Dirt Racing
Macri Masters BAPS Opener
NEWBERRYTOWN, PA (March 15, 2026): Anthony Macri picked up where he left things off at BAPS Motor Speedway. His first win of the season on northern soil, and third overall, gave him four out of the last six 410 Sprint Car races held at the track. Further, it was his eighth career victory at BAPS. Joining him in celebration was veteran Gene Knaub, who chalked up his twenty-ninth career Late Model triumph at a venue he once dominated.
“I knew when I was in clean air that I had to pace myself,” Macri said. “I knew that the lapped cars would be tough,” he added. Indeed, he had a close call when he split two of the slower cars midway through the event.
Macri commented that he had to pick up his pace when he saw that Chase Dietz was in second place. Dietz, who already owns two wins at another area speedway this season, was very fast in the middle stage of the race.
Nevertheless, Macri was able to make good speed on the high side of turns one and two, but he had to wait for the top to come in at the opposite end of the speedway. “It was very bottom dominant, it took a while for it to clean off down in (turns) three and four.”
Macri appreciates his hot start to the 2026 season, but he knows that things could change at any time. “We’re going to ride the wave as long as we can. It’s Sprint Car racing, you know. It can come crashing down. You never know, next weekend you could trash two cars.”
Macri drew the pole for the thirty lapper, which was staged according to the Speedweek format. Flanking him was Freddie Rahmer, Jr., who held him off elsewhere ust the night before. T.J. Stutts and Brock Zearfoss paired up in row two. They were followed by Tyler Ross and Dietz. Then came J.J. Loss and Lance Dewease. Danny Dietrich and Preston Lattomus occupied row five. Aaron Bollinger and Mark Smith completed the first half of the starting field.
Macri shot into the lead at the drop of the green. Rahmer took over second, followed by Zearfoss, Dietz, and Ross. Dewease, Stutts, Loss, Lattomus, and Cameron Smith made up the balance of the top ten in the early going.
The top five were unchanged through five laps. However, things were changing in the next five positions. Danny Dietrich worked into eighth. Also, Lattomus started to slip back in the running order.
Dietz took over third on lap six, just a couple of rounds before Andy Best stopped on the backstretch for the first caution of the event. Soon after the race resumed, Dietz picked off Rahmer for the second spot, but Macri had a substantial lead at that time.
Meanwhile, Ross and Zearfoss began a spirited duel for the fourth position. That came to a stop on lap thirteen when Bollinger slowed on the front stretch for the second caution.
Macri maintained control after the restart. Dietz continued in second, ahead of Rahmer, Ross and Zearfoss resumed their battle for fourth. After a lap or two, Ross claimed the spot as his own. He wasn’t done just yet, though. Within a lap or two, he passed Rahmer for the third position.
Macri and Dietz separated themselves from Ross as the race moved into the final ten laps. Rahmer picked up his pace at that point, closing in on Ross. Rahmer pressed Ross as they worked through traffic. Rahmer made a move with four laps remaining to regain the third position. Ross began to fade after that, and Zearfoss overtook him for fourth in the closing laps.
At the checkers, Macri had a lead of two and a quarter seconds over Dietz. Rahmer, Zearfoss, and Ross completed the top five. Danny Dietrich, Dewease, Cameron Smith, Stutts, and Kyle Moody were sixth through tenth.
Stutts, Dietz, and Ross captured the heat wins for the twenty-seven cars on hand. Cole Knopp won the B Main. Zearfoss was the evening’s fastest qualifier overall, posting a time of 13.944 seconds.
The second heat had a controversial call by track officials. Danny Dietrich, who crossed the line in third, was penalized two spots for jumping the initial start. The ruling was later overturned, and he was restored to third before the feature line-up was posted. Also, in the second heat, Logan Rumsey blew his engine as he took the checkers. He was done for the night.
Three cars tumbled during the B Main. The first was Nick Sheridan. Later, D.J. Christie and Ayden Hare went over together in turn two. None of the drivers were injured. Christie was able to patch the car up to make a transfer from the abbreviated B Main.
An exciting twenty lap Late Model feature closed out the program. Knaub led the first fifteen laps, but Coleby Frye was closing quickly when the only caution slowed the pace.
