Dirt Racing
Grant and Pursley Share USAC Glory at Port Royal, Mike Wagner Takes Sprint Car Win
PORT ROYAL, PA (June 21, 2025): Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway was a delight for fans of open wheel racing. The winged 410 Sprint Cars were joined by the top two divisions of the United States Auto Club. Justin Grant tracked down Briggs Danner in traffic and pulled away for the win in the USAC National Sprint Car Series event, and Daison Pursley romped to the win in the USAC Silver Crown race. Sandwiched in between, Mike Wagner scored the popular win in the track’s 410 Sprint Car event.
Grant’s Go
It was Justin Grant’s second win of the eastern swing, the first coming at Bridgeport Speedway. Each one paid him $6,000 as he inched closer to Dave Darland and Brady Bacon for the most career wins in the history of the division.
“The track changed so much,” Grant said as he tried to regain his breath. “Every couple of laps, things were different.”
The California native explained how he set up his pass of Danner in the non-stop thirty lap affair. “I was able to get a run off (turn) four behind some lapped cars.”
Grant commented that he enjoys racing Sprint Cars on a big half mile track like the Speed Palace. He added, “I hope that the Pennsylvania fans get to like it too.”
Danner, who hails from Allentown, PA, was extremely strong in clean air, but struggled mightily in traffic. “It was top dominant,” he observed. “It took a lot to slide guys in the slick. I don’t know how many times you could see the floor pan or the wheels off the ground in (turn) two.”
Kyle Cummins, who topped both the National tour points as well as the Eastern Storm points entering the event, crossed in third. “Lapped cars were the most challenging, they really changed the complexion of the race at the end.”
The hard charger of the night was Robert Ballou, who overcame his share of troubles during the course of the night. He had to switch to a backup car after his primary mount encountered mechanical problems. He took full responsibility for the lack of maintenance which required the swap, noting that he was working with a group of volunteers for the eastern swing. “They never saw me take a car down before. That car rode upstairs (in the trailer) for seventy races.” Luckily for him, the brand new DRC chassis and fresh Don Ott were ready to go, as he won his heat race and passed seven cars in the feature.
C.J. Leary and Danner brought the field to the green flag for the first feature of the busy night. Mitchel Moles and Kyle Cummins were in row two. Justin Grant and Logan Seavey completed the six-car inversion. Jake Swanson and Hayden Reinbold were next on the grid, followed by Gunnar Setser and Kale Drake. Kevin Thomas, Jr. and Robert Ballou made up row six.
Danner blasted out to the early lead by riding the rim through the first two turns. He was followed by Leary, Cummins, Grant, Swanson, Moles, Seavey, Reinbold, Drake, and Setser. Danner easily separated himself from the pack as he built up what appeared to be an insurmountable lead.
As Danner’s car got smaller in the distance, Grant wasted no time in picking off cars. Grant reached second by lap five, but then he faced the difficult task of reeling in the leader. Assistance for Grant came in the form of lapped traffic. In the middle stage of the race, Danner encountered the slower cars and, to say that he had difficulty passing them would be an understatement.
By lap twenty, Grant had eliminated the advantage that Danner held. After getting his good run off turn four in traffic, Grant was ready to pounce. He dropped to the inside of turn one, as Danner remained on the tricky cushion. Grant got good bite coming through turn two and he drove away from Danner down the long back stretch.
Now, it was Grant’s chore to negotiate the lapped traffic. He did so with a bit more ease than Danner, who remained close enough to regain the lead if Grant were to make a mistake. However, the driver from Ione, CA flawless in the final ten laps.
Cummins closed in on Danner in the stretch run. However, he could not get by Danner in the final laps as they sliced through the slower cars.
Moles trailed Cummins by more than six seconds at the finish. Ballou was fifth on the final lap. Swanson, Leary, Seavey, Setser, and Reinbold completed the top ten.
The race was completed in 16 minutes and 51.825 seconds, establishing a track record for the distance.
In addition to Ballou, heat wins went to Danner and Cummins. No B Main was necessary for the twenty-two car field.
Seavey set the mark in qualifications. His time was 18.662 seconds.
Pursley’s Perfection
For the second straight year, Daison Pursley starred in the Silver Crown movie played out at Port Royal Speedway. However, this time, the script was written much differently for the young driver from Locust Grove, OK. Instead of making a last lap pass on Justin Grant to get the win, Pursley overtook him only three laps into the fifty lap grind. Pursley then had no difficulty in building substantial leads along the way to victory.
