MERCER, PA (August 21, 2026):  Brandon Spithaler, of Butler, scorched his 410 Sprint Car foes at Michaels Mercer Raceway. His margin of victory was nearly 6.6 seconds in a race that lasted less than nine minutes. And, that included one caution flag! Spithaler picked up $3,000 for his first victory of the season and fourteenth of his career at the tricky oval. He now has seven wins overall this season.

Logan Lewis took the $2,000 check for the Mark Marcucci Tribute race. The special event for the Mod Lites honored a highly successful racer who tragically lost his life in a highway accident in 2018. He had amassed forty-one career wins and four track titles at Mercer alone.

Also scoring wins were Jeremy Kornbaugh (IMCA Racesaver 305 Sprints), Jammin’ John Mollick (RUSH (Crate) Sprints), Karston King (DIRT 602 Crate Sportsman Modifieds), Skylar Cline (270 Winged Micros), and Dave Hanshaw, Jr. (Crown Vics).

“Well, I felt good early, but I got tight in the middle of the race,” Spithaler said. That was to be expected, he noted, because they set the car up to be tight in the beginning, thinking that the car would get faster in the second half of the contest. They hit the set-up perfectly.

“When I saw (Jeremy) Kornbaugh’s nose two times, I got concerned,” he added. That was on lap eleven, before Spithaler got to traffic. And, when he did, he was able to drive away from Kornbaugh with ease.

A pair of Brandons, Matus and Spithaler, shared the front row for the start of the twenty-five lapper. In row two, Kornbaugh was paired up with Michael Lutz, Sr., who came out of retirement for this race. Adam Kekich and ageless Bob Felmlee were next on the grid, followed by Michael Bauer and Jacob Begenwald. Then came Jim Morris and eastern racer Hayden Miller, in row five; and Jeremy Weaver and Brent Matus, in row six.

Spithaler rolled the top in turns one and two to grab the lead from Brandon Matus coming off turn two on the opening lap. Kornbaugh, Lutz, Kekich, and Felmlee followed closely. Matus stayed close to Spithaler for several laps before surrendering the second position to Kornbaugh.

The only caution of the event occurred on lap eight for a 360 spin by Joel Mellon in turn two. That incident gave Kornbaugh an opportunity to try to duplicate the move that won the 305 Sprint Car race for him earlier in the night. Kornbaugh got inside of Spithaler in turn one following the restart, but Spithaler’s momentum in the sweeping corners allowed him to drive away from Kornbaugh.

Kornbaugh wasn’t finished yet, however. He stayed close for a couple of laps looking for an opening. On lap eleven, he dove into turn one again, This time, he got alongside the leader. Spithaler powered off turn two with the lead.

Spithaler picked up speed as the race went on. He began to get some separation from Kornbaugh as the leaders started to put some of the slower cars down a lap. Fortunately for Spithaler, most of the lappers were hugging the inside line, leaving the top groove open for him. As Spithaler lapped more cars, he kept building upon his lead.

Meanwhile, Brandon Matus was racing in third, ahead of Felmlee and Lutz. Lutz began to slide back in the running order as the race reached the midpoint. Dan Kuriger replaced him in fifth. Kuriger chased down Felmlee and passed him in traffic to get the fourth position in the closing laps.

Spithaler, Kornbaugh, Brandon Matus, Kuriger, and Felmlee made up the top five. They were followed by Kekich, Begenwald, Jack Sodeman, Jr., Bauer, and Weaver.

Brandon Matus, Kekich, and Kornbaugh scored the heat wins. No B Main was needed to set the twenty-one car field. Spithaler was the fastest qualifier overall with a lap of 13.611 seconds.

In the Marcucci Tribute race for the Mod Lites, Shane Meadows led the opening lap before giving way to Carson Hubbard. After several hotly contested laps, Logan Lewis assumed command. He built up a lead of more than three seconds.

However, a caution on lap nineteen set up a one-lap dash for the money and the glory. Lewis was up to the task, and he held off Hubbard to get the prestigious victory. Meadows was third, followed by Sean Iftody and Jake Bowman. Positions six through ten went to David Innes, Ryan Anderson, Doug Stanley, Blake Robbins, and Lucca Ledford.

Ledford, Hubbard, and Anderson took the preliminaries. No B Main was needed for the twenty-one cars on hand.

