YORK HAVEN, Pa.: Danny Dietrich was declared the winner of the 410 Sprint Car feature Thursday night at BAPS Motor Speedway, but there was no victory celebration or smiles in the pit area.

Instead, fans filed out of the speedway in silence. The pit area was equally quiet after what just happened.

Greg Hodnett, 49, was running fifth in the 30-lap A-Main and just got the two-to-go sign, when something broke on his car. It occurred at the end of the frontstretch, and the Mike Heffner machine veered into the wall at the pit entrance.

Cars were sent back to pit area soon after, and Dietrich was declared the winner. It was later confirmed that Hodnett died in the crash.

“It doesn’t feel like a win,” said Dietrich, who was fighting back tears. “The atmosphere sucks. The first thing you think of is our buddy Greg.

“I was spectating when Billy Kimmel passed and was leading the heat race when Jason Leffler died. It isn’t easy, especially when you have to come back to your pit area and tell your crew chief, Lee Stauffer. That was his buddy … it’s just a tough deal.”

Brian Montieth set quick time for the night and took the lead at the drop of the green flag over Dietrich and J.J. Grasso.

Montieth caught the back of the field on the fifth circuit and opened up a 2.138-second lead. Dietrich cut it to 1.205 seconds by the time Lap 10 was complete.

Anthony Macri brought out the first caution on Lap 17, when he stopped on the backstretch. Dietrich took advantage of the double-file restart and blew around the outside of Turns 1 and 2 to take the lead.

“We don’t set up for the start of these things,” Dietrich said. “Everybody knows when we are here, we are tight when we drop the green.

“We aren’t the fastest to start, but I feel we have one of the fastest cars the last half of the feature at BAPS. But, what the hell does it matter now.”

A pair of cautions took place on Lap 21. The first was for Jordan Givler, who stopped on the track. Bryn Gohn also spun in Turn 4. Mark Smith spun entering Turn 3 before a lap could be completed on the restart.

When the race went back to green, it was all Dietrich. Grasso slid by Montieth in Turns 1 and 2 and tried to chase down the leader.

Dietrich opened up a 1.823-second lead by Lap 25. A short time later, tragedy struck the Sprint Car world.

“I’ve made some posts in the past, and I’m not kidding … I just want to get out of this sport in good condition,” Dietrich said. “Unfortunately, some people just aren’t, right now.

“The local 410 tracks, and tracks around the country, need to get a group together and bring some more educated drivers to a meeting and make things safer, because it’s not just happening in Pennsylvania, it’s happening everywhere. This has got to stop.”

Grasso was credited with second, followed by Montieth. Kyle Moody and Brian Brown completed the top five. The 358 Sprint Car main event was postponed and will be made up at another time.

Feature Finish, 28 of 30 Laps: 1. Danny Dietrich; 2. J.J. Grasso; 3. Brian Montieth; 4. Kyle Moody; 5. Brian Brown; 6. Trey Starks; 7. Lucas Wolfe; 8. Justin Henderson; 9. Michael Walter; 10. Greg Hodnett; 11. Bradley Howard; 12. Brett Michalski; 13. Greg Plank; 14. Darren Schott; 15. Mark Smith; 16. Bryn Gohn; 17. Jordan Givler; 18. Anthony Macri; 19. Glenndon Forsythe; 20. Mark Coldren.