MECHANICSBURG, PA (September 4, 2026):  Doug Hammaker, a highly successful 358 Sprint Car racer at Williams Grove Speedway earlier in his career, defeated Freddie Rahmer, Jr. in a thriller to notch his first career 410 victory at the historic oval. Hammaker lost the lead to Rahmer twice during the closing laps, but he rallied to pass Rahmer in turn three on the final lap. However, Hammaker did not earn the bonus for a last lap pass because he was electronically scored as the leader on lap twenty-four by only 0.026 seconds.

Hammaker had what appeared to be an insurmountable lead with five laps remaining. But when lapped traffic slowed his pace, Rahmer was able to cut the margin significantly as the race drew to a close. Indeed, Rahmer passed Hammaker twice in the final laps, but Hammaker retained the lead at the scoring loop throughout. Nonetheless, Hammaker trailed Rahmer through turns one and two on the last lap and he made a strong inside move in turn three to regain the lead. Hammaker took the checkers 0.119 seconds ahead of his challenger.

Hammaker explained why his lead shrank in the closing laps thusly. “I hit the lapped cars at the wrong time,” adding that he seemed to reach them at the end of the long straights. “I knew I was just a sitting duck. I was trying to run the bottom and that was not the right move.” He continued, “they (the lapped cars) were too far of a gap where I couldn’t slide them. So, I had to do my best to try and carry my momentum around those corners.”

However, Rahmer first passed Hammaker on the inside coming off turn two when the leader got hung up behind some slower cars.

There were no lapped cars to interfere with Hammaker’s winning move on the final lap. Hammaker used the same strategy to salvage the win. “I ran it in on the bottom (of turn three) and I think that screwed up Freddie’s entry,” he noted. Hammaker then finished off the pass with a short slider.

Despite the frenzied last lap, Hammaker candidly admitted that Chase Dietz was the man to beat this night. Once again, though, Dietz suffered from some bad racing luck. He led Hammaker by more than 1.2 seconds moments before tangling with a lapped car in turn four on lap nine. Dietz spun toward the inside guardrail but avoided contact with the barrier. With no apparent damage, he rejoined the back of the field and raced his way into the top ten by the conclusion of the thirty lapper.

Dietz used the cushion in turn two to drive by Hammaker on the opening lap. Rahmer, Cameron Smith, and Dylan Norris made up the rest of the top five in the early going. Dietz built a substantial lead until the calamity in turn four nine laps into the event.

Hammaker inherited the lead for the restart, with Rahmer, Smith, Norris, Dietrich, Logan Rumsey, Austin Bishop, Troy Wagaman, Jr., T.J. Stutts, and Kody Hartlaub rounding out the top ten at that time. Hartlaub lost his spot in the top ten on lap fourteen, and Norris ended his top five run five laps later.

The caution for Norris was converted into an open red because track officials determined that the racers would not be able to finish the remaining eleven laps without adding fuel.

So, Hammaker had the point for the final restart with eleven laps to go. He was followed by Rahmer, Smith, Dietrich, Rumsey, Wagaman, Bishop, Stutts, Lance Dewease, and Brent Shearer.

Rahmer tried to go under Hammaker entering turn one on the restart. Hammaker had the right rear planted in the cushion, and his momentum carried him past Rahmer.

Three laps after the race resumed, Dietrich took third away from Smith with a slider in turn four. Dietrich then began to close in on Rahmer. Soon, they were both approaching Hammaker.

However, the late race drama began to unfold because Hammaker was struggling with lapped traffic. Rahmer and Dietrich had both cut into his lead. For a moment, It seemed that there would be a three-car battle for the top spot, but Dietrich lost contact with the leaders while they were navigating through the slower cars.

Rahmer made his most significant move taking the lead coming off turn two, but Hammaker was somehow ahead by a nose at the scoring loop as they took the white flag. Rahmer regained the advantage through the first two corners on the final lap. Hammaker came storming back entering turn three. Rahmer tried to turn back under him coming off turn four, but Hammaker was far enough ahead after the final two turns to secure his momentous win.

Dietrich followed Hammaker and Rahmer to the checkers. Smith and Rumsey were fourth and fifth, respectively. Wagaman, Bishop, Stutts, Dewease, and Dietz completed the top ten.

The $8,000 victory was the first for Sandy Kline at Williams Grove as the sole owner of the yellow number 22 with the throwback paint scheme. For several years, she co-owned a similar car with her late husband, Jim. Their last win at the Grove came in 2009 with the late Greg Hodnett at the controls.

Dietz, Rahmer, and Hammaker scored heat wins. There was no B Main needed for the twenty-five car field.

Justin Whittal flipped during hot laps and scratched for the night. He was not injured in the crash.

Mike Walls surprisingly passed Kyle Lee in turn two on the final lap of the Limited Late Model race. Kyle Lee took the lead from Dan Zechman on lap nine and it appeared that he would cruise to victory in the twenty lapper. However, Kyle Lee slowed when he jumped the cushion following a lap nineteen restart and Mike Walls was there to capitalize on the error.

D.J. Myers made some nifty moves in the closing laps to get third, finishing ahead of Chase Billet and Brian Booze. Travis Mease, Treyton Lee, Chad Earnst, Colton Friese, and Shannon Slaughter completed the top ten.

Lane Snook, Kyle Lee, John Moser, Jr., and Mike Wells won the heat races in the only appearance of the Limited Late Models at the track for 2026. Travis Horan captured the B Main. Thirty-three cars signed in for the event.

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.