MECHANICSBURG — Friday night was the final chance for the Williams

Grove Speedway sprint car teams to prepare for next weekend’s National

Open.

The National Open will conclude the Grove’s season with a regular

World of Outlaws program Friday night, followed by the National Open

on Saturday night, paying $75,000 to win.

A large, competitive field of sprint cars will be on hand.

Anthony Macri, who will be sidelined for this year’s open with a

broken back, is the only Outlaw winner at the Grove this season as

three of the scheduled races were rained out. Macri won the Morgan Cup

in May. Two-time National Open winner David Gravel leads the Outlaws

with 14 wins and a commanding point lead over Buddy Kofoid as he heads

towards a second straight series championship.

Several invaders were in the pits, including Knoxville Nationals and

Tuscarora 50 Champion Ryan Timms of Oklahoma City. Timms has had an

incredible season to date, including the two crown jewel wins, plus

the Jackson Nationals and Huset’s track championship.

A few High Limit Series regulars were also on hand. The series heads

to Bridgeport (N.J.) tonight, and Path Valley, Spring Run, tomorrow

night.

A strong field of 31 sprint cars were in the pits Friday night. Port

Royal track champion Justin Whittall had the fastest lap in qualifying

time trials at 16.665. Brent Marks, Daison Pursley, Brock Zearfoss and

Lance Dewease were the top five qualifiers.

Whittall won the first heat race over Zearfoss, Troy Wagaman Jr.,

Danny Dietrich and TJ Stutts. Marks was the second heat race over

Rahmer, Chad Trout, Kody Hartlaub and Austin Bishop. Dewease dropped

out while running second. Pursley won the final heat race. Cameron

Smith, Gio Scelzi, Chase Dietz and Preston Lattomus completed the top

five.

Rahmer won the six-lap dash earning the pole of the 25-lap feature.

Marks, Zearfoss, Pursley, Smith and Whittall completed the dash

finish.

Australian driver Ryan Newton won the B-main. Logan Rumsey, Brady

Bacon, Doug Hammaker, Ryan Smith and Ashton Torgerson were the other

feature transfers. Dewease once again dropped out with mechanical

issues.

Hanover’s Wagaman Jr. went into the night as the Grove point leader by

205 over four-time champion Rahmer. Seven-time Grove champion Dewease

was third in points. He’s 430 behind the leader. Zearfoss and Smith

are in the top five in points. It would be Wagaman’s first Grove

title, but a fourth for his car owner, Mike Heffner. They would earn

$18,000 for the title.

Since 2000, the National Open winners have included: Donny Schatz,

Carson Macedo, Dewease and Brent Marks. Macedo won his second National

Open last season. The race pays $75,000 to win. Gordon Johncock won

the first National Open on October 20, 1963,.

It was the final race of the season for the 358 sprints. Four-time

feature winner Dylan Norris, also from Hanover, is the track champion

for the first time in his career. He held an insurmountable 360-point

lead over Nash Ely heading into the finale.

Eli Tuckey, Chase Gutshall and Chad Criswell won the heat races for

the 358 sprints.