Kornbaugh took advantage of a restart on lap nineteen to get the win in the IMCA Racesaver 305 Sprint Car feature. Aaron Marano was gunning for his first career win. He led from the start of the twenty lapper and he fought off a couple of challenges from Jarrett Rosencrance. Kornbaugh took over second moments before the pivotal caution on lap nineteen.

Kornbaugh charged into turn one on the final lap, drawing even with Marano at the entry to turn two, He powered off that corner with the lead. Although Marano crossed the line in second, he was subsequently disqualified.

That moved Rosencrance up to second. Vivian Jones, who helped organize the Marcucci Tribute race, was third, followed by Mike Mathieson and Brett Brunkenhoefer. Jazlyn Boyles, Rocco Capelli, Samantha Priest, Mike Shellhaas, and Tommy Jasen completed the top ten.

Brunkenhoefer and Mathieson split the heat wins. There was no B Main.

John Mollick went wire-to-wire in the RUSH Sprint Car feature, which went without any cautions. Logen Lockhart raced up to second. Gale Ruth, Jr. came on in the closing laps to get third. Grayson Bayle and Ashton Riggle completed the top five. Brayden Blackshear, Lucas Roessner, Devon Deeter, Arnie Kent, and Cooper Macormac were the next five finishers. The heat wins belonged to Ruth and Mollick. There was no B Main required.

Third generation driver Karston King picked up his first win of the year and second in his brief career at Mercer in the DIRT Sportsman main. He used a power move on the inside of turns one and two to take the lead away from Brian Schaffer on lap thirteen. Schaffer had inherited the lead when Patrick Lane spun and flipped his mount in turn three on the fourth lap. Caden Petry, Logen Lockhart, and Anthony Antus followed King and Schaffer across the finish line. Eric Gabany, Bill Adams, Darin Gallagher, Jordan Ehrenberg, and Gage Priester completed the top ten. Adams, Gabany, and Lane took the heat wins. There was no B Main needed.

Skylar Cline raced to victory in the 270 Winged Micro portion of the program. He passed the early leader, Matt Haefke, on lap five. Haefke held on for second. Parker Lucas, Dustin Young, and Mason McAndrew were the next finishers. Kenny Hardy, Jr., Brian Borawiec, Jr., Deryk Jones, Wes Libert, and Sean Price were sixth through tenth. Jada Gottschling, McAndrew, Cline, and Jones took the honors in the heat races. The B Main was scratched when an insufficient number of cars answered the call. Nathan McDowell was unhurt when he got sprayed with hot oil during the feature event. Twenty-nine cars checked in for the racing.

Dave Hanshaw, Jr. overtook Branden Porter on a lap nine restart to get the Crown Vic win. Porter was leading by more than seven seconds when the caution was displayed. He finished second nonetheless. Bradley Shaffer, Brian Krepps, Mark Lawrence, Sheriff Tim Callahan, and Dalton Marsh were the other competitors. Shaffer won the only heat race.

IMPERIAL, PA (August 15, 2026):  Michael Reft celebrated his recent nuptials with a win in the RUSH (Crate) Late Models at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.

Also gracing victory lane were A.J. Poljak (Penn Ohio Pro Stocks), Stephen Shelpman (Wee Willie White Memorial for Hobby Stocks), Bill Tennant (Open Four Cylinders), and Ryleigh Heasley (Young Gun Four Cylinders).

“We’ve been real busy:  got married, honeymoon. We try to get out here whenever we can,” Reft happily said.

Reft wrestled the lead away from the polesitter, Cole Petrelle. Jake Gunn, Brandon Burgoon, and Tommy Schirnhofer made up the balance of the top five in the early going.

The only caution occurred with two laps complete when Tony Magill spun in turn two.

Reft maintained his advantage on the restart. Burgoon dipped to the inside to challenge Petrelle for second, but the move backfired. Burgoon fell back two positions, which he quickly made up.

Reft stretched his lead as the race progressed. In the middle stage of the twenty lapper, his advantage over Petrelle was almost 1.4 seconds. However, as the race drew to a close, Petrelle and Jake Gunn closed in on him. Petrelle cut the margin to 0.625 seconds on lap nineteen.

After clearing a lapped car, Reft drove away again for an easy win. Petrelle was second, followed by Jake Gunn, Burgoon, and Schirnhofer. Matt Benard, Zach Gunn, Clinton Hersh, Anthony Monteparte, and Tom Klein rounded out the top ten.

Hersh and Kassidy Kamicker shared the heat race victories. There was no B Main.

