ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (March 25, 2023): Chase Dietz recovered from an inauspicious start to his night at the Lincoln Speedway by leading all thirty laps of the 410 Sprint Car A Main. The $4,000 victory was the first since he returned to his own equipment for the 2023 season. Also scoring was Tanner Jones in the debut for teh Central PA Legends Cars.

“I’m still pissed that I spun in hot laps,” Dietz said. He recovered nicely in his heat race, though, winning in dominant fashion. In the feature event, he weathered six tries to get the race going. Although he was credited with leading the entire distance, Dietz benefited from a caution on lap eight, when he lost the lead briefly to Zane Rudisill in traffic. Rudisill could not get back around to the scoring loop before the caution was displayed, so Dietz was restored to the point for the restart.

Dietz was able to retain his advantage throughout the remainder of the race despite losing his brakes. “It was a long race in general,” he noted. “I lost my brakes, I was trying not to use them in traffic, I was just holding on.” He added that he tried to stay on the bottom, but he admitted to making some mistakes along the way.

Dietz was handicapped to the pole for teh start of the event, with Rudisill next to him. Cole Young and Lucas Wolfe were in row two. The third row belonged to Aaron Bollinger and Tyler Ross. Then came Tim Wagaman and Kyle Moody. The fifth row paired Dylan Norris and Justin Peck. Devon Borden and Cameron Smith were slated for row six. High point men Danny Dietrich and Freddie Rahmer, Jr. were buried deep in the pack after lackluster heat race finishes.

Four cautions, two reds, and a fuel stop delayed the start of the thirty lapper. No racers were injured in the incidents, which included solo flips by Bollinger and Young. Eight cars were eliminated from the action before a single lap was scored, though. Track officials opted for a single file start, which worked like a charm.

Dietz took the early advantage, but Rudisill remained close. Wolfe settled into third, followed by Ross, Moody, Peck, Norris, Smith, Anthony Macri, and Brandon Rahmer. Dietz and Rudisill drew away from Wolfe, who was hounded by Ross and Peck through the first segment of the race.

The caution on lap eight put Dietz back in the lead, which he resumed under green flag conditions. Surprisingly, the green remained out for the rest of the race.

At the halfway mark, Dietz and Rudisill again had a substantial lead over Wolfe. Peck was up to fourth, followed by Ross, Norris, Moody, Smith, Macri, and Brandon Rahmer.

Peck went to work on Wolfe, and he finally took over third with twenty-four laps down. Macri surrendered his top ten spot during that stint.

The final laps were uneventful for those in the top positions. Matt Campbell made some headway, though, racing into the back half of the top ten before the checkers came out.

Following Dietz and Rudisill was a fast closing Peck. Then came Wolfe and Ross to complete the top five. Norris, Moody, Smith, Campbell, and Brandon Rahmer rounded out the top ten.

Heat wins were scored by Rudisill, Dietz, and Wolfe. There was no B Main, as all twenty-five entrants started the race.

Tanner Jones came from seventh to earn the win in the nightcap for the Central PA Legends. Seth Kearchner, Stephen Wurtzer, Lincoln Kearchner, and Travis Perry completed the top five.

The next five finishers were Chris Transeau, Rick Hartwig, Colton Fries, Jeremy Ott, and Justin Wagaman. Fries was the hard charger, passing seventeen cars in the contest.

Jones, Wurtzer, Transeau, and Logan Carbaugh triumphed in the heats, The B Main went to Bill Diehl.

Next weekend, on April 1, Lincoln Speedway will present its first Sprint Car double header of the season. The 358 Sprints will make their first start of the year, while the 410 Sprints will take the sixth green flag of the season. The same program will be presented on April 8 and 15. April 22 will have the Central PA Legends Cars back on the card with the 410 Sprints. The month of April will close out with 410 and 358 Sprints joined by the Penn-Mar Vintage Modifieds.

SHIPPENVILLE, PA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Western PA Sprint Speedweek is putting up some serious cash and prizes for competitors in 2023 with over $90,000 in prize money available for the five-day event.

The Speedweek point fund increases to $12,250 with the payout for positions 3-12 improving between 20-30%.  The point fund is fully guaranteed as long as three or more races are completed.

Contingency awards are returning as well including ‘Quick Time’, ‘Hard Charger’, ‘Week Long Hard Charger’, ‘Hard Luck’ and a nightly drawing for a Hoosier RR tire.

Western PA Sprint Speedweek starts May 31 at Knox Raceway, moves to ‘Dirt’s Monster Half-Mile’ at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway on Thursday June 1, with ‘The Action Track’ Lernervillle Speedway taking center stage on Friday June 2.  Sharon Speedway hosts Saturday June 3rd’s action with Tri-City Raceway Park crowning the Champion on Sunday June 4th.

For more information visit the Western PA Sprint Speedweek website at www.westernpaspeedweek.com.

PORT ROYAL, PA (March 5, 2023): Dylan Cisney, the elected Mayor of the Borough of Port Royal, reigned supreme in the 410 Sprint Car opener for the second consecutive season at the Port Royal Speedway. Cisney bided his time and made a last lap pass to score the $5,000 victory. In the Super Late Model undercard, Dillan Stake went wire to wire to capture his first ever career win and first opening day triumph. Stake, a veteran of the Limited Late Model class and a part-time performer in the top division, announced that he will compete full-time with the Super Late Models in 2023. He took home $4,000. This was the eighty-first opener for the Speed Palace.