However, Pursley did have to overcome some difficulty to score the win. On his second lap of qualifications, Pursley smacked the turn one wall, doing substantial damage to the front end of the Chris Dyson mount. Fortunately, his only timed lap was good enough to put him on the outside of the front row. But, it was up to the crew led by Sean Michael to get the car race ready. They rebuilt the front suspension while the Sprints raced and the car performed perfectly when called upon at the end of the night.
“It was typical Port Royal,” Pursley observed. “The top came in. I just needed the track to widen out. I could pick my lanes.” However, his lane of choice became the top, up against the boards. “I didn’t know where Justin was running, so I didn’t want to move around too much. I just wanted to run where the car was comfortable.”
Grant was satisfied with his car and his second place finish built upon his series points lead. “The car was good, but the nine (Pursley) was better,” he observed. He then noted that he was having trouble sunning up against the cushion. He explained that he had to “cheat” on entry to the corners so that he would not bang off the cushion, especially in turns three and four.
Third place finisher, Mitchel Moles, saw the top coming in. “I tried to work on my car.” he said. Despite the adjustments, he could not get his car to work up there.
Another driver who did not race the top line too much was Carmen Perigo. The veteran from Stoystown, PA was the hard charger, reaching sixth from his twelfth place starting spot. Perigo was strong in the second half of the race, passing cars at will in the middle of the track. “I wish it was a hundred laps, I wasn’t done passing cars,” he quipped.
Grant and Pursley claimed row one for the SIlver Crown finale. Row two belonged to Jake Swanson and Moles. Matt Westfall and Logan Seavey were next in line. Then came C.J. Leary and track favorite Chase Dietz. Alex Bright and Kyle Steffens made up row five. Chase Stockon and Perigo were in the sixth row.
Swanson added a bit of drama to the pre-race activity by having difficulty getting his car to fire. Under USAC rules, all Silver Crown cars must start under their own power in order to retain their starting positions. Swanson was in jeopardy of losing his because the car would not fire. After all of the others departed the staging area, his crew managed to get the car going, and he was able to retain third on the grid.
Grant sailed into turn one with the lead on the opening lap and he tried to establish himself on the cushion. Pursley was in hot pursuit, though. Swanson tucked into third, with Westfall, Moles, Seavey, Leary, Bright, Dietz, and Steffens following.
Pursley got a good run off turn four and he dove to the inside of Grant as they thundered toward the scoring loop on lap three. Pursley had the advantage entering turn one and he slid up across Grant’s nose.
Over the course of the next seventeen laps, Pursley amassed a lead of almost two seconds. Grant remained in second, with Swanson in third and Moles in fourth. Some distance back, Seavey and Dietz were battling for the fifth position.
Cautions on laps twenty and twenty-two kept the field closed up. The first was due to Jimmy Light slowing to a stop in turn three and the next stoppage for birthday boy Dave Burkheimer spinning in turn two.
The final twenty-eight laps were run off without any interruptions.
At the start of the run, Swanson turned over third to Moles. Swanson then began to fall back as the race progressed through the second half.
Seavey and Dietz moved into the top five, but the racer on the move was Perigo. At the caution on lap twenty-two, he was sitting in eleventh. He made steady progress thereafter. Perigo was tenth at the halfway mark, ninth at lap thirty, eighth at lap thirty-five, and sixth at lap forty.
At the finish, Pursley’s margin. was over three and a half seconds. Grant, Moles, Seavey, and Dietz rounded out the top five. Perigo, Briggs Danner, Westfall, Leary, and Swanson completed the top ten.
Grant’s quick time was 20.088 seconds. No last chance race was required, as all twenty-two cars entered started the event.
Wagner’s Win
“I like to win once in a while, it makes me feel good,” said the elder statesman of the Wagner racing team. Just a week before, he was in victory lane to celebrate a win as a car owner. On that occasion, Logan Wagner drove to victory. This time, it was Logan’s turn to join his father for the happy moment.
Mike Wagner drove a very patient race to get his first of the season at the Speed Palace. He moved into the top five early in the event, but he made his big moves in the middle stage of the race. He was running second to Garrett Bard when the final caution was displayed on lap seventeen. He tracked Bard on the restart and then dipped low coming off turn four to take control on lap eighteen.
Wagner commented, “I didn’t feel comfortable going out there, but I saw Grant going good on the bottom and I figured I could make some time.”