A.J. Poljak drove his two-week-old S & S Chassis to the win in the non-stop fifteen lapper for the Penn Ohio Pro Stocks. He took the lead on lap thirteen from Nick Kocuba, who led from the outset. Dale Tuche and Bill Slade were the final two cars running in the event. Ricky Steigerwald and Jacob Billyk, Jr. retired early. Steigerwald won the heat race.

The Wee Willie White Memorial drew a stout field of seventeen Hobby Stocks. Stephen Shelpman, who has the most career wins in the division, made a bold last lap pass on the outside of turn three to take the lead. He then held off Garrett O’Patchen’s counterattack in the final turn for the win. Marc Corio was third, with Tom Anton and Joe Brown, Sr. completing the top five. Devan Jones, Justin Clark, J.D. Moore, Leroy Brown, and Sadie Snatchko were sixth through tenth. The heat wins went to O’Patchen and Shelpman. There was no B Main.

Bill Tennant chased down Noah Bubeck in the final lap and a half of the Open Four Cylinder event. Bubeck led from the start, but his engine was failing and it expired as he crossed the finish line in second. Bubeck’s luck got worse as the car did not pass post-race tech. So, the second position was awarded to Cameron Hollister. Kaitlin McDonald, Haylie Snouffer, and Tom Hollister scored in the top five. John Gill and Hunter Vohn did not start the race. Bubeck won the heat race.

Ryleigh Heasley prevailed in the nightcap for the Young Guns Four Cylinders. Kane Zupancic was second, followed by Hunter Bennett. Nathan Olenik and Connor Greynolds did not finish the race. Heasley also won the heat race.

SARVER, PA (August 14, 2026):  Drake Troutman scored his first Super Late Model victory for the Jerry Foster owned team in the Ken Schaltenbrand, Sr. Memorial at Lernerville Speedway. Troutman, who had much success in Foster’s UMP-style Modified, was making just his fifth start for the new venture. The victory was worth $4,500 and makes Troutman one of the favorites for the Yinzer 100 coming up on September 1.

Ayden Cipriano battled Rex King Jr. for most of the Modified feature before seizing control after a lap twenty-one restart. He went on to secure his first career win at the Action Track.

A.J. Flick dominated the Sprint Car event for the third win of the season at Lernerville Speedway. Importantly, the triumph assured him of his tenth track title in thirteen attempts. It was his seventh point championship in a row.

Chris Schneider led the final sixteen laps to earn his second win of the season and forty-third of his outstanding career in the Pro Stock division.

“This place has been very good to us. This is the fifth race out on this deal, and the first time in victory lane with this thing,” Troutman said.

Brock Pinkerous and Alex Ferree occupied row one for the Topless Late Model feature dedicated to the memory of Ken Schaltenbrand Sr., Levi Yetter and Clinton Hersh were next in line, followed by Michael Lake and Eric Wilson. Drake Troutman and Login Zarin were in row four, with Colton Flinner and Matt Martin, in row five; and Ken Schaltenbrand and Tyler Wyant, in row six.

Pinkerous slid up to the cushion in turn one on the opening lap to take the lead away from Ferree. Despite cautions on laps five and seven, Pinkerous maintained his advantage over Ferree. However, Ferree lost two spots on the lap five restart. That allowed Troutman and Zarin to slip ahead in the running order. On the lap seven restart, Ferree got one spot back.

The lap seven incident involved seven cars, including the title contender, Ken Schaltenbrand. Despite the damage sustained, Schaltenbrand pitted for repairs and returned to action in the fifteenth position. That proved to have a profound impact on the point championship.

The top three, consisting of Pinkerous, Troutman, and Ferree, stayed in formation for the next ten laps. There was a close battle between Norris and Zarin for the fifth spot. Two laps later, a caution for debris allowed Yetter to join in the contest for fifth.

The final six laps were spun off without any further interruptions. Most significantly, Troutman rolled the top in turns one and two to take the lead from his younger adversary on the restart. Zarin moved up to third in the closing laps, with Ferree holding off Yetter for fourth.

Troutman took the win by almost eight tenths of a second over Yetter. Zarin, Ferree, and Yetter completed the top five. Colten Flinner, Tyler Wyant, Norris, Wilson, and Schaltenbrand were sixth through tenth.

Schaltenbrand’s decision to restart the event despite the major damage to his car earned him enough points to garner his third points championship over his nephew, Yetter. The margin was only three points. “It just goes to show that it’s not over until the fat lady says so,” Schaltenbrand commented.