“It’s tough in these things,” Cisney said with a sigh. “You see the guys behind you, and you need to be patiently aggressive.” Cisney was referring to heavy hitters Like Anthony Macri and Danny Dietrich, who were behind him most of the way. Cisney added, “we didn’t have a good start, but that’s OK, I’d rather be the chaser.” Cisney explained that he did not want to see Parker Price-Miller get by him late in the race, but “when they (Price-Miller and Macri) got to racing each other, I was able to get in there.”

Cisney drew the pole for the twenty-five lapper. Next to him was Jeff Halligan. Justin Schulz and Lance Dewease were penciled into the second row, but Dewease could not get his motor to fire and he never started the race. That moved Parker Price-Miller into his spot. Danny Dietrich was paired up with Anthony Macri with the outside line moving up. Dylan Norris and Austin Bishop made up row four. The fifth belonged to Devon Borden and Steve Buckwalter.Mike Wagner and Justin Whittal took up row six.

Cisney won the race to turn one, but he played it conservatively, staying on the inside rather than sailing it in on the outside. Cisney noted that he was concerned about the condition of the high line, which was sprinkled with some water by the track crew before the start of the feature. Halligan was more daring, and he came off the second turn with the lead.

Halligan opened several car lengths on Cisney and the two maintained that separation through the first caution, on lap five, for Borden in turn four. Price-Miller held onto third, followed by Macri, Dietrich, Schulz, Bishop, Norris, Rehmer, and Gerard McIntyre.

Price-Miller overtook Cisney entering turn three on lap nine and Macri saw an opportunity to challenge Cisney as well. But, last year’s ten-time winner could not pull off the pass. Mike Wagner was making moves, however, and he reached the top ten by the time that his son, five-time and defending track champ, Logan Wagner, spun in turn four, That was the second and final caution, and it was recorded on lap eleven.

The remaining fourteen laps were run without any interruptions. On the restart, Danny Dietrich made a bold attempt to pick up some positions. He dove low into turn one, making it three-wide for third. Cisney and Macri retained their positions, and Dietrich fell back into fifth once again.

Halligan remained the leader, but Price-Miller was narrowing the gap. They were batting for the lead when the five-lap signal was displayed to the field. Halligan was stuck in traffic, and he went searching for an opportune place to pass a slower car. He tried the inside line in turn one, but he lost momentum, and Price-Miller sailed by to take the lead.

Macri slid by Cisney and Halligan, and he was closing on Price-Miller. Macri started to press Price-Miller, and Cisney rallied. He passed Halligan and Macri was next to fall to his charge. Cisney continued his mission, dropping to the inside of turn one on the final lap to pass Price-Miller. Cisney slid up to block the counterattack through turn two.

Cisney held the advantage through the rest of the lap and emerged with the win. Scott Cowman, his car owner, who made it in from Wisconsin for this race, was enthused by the win. He teased his driver about “waiting so long” to make the winning move.

Price-Miller held on for second, followed by Macri, Dietrich, and Halligan. Mike Wagner, Whittal, Rahmer, Schulz, and Borden completed the top ten.
Three heats were spun off in rapid order, with wins going to Borden, Macri, and Norris. The B Main winner was Chris Windom.

Amanda Robinson pulled the pole for the twenty-five lap Super Late Model night cap. Next to her was Dillan Stake. Her husband, Ross, was behind her. He was flanked by Hayes Mattern. Logan Zarin and Rick Eckert were in row three, followed by Trever Feathers and Austin Berry. Gary Stuhler and Mike Lupfer handled row five. Defending titleholder Colton Flinner and Justin Weaver started in row six.

Stake seized the lead in turn one on the opening lap and he never looked back. Mattern ran second, followed by Ross and Amanda Robinson, Eckert, Berry, Stuhler, Zarin, Flinner, and Feathers in the early going.

As Ross Robinson moved forward, Amanda fell back. She had a spirited battle with Eckert, Berry, and Stuhler for most of the race. Later, Jeff Rine joined in the fun.

At the checkers, it was Stake, Ross Robinson, Eckert, Mattern, and Rine. Amanda Robinson, Flinner, Stuhler, Gregg Satterlee, and Berry completed the top ten.

Weaver, Flinner, Lupfer, and Stuhler captured the heat wins. The B Main went to Nick Dickson.

Before the racing started for the day, track management announced purse increases for both the 410 Sprints and Super Late Models. All regular season events will pay $5,000 to win and $500 to start for the 410s and $4,000 to win and $400 to start for the Super Late Models.

Next weekend, Port Royal Speedway will present the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. The two-day program will carry a Sunday raindate of both ends of the event are lost to weather. The Friday race will start at 7 p.m., and Saturday will have a 6 p.m. start. The wingless Super Sportsmen will provide support on Saturday only. Port Royal will be dark on March 18 in consideration of teh World of Outlaws event at Lincoln SPeedway. Racing will return on March 25. The three-division program will consist of 410 Sprints, Super Late Models (with the ULMS) and Limited Late Models.