ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. – After winning at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday for the first time since 2016, Billy Dietrich sprung out of his No. 8 sprint car and pretended to shoot imaginary pistols from his hip.

It was an appropriate way to celebrate – the usage of finger guns to signal the end of a five-year winless drought. The win came over his accomplished little brother, Danny Dietrich, as ‘Wild Bill’ showed the sprint car world he has flair, too.

“My wife came up with the Wild Bill thing,” Billy Dietrich said after his third career win at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday. “It’s kind of funny. I think it’s fitting.”

Based on the overall reaction, the crowd thought it was fitting, too. Usually, it’s 55-time Lincoln winner Danny Dietrich putting on the show. This time, Billy Dietrich took the reins.

He led all 30 laps and had to hold off his brother on a late-race restart to solidify his early season speed.

“Bill was fast,” Danny Dietrich said. “He ran a great race and didn’t make a mistake.”

Through six races at Lincoln Speedway, Dietrich has finished in the top-10 four times. Saturday also marked the second podium finish for the Lincoln regular who now sits 60 points behind Alan Krimes in the track championship chase.

He also sits ninth in the Central Pennsylvania standings, 66 points behind brother Danny Dietrich, through seven of 37 weeks.

“It was a good day for all of us,” Billy Dietrich said. “It’s big. Anytime we can win is big. We’re a Saturday night team. We do the best we can.”

“This year, he’s been really good,” Danny Dietrich said. “His car has been really good all year.

Not much has changed with Billy Dietrich, a former Lincoln track champion in the 358 division, through the years. One thing that has helped is an improved engine program.

Winning in a time trial format, like Saturday, is also validation for the 39-year-old. Of 30 the cars entered, Billy Dietrich qualified third overall with a lap of 13.596 seconds, just .187 seconds shy of Robbie Kendall’s quick-time mark.

“It does,” Bily Dietrich said if winning in a time-trial format means more as opposed to a handicap system. “But I can’t really put it into a category. It’s all good, like birthday cake. And beer.”

Billy Dietrich, along with his brother, is set to race in Tuesday’s 410 event at the reconfigured Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey.

– Many Pennsylvania drivers are expected to compete in the Invasion of the Posse event at the reconfigured Bridgeport Motorsports Park on Tuesday night.

Freddie Rahmer, Danny Dietrich, Anthony Macri. Tim Shaffer, Lucas Wolfe, Kerry Madsen, Brent Marks, Ryan Smith, and Chase Dietz headline the expected field. All Star Circuit of Champions regular Justin Peck is anticipated to race as well.

The event is 30 laps and $5,000-to-win.

– Lance Dewease coasted to career win No. 117 at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday night, now 12 victories shy of Keith Kauffman for most in track history.

It’s the National Sprint Car Hall of Famer’s second win in three races at the track this year.

This Friday, Dewease will once again attempt win No. 100 at Williams Grove Speedway, perhaps an effort to get the long-awaited milestone out of the way before the season drags any farther.

– Chase Dietz continued his promising start to the season in John Trone’s famous No. 39 entry with his fourth straight top-five Saturday at Lincoln Speedway.

The 23-year-old finished fourth from 10th at the three-eighths mile oval, giving him a plus-18 plus-minus ratio in this four-race streak of top fives.

– Before this year, George Hobaugh had recorded just two top-10 finishes at Port Royal Speedway in the last two years.

Now, through four races at the track this year, he’s matched that mark. Hobaugh finished fourth on Saturday at Port Royal, adding to his eighth-place run two weeks prior.

– BAPS Motor Speedway is set to host its first 410 sprint car show of the year this Sunday. The track performed many upgrades to the facility over the winter, including new lights, reconfiguring turns and two, and a new catch fence.

2021 Central PA sprint car points through through 12 of 109 races

1 48 Danny Dietrich 180 points
2 13 Justin Peck -5
3 5 / 2 Dylan Cisney -25
4 39 Chase Dietz -44
5 69K Lance Dewease -50
6 72 Tim Shaffer -51
7 51 Freddie Rahmer -54
8 87 / 27S Alan Krimes -55
9 8 Billy Dietrich -66
10 1Z Logan Wagner -70

Williams Grove Speedway points through two of 31 races

1 13 Justin Peck 570 points
2 51 Freddie Rahmer -50
T3 1W Brandon Rahmer -150
T3 11T TJ Stutts -150
T5 48 Danny Dietrich -200
T5 39 Chase Dietz -200
7 72 Tim Shaffer -230
8 5 Dylan Cisney -240
9 0 Rick Lafferty -250
10 69K Lance Dewease -270

Port Royal Speedway points through four of 26 races

1 5 / 2 Dylan Cisney 1300 points
2 1Z Logan Wagner -5
3 45 Jeff Halligan -55
4 55 Mike Wagner -90
5 39M Anthony Macri -105
6 24 Kerry Madsen -110
7 40 George Hobaugh -135
8 12 Blane Heimbach -140
9 2 AJ Flick -285
10 23 Pat Cannon -290

Lincoln Speedway points through six of 30 races

1 87 Alan Krimes 1280 points
2 8 Billy Dietrich -50
3 39 Chase Dietz -75
4 99M Kyle Moody -90
5 5E Tim Wagaman -105
6 72 Tim Shaffer -110
7 75 Tyler Ross -130
8 21 Matt Campbell -145
9 48 Danny Dietrich -150
10 1X Chad Trout -210