Austin Bishop and Derek Hauck had the front row for the twenty-five lapper. Blane Heimbach and Garrett Bard made up the second row. Then came Kody Lehman and Mike Wagner. Jeff Halligan and Logan Wagner were next in line. Brock Zearfoss and Lance Dewease started from row five. Point leader Justin Whittall and Nash Ely staked out row six.
Bishop led the early laps of the event. Hauck ran in second, followed by Bard, Heimbach, Mike Wagner, Halligan, Whittall, Dewease, and Logan Wagner. As Hauck began to fall off the pace, Mike Wagner and Heimbach moved ahead.
A caution for Zach Newlin on lap sixteen closed the ranks. On the ensuing restart, Bishop and Bard fought for the lead, Wagner watched them swapping positions and he was looking for an opportunity to join the fun. Meanwhile, Whittall and Dewease moved into the top five.
Another caution, on lap seventeen, realigned the field due to a tangle in turn two involving Daison Pursley and Mike Walter, Jr. Bard had the point for the restart, followed by Mike Wagner, Whittall, Bishop, and Dewease.
After Mike Wagner powered ahead coming off turn four to lead lap eighteen, the battle was for the second spot, Whittall prevailed over Bard on the closing laps. Dewease took fourth, followed by Halligan. Heimbach, Bishop, Chase Dietz, Zearfoss, and Hauck completed the top ten.
Bard, Dewease, Zearfoss, and Bishop won the heat races. Gerard McIntyre, Jr. took the B Main.
Coming Events
Port Royal Speedway will be dark on June 28 in respect to the Speedweek event to be held at Lincoln Speedway. Port Royal will return to action on July 2 for the first of two Speedweek events. On July 2, the URC Sprint Cars will also be in action with the 410 Sprints. Then, on July 5, the Super Late Models will be in action with the 410 Sprint Cars.
HARTFORD, OH (July 18, 2026) Sharon Speedway is cancelling Saturday night’s “Steel Valley Thunder” program thanks to a near 100% likelihood of thunderstorms in the forecast from late afternoon through the evening hours including the potential for severe weather.
Sharon made the decision in the best interest of safety for fans, racers, and staff members.
“Super Series” action presented by Bala Management will return next Saturday (July 25) featuring the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply “410” Sprint Cars for $4,000 to-win along with the Hovis UMP Mods presented by A&MP Electric, Gibson Insurance Agency RUSH Sprint Cars, and the Gibson Insurance Agency Crown Vics on Alcon Mechanical and Hovis Auto & Truck Supply Night. Kids Club Night presented by Willy’s World with kids bike and big wheel races. It’s also the first of three Menards Giveaway Nights.
Additional information can be found at www.sharonspeedway.com.
SARVER, PA (July 17, 2026): Alex Ferree survived a caution-filled late Model feature to score his third feature victory of the season at the Lernerville Speedway, where he leads the seasonal points. In the Big Block Modifieds, Garrett Krummert came on strong in the second half of the race to secure his fourth win of the season, vaulting him into the lead in the championship standings. With his win, A.J. Flick expanded upon his slim two point lead in a quest for a tenth title in the 410 Sprint Car ranks. Corey McPherson became the most successful driver in the rich history of the Pro Stock division at the track.
“Running down on the bottom in (turns) one and two was better for me. I didn’t know where to go in (turns) three and four. I didn’t see (Michael Norris) until he came across my nose down there. I didn’t like it, but that’s how it’s done these days.” Fortunately for Ferree, a caution negated the aggressive pass and, then, on the following restart, Norris jumped the cushion in turn one, forcing his retirement from the race with two to go. Ferree kept Jared Miley at bay for the final trips around the Action Track.
Alex Ferree drew the pole position for the Late Model twenty-five lapper. Tyler Wyant was on his flank. Chris Schneider debuted his new machine in the third spot, and he was paired with former Modified kingpin Del Rougeux. Colton Flinner and Jared Miley were in row three. Josh Ferry and Levi Yetter occupied row four, followed by Clinton Hersh and Michael Norris, in row five, and John Garvin and Mike Miller, in row six.
Ferree took the early lead over Wyant, Flinner, and Ferry. Flinner took second in the early going, but he did not challenge Ferree until a restart five laps into the event.
Things heated up after that restart. Flinner and Ferree swapped the lead on several occasions. Ferree took control again by lap ten and he maintained the lead despite a number of restarts.
Flinner faded from the second position, turning the position over to Norris, who was flying on the outside. Ferree switched up his line in turns one and two, running the bottom and driving up to the top coming off turn two to block a flyer from Norris around the rim of the speedway.
