Calls Track “Premier Facility In Pennsylvania.”
Story By: SHAWN BROUSE / PORT ROYAL SPEEDWAY MEDIA
PhotosBy: DAN DEMARCO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
PORT ROYAL, Pa. – August 28, 2016- One week after the Jonestown Jet Brock Zearfoss won the sprint car main at Port Royal Speedway, the Myerstown Missile Brent Marks came in for a landing in victory lane, scoring his second oval checkers of the year, worth $3,200 in a flag to flag performance.
Elsewhere, Dover’s Coleby Frye made it back-to-back wins in the super late model division, holding off Mike Lupfer for the hard-fought victory amid a stellar field.
In the 305 sprint main, Tyler Reeser won his second of the season at the track as did Mike Goodwin in the xtreme stock divisions.
A total of 102 race cars jammed the Port Royal pit area for the night of action.
Ryan Taylor and Marks shared the front row for the 25-lap 410 sprint car feature and Marks took command at the drop of the green.
Taylor trailed Marks for just the first lap before point leader Doug Esh motored into second spot.
A caution flag on the fourth circuit wiped out a two second lead built up by Marks but Esh could not contend on the restart.
Marks entered the rear of the field with 10 laps away chased by Esh and although the rest of the event was fought through traffic, Esh was never really able to get close enough to attempt any sort of challenge.
But even with firm command, Marks weaved through traffic during the final five laps, making some daring and breathtaking moves that could have saved his win or ended his run, depending on pure fate.
Marks took the victory, the seventh of his overall career at Port Royal Speedway by 1.714 seconds.
In victory lane Marks praised speedway track crews for the surface that has produced excellent racing all season long and went on to proclaim the oval, “The premier track in Pennsylvania.”
Ryan Taylor finished third, nearly seven seconds back of the winner followed by Brock Zearfoss and Dylan Cisney.
Both Zearfoss and Cisney drove by Greg Hodnett to secure their spots.
Hodnett rode home sixth followed by Logan Wagner, Lucas Wolfe, Mike Wagner and Joey Hershey.
Heats went to Taylor, Marks and Esh. Kody Lehman won the consolation race. Hodnett set fast time in group time trials.
Gene Knaub took control of the 22-lap super late model main when action began, trailed by defending track champion Mike Lupfer.
Lupfer pounded his patented low groove the entire distance of the event and wrestled the lead away from Knaub on the sixth tour.
But third starter Frye was running as high around the track as Lupfer was low and he used the groove to get by Knaub for second with eight laps in the book.
Once he got cooking around the top side, Frye was able to vault around Lupfer for the lead on the ninth lap however Lupfer kept Frye in his sights for the rest of the race.
One miscue by Frye would have netted Lupfer the lead again and at times Lupfer was able to get inside Frye but his bottom lane just never quite came in good enough to put him back out in front.
Frye was victorious by 1.363 seconds over Lupfer, Dan Stone, Knaub and Chad Hollenbeck.
Sixth through 10th went to Tim Smith Jr., Tim Wilson, Andy Haus, Waylon Wagner and Gary Stuhler.
Heats went to Jeremy Miller, Stone and Waylon Wagner with Tim Wilson scoring the consolation. Frye set fast time in qualifications.
Drew Ritchey drove from his fourth starting spot into the lead on the fourth lap of the 18 lap 305 sprint main, overtaking Scott Ellerman for control.
The first 11 laps of the feature threatened to allow Ritchey to get away for his first ever oval victory but a caution flag bunched the field and placed Jeff Miller and Tyler Reeser on his tail for the restart.
Reeser pounced on Miller for second at the new green and then blasted past Ritchey for control a lap later.
Once in front Reeser pulled away to his second win of the year at the track.
Miller then also got around Ritchey for second, where he would finish.
Ritchey rode home third followed by Scott Ellerman and Cale Reigel.
Heats went to Ellerman, Derrick Bowersox, Miller and Ritchey with Danny Stratton scoring the consolation race.
After a first lap red flag in the xtreme stock feature for some hard backstretch contact, Mike Goodwin led all 15 laps of the feature to win over Pete Leister.
Leister started 12th in the field and raced his way to the front while Bill Powell ended the race in third followed by Kevin Imes and Jason Zook.
Stay up to date with all the latest Port Royal news and information by visiting the oval’s official website at www.portroyalspeedway.com or by following the track on Facebook or Twitter.
Feature finishes: 8/27/16
410 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Brent Marks, 2. Doug Esh, 3. Ryan Taylor, 4. Brock Zearfoss, 5. Dylan Cisney, 6. Greg Hodnett, 7. Logan Wagner, 8. Lucas Wolfe, 9. Mike Wagner, 10. Joey Hershey, 11. Trenton Schaeffer, 12. Rick Lafferty, 13. Justin Barger, 14. Kody Lehman, 15. Steve Buckwalter, 16. Curt Stroup, 17. Dustin Baney, 18. Mike Wagner II., 19. Mark Coldren, 20. Daryl Stimeling, 21. Austin Burke, 22. Tyler Bear, 23. Karl Baker
DNQ: Vince Snyder, Cory Thornton, Cale Grubb
Late models, 22 laps: 1. Coleby Frye, 2. Mike Lupfer, 3. Dan Stone, 4. Gene Knaub, 5. Chad Hollenbeck, 6. Tim Smith Jr., 7. Tim Wilson, 8. Andy Haus, 9. Waylon Wagner, 10. Gary Stuhler, 11. Andrew Yoder, 12. Patrick Bryner, 13. Jerry Bard, 14. Scott Flickinger, 15. Jason Schmidt, 16. Trent Brenneman, 17. Justin Kann, 18. Tim Gray, 19. Matt Murphy, 20. Nick Dickson, 21. Jeremy Miller, 22. Jeff Johnson, 23. Kody Lyter, 24. Rick Singleton
DNQ: Steve Bailor, Jared Fulkroad, Billy Wampler, Dave Brouse Jr.
305 sprints, 18 laps: 1. Tyler Reeser, 2. Jeff Miller, 3. Drew Ritchey, 4. Scott Ellerman, 5. Cale Reigel, 6. Reed Thompson, 7. Darren Miller, 8. Mark Watkins, 9. Ken Duke Jr., 10. Kyle Ganoe, 11. Kyle Smith, 12. Nathan Gramley, 13. Colby Dice, 14. Zach Newlin, 15. John Martin, 16. Kirsten Hess, 17. Dale Schweikert, 18. Derrick Bowersox, 19. Joey Kay, 20. Stephanie Dodson, 21. Erin Statler, 22. Dannyt Stratton, 23. Dave Guss Jr., 24. Dylan Shatzer
DNQ: Coltt Lepley, Fred Arnold, Kassidy Kreitz, Jimmy White, Jim Wagner, Billy Burkholder, Mike Alleman, Tom Worrick
Xtreme stocks, 15 laps: 1. Mike Goodwin, 2. Pete Leister, 3. Bill Powell, 4. Kevin Imes, 5. Jason Zook, 6. Ryan Zook,7. Charlie Bryner, 8. Walt Peters, 9. Deron Henry, 10. Darren Rice, 11. Brian Strawser, 12. Corey Kepner, 13. Richie Dobson, 14. Kevin Dobson, 15. Austin Johnson, 16. Tyler Amtower
