Dirt Racing
Smith Holds off Dietz in Possee Thriller; Blair Blitzes Late Model Foes at Port Royal
PORT ROYAL, PA (April 11, 2026): After a poor start to the 2026 season, Ryan Smith seems to be getting hot just in time for some of the bigger events coming up soon. He was second at Williams Grove on Friday to Justin Peck and, less that twenty-four hours later, he was sitting in victory lane at Port Royal Speedway. His first win in the PA Possee Series netted him $6,000, and bigger paydays are in the offing next weekend.
Also reaching victory lane was Max Blair in the Late Model portion of the program.
Smith’s Success
Smith attributed the poor start to the season to rust and old age. But, he looked awfully quick and aggressive this night, catching Chase Dietz in traffic and then taking the lead as he sliced and diced the slower cars.
Dietz had no alternative but to try to run the wall to regain the lead in the closing laps. Despite the treacherous conditions, Dietz was able to draw near, but Smith was able to run the middle groove to perfection to preserve his lead.
“That had to be pretty entertaining, at least it was from my seat,” Smith gushed. After giving props to the track crew, Smith added, “the track was awesome. I knew the top would go away. When the track was like it is, I can’t be beat.”
Dietz explained that he was unable to maintain his pace as the leaders raced through traffic. “I got to him (Smith), but he cleared traffic right.”
Troy Wagaman, Jr. closed in on the leaders in the final laps, but he ran out of time. “I was late moving up. That’s on me.” He admitted that his lack of familiarity with the Speed Palace led to the tactical error.
Wagaman earned the pole by winning his heat race from the fourth position. Dietz drew the second position. Giovanni Scelzi and Ryan Smith selected second row spots, with Justin Peck and Justin Whittall getting the third row. Brock Zearfoss and Jake Karklin get the final two preferred starting positions, Lance Dewease and Brent Marks were in row five, followed by Freddie Rahmer, Jr. and Danny Dietrich.
Wagaman drove up to the top groove in turn one to take the early lead from Dietz. Smith settled into third, followed by Whittall and Scelzi. Peck, Marks, Zearfoss, Dietrich, and Karklin made up the balance of the top ten in the opening laps.
Dietz got wound up coming through turns three and four to slingshot around Wagaman for the lead. Meanwhile, Whittall was on the charge. He reached second by lap eight.
Unfortunately, just two laps later, Whittall made contact with a lapped car in turn two. Whittall did a 360 and kept going, but track rules called for a caution. Whittall pitted under the yellow and got trapped in the work area because he was not guaranteed any time to make repairs.
So, Dietz led Wagaman for the restart, with Smith, Marks, Peck, Scelzi, Dietrich, Zearfoss, Dewease, and Rahmer next in line. When the race resumed, Smith and Marks moved past Wagaman.
Smith began to cut into Dietz’ advantage over the next five laps or so. On lap eighteen, he drove under Dietz in turn two to take the lead. Smith was able to maintain his lead as he fought through traffic.
With Smith cutting through the slower cars wherever and whenever there was an opening in the lower grooves, Dietz tried to mount a counterattack by riding the wall. He was able to narrow the gap, but he could never get his nose out front again.
Smith took the checkers 2.417 seconds ahead of Dietz. Wagaman held off Marks for third. Dewease was fifth. Peck, Scelzi, Zearfoss, Dietrich, and Logan Wagner were the next five finishers.
Wagner was named the hard charger, advancing eight positions over the twenty-five lap distance.
Heat wins went to Dietz, Wagaman, Whittall, and Peck. Wagner captured the B Main. Karklin was the fastest qualifier in Group A and overall, with a time of 16,434 seconds. Smith topped Group B with a lap of 17.099 seconds.
Blair’s Best
Max Blair visited one of his favorite haunts on a rare weekend off from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, and he won the non-stop affair by more than ten seconds.
“We unloaded with our normal package and it didn’t feel real good.” Blair observed. “We made some changes and it felt real good after that,” he added.
Blair noted that the track is very different when racing in the daylight, but, he said, “I hope its like this when Lucas comes back in August.” He plans to make a return for another test session during a Saturday night show if the schedule permits.
Second place finisher Gregg Satterlee chased down Justin Weaver in the closing laps. He used the middle lane to drive by Weaver in turn two on the final lap. “We had a good race going on,” Satterlee noted about his tussle with Weaver for second. “Max just got away from us there.” Nonetheless, Satterlee was pleased how his car came in late in the race. “The car felt good as the race went on. We have some longer races coming up,” so he felt that he learned some things for those events.
Weaver was disappointed with himself for finishing third. “I caught myself riding the bottom. I guess that’s what allowed Gregg to get to me.”
Weaver and Blair drew the front row for the twenty-five lap finale. Rick Eckert and Satterlee lined up in orw two. Then came Ross Robinson and Lane Snook. Ageless Gary Stuhler and Andrew Yoder started in row four, with Dillan Stake and J.T. Spence behind them. Hayes Mattern and Chad Myers were in row six.
Turn one got very crowded on the opening lap. Weaver left enough of an opening to allow Eckert to get a nose under him. But Blair had the outside groove all to himself, and he was able to power away with the lead. Weaver recovered in turn two to claim second. Eckert fell back to third, ahead of Satterlee, Robinson, Stuhler, and Snook. Andrew Yoder, Stake, and Mattern completed the top ten in the early going.
Blair continued to pull away from Weaver, who maintained a comfortable advantage over Eckert. It did not take Blair long to reach the tail of the field and to start lapping cars.
As the race reached the midpoint, Satterlee drove by Eckert for third. At that time, he was more than a second and a half behind Weaver. However, Satterlee began whittling away at that. Weaver then strung a couple of good laps together to stretch his advantage to almost 1.4 seconds again.
However, Satterlee’s car came to life again with seven laps to go and the separation between second and third began to shrink with each trip around the big half mile.
Weaver was able to keep Satterlee at bay for a couple of laps by using lapped cars as picks. However, he cleared the last of them with two laps to go. Weaver then hugged the inside line, thinking that Satterlee could not gather enough momentum to try an outside pass.
But Satterlee was able to do just that. He entered turn one just off Weaver’s right rear quarter panel. He drove up next to him and got clear of Weaver in turn two. Satterlee dipped to the inside in turn three to shut the door on any counter by Weaver.
Blair took the checkers nearly a half a track ahead of Satterlee, Weaver was third. Eckert and Stuhler were fourth and fifth. Robinson, Andrew Yoder, Stake, Mattern, and Trever Feathers completed the top ten.
Satterlee, Eckert, and Blair were victorious in the heat races. There was no B Main needed for the twenty-three cars on hand. Satterlee was the quickest in timed hot laps with a round of 20.425 seconds.
Coming Events
Next week, Port Royal Speedway will present a five feature program. The Super Late Models will be the headliners. The Limited Late Models and 305 Sprint Cars will do double duty to make up for the loss of their races to the rain last week.
The 410 Sprint Cars will be off next week in consideration of the Weldon Sterner Memorial to be held at Lincoln Speedway as part of the Possee Series.
The 410s will be back at Port Royal on April 25 for the Keith Kauffman Classic.
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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