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PORT ROYAL -- After a sixth-place finish in the NASCAR Cup series race at Richmond Speedway Saturday night, Kyle Larson hopped on a jet and headed for the Knoxville Nationals.
Larson, 34, of Elk Grove, Calif., earned the pole for the Nationals
earlier in the week, but it appeared his NASCAR commitments wouldn't allow him to compete in sprint car racing’s biggest event.
However, Knoxville had a lengthy rain delay, and his Hendricks
Motorsports crew chief, Cliff Daniels, had a plan in place for Larson
just in case the opportunity came up to race at Knoxville.
Larson arrived at Knoxville, about 45 minutes southeast of Des Moines, Iowa, as the Last Chance Showdown was lining up. He got no practice laps, but that didn't matter as he started on the pole of the Nationals A-main and led all 50 laps earning $200,000. It was Larson's fourth Nationals win in the last six years.
He called the moment "surreal" noting a surge of emotion during the
NASCAR race when Daniels came on the radio and told him Knoxville was delayed. After the cup race, Daniels told Larson a plane was waiting and Knoxville was still was under a delay. He also told him, he had been excused from any post-race media obligations. Just under a two-hour flight and Larson was soon in the Knoxville pit area.
"It's wild how I'm standing here right now," Larson said. "I have to
thank Hendrick Motorsports. I couldn't do this without them.
"This was the best-case scenario," he added.
It was a clean sweep for Larson during Iowa Speedweek as he won the
Capitani Classic at Knoxville on Sunday, Aug. 9., won the Front Row
Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway last Monday night and his
Nationals qualifying race on Thursday. This earned him an extra
$10,000 and the Jesse Hockett "Mr. Sprint Car" award. His total
earnings exceeded $258,000.
Following Larson was Sheldon Haudenschild, Kasey Kahne, James McFadden and Hanover's Logan Schuchart. David Gravel finished sixth, Buddy Koiford seventh and Parker Price-Miller eighth.
Myerstown's Brent Marks finished ninth after starting 18th and York's
Chase Dietz finished 10th.
WEEKEND RACING RECAP
The PA Posse Sprint Car Series held two events over the weekend. Troy Wagaman Jr. won Friday night's 25-lap feature at Selinsgrove Speedway. It was his first career win at the big Snyder County race track. He earned $6,000.
"I never thought I'd win here," Wagaman said.
Port Royal point leader Logan Wagner finished second and Justin
Whittall completed the podium. Freddie Rahmer and Lucas Wolfe
completed the top five. Mark Smith, Austin Bishop, J.J. Loss, Kody
Hartlaub and Ryan Taylor rounded out the top 10.
A strong field of 33 cars were on hand. Whittall had the fastest lap
in qualifying time trials at 15.892. The heat races went to Whittall,
Bishop, Hartlaub and Wolfe.
From the area's largest track Friday night to smallest on Saturday
night as the series moved to Clinton County Speedway, near Lock Haven.
Whittall picked up the victory on the tight quarter-mile track in the
Phil Walter Classic. He earned $7,500. Ryan Smith, Cam Smith, Tyler
Ross and Brett Strickler completed the top five. J.T. Ferry, A.J.
Flick, Billy Dietrich, Lucas Wolfe, and Mark Smith rounded out the top
10.
Port Royal's Lane Snook won the Late Model Sportsman feature at
Hagerstown (Md) Speedway Saturday night. Ken Duke Jr. won the Pennsylvania (305) Sprint Series feature Friday night at Big Diamond. It was a first career win for car owner Doug Lucas and Duke's first Big Diamond win as well.
Selinsgrove returns to action Friday night with Late Models, 305
Sprints and Street Stocks.
PORT ROYAL BACK IN ACTION
After a week off for the Nationals, Port Royal Speedway is back in
action Saturday night with the Living Legends Dream race featuring the sprint cars and late models. Being honored will be legendary mechanic Davey Brown Sr., car owner Don Kreitz Jr., and former late model driver, Tom Peck -a 24-time Port Royal feature winner.
The sprint cars will be racing for a $20,000 top prize. Five-time track champion Logan Wagner leads six-time track champion Lance Dewease by 85 points in the sprint car championship standings.
In the late models point standings, Trevor Feathers leads Greg
Satterlee by 30. It would be a first Port Royal title for either driver.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series returns to Port Royal on Friday,
Aug., 28 and Saturday night, Aug. 29, with the "Rumble by the River"
finale paying $50,000.
The Juniata County Fair opener featuring the Butch Renninger Memorial is Saturday, Sept. 5. The Labor Day Classic for the sprint cars is Sept. 7. Two days off and Tuscarora 50 weekend begins Thursday, Sept. 10. This year's Tuscarora 50 finale pays $59,000 to win.