When the race resumed, the pair of veterans battled fiercely for the top spot. Frye worked under Knaub in turn one with two laps remaining. However, Knaub came storming back on the next trip around. He went low on Frye and regained the position in turn one. Knaub pulled away by several car lengths on the final circuit.
“I’m tired of being beat up,” Knaub said. “I drive them like they drive me,” he commented.
Knaub added that he built the powerplant ten years ago. “It’s down on power, but it’s still good enough to win,” he quipped.
Chad Smith, Michael Walls, and Travis Horan followed Knaub and Frye across the finish line. Scott Palmer, Matt Adams, Devin Frey, Dale Murphy, and Zach Kauffman rounded out the top ten.
Three heats were staged of the twenty-seven fendered machines. The wins went to Knaub, Smith, and Keith Walls. There was no B Main, as all but one car started the feature race.
BAPS will return to its customary Saturday night program next weekend with the opener for the Super Sportsmen. The Late Models, Extreme Stocks, and Classic Cars will also be in action. A Sprint Car doubleheader will be held on March 29, as the 358s will make their first appearance in support of the 410 division.
IMPERIAL, PA (May 9, 2026) – Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway (PPMS) is cancelling their Saturday night program after heavy overnight rains and cloudy skies throughout the morning forced track officials to make the difficult decision.
“After evaluating conditions throughout the property Saturday morning, speedway officials determined that the amount of water absorbed overnight created conditions that would not allow for a practical or enjoyable event experience for fans, teams, and staff” the Speedway announced in a statement.
Fans who purchased advanced tickets for tonight’s event have already had their refunds processed automatically..
Next Saturday PPMS will host a ‘Night of Champions’, which will honor 2025 track Champions and those who finished in the top 10 in points in the respective divisions.
“We’re ready to get this season rolling in a big way and hopefully Mother Nature starts working with us soon,” said Tyler Harris, PPMS Operations Manager. “We know fans, racers, and teams are anxious to get back to the speedway, and we appreciate everyone continuing to stick with us through a difficult start to the year.”
Dirt Racing
Lernerville Speedway and Tri-City Raceway Park hoping to get seasons started Friday night
Lernerville Speedway and Tri-City Raceway Park are hoping Mother Nature cooperates so they can get their 2026 seasons started on Friday night.
Lernerville is planning on Fab 4 Racing with the McConnell Memorial on top. Sprint Cars, Late Models, Modifieds and Pro Stocks are on the card this evening.
Pits open at 4 p.m. with spectator gates opening at 5 p.m. Hot Laps begin at 6:15 p.m. followed by racing at 7:30 p.m.
Four weather-related postponements have delayed opening night at Tri-City Raceway Park, who are preparing to drop the green flag Friday night with their regular 4 Star Racing show on its half-mile oval.
410 Sprint Cars will be competing for a $3,000 winner’s purse. Joining the 410’s on tonight’s card will be the Pro Stocks, with the winner taking home $700!
The RUSH Sprint Cars are set to compete in their 40th race at the Venango County speedway. Tonight’s winning will get $600 for taking home the checkered flag.
The RUSH Stock Cars round out the evening as they return for their second season. Tonight’s winner will take home a $300 top prize. The racing starts at 7 p.m.
ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (May 6, 2026): Buddy Kofoid held off a last lap charge by Carson Macedo to claim his second straight win in the Gettysburg Clash held at the Fabulous Lincoln Speedway. Kofoid’s $12,000 victory gave the World of Outlaws the edge over the Pennsylvania Posse heading into the Morgan Cup weekend at Williams Grove Speedway.
Kofoid admitted to watching the big screen that was positioned between turns one and two.
Initially, the strategy worked to his advantage, as it prompted him to abandon the high line with about six laps to go in the race. “I was watching the screen. I was losing speed. I was up on the cushion but I was having trouble closing on the lappers, so I went down and I stayed in line because it was clean.”
However, the tactic almost backfired on him as the race was drawing to a close, for he got confused by what he saw and he was uncertain whether he was getting the white flag or the checkers. “I was watching the screen and I wasn’t sure if it was white or checkers because I was seeing what the lapped cars were seeing.” That slight hesitation by Kofoid, who was trying to stay in clean air, allowed Carson Macedo to get a big run on him on the final lap.
