Tag Archive for: #sprintcars

Ashley Cappetta wrapped up her 2025 season at Lincoln Speedway last Saturday, closing out a year filled with growth, resilience, and consistency.

After switching from her #89 to the Apple #12 car early in the season, Cappetta set a clear goal for herself and her team — to be stronger and more consistent than in previous years — and she feels confident they achieved just that.

“I just wanted to be better than we’ve been in past seasons, and I feel like we met that expectation,” Cappetta said. “I never expected to end up in the Apple 12 after just a few races, so living that childhood dream has been incredible. Some days it still doesn’t feel real.”

The 2025 season brought several changes for Cappetta, including a new crew chief and crew adjustments midway through the year. Despite those challenges — and setbacks like a broken camshaft that sidelined her while leading the points — Cappetta remained a steady presence in Lincoln’s competitive 358 division.

“We were consistent all season except for a handful of nights,” she noted. “Saturday’s regular feature was probably one of our toughest nights, but overall, this was the most consistent year we’ve had in a long time.”
Cappetta’s night at Lincoln’s season finale was a mixed one, with mechanical gremlins testing her team’s persistence.

“In the make-up feature, I felt okay. If we’d started a little further up, I think we could’ve done better than seventh,” Cappetta said. “The cautions hurt us, but overall, I was happy with that race. In the regular feature, we just couldn’t get things to click — I think the motor is getting tired. It’s time to freshen up our motor program this winter.”

The team plans to rebuild both engines during the off-season, and Cappetta is already setting her sights on an even stronger 2026 campaign.

“This off-season, I want to get back in the gym, get stronger, and make sure the cars and motors are in top shape,” Cappetta said. “We’ll be working on sponsorship, getting ready for our annual fundraiser, and just mentally resetting. I’m in a much better headspace this year, and that gives me the motivation to really push for next season.”

In addition to her time behind the wheel, Cappetta took on a new challenge in 2025 — helping to promote, which included focusing on two races specifically for the 358 division.

“It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it,” she said. “It really gives you a new appreciation for how much effort goes into putting these shows together. I’m looking forward to doing it again next year with the Weldon Sterner Memorial.”

Cappetta expressed deep gratitude for her supporters, crew, and sponsors who helped make the season possible.

“I can’t thank my sponsors enough, especially Gettysburg Trading Post — they’ve been with me for 14 years, and next year will mark our 15th season together,” she said. “The fans mean the world to me, too. Their support, whether it’s buying merchandise or cheering us on at the track, keeps me going.”

As the off-season begins, Cappetta is already preparing for her 14th Annual “Night at the Races” Fundraiser, set for February 14, 2026, at the Irishtown Fire Company.

Tickets will be $25 from November 1–30, and $30 starting December 1. The first 150 attendees through the door will receive a free event T-shirt. Tickets will be available through Cappetta beginning November 1.

“We’ve got a great support system around us right now,” Cappetta said. “I’m grateful for everyone who’s part of this team, and I’m already looking forward to what’s ahead in 2026.”

Ashley Cappetta has strung together another pair of solid finishes at Lincoln Speedway, adding to a season marked by consistency and determination. Cappetta recorded an eighth-place finish in the Kramer Klash and followed it up with a 10th-place run during the Labor Day Duels over the holiday weekend.

The Kramer Klash began with Cappetta starting mid-pack after a fourth-place finish in her heat. Despite a challenging heat race, she lined up 12th for the feature and drove to an eighth-place finish. “I wasn’t completely comfortable in the heat, but I knew we weren’t going to start worse than 12th,” Cappetta said. “In the feature, things worked out. A wreck happened in front of us, and if I had started farther up, I probably would’ve been caught in it. We were able to pick off some cars and come away with a top 10.”

During the Labor Day Duel on Sunday, Cappetta battled tricky track conditions. The track quickly took rubber, making passing opportunities scarce. After finishing third in her heat, she lined up seventh for the feature but slipped back to 10th. “It was one of those races where if you fell out of the groove just a little, you were going to get passed,” Cappetta explained. “We had some wheel spin early, but made adjustments. It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but with the conditions, we’ll take another top 10.”

The two finishes continue a strong stretch for Cappetta and her team, who have scored top-10 results in eight of 10 completed features this season. Only a camshaft failure and engine trouble at Port Royal have kept the team from finishing a race in 2025.

Off the track, Cappetta is celebrating a milestone in her racing career with the release of her first-ever diecast sprint car. Produced in partnership with Acme, the diecast marks Cappetta as one of only a few female sprint car drivers to have a model car made in her likeness.

