Brent Marks Scores First Port Royal Win of 2022 with Red Robin Pennsylvania Speedweek Triumph

Brent Marks Scores First Port Royal Win of 2022 with Red Robin Pennsylvania Speedweek Triumph

By- Justin Snyder

Port Royal Speedway– PORT ROYAL, Pa. (June 30, 2022) – After a year full of near-misses, Brent Marks capitalized on a front-row starting spot to score his first Port Royal Speedway victory of the 2022 racing season during Wednesday night’s Night 6 of Red Robin Racing Pennsylvania Speedweek event.

After added contingency prizes, Marks earned a total of $7300 for his 13th career Port Royal Speedway triumph. The win was Marks’ second of the 2022 PA Speedweek series and vaulted the Myerstown, Pa. native to the top spot in the series standings with four races remaining.

Anthony Macri and Marks led the field of 24 410 Sprint Cars to the green flag and Marks got the early jump on the field through the middle of turn’s one and two to lead the opening circuit. After starting fourth on the grid, Logan Wagner made his presence felt early as well as he got by Macri to take the runner-up spot on the opening lap as well.

Marks quickly distanced himself from Wagner and the rest of the field and by lap five he held more than a 1.3 second advantage. However, the caution flew three laps later when Justin Whittall came to a stop on the backstretch to put the field on Marks’ tail.

Marks again took off the restart, while weekend invader Kyle Larson was starting to show his muscle as he moved into the fourth spot after lining up from the fifth position. With 20 laps remaining in the 30-lap A-main, Larson used the extreme high side of the Speedway to get by Macri for the final podium position, while Wagner was uncharacteristically using the low side to reel in the leader.

Marks moved to the top of the Speedway in an effort to thwart the momentum Wagner had found on the bottom and the move worked as he again started to stretch out his lead. Meanwhile, Larson was coming fast as he got by Wagner for the runner-up spot and started chipping away at the leader. 

With 10 laps remaining, Larson had closed to less than a second behind the leader, while Macri had regrouped and was quickly coming back into the picture. However, his chances at picking up his seventh Port Royal Speedway victory of the season came to a close with eight laps remaining when he blew an engine entering turn three to bring out the caution.

Marks took off again on the restart, but all eyes were on Larson, who had a noticeably low right-rear tire during the caution break. Both Wagner’s capitalized on Larson’s issues and they moved into second and third respectively on the restart.

Larson’s hopes at a third career PA Speedweek victory at the Speed Palace came to a close with four laps remaining when the right-rear tire finally let loose and he came to a stop in turn four on the outside guardrail.

Larson didn’t rejoin the field and the restart gave Logan Wagner an opportunity to take his shot at Marks. However, Marks was too strong and pulled away with ease. He went on to pick up the victory by a margin of 3.110 seconds.

Mike Wagner got by his song for second in the closing laps while the younger Wagner finished third. Lance Dewease and Justin Peck rounded out the top five. Dylan Cisney, Lucas Wolfe, TJ Stutts, Rico Abreu and Freddie Rahmer completed the top ten.

Stutts earned the $500 Valley Supply Hard Charger after starting 23rd on the grid and advancing 15 positions while Danny Dietrich scored the J&S Classics $1000 Warrior Award via a random draw of 13. Heat races were won by Mike Wagner, Marks, Larson and Macri and they all scored an additional $100 courtesy of Smokin Gun Fabrication for their efforts. Logan Wagner scored an additional $500 courtesy of Packer’s Concessions, LLC., PennsValley MeatMarket and Jakes Golf Carts, LLC as the night’s fast time award winner.

410 Sprint Car Feature Results: 1. Brent Marks; 2. Mike Wagner; 3. Logan Wagner; 4. Lance Dewease; 5. Justin Peck; 6. Dylan Cisney; 7. Lucas Wolfe; 8. T.J. Stutts; 9. Rico Abreu; 10. Freddie Rahmer; 11. Dave Blaney; 12. Jeff Halligan; 13. Danny Dietrich; 14. Brock Zearfoss; 15. Christopher Bell; 16. Chase Dietz; 17. Ryan Timms; 18. Kyle Larson; 19. Anthony Macri; 20. Justin Whittall; 21. Blane Heimbach; 22. Sye Lynch; 23. Tyler Reeser; 24. Michael Walter II.

Mark Smith took the lead during the United Racing Club 360 Sprint Car feature on lap seven and never looked back during a caution littered A-main event Wednesday night.

Smith won $2000 for the triumph, which was his second career URC sanctioned victory at the Speed Palace and his first since 2016.

Frankie Herr and Josh Weller contended early and Weller settled into the second position for the majority of the event before blowing a left-rear tire with one lap remaining following contact with a lapped car.

The caution forced Speedway officials to checker the event and call it final with one lap remaining as the time approached curfew. 

Jason Shultz, Derek Locke, Dallas Schott and Frankie Herr rounded out the top five while Mike Thompson, Mike Kiser, Devin Adams, Cody Fletcher and Tyler Denochick completed the top ten.

360 Sprint Car Feature Results: 1. Mark Smith; 2. Jason Shultz; 3. Derek Locke; 4. Dallas Schott; 5. Frankie Herr; 6. Mike Thompson; 7. Mike Kiser; 8. Devin Adams; 9. Cody Fletcher; 10. Tyler Denochick; 11. Steve Wilbur; 12. Ryan Stillwaggon; 13. John Stehman; 14. Ken Meisner; 15. Brandon McGough; 16. Kyle Keen; 17. Tyler Templin; 18. Jacob Galloway; 19. Josh Weller; 20. Jason Wagner; 21. Craig Pellegrini; 22. Andy Best; 23. Cameron Merriman; 24. Adam Carberry; 25. Nash Ely; 26. Jake Karklin.