Dirt Racing
Whittall, Hare, and Dodson Winners at Port Royal
PORT ROYAL, PA (July 19, 2025): It was a winged Sprint Car extravaganza at Port Royal Speedway, as the Speed Palace hosted three divisions on the same night. Justin Whittall stretched his point lead with a win in the headline 410 Sprint Car ranks. Ayden Hare rode the rim in the late going to score in the only 358 Sprint Car appearance at the track this season. Doug Dodson claimed the win in the finale for the 305 Sprint Cars.
Whittall Whallops 410s
Justin Whittall made up for last week’s misfortune at Port Royal Speedway by registering a dominant victory in the twenty-five lapper. His margin of victory was more than 4.8 seconds.
“We’ve had a couple taken away from us, especially last week,” Whittall noted. He blew a tire on the final lap with a commanding lead. “I learned something from last week.” He explained, “I just babied it, stayed away from the boards.”
After exploding the tire last week, he hit the outside wall, bending the front of the chassis. “This is a whole new car. Thanks to Mark Smith for fixing a couple of cars for us.”
Mike Thompson had the pole for the event, with Dominic Melair on his right flank. Doug Hammaker was lined up in third, with Blane Heimbach as his dancing partner. Garrett Bard and Nash Ely were next in line. Then came Jeff Halligan and Whittall. Rickey Peterson, Jr. and Mike Walter, Jr. made up row five. Logan Wagner and Lucas Wolfe claimed row six.
Thompson sailed away with the early lead over Melair, Heimbach, Hammaker and Bard. The pace slowed almost immediately after the first lap was scord, as Derek Hauck came to a stop. On the restart, Thompson picked up where he left off. Melair remained in second, followed by Bard, Hammaker, and Heimbach.
Whittall was up to sixth by lap five. He continued his progress to the front. In five more laps he was up to fourth.
As the race neared the halfway point, Melair was closing on Thompson. Melair made a move to the inside of turn three to take the lead briefly. By the time the lead duo reached turn one, though, Thompson was back in command.
Whittall was still on the charge and took over second from Melair. On lap fifteen, Whittall used a slider in turn two to take the lead from Thompson, who was having the race of his life.
Over the final ten laps, Whittal built upon his lead. Thompson remained in second, ahead of Bard. Meanwhile, Heimbach was digging himself out of a hole. He was picking off cars with some regularity.
At the checkers, it was Whittall over Thompson, Heimbach, Bard, and Hammaker. Walter, Logan Rumsey, Logan Wagner, Gerard McIntyre, and Wolfe.
Thompson was ecstatic with his career best finish in a 410 Sprinter. “I’ll tell you what. I didn’t know if Justin finished the race, because I sure as hell wouldn’t deserve being up there,” he said as he gestured up to victory lane.
For Heimbach, third place was a recovery in a couple of ways. First, it represented a recovery from an injury sustained two weeks ago when he was hit in the face by something. He explained that he was fortunate that the object hit him in the nose rather than in either of his eyes. “I got my bell rung. I was just sore for a couple of days.” The second was his drive back to the front in the second half. “We had the back-up lights on early. We just couldn’t keep pace.” He explained that he was able to search around and find some grip while his competitors seemed to be spinning their tire as the race drew to a close.
The trio of heat races went to Melair, Ely, and Hammaker. McIntyre won the B Main.
Hare Raising Finish in 358 Race
Seventeen-year-old Ayden Hare was aggressive in the final laps of the 358 Sprint Car race at Port Royal Speedway. He used the top groove to reach second moments before the final caution, with two laps to go. Then, he drove around the leader on the outside of turn four heading toward the white flag.
With the laps winding down, Hare was racing in third behind veterans Derek Locke and Cody Fletcher. However, while the leaders were slicing through some lapped cars, Hare entered the fray on the top. He reached second just before the final caution came out with two laps remaining. Then, on the restart, he stayed on the outside and followed Locke for three quarters of a lap. When Locke dipped low in turn four heading to the white flag, Hare sailed by to grab the lead.
“They kept running the bottom and I pounded the top,” Hare said. He added, “I thought he (Locke) was going to slide me, but I was committed to the top.” the second-year racer added.
Eli Tuckey and Locke made up the front row forthe twenty lap special at the Speed Palace. Tyler Rutherford and Fletcher were in the second row, followed by Hare and Bryn Gohn. Andy Best and Seth Schnoke. Chase Gutshall and Colton Hendershot occupied row five, with Tyler Ulrich and Frankie Herr in row six.