The margin of victory was .06 seconds. “I thought I may have gotten him at the line. We were close,” Macedo said.
David Gravel started from the pole position as a result of his dash victory. Logan Rumsey, who made his first Outlaws dash, lined up next to him. Carson Macedo and Kofoid lined up in row two, followed by Sheldon Haudenschild and Bill Balog. The final dash participants, Danny Dietrich and Chase Dietz, came next. Ashton Torgerson and Cameron Smith were in row five. Row six paired Kasey Kahne with Donny Schatz. Kody hartlaub was slated to be in the twelfth spot, but an electrical problem forced him into the pits. While his crew did replace the faulty ignition box, he had to drop to the rear for the initial green.
Gravel took control at the start of the thirty-five lap event. Carson Macedo followed him into second, dropping Rumsey to third. Kofoid, Haudenschild, Dietz, Dietrich, Torgerson, Balog, and Kahne followed in the early rounds. Kofoid moved into third in the early going.
Gravel reached the backmarkers on lap nine. He was able to maintain his advantage as he started to pick them off. However, Carson Macedo lost second place to Kofoid in traffic on lap ten.
Soon thereafter, a four-car tangle at the exit of turn four brought out the first red flag of the event.
Gravel led Kofoid when the race resumed. Behind them, Carson Macedo and Haudenschild were fighting for third and Dietz and Dietrich were jousting for fifth. After a couple of intense laps, Haudenschild struck the wall in turn four.
On the ensuing restart, Dietz picked up speed. He moved into the third position on lap seventeen and he was closing in on the leaders, Gravel and Kofoid. However, a caution for Freddie Rahmer, Jr. on lap eighteen slowed his advance. At the time of the incident, Rahmer had advanced more than thirteen positions.
Although Gravel resumed his lead after the race went green again, Kofoid was on the charge. He stayed close to the leader for three quarters of a lap. In turn four, he executed a slider to take the lead. Gravel mounted a counterattack, and passed Kofoid back again. However, the pass was nullified by another red flag for a crash that eliminated four cars, including those of Schuchart, Torgerson, Balog, and Cole Macedo.
Kofoid thus was restored to first place for the restart. Gravel, Carson Macedo, Dietz, Rumsey, Dietrich, Kahne, Tyler Ross, Garet Williamson, and Cameron Smith made up the balance of the top ten for the remaining sixteen laps.
The second red flag changed the complexion of the race in other respects, as well.
Phil Dietz made significant changes to the car of Carson Macedo. Macedo explained that he was fading before the stoppage, but the adjustments made by his crew chief made his car better.
Further, Gravel was unable to maintain his pace when the race resumed. Chase Dietz, who eventually wrestled third away from him, explained, “he was in clean air a lot of the race, but that restart got him in with some other cars, and I was able to get by him.”
After the race resumed, both Carson Macedo and Dietz moved forward, and Gravel faded.
Kofoid remained out front for the remainder of the race. He migrated from the top to the inside line and followed the slower cars to the finish. Carson Macedo made a big push on the final lap but came up a bot short at the checkers.
Dietz, Gravel, and Dietrich rounded out the top five. The next five finishers were Rumsey, Ross, Smith, Kahne, and Williamson.
Ross was the hard charger, at plus seventeen. Dylan Norris, who was twelfth at the checkers, advanced sixteen positions.
The heat winners were Dietrich, Gravel, Carson Macedo, and Haudenschild. Schuchart won the B Main. Dietrich was the evening’s fastest qualifier, topping Group A with a lap of 13.584 seconds. Smith was the best of Group B with a time of 14.424 seconds.
Brett Perigo drove his Ford powered Wingless Sportsman to the win in the twenty-lap nightcap. He drove by the early leader, Eric Walker, coming off turn two on lap fifteen. It was Perigo’s third win of the season and the first on the tour.
Cliff Brian, Brandon Shearer, and Tony Jackson followed Perigo and Walker across the line. Positions six through ten went to Jay Fannasy, Donnie Farlling, Steve Wilbur, Lee Kauffman, and Chad Thomas.
Fannasy was the fastest qualifier in timed hot laps. He turned in a time of 18.543 seconds.
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