Graduations are out of the way, and senior trips are complete. Now, it’s time to get into a Summer full of Sprint Car racing and high-paying events.
Central Pennsylvania grabs the local spotlight over the next 10 days with the 33rd edition for Pennsylvania Speedweek presented by Red Robin. The series features good purses and a $30,000 point fund courtesy of C&D Rigging.
SprintCarUnlimited.com will be there every step of the way. To kick off our coverage of Pennsylvania Speedweek, here is a Fan Guide that consists of a schedule, purses, storylines, and other information to wet your racing palate.
THE SCHEDULE
June 23: Williams Grove Speedway (Rain). June 24: Lincoln Speedway. June 25: BAPS Motor Speedway. June 26: Lincoln Speedway. June 27: Grandview Speedway. June 28: Hagerstown Speedway. June 30: Williams Grove Speedway. July 1: Port Royal Speedway. July 2: Selinsgrove Speedway. July 3: Port Royal Speedway.
THE PURSE
June 23: Williams Grove Speedway: $8,000 to win and a total purse of $33,750.
June 24: Lincoln Speedway: $10,092 to win and total purse of $38,442.
June 25: BAPS Motor Speedway: $8,000 to win and total purse of $33,750.
June 26: Lincoln Speedway: $8,000 to win and total purse of $33,750.
June 27: Grandview Speedway: $10,000 to win and total purse of $38,350.
June 28: Hagerstown Speedway: $8,000 to win and total purse of $33,750.
June 30: Williams Grove Speedway: $20,000 to win and total purse $49,350.
July 1: Port Royal Speedway: $10,000 to win and total purse of $38,350.
July 2: Selinsgrove Speedway: $10,000 to win and total purse of $38,350.
July 3: Port Royal Speedway: $15,000 to win and total purse of $44,350.
ALL-TIME SPEEDWEEK WINS
31: Lance Dewease. 30: Fred Rahmer. 26: Greg Hodnett. 12: Danny Dietrich. 11: Stevie Smith. 10: Kyle Larson. 9: Brent Marks. 8: Don Kreitz Jr. and Keith Kauffman. 6: Cris Eash. 5: Brian Montieth, Lucas Wolfe, Billy Pauch, Steve Smith, and Todd Shaffer. 4: Tyler Walker, Daryn Pittman, and Doug Esh. 3: Rico Abreu, Jeff Shepard, and Alan Krimes.
2: Anthony Macri, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Smith, Chad Kemenah, Sean Michael, Billy Brian Jr., and Trey Starks. 1: Blane Heimbach, Dave Blaney, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Logan Schuchart, Justin Henderson, Cory Haas, Ed Lynch Jr., Cody Darrah, Brett Mann, Jerry Stone, Lenny Krautheim, Kyle Moody, Steve Buckwalter, Brady Bacon, Cole Duncan, Chad Trout, Dylan Cisney, Christopher Bell, and Justin Peck.
SPEEDWEEK CHAMPIONS
2022: Brent Marks. 2021: Danny Dietrich. 2020: Kyle Larson. 2019: Lucas Wolfe. 2018: Greg Hodnett. 2017: Lucas Wolfe. 2016: Danny Dietrich. 2015: Stevie Smith. 2014: Lucas Wolfe. 2013: Greg Hodnett. 2012: Fred Rahmer. 2011: Fred Rahmer. 2010: Greg Hodnett. 2009: Greg Hodnett. 2008: Fred Rahmer. 2007: Lucas Wolfe. 2006: Fred Rahmer.
2005: Fred Rahmer. 2004: Fred Rahmer. 2003: Fred Rahmer. 2002: Greg Hodnett. 2001: Lance Dewease. 2000: Fred Rahmer. 1999: Lance Dewease. 1998: Fred Rahmer. 1997: Lance Dewease. 1996: Keith Kauffman. 1995: Fred Rahmer. 1994: Fred Rahmer. 1993: Fred Rahmer. 1992: Fred Rahmer. 1991: Steve Smith.
STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
Another title run: It will be hard for Brent Marks to duplicate his 2022 Pennsylvania Speedweek performance. He racked up five wins on his way to the championship and a season that will be remembered for a long time. Some will say Marks has dropped off, and that’s true, but it’s not as far as you think. He has four wins — two behind last year — so far in 2023 and is coming off a win in the Dean Knittel Memorial worth just north of $22,500. This team is starting to hit its stride, and that could mean another big Speedweek showing.