“This is definitely a childhood dream come true,” Cappetta said. “I grew up playing with diecast cars and pretending to be my favorite drivers. To now have my own is surreal. It’s special for me, for my nieces, and for the young fans who will have another female driver to look up to in their collections. It’s also great exposure for my sponsors, as these cars are going to fans all over the country.”

Cappetta and her team will return to Lincoln Speedway next Saturday for the 22nd annual Weldon Sterner Memorial as they continue their push toward closing out the 2025 season strong.

After a five-year absence from the Speed Palace, Ashley Cappetta returned to Port Royal Speedway with high hopes on Saturday night—but mechanical gremlins had other plans. Cappetta’s night was filled with troubleshooting and perseverance as she fought through persistent issues with horsepower and ultimately made the tough call to pull off early in the feature to prevent further damage.

Cappetta last raced at Port Royal in 2020, making Saturday’s return a long-awaited one. “I love the track and wish we could get there more often,” said Cappetta. “Unfortunately, from the start of the night, we just couldn’t find any horsepower.”

Despite adjusting gears and fuel settings, her team continued to chase a solution throughout the evening. “In warm-ups, I only turned 7,200 RPM, which was a red flag. Normally I’m way past that at Lincoln, and Port is a faster track. I knew something wasn’t right,” she explained.

Cappetta got a solid launch in her heat race, but was quickly overtaken—a sign that the issue hadn’t been resolved. In the feature, things went from bad to worse when she felt something hit the bottom of the car. She pushed on but couldn’t find the speed she needed. “I heard a weird noise from the motor and just knew something was off.”

Playing it smart, Cappetta exited the race early to avoid a catastrophic failure. Once off the track, the issue revealed itself—oil was pouring out from a hole in the oil pan, the result of debris damage. While initial concerns pointed to a possible blown motor, her engine builder, Paul, later diagnosed the real culprit: a weak fuel pump.

“Paul flowed the pump on Sunday and confirmed it was barely functioning. That explains why we had zero power,” Cappetta said. “Thankfully, there was no major engine damage, and Dean Bowman already repaired the oil pan. We’ll send the pump out this week and get it fixed.”

While the night didn’t go as planned, Cappetta was encouraged by the full field of 358s and the strong racing that fans got to witness. “The division put on a great show despite a few mishaps. I’m proud of everyone who made the trip and gave it their all. That’s what we need to keep showing other tracks—358s can put on a great race.”

Next up, Cappetta and her team will head to BAPS Motor Speedway this Saturday, as they look to bounce back and continue their strong 2025 season.

Ashley Cappetta continued her strong 2025 campaign with a resilient eighth-place finish at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night, overcoming an early misstep in the heat race to charge forward in the feature.

The night started with a favorable pill draw, setting Cappetta up with a solid opportunity in her heat race. However, a misjudgment at the chalk line during the initial start led to a loss of momentum that dropped her to fourth in the running order. “I just made a dumb mistake,” Cappetta admitted. “I misjudged the chalk line and second-guessed myself. Looking back, I probably should’ve just gone for it.”

Despite the early frustration, the setback provided an unexpected advantage. The team made strategic adjustments to the car ahead of the feature—changes they may not have considered had they started further up the grid. “That mistake ended up pushing me to agree to try something new with the car setup, and it really worked out for us,” Cappetta explained.

Starting deeper in the field, Cappetta quickly moved forward in the feature, making key passes and battling within the top 10. A red flag at lap 10 allowed for additional adjustments during the open red. “We needed a tire pressure adjustment, and that break gave us the chance to make it,” she said.

Cappetta crossed the line in eighth, adding another consistent finish to her season resume. “We’ve been working so well as a team, and even though we’re only five races in together, it feels like we’re really finding our rhythm,” she shared.

Currently sitting second in Lincoln Speedway’s season point standings, Cappetta recognizes the challenge that comes with consistent finishes. “It’s a blessing and a curse,” she laughed. “It’s great to be up there in points, but it means starting even further back each week. Still, I’m proud of our consistency.”

With a weekend off ahead, the team is using the time to finalize their second car and prepare for a special night on June 21—the Steve Smith Tribute Race. “That race means a lot to us,” Cappetta said. “My dad has history with Steve and the Smith family, so if we could get the job done that night, it would be incredibly special.”

Looking ahead, Cappetta and her team are focused on maintaining momentum, continuing to test and improve, and—ultimately—getting to victory lane. “We’re not getting complacent. I want to get a win under our belt and just keep building from there.”

