10 Things We Learned about Sprint Cars This Past Week July 11th-17th

I told y’all a few weeks ago he was the favorite. Did anyone listen to me? Probably not. So now bow down you peasants! There is new royalty in the world of sprint car racing and HE BELONGS TO THE PENNSYVANIA POSSE. Plus some other stuff happened I guess. So here are 10 Things we Learned About Sprint Cars from This Past Week of July 11th-17th

1. ALL HAIL KING BRENT THE XXXIX

The Murray-Marks Motorsports team went to Ohio. Kicked everyone’s ass when it mattered and drove back to PA with $275,000. Just an okay weekend away I guess. A fantastic weekend for the 19 team as Brent Marks goes and becomes the first driver to win both the Historical Big One and The Kings Royal in the same year. Let alone the same week. Marks had 2 wins at Eldora coming into this past weekend. After 3 nights of competition ( skipped out on the Knight Before feature event that ran on Saturday afternoon.) he leaves Eldora with 2 wins and one of the richest weekends ever by one sprint car driver. 

Its not like Marks did it from the front row either. Thursday night for the Historical Big One. Marks started 14th to win. Kings Royal from 6th to win after winning his heat. Going back to Thursday night at The HBO. When Marks was battling with Schatz for I want to say it was 9th or 10th around 10 laps in. It just had a feeling he was going to be a factor at the end of this one. Always trust your gut folks. Saturday for the Kings Royal the epic battle between Marks and Brian Brown had the crowd on their feet again. Marks earned his two wins there no doubt about it. Also its the first time since King Donny Krietz The III won in 1986, has the Kings Royal winner come from PA.

2. GRAVEL GETS FIRST TWO WINS SINCE MARCH ? 

It’s kinda reminiscent of last year’s Kings Royal Weekend when Carson Macedo bookended it with wins for the Jokers Wild and the Sunday Make up of the Knight Before. David Gravel took home the two prelim events for his first two victories since March 26th during the California swing at Perris bringing his season total to 4. Which is helping keep him second in points behind Brad Sweet coming into tracks where Sweet has struggled and Gravel has dominated in the PA Swing this weekend. 

3. YAHTZEE YAHTZEE HERE COMES SCHATZEE

This might have been the best week Donny Schatz has had in a while. Two second place finishes and in the top 10 every night this week. Schatz showed a lot of speed especially on Saturday Night and probably needed a few more laps on Tuesday at Attica to get around Kyle Larson. But the TSR Ford is seeming to find some rhythm as the Month of Money is kicking off. Still sitting 6th in the points. The 11th championship isn’t completely dead yet. Especially with Schatz’s track record in the Month of Money. But if it’s going to happen it has to start right now !

4. SWEETS CONSTANCY IS WHAT CHAMPIONS ARE MADE OF

Brad Sweet may only have one win in the 2022 season. But let me rattle off his July finishes for you. 2nd,3rd,4th,3rd,8th,4th,3rd,11th. Only once out of the top ten so far in the month of July with an average finish of 4.75 in the month of July so far. That’s what’s keeping him in the points lead so far. 

But this coming week is what could be either feast or famine for Sweet. With Port Royal and 2 at the Grove. It’s going to be crucial for Sweet to have top 10 runs this week. He only has a win at Port Royal back in 2015 to his credit. Sweet has never won at the Grove before. Meanwhile,the most dominant Outlaw in PA the past decade, David Gravel is going for wins 9 & 10. Carson Macedo is going for wins 4&5. Sheldon Haudenschild is looking to add to his 1 at Williams Grove. Sweet has his work cut out for him this week. 

5. THE POSSE DID OKAY BEHIND KING MARKS. WAGNER ISN’T A ONE TRACK WONDER.

Outside the outstanding week by Brent Marks. The Posse wasn’t terrible out at Eldora. Against arguably the stiffest competition outside the Knoxville Nationals. TJ Stutts, Danny Dietrich, Anthony Macri all had their struggles but made features. Danny Dietrich probably would have had a top 5 run on Wednesday night’s Joker’s Wild before the engine gave up on him. Macri had a pair of top ten runs to end the weekend. 

But the biggest surprise would have to be the “ One Track Wonder” Logan Wagner. Couldn’t get the car to fire on Wednesday night. Came back in the Historical Big One to go from 24th to 12th and flirted with the top ten for a while. Started 13th in The Knight Before before coming off to settle for 23rd. But 2 features on the week and came up a few spots short of Making the Kings Royal. I’d say that’s a successful week for the Zemco Crew. 

6. BABY BLUE IS TUNED UP

Lance Dewease got the 69k back in victory lane Friday Night at Williams Grove for his 2nd win of the season at the Grove. Setting quick time as well and the $6k pay day for the Randy Wolfe Tribute race. It hasn’t been the season we are used to out of Dewease and the Kreitz 69k team. But we all know damn well they are going to be locked and loaded for 3 nights against the Outlaws. 

7. DEREK LOCKE IS STILL REALLY FREAKING GOOD AT WILLIAMS GROVE

Derek Locke scored yet another 358 win at Williams Grove Friday night. In the limited showings for the 358 sprint cars this year. Locke has only lost 2 features this year at the Grove. Once against URC in April. Most recently to Tyler Brehm at the Speedweek Opener. Locke has the Grove Locked DAHN/ 

8. LARSON IS HUMAN AFTER ALL… AGAIN

The racing gods will giveth and taketh away in a heartbeat. Kyle Larson picked up his 2nd Outlaws win on Tuesday in a fantastic drive at the Doty. But then cut  a tire down at the Historical Big One running 3rd. Worked his way back up to 9th. But he wasn’t too much of a factor at all this weekend at Eldora. I’m sure with NASCAR at Pocono this weekend Larson will be looking to spoil the party for the Outlaws and Posse. 

9. KASEY IS GETTING BEAT UP OUT THERE.

It wasn’t too long ago Kasey Kahne made his return to racing after a concussion sidelined him after Volusia. Well things didn’t go much better for Kasey this weekend. A blown motor and a hellacious flip on Saturday afternoon makes you kinda wonder. How much more can Kasey take out there? Thank god for solid safety equipment.  

10. THE RACING COMMUNITY IS THE BEST

We saw multiple instances of how awesome the racing community is this entire week. First with The TIm Higgins Classic at Grandview. It may have rained out. But us at URC have over $1,000 in contingency prizes for the drivers thanks to amazing sponsors and fans that have donated their hard earned money to give back to the sport we all love. The Tim Higgins Classic has been rescheduled for Saturday July 30th at Grandview.

The other instance is a young fan at Eldora who is one of the first ones through the gate and stays in the same spot all night. The Outlaws got wind of this and Drivers Brock Zearfoss, Parker Price-Miller and Noah Gass took a trip up to meet Tyler McKinney and hooked him up with some swag and gave him a memory he won’t forget along with some new friends. Also shout out to good guy of the sport Kyle Loomis for helping get it all setup . If you have a second go follow him on twitter @Kyleloomis11 and find out how you can get a Be Kind T-shirt that helps promote mental health awareness. Amazing job my friend. 

Honorable Mention

11. HAPPY OUTLAWS WEEK PA 
12. ANYONE BUT THE OUTLAWS
13. OUTLAWS SUCK 
14. INFIELD SUCKS ON 3 READYYYYY 

Yes  I went full Posse there. No, I don’t care. It’s a rivalry that’s right up there with the Eagles and Cowboys in my mind. I absolutely love Outlaw Weekends. I love the people and the racing. It’s just going to be an absolutely amazing weekend watching the Outlaws lose.