Don’t say it … weather: We don’t like to look at forecasts more than 48 hours away from an event, but people can’t stop talking about the weather. The good news is that Sunday’s event at BAPS Motor Speedway, which was lost to rain a year ago, has a forecast of partly cloudy. The bad news is that every other event on the Speedweek schedule has a chance of precipitation. Again, those are percentages and worst-case scenarios. The forecast is going to change 14 times over the next 11 days, so head out to the racetrack and support these events.
Peck going for the title: The 2023 season hasn’t been kind to Justin Peck and the Buch Motorsports team. Aside from some untimely mechanical issues, blown tires, etc., Peck suffered a concussion in a horrific crash during the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions event at Bridgeport Motorsports Park. Peck is back and showed speed out of the box at Portsmouth Raceway Park before having a flat tire while leading. Don’t be surprised if Peck is a factor throughout the week, especially at Lincoln Speedway, a place he’s excelled at in the past.
More Invaders: Pennsylvania Speedweek has a reputation of having good payouts and premier events that draw invaders from outside the area. It’s been a little quiet on that front, as a lot of drivers have focused on the High Bank Nationals at Huset’s Speedway this weekend before announcing their plans for high tailing it to the Keystone State. Cory Eliason could be an entry next weekend, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we have more travelers dipping their feet in the Speedweek pool at different times during the series.
Adding to the win total: Freddie Rahmer enters Pennsylvania Speedweek tied with A.J. Flick for the most 410 Sprint Car wins in the nation. The Salfordville, Pa., ace has eight victories to his credit, including six at Lincoln Speedway, which makes him a favorite when the series rolls into the Abbottstown, Pa., oval for Saturday’s Kevin Gobrecht Memorial and Monday’s program. It also doesn’t hurt that Rahmer is on a bit of a heater, winning four of his last eight events. All of Rahmer’s wins have come in the Rich Eichelberger-owned No. 8, and he will run that car at Williams Grove, Lincoln, and Hagerstown Speedway. Don’t be surprised if he adds another tally to his growing win total.
Wagaman’s new ride: It’s been a pretty good start to the partnership between Troy Wagaman Jr. and the Mike Heffner-owned No. 27. Wagaman hooked up with the team just before the June 10 event at Lincoln Speedway and has rattled off a win and two more top-five finishes in three starts. Crew chief Ben Engle and Wagaman have gelled well, which has led to an average finish of 2.33 in a pair of Lincoln starts and a win at Williams Grove Speedway. According to Wagaman, he will run shows at Williams Grove, Lincoln, BAPS Motor Speedway, and the July 1st show at Port Royal. It will be interesting to see if this team can continue its success in one of the toughest weeks of the year.
Always stealing wins: Lance Dewease isn’t going to run every event, which takes him out of any Speedweek title chase, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a factor and take wins away from the rest of the field. The tentative plan — weather permitting — is for Dewease to run shows at Williams Grove, Port Royal, and Hagerstown Speedway. He will also return to BAPS Motor Speedway for the first time since the All Star Circuit of Champions fiasco at the speedway in August of 2019. Dewease and Co. won’t celebrate a championship, but he will have an impact and steal some wins away from other teams.
Third title push: Despite some hiccups in qualifying and bad luck of late, there is a lot to like about Danny Dietrich’s chances of winning another Pennsylvania Speedweek title. He did it in 2016 and 2021, so he’s been there before. It also doesn’t hurt that Dietrich leads the region in top-five finishes with 19. The Gettysburg, Pa., driver has two wins in his last four starts, including an Ohio Speedweek triumph at Fremont Speedway and a victory at Lincoln Speedway last Saturday night. Passing cars isn’t a problem as much as qualifying, and if Dietrich can lay down some good time-trial laps, he is going to be a handful for the competition throughout the week.
The Champ: Picking a Pennsylvania Speedweek champion is no easy task. Sure, there are only four or five guys who have a crack at this thing, but they all bring something to the table that makes them a favorite. Brent Marks is the obvious choice. He’s gaining speed and won the Ohio Speedweek finale on top of being the defending champion. Still, I can’t take the chalk on this one and will be going with Anthony Macri to land his first Speedweek title. The Dillsburg, Pa., always qualifies well and has 17 top-five finishes in his last 20 events. During that stretch, his average finish is a jaw-dropping 4.55, and that is with some High Limit and World of Outlaws events mixed in. Those stats are too much to overlook.