Myerstown driver wins prestigious event for second time, Pittman again comes close
Brad Sweet Claims Open Preliminary, Freddie Rahmer Nets Third Oval Track Title
Mechanicsburg - Brent Marks of Myerstown triumphed in the 61st annual Champion Racing Oil National Open for World of Outlaws Sprint Cars at Williams Grove Speedway on Saturday night.
The win was the second of Marks' career in the prestigious Williams Grove event, earning him $75,000.
It was also the pilot's fifth victory of the season at the speedway and it pushed his total five-win earnings to $120,100.
To get the win, Marks had to contend with Oklahoma's Daryn Pittman who was vying for his first-ever win in the National Open after entering the race with more runner-up finishes than any other driver in history at five.
Marks won the dash and earned the pole position for the 40-lap Open with Justin Peck lining up alongside on the front row and Pittman taking the green flag from the sixth spot.
Marks led the first lap over Peck before the Indiana native made a low move in the first and second turns to net command.
Pittman motored into second on the same lap, also bypassing Marks.
But Marks then went to work blasting the top lane and rallied back up to Pittman and by lap six the pair was nose to tail for the second spot.
The toe-to-toe battle for second continued for several laps and by lap 11 the front trio were all within one corner, vying for the lead.
That's when Pittman found lowside bite in the second turn aboard the Kreitz No. 69K and drove up off of the corner to take control.
Pittman hit lapped traffic on the 14th tour and began putting daylight between himself and the rest of the field only to be slowