the night, created a level and attractive ‘playing field’ for competitors.

Reinhardt kicked off his night with a qualifying lap that was good enough for 5th quickest in group 3, placing him 5th on the starting grid for heat race number three.

The Capitol Renegade, Capitol Custom Coaches & Trailers, Henry’s Wrecker No.91 looked strong as he maneuvered his way to a 3rd place finish in the 8-lap qualifier.

In the 25-lap A-main, Reinhardt rolled to the green inside the 5th row.  He was consistent during the main event, remaining inside the back half of the top ten throughout.  He held that ground for a 9th place finish.

There’s one part of Reinhardt’s day he can never control:  the pill draw.  As often seems to be the case, the number he pulled wasn’t exactly ideal.  With only the top five finishers transferring from each of four heats on a slick, daytime surface, the Neptune City, NJ native would have to roll to the green from the 7th starting spot.

Reinhardt managed to get what he needed out of the Capitol Renegade, Capitol Custom Coaches & Trailers, Henry’s Wrecker No.91, grabbing the 5th and final transfer spot to put himself into the main event.  It would be tough to start that deep in the field on the hard, slick daytime surface but he was in.

The new Hoosier tires are a big change for all teams this season.  Saturday night at Lincoln Speedway everyone was starting from scratch.  Even those teams with thick notebooks from years of experience were on a level playing field, so to speak.

The night didn’t get off on the right foot for Reinhardt, who qualified 19th in Group B.  With a high quality field of 49 cars on hand, the rest of the night looked like it would be an uphill climb for the Neptune City, NJ native.

The heat race would need to tell a better story if Reinhardt was to have a shot at completing that climb.  Getting to a top five transfer spot would be tough, but every pass he could make would improve his chances to transfer through the B-main.

Reinhardt started moving forward from the drop of the green in the 8-lap heat race, but his progress stalled in the 7th spot until a late-race caution provided opportunity.  Restarting 6th, he was able to build up enough momentum to slip past Austin Bishop in the final turn.

The move put Reinhardt in the 5th and final transfer spot.  Uphill climb complete.  He was in the show. 

“I didn’t time-trial well.  We just didn’t have the car right.  The car was pretty good in (turns) three and four, but I didn’t have any grip off turn two.  That’s where the guys who timed up front were better.  We are a little behind.  We will need some laps to learn how this new tire behaves.“, Reinhardt shared.

“I made a lot of changes for the heat race, and it paid off.  The car was a lot better.  We moved forward, which is tough here in a short race.  I got the break I needed when Gio (Scelzi) brought out the caution.  It gave me the restart I needed to get a shot at the final transfer spot.“