Rico Abreu won his second winged 410 sprint car feature at Grandview Speedway on Wednesday night. (COURTESY OF SCOTT BENDER) (Video Highlights from FloRacing.com)
Matthew Knaub, Reading Eagle, Pa.
Thu, Jul 27, 2023, 5:55 AM CDT·4 min read
Jul. 27—With 17 laps remaining in the feature of the highest-paying sprint car race in Grandview Speedway history, Rico Abreu saw his opportunity and took it.
Running second to NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson, the pair took the green flag on the restart, with Larson choosing the outside lane and Abreu starting from the inside.
As Larson ripped around turn 1 on the outside, Abreu slid around the bottom of the racetrack, stealing the lead from Larson.
"I just really focused on not spinning my tires down the front straightaway," Abreu said. "I just got the moisture right at the last second, enough to dive bomb his entry when he ran to the top."
The pass proved to be the winning move, as Abreu held off Larson through turns 3 and 4 and led the final 17 laps to win the 35-lap High Limit Sprint Car Series feature and $23,023 on Wednesday night in front of a capacity crowd at the one-third mile dirt track outside Bechtelsville in Washington Township.
"It broke his momentum," Abreu said about the move. "I just made sure I really focused on hitting my marks."
The victory was Abreu's second at Grandview in as many years, as the St. Helena, California driver won the Thunder on the Hill Racing Series Hodnett Cup in June 2022. Abreu captured the Greg Hodnett Perpetual Trophy again on Wednesday night, as the award was added to the winner's prize after the 2023 Hodnett Cup was rained out in June.
"Grandview is a really important racetrack to us," Abreu said. "The Greg Hodnett Cup, winning it back-to-back years is really, really special to me."
The winner of the annual Hodnett Cup has their name added to the trophy in memory of the late Greg Hodnett, who died in a sprint car racing accident in September 2018. He was 49.
"I knew Greg quite well," Abreu said. "When something tragic happens like that, the racing community really comes behind someone like that (as) a family."
Abreu's victory did not begin well, as the former NASCAR Truck Series driver started fourth and hit two infield tires in turn 1 on the opening lap of the feature. Abreu was able to keep his No. 24 car from spinning out, but his mishap created a shuffle in the back of the field and caused Freddie Rahmer to flip, bringing out the caution.
"I turned it a little bit too early and got in the grease," Abreu said. "Caused some havoc behind us."
Larson started on the pole and led the opening 18 laps, successfully navigating two more caution-induced restarts, following the incident on the first lap. Larson set the quickest time in qualifying, won his heat race and won the dash.
A four-time winner in a winged 410 sprint car at Grandview, Larson appeared in control until he was passed by Abreu with 17 laps remaining. Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion, finished second.
"Happy for these guys that work on this car," Abreu said. "They're the ones that deserve all the credit. They put in all the work."
The victory was Abreu's first in the new High Limit series, as Grandview hosted race No. 6 of 11 on the inaugural 2023 schedule. Wednesday night's victory and the $23,023 prize came just a few days after Abreu captured $20,000 with a win in the World of Outlaws Summer Nationals at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg.
"This is a big win," Abreu said. "These High Limit races are becoming crown jewel events. We're racing for a lot of money, so the intensity is high."
Abreu raced in the NASCAR Truck Series from 2015-17, scoring five top-10 finishes in 26 total races. He is most well-known for his back-to-back victories in 2015 and 2016 at the Chili Bowl Nationals, widely regarded as the top midget race in North America.
Wednesday's victory was Abreu's second in eight winged 410 sprint car appearances at Grandview. While he has raced on the national stage all over the United States, Abreu was quick to acknowledge his appreciation for the Grandview fans.
"There were a lot of people here in Pennsylvania at Grandview Speedway," Abreu said. "They're the best (fans) in the world."
A-Main Results — 1. Rico Abreu 2. Kyle Larson 3. Brent Marks 4. Danny Dietrich 5. Cory Eliason 6. Kasey Kahne 7. Cap Henry 8. Kyle Reinhardt 9. Hunter Schuerenberg 10. Lance Dewease 11. Tyler Ross 12. Ryan Smith 13. T.J. Stutts 14. Devon Borden 15. Ryan Taylor 16. Chase Randall 17. Ryan Timms 18. Justin Peck 19. Jake Karklin 20. Kyle Moody 21. Austin Bishop 22. Dusty Zomer 23. Freddie Rahmer. Did Not Start — Timmy Buckwalter.