The three heat wins went to Ferree, Weaver, and Zarin. The B Main winner was Norris. Ferree was the evening’s fastest qualifier for the Topless Late Models, at 15.337 seconds.

Ayden Cipriano and Garrett Krummert brought the Modifieds to the green for their last regular season twenty-five lapper. Steve Feder and Dave Murdick lined up in row two, followed by Rex King, Jr. and Austin Eyler. Rick Regalski and Jackson Kristyak started from row four, with Brad Rapp and Rob Kristyak in row five. Preston Cope and Macey Adamik departed from row six.

Cipriano grabbed the lead at the start, however, there was a red flag for a crash involving Rick Regalski and Steve Feder at the end of lap one. Feder was not injured in his somersault.

Cipriano was the leader for the restart, with Krummert and King lurking close behind. Murdick and Preston Copemade up the top five.

The green flag on lap six marked the beginning of an intense three-car battle for the lead. Krummert, King, and Cipriano took turns at the front before King took control on lap eleven. Cipriano moved ahead of Krummert. Krummert began to fall back into the clutches of Cope. But Cope couldn’t overtake him.

The contest between Krummert and Cope for fourth ended on lap twenty-one when Cope stopped on the front stretch with a flat tire.

Cipriano was installed as the leader for the final restart, as he nipped King at the scoring loop moments before the caution for Cope. Nonetheless, King got a good restart, and he pulled ahead of Cipriano in turns one and two. Although the teenager got hung up on the cushion, he fought back in turns three and four. He rolled off turn four with a slight advantage over King.

Cipriano stretched his lead over King to almost eight tenths of a second through the final four circuits. Rapp came on in the closing laps to take third. Krummert fell to fourth. Rigalski was fifth. Macey Adamik, Murdick, Jackson Kristyak, Cameron Miller, and Karley Miller rounded out the top ten.

“The car was great,” Cipriano said. “I’m just lucky the car didn’t snap flip on the top of turns one and two,” he added.

King’s runner-up finish was good enough to capture the point championship by eight counters over Krummert. It was his fourth championship at Lernerville.

King and Krummert split the heat race victories. There was no B Main.

Brandon Spithaler and Leyton Wagner paced the field for the final point race in the Sprint Car division. John Jerich and A.J. Flick were paired up in row two, with Dan Kuriger and Dan Shetler in row three. Will Fleming and Jacob Begenwald had row four to themselves, followed by Cody Bova and Todd Moule, in row five, and Adam Herb and Jared Zimbardi, in row six.

Although Wagner led the first three laps of the twenty-five lap contest, Flick surged ahead on lap four and he never looked back.

Wagner remained in second until lap twelve when he passed the baton to Brandon Spithaler. At that time. Spithaler was almost three seconds behind the leader, but he narrowed the margin to approximately half a second twice in the second half of the twenty-lap contest.

Wagner held onto third until there were three laps remaining. Jacob Begenwald got by in turns three and four.

Flick took the checkers almost two and a half seconds over Spithaler. Then came Begenwald, Wagner, and Jerich. Shetler, Moule, Kuriger, Zimbardi, and Carl Bowser rounded out the top ten.

Flick called the win and the championship “special.” “We’ve run Sprint Cars thirteen years and this is my tenth championship. This is the closest title chase I’ve been in in my ten years, and this was the most relaxed I’ve ever been. Dan Kuriger and Dan Shetler (his two closest competitors) are great guys and I wouldn’t have been upset if either one of them got the title,” Flick added.

Jacob Begenwald, Dan Kuriger, and Dan Shetler took the preliminaries for the Sprint Cars. There was no B Main.

The Pro Stocks closed out the racing action, as usual. Tyler Dietz pulled out to the early lead from his second starting spot. Chris Schneider was running a close second, and he assumed command just four laps into the race.

Despite a number of cautions during the twenty lap affair, Schneider remained out front. Tyler Dietz held off Logan Koteles in the closing laps. Jacob Dietz finished fourth, which was good enough to capture his first track championship in the highly competitive division. Koteles was only four points away from the title. Brett McDonald was fifth.

Positions six through ten belonged to Nate Gebauer, Bill Swaney, Dave Collier, Jonathan Koteles, and John Hartman.

Schneider gave props to the Lernerville track crew for reworking the surface before the Sprint Car A Main. “The weather wasn’t favorable to the good clay at the track this week,” he noted.

Jake Dietz and Joey Zambotti shared the honors in heat race action for the Pro Stocks.