In an announcement that’s sure to strike a chord with Central Pennsylvania race fans, Ashley Cappetta is set to carry one of the most iconic looks in Central PA racing history through the remainder of the 2025 season. Cappetta will pilot a throwback version of the famed Apple #12 in the 358 sprint car division, paying tribute to her racing hero Greg Hodnett, with support from longtime Central PA sprint car owner and sponsor Bob Stewart.

Originally built to pace the field at the Greg Hodnett Classic at Port Royal Speedway, the Apple #12 tribute car was only intended to make a one-off appearance. The striking red-and-white machine — complete with the smiley apple and Apple Chevrolet branding — captured the attention and emotions of fans and the racing community alike. That reaction, coupled with encouragement from Stewart and others close to Hodnett’s legacy, has brought the car back in full force for 2025.

“What started out as just a tribute has grown into something really special,” said Cappetta. “The plan was to honor Greg at Port Royal and then again at Lincoln for the Weldon Sterner Memorial, and that would be it. But the fan interaction, Bob’s interest, and the emotion tied to seeing that car on track again — it was too meaningful to stop there.”

Cappetta recently raced the car at the rescheduled 2024 Sterner Memorial at Lincoln Speedway, where she finished fourth in the feature. “It felt like fate,” she shared. “My crew drew the 12 pill, Bob was there, I won my heat, and I just kept thinking — maybe this isn’t done yet.”

Following a Sunday conversation with Stewart, the two agreed to keep the Apple #12 on track for the rest of the season — with its classic look preserved and Cappetta’s sponsors integrated into the design. The original Apple car’s stripes, color scheme, smiley apple, and signature #12 will all remain, while new logos will be added in non-disruptive locations.

“It’s a car that means everything to me,” Cappetta said. “Greg Hodnett wasn’t just a driver I admired — he’s the reason I fell in love with racing. I met him as a kid in 2004 when he was driving this car, and my uncle Rob, who introduced me to sprint cars, built the motors for the 12 back then. This is part of my story.”

Cappetta reached out to Sherry Hodnett before moving forward with the full-season plans. “Sherry has always known how much Greg meant to me, and she was genuinely happy about it. I think we both feel like this is a way to keep his legacy alive.”

Although the car will proudly carry Cappetta’s name on it for fans’ recognition, the hood will continue to list Greg Hodnett as the driver — a subtle but powerful symbol of the legacy that continues to inspire her every lap.

This partnership also marks the return of Bob Stewart to a more prominent presence in the sport. Stewart, who previously owned the Apple 12 team, and has sponsored Ashley previously in her career, steps back in as a primary sponsor for Cappetta in this emotional and respectful revival.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” Cappetta admitted. “This was just going to be a tribute. But now here we are — and I’m honored, overwhelmed, and ready to make the most of this opportunity. I know I can never be Greg, and Bob doesn’t expect me to be — but I want to make him, Greg, my crew, and all my sponsors proud.”

Plans are already in the works for new merchandise featuring the Apple #12 tribute design, with shirts expected later this season.

Weldon Sterner Memorial Recap: A Special Night in the Apple 12

Last Saturday’s Weldon Sterner Memorial was an emotional and meaningful night for Ashley Cappetta, both on and off the track. While a trip to victory lane would have been the icing on the cake, Ashley walked away with a strong fourth-place finish in just her third outing with a new crew chief. She also picked up a heat race win, earning a $100 bonus and a gallon of cider from Mickley’s Orchard & Farm.

The event held special significance as Ashley piloted the iconic Apple Motorsports No. 12—a car deeply tied to her childhood and her favorite driver, Greg Hodnett. “That car wasn’t just any car to me,” she said. “It was a part of my childhood, my inspiration.” The moment was made even more special with longtime Apple 12 car owner Bob Stewart in attendance, marking one of his first trips to the track in years—just to see the 12 car on the track again. “He told me after I took the lead in the heat, he started to tear up,” Ashley said. “That meant the world.”

Ashley praised the fan support and the atmosphere around the event, which included a fan zone meet-and-greet before the races. “That’s what I loved as a kid—meeting drivers—and it’s important to give that opportunity to the next generation of fans,” she said. With Lincoln Speedway staff helping behind the scenes, Ashley was able to focus on giving feedback to her new crew, something she’s been prioritizing this year.

Despite a few early challenges in the feature, she battled back from sixth to finish fourth. “The car kept getting better,” Ashley said. “I think that last caution hurt our momentum, but I’m still proud of how we performed.” Preparation at the shop has stepped up this year, including focusing on consistent maintenance—changes she feels are already paying off.