Locke rode the rim in turn one to take control of the race from Tuckey. Fletcher settled into third, followed by Gohn, Schnoke, Rutherford, Hare, Best, Gutshall, and Ulrich.
Best survived a scare on lap three when he spun twice on the backstretch. Although he made contact with the outside wall on one rotation, no other cars struck him.
Locke maintained his advantage over the next four laps while Tuckey and Fletcher were battling for the second position. Gohn remained in fourth, followed by Hare.
While things were orderly among the top five, behind them, the action was intense. A flip by Ethan Greak on lap seven bunched the field up and the action in the middle of the pack intensified on the restart. As the field was passing through turns three and four, chaos broke out. Brett Wanner and Frankie Herr, who were fighting for positions in the top ten, tangled, with both racers flipping. Herr left the ballpark. Wanner remained on the track and a few other racers were collected. Fortunately, no drivers were injured in either incident.
Locke opened up an advantage again on the restart. Fletcher worked past Tuckey. Gohn continued in fourth, followed by Hare. Within a few laps, though, Hare raced past both Tuckey and Gohn.
With five laps remaining, Locke caught the rear of the field, allowing Fletcher and Hare to draw in on him. Locke and Fletcher played cat and mouse as they wove their way through traffic for a couple of laps. Then, the top lane cleared for Hare, and he was mixing it up with the two veterans.
A caution with two to go eliminated the lapped traffic for the leaders. Locke was on the point, but Hare was on his tail for the restart. Fletcher, Gohn, and Ulrich comprised the rest of the top five for the two lap dash.
When the green flashed on again, Locke stayed in the middle of the track, Hare went to the topside once more. Locke had a slight advantage through turns one and two, but Hare had a full head of steam going into turn three and his momentum carried him past Locke coming through turn four.
Hare led the final lap without any counter from Locke. Gohn slipped by Fletcher. Ulrich helf onto fifth. Rutherford, Tuckey, Schnoke, Gutshall and Colton Moyer completed the top ten.
Locke admitted to moving some of the lapped cars during that furious battle with Fletcher and Hare before the caution. “I had to do something, we were basically three wide.” He second guessed himself in the stretch run with Hare, though. “He (Hare) was running the bottom when we were lapping cars. I moved down which may have been a mistake. But, if I went to the top, he probably would slide me.
Gohn, who claimed third late in the contest, said that he was “tickled” with that finish. “We’re a really low budget team. We run maybe five races and then we sit out for two years.”
The three heats belonged to Tuckey, Locke, and Rutherford. There was no B Main, as all twenty-four cars that signed in started the A Main.
Dodson Da Man in 305s
The PASS IMCA 305 Sprints wore the nightcap. Doug Dodson started in his favorite position, fourth, but it took him several laps before he could chase down the early leader, Mike Melair. Dodson then led the final fifteen laps to secure the victory.
“I didn’t take off as good as the 36 (Melair), but when he moved down, I got going,” Dodson said.
Melair had the pole for the twenty lapper, with Ace Pruitt to his right. Braeden Varner and Dodson lined up in their shadows. Then came Kenny Heffner and Jason Roush. Josh Spicer and Kruz Kepner took row four and Croix Beasom paired up with Logan Spahr in row five. They were followed by John Braim and Dylan Shatzer.
Melair surged ahead of Dodson on the opening lap and withstood one caution before surrendering the lead to Dodson’s slider in turn two. Pruitt and Varner wrestled for the third spot before Spicer joined the party.
Spicer was third by the halfway mark, and he continued his forward march in the second half of the race. He was second and closing at the conclusion of the contest.
Melair held on for third at the checkers. Kepner and Varner completed the first five. Then came Heffner, Pruitt, Jim Pattock, John Braim, and Spahr.
Four heats were staged for the 305s, with the wins going to Spicer, Shatzer, Varner, and Roush. Jarrett Cavalet took the honors in the B Main.
Coming Events
Port Royal Speedway will be dark next week in respect to the Summer National World of Outlaws event at Williams Grove Speedway.
Action will resume at the Speed Palace on Saturday, August 2. The 410 and 305 Sprints will race, along with the Limited Late Models.
There will be no racing on August 9 due to the Knoxville Nationals.
The 19th Annual Living Legends Dream Race will be held on August 16. The 410 Sprints and Super Late Models will be in action.
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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