Sentinel photo by MIKE GOSS Anthony Macri in victory lane Thursday night.

PORT ROYAL – Anthony Macri dominated the opening race of Tuscarora 50

weekend Thursday night at Port Royal Speedway with the High Limit

Racing Series.

Macri, of Dillsburg, earned $10,000 for his first series win of the

season, fourth overall at the track and 13th overall on the season.

The King’s Royal Champion won by four seconds and now owns 30 career

Port Royal wins.

“It means a little more with the competition that’s here, but you

still have to do your job, no matter what weekend it is or no matter

who is here,” Macri said.

Macri passed Brenham Crouch off turn two on the opening lap. The

racing was close in turns three and four as Crouch tried to take the

lead back, however, it was Macri securing it off turn four.

“Getting out into clean air was important,” Macri said. “If he got the

upper hand, I knew I’d have to bide my time and wait until lapped

traffic. We duked it out, and I was able to get in front of him and

get control of the race. I got a little tight in dirty air, so I had

to mess with the wing a little bit.”

Ashton Torgersen was third as point leader Justin Whittall passed

Danny Dietrich taking fourth.

Macri, the 2022 Tuscarora 50 Champion, led by over two seconds when he

started lapping slower traffic.

The yellow flew with eight laps completed when Brock Zearfoss stopped

in turn four.

Fifth starting Whittall got a great restart passing Torgersen and

Crouch taking second. Macri led by 2.5 seconds at the half-way point

of the 25-lap feature.

Macri set a blistering pace, and starting lapping cars with eight laps

to go. Crouch and Whittall swapped the second spot a few times with

Dietrich a close fourth.

Macri won easily as Whittall all but clinched the track championship

as he fended off Crouch for the runner-up spot. He led Logan Wagner

by 210 points going into Friday night’s race.

“It was great racing,” Whittall said. “The Tuscarora 50 is one of my

favorite races. I try to take it in as much as I can, but I have to

focus on racing because the points are on the line.”

Crouch, a 19-year-old from Lubbock, Texas, recorded his best-career

finish at Port Royal and with the series in the central

Pennsylvania-based CJB No. 5 sprinter.

“”We put ourselves in a good position all night,” Crouch said. “My

guys have been getting me more comfortable. We made the right

decisions and everything fell our way. It was a heck of a race with

Justin.”

Macri was the ‘oldest’ driver on the podium at 26. Whittall is 24 and

Crouch 19 making the average age of the podium finishers 23.

Dietrich and defending Tuscarora 50 champion Rico Abreu completed the

top five. Ryan Smith, Torgerson, Trey Starks, Sye Lynch and Brad Sweet

rounded out the top 10.

Macri was fastest in Group A qualifying with a lap of 15.426. Brian

Brown was fastest in Group A at 15.923. Brown, however, scratched for

the night. He was making his return from hand and wrist injuries

suffered about a month ago at the Knoxville Nationals. Abreu was moved

up to the fast timer in the group (15.928). Brown said he couldn’t

grip the steering wheel the way he needed to and didn’t feel it would

be safe racing around other cars.

Whittall, Danny Sams III, Crouch, and Dietrich won the heat races.

Gerard McIntyre Jr. won the C-main. Crouch beat Macri in the dash.

Lucas Wolfe won the B-main.

Nick Sweigart, of Myerstown, won his third Port Royal feature of the

season in the 305 sprints. He also clinched the track championship.

Kenny Heffner, who started 10th, Josh Spicer, Jim Pattock and Fred

Arnold completed the top five. Second place point man Logan Spahr,

Erin Statler, Jimmy White, 18th starter Drew Young and Roger Irvine

rounded out the top 10.

Braeden Varner, Spahr and White won the heat races.

The sprints were back in action Friday night, along with the limited

late models.

The 58th Annual Tuscarora 50 for the sprint cars will be presented

tonight with $58,000 going to the feature winner after 50 grueling

laps. The last five T50 winners include: Abreu, Brown, Macri, Logan

Wagner and Lance Dewease.

FRIDAY FRENZY

The sprints were back in action Friday night, along with the limited

late models.

Aaron Reutzel was fastest in Group A qualifying with a lap of 15.342. Sye Lynch, Brenham Crouch, Anthony Macri and Gio Scelzi were in the top five.

Chase Dietz was quickest in Group B at 15.743. Brent Marks, Ryan Smith, Parker Price-Miller and Brad Sweet completed the top five.

Scelzi, Macri, Sweet and Price-Miller won heat races for the 52 cars.

Austin Bishop won the C-main. Reutzel won the dash over Smith, Macri and Price-Miller. Dietz won the B-main.

Spike Moore and Jaxton Garman won the limited late model heats.

The 58th Annual Tuscarora 50 for the sprint cars will be presented

tonight with $58,000 going to the feature winner after 50 grueling

laps. The last five T50 winners include: Abreu, Brown, Macri, Logan

Wagner and Lance Dewease.