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PORT ROYAL -- A few weeks ago, Kody Hartlaub didn’t know how much more sprint car racing he’d do this season. Then he got a phone call from car owner Brett Knable to drive his BK Motorsports No. 77 at Port Royal Speedway.
And only three races into the partnership, Hartlaub parked it in victory lane following the 25-lap feature Saturday night.
“I have no laps here, but Brett believed in me and we got it done
somehow,” Hartlaub said. “This is unbelievable.”
He started on the pole and controlled all 25 laps.
“It means a lot that he believed in me because I don’t race here,”
Hartlaub said. “When you have the right people behind you, it’s crazy
what you can do.”
“That was really exciting,” Knable said. “After a week ago, when we
didn’t qualify, we went back to the drawing board. He needed laps here to get comfortable and get some confidence. Tonight, when he went out, he was a whole different driver.”
Hartlaub, of East Berlin, earned $5,000 for his first career Port
Royal win. Unfortunately, the team might need some engine repairs after the big win.
“The engine’s blown up,” Hartlaub said. “A little after half-way it
started getting tight. These races are hard to win and I wasn’t going
to stop. I looked down at the gauge, and it still had oil pressure, so
I kept going.”
Lance Dewease raced into second from 11th starting spot with five laps to go, but Hartlaub cleared slower traffic securing the win.
“I had no idea who was behind me,” Hartlaub said. “I wasn’t daring to
look at the board. The cars in front of me were setting a good pace
and I couldn’t do much more. Finally, they pulled down and gave me a clear lane up top and I could get moving again.”
He’d beat Dewease by a little over one-second. Nash Ely, Matt Campbell and rookie Owen Dimm completed the top five. Logan Wagner, Justin Whittall, Dominic Melair, Mark Smith and Jake Karklin rounded out the top 10.
Heat races for the 35 sprint cars were won by Ely, Dimm, Ryan Taylor
and Dewease. Michael Walter won the consolation race.
Port Royal’s Lane Snook continued his domination of the limited late
model division with his third win in five Port Royal starts this
season. The 2025 track champion took the lead from Andrew Yoder with five laps left in the 20-lap feature.
Snook and Yoder swapped the lead a few times before Snook gained control.
“He bobbled that one lap and I had a really good run,” Snook said.
“The timing was right. I hope I cleared him going into one because I
don’t think I could have run in there any harder. Our car was
phenomenal all night.”
Yoder, DJ Myers, Shawn Shoemaker and Jaxton Garman completed the top five. Dan Zechman, Nathan Long, Travis Mease, Casey Steinhoff and Colton Friese rounded out the top 10.
Austin Berry, Snook and Travis Mease won heat races for the 24 limited late models.
Herndon’s Tyler Erdley dominated the 20-lap feature for the 305 sprint
cars. It was his second win of the season, but first in victory lane
as he was awarded a win earlier in the year when Nick Sweigart was
disqualified.
Zach Rhodes, Kenny Heffner, Tyler Schell and Jacob Gomola completed the top five. Landon Tressler, Erin Statler, Mike Alleman, Cole Dewease and Chris Meleason rounded out the top 10. Heat races for the 30 cars went to Rhodes, Heffner and Statler. Drew Young won the consolation race.