In the closing laps, Norris drew closer to Ferree. He threw caution to the wind in turn four with two laps to go. He slid across into the lead, almost crashing himself and Ferree in the process, but a caution negated the wild pass. On the ensuing restart, Norris took to the high lane in turn one, but he jumped the cushion. Whatever damage he sustained by his excursions sidelined him for the remainder of the race.
Miley inherited the second spot, but he had nothing for Ferree. Ferree cruised to the win, followed by Miley, Schaltenbrand, Wyant, and Ferry. Hersh, Rougeux, Schneider, Will Britsky, and Travis Hayes completed the top ten.
Ferree and Norris were the heat race winners. There was no B Main for the nineteen car field.
Dr. Brad Rapp and Jeremiah Shingledecker drew into the first row for the twenty-five lap Modified go. Mike Kinney and Kyle FInk made up row two, followed by Garrett Krummert and rookie Karston King, who was making his first Modified start ever. Steve Feder and Rick Regalski staked out row four, with Rex King, Jr. and Ayden Cipriano, in row five, and Tyler Dietz and Shawn Kozar, in row six.
Rapp took the early lead but he gave way to Shingledecker on the second trip around the speedway. That duo maintained a comfortable advantage over Kinney, Krummert, and Feder through the first several laps.
King Jr. moved into the top five, along with Cipriano in the middle stage of the race, with Krummert still holding fifth place.
Krummert got rolling soon thereafter. He surged into the lead coming off turn two on the thirteenth lap. Shingledecker remained in second, followed by Rapp, King, and Cipriano.
Shingledecker began slipping back in the field as the race progressed to the third stage. However, he rallied to regain a position in the closing laps.
Krummert took the win over Rapp, Cipriano, Shingledecker, and Dave Murdick. King Jr. was sixth, ahead of Dietz, J.C. Boyer, Feder, and Karston King.
“I wasn’t any good at the start of the race,” Krummert said. “I went to the bottom and got going again.”
The preliminaries went to Rex King, Jr., Fink, and Regalski. Cameron Miller was the B Main winner. Twenty-eight cars registered for the event.
The potent first row consisted of A.J. Flick and Dan Kuriger for the Sprint Car twenty-five lap feature event. Then came Dan Shetler and David Kalb. Carl Bowser and Jared Zimbardi started in row three, with John Jerich and Carmen Perigo next in line. Chris Frank made the long tow from Wellsville, in Central PA, to land in row five with Jacob Begenwald. Vivian Jones started her 305 Sprint inside row six, next to Rayce Jacobs.
Flick and Kuriger, the prime contenders for the point championship in the Sprint Car division, battled side by side for most of the first lap. However, Flick assumed command in turn three and he never looked back.
Kuriger ran a strong second place until the final lap of the race. Jerich slipped past him on the last trip around the speedway. Kuriger was third, followed by Begenwald and Perigo. Bowser, Shetler, Frank, Zimbardi, and Jacobs completed the top ten.
“This was probably the most moisture that stayed in the track all night,” Flick said. “I was able to rip the top for the first time since June,” he added.
Kuriger, and Begenwald took the checkers in their heat races. There was no B Main needed for the nineteen Sprints that checked in.
Corey McPherson achieved a career milestone in the Pro Stock division, breaking the tie with Joe Kelly atop the career win list. McPherson was patient in the early laps of the race. He took the lead on lap nine and led the remaining eleven laps.
Logan Koteles and Jason Fosnaught brought the field to the green for the final race of the night. Cody Koteles and McPheson were in row two, followed by Bill Swaney and Joey Zambotti, in row three, and Brett Hutira and Trevor McCann, in row four.
Logan Koteles grabbed the early lead, followed by Cody Koteles, Fosnaught, McPherson, and Zambotti. McPherson moved up to third on lap three, and second on lap six.
McPherson grabbed the lead on lap nine and held it until the end, while Logan Koteles remained in second, and Cody Koteles in third. Hutira and Fosnaught completed the top five. Zambotti, Tyler Schneider, McCann, Bill Swaney, and Jonathan Koteles rounded out the top ten.
Dietz, and Cody Koteles topped their heat races. No B Main was needed to set the seventeen car field.
Dirt Racing
Brandon Rahmer Best In Sibling Rivalry At Lincoln Speedway; Reutimann Collects Career First in 358s
ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (July 11, 2026): Brandon Rahmer held off his brother, Freddie Jr., in the closing laps to eke out his fifth career win at the Fabulous Lincoln Speedway. Brandon’s margin of victory was a scant 0.166 seconds. His first win of the 2026 season was worth $5,000.
