After struggling through the first half of the season, Doug Esh broke through Friday night with a convincing victory in the 25-lap sprint car feature at Williams Grove Speedway.

Rookie Jonathan Erikson took the lead at the start and set the early pace with Bob Bennett running second.

Esh, who started 10th, cracked the top five on lap nine. Two laps later he was third, but was forced to hold off a charge by Lucas Wolfe.

Bennett took the lead from Erikson on lap 17 and Esh moved into second two laps later.

At this point Brian Montieth seemed to come out of nowhere to take third.

Esh made short work of Bennett and slid into the lead through the second corner on lap 20. Montieth, who started 18th, moved by Bennett one lap later, but would run out of time in his attempt to score consecutive victories at Williams Grove.

The victory, worth $3000, was the first of the season for Esh and the 12th of his career at the Grove.

Esh’s performance also moved him into the thick of the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass points race.

Montieth settled for a strong second place finish. Wolfe was third with Chad Layton, who started 16th, finishing fourth. Lance Dewease came from 12th to complete the top five.

Niki Young, Erikson, Mark Smith, Brian Leppo and Greg Hodnett finished in positions six through ten respectively.

Heats for the 31 sprint cars in competition were won by Rick Lafferty, Young, Tommy Beavers and Chris Meleason.. Don Kreitz, Jr. won the consolation race.

Pat Cannon started 12th, took the lead from John Westbrook on the 18th circuit, and went on to win the 20-lap limited (358 c.i.) sprint feature.

Westbrook was second. Dave Calaman took third from Frankie Herr on the last lap and Keith Prutzman completed the top five.

Herr, Chad Trout, Billy Johns and Chad Jumper won heats for the 36 limited (358 c.i.) sprints in the pit area. The consolation races were won by Dave Calaman and Elvin Diller, III.

Williams Grove will present the Mitch Smith Memorial for sprint cars on July 6 with $10,000 awaiting the winner.

Williams Grove Speedway Feature Finishes – June 29, 2007

Sprint Car Feature – 25 laps – 1. Doug Esh, 2. Brian Montieth, 3. Lucas Wolfe, 4.Chad Layton, 5. Lance Dewease, 6. Jonathan Erikson, 7. Niki Young, 8. Mark Smith, 9. Brian Leppo, 10. Greg Hodnett, 11. Kevin Nouse, 12. Mike Erdley, 13. Fred Rahmer, 14. Steve Buckwalter, 15. Steve Clabaugh, 16. Tommy Beavers, 17. Bob Bennett, 18. Todd Shaffer, 19. T. J. Stutts, 20. Josh Wells, 21. Rick Lafferty, 22. Chris Meleason, 23. Don Kreitz, Jr., 24. ScottGeesey

Limited (358 c.i.) Sprint Car Feature – 20 laps – 1. Pat Cannon, 2. John Westbrook, 3. Dave Calaman, 4. Frankie Herr, 5. Keith Prutzman, 6. Chad Trout, 7. Mike Walter, 8. Billy Johns, 9. Todd Spangler, 10. Chad Jumper, 11. Glenndon Forsythe, 12. Adrian Shaffer, 13. Nate Hammaker, 14. Chad Criswell, 15. Elvin Diller III, 16. Steve Owings, 17. Adam Wilt, 18. Kyle Pruitt, 19. Dale Hammaker, 20. John Barnett, 21. Gerard McIntyre, 22. Kevin Nagy, 23. Craig Myers, 24. Cory Haas