Florida teenager P.J. Reutimann scored his first career 358 Sprint Car triumph in the nightcap.
“I didn’t think I even won the race,” Brandon said excitedly. “I saw the two to go, and Freddie got by me and I said, ‘oh, shit.’” However, Brandon was able to fight back on the inside to reclaim the lead before they got back to the scoring loop, so Freddie was never credited as leading a lap of the race.
Brandon Rahmer took advantage of a pair of restarts with sixteen laps completed. Jordan Strickler got the jump on the first, which was called back. On the second attempt, Rahmer stayed closer and he was able to get a run on the outside to grab the lead coming off turn two. “I saw where he went (on the first try). I put the wing back in the trunkand I drove by,” he explained.
Brandon Rahmer survived two close calls with lapped cars with less than ten laps to go. First, he was crowded down on the inside coming off turn by Matthew Swift. Rahmer took responsibility for that one. “I screwed up with the 03 (Swift) down there. I thought the hole was bigger than it was.” The second incident, with Dave Grube, was not a problem of Rahmer’s own making. “Then, the 3D (Grube) got catiwampus coming off turn four.” Grube swerved back and forth but Brandon was able to get by him without any contact.
“I had a good car tonight, and I actually drove it,” Brandon summed.
The feature line-up was determined by the track’s handicapping system. The top three from each heat race were inverted based upon their earnings average.
Thus, Jordan Strickler and Brie Hershey were assigned to the front row, followed by Jude Siegel and Dave Grube. Jordan Givler and Tim Glatfelter occupied row three, Then came Chad Trout and Matt Campbell. Freddie Rahmer, Jr. got the last of the preferred starting positions. He was flanked by his brother, Brandon. Brett Strickler and Lucas Wolfe manned row six.
Jordan Strickler shot out to the early lead over Hershey, Siegel, Grube, Brandon Rahmer, Givler, Glatfelter, Campbell, Rahmer Jr., and Trout.
Brandon Rahmer was the man on the move in the early going. He picked off Grube on lap three. Then, he took third from Siegel on lap three. Nine laps later he ducked under Hershey for second.
Meanwhile, Jordan Strickler continued with his impressive run at the front of the pack. Unfortunately, Grube spun in turn four while racing in the fourth spot.
That incident set up the pair of restarts that gave Brandin Rahmer the opportunity to size up his opponent. Brandon was able to stay close on the second attempt to get the race going again and he rolled the top side in turns one and two to take the lead from Jordan Strickler.
Behind the leaders, there was a tight three-car battle for the third position involving Hershey, Siegel and Freddie Rahmer. It took Freddie several laps to clear his way into third. When he got the position, he was over 1.7 seconds behind Jordan Strickler.
Freddie chased him for several more laps, gradually cutting the margin to about half a second before making his move into second with three to go.
Meanwhile, Brandon continued to lead the way. His two incidents with slower cars allowed Freddie to close in on him as well during the final laps of the race. That set up a battle between the Rahmer brothers for the win.
Freddie made a bid for the lead, but Brandon was able to battle back on the inside to be scored as the leader to the finish.
Campbell charged from fifth to third in the closing laps. Jordan Strickler slipped back to fourth at the finish. Siegel was fifth. Hershey, Kyle Moody, Trout, Givler, and Wolfe completed the top ten.
Jordan Strickler, Freddie Rahmer, Jr., and Hershey won the heat races. No B Main was needed to set the twenty-one car starting field.
The nightcap for the 358 Sprint Cars went non-stop. P.J. Reutimann, the grandson of Wayne Reutimann, grabbed the lead on the opening lap and he was never headed.
“It went my way this time, I guess,” Reutimann said. He explained that he will remain in the area for a few more weeks before returning to the Sunshine State to complete his senior year in high school. He plans to come north again next season “to race until it gets cold.”
Andy Best, who had the pole position for the start of the twenty lapper, ran second for most of the race. He gave way to Jayden Wolf on the final lap. Wolfe had a run at the leader as well, but he could not close the gap.
As Reutimann noted, “I had to go to the bottom to protect. The top was a long way around.”
Best held on for third, followed by Justin Foster and Brock Hammaker. Nick Yinger, Tim Wagaman, II., Cody Fletcher, Cameron Merriman, and Wyatt Hinkle finished sixth through tenth.
Wolf, Wagaman, Hinkle, and best won their heat races. Ashley Cappetta prevailed in the B Main. Thirty-six cars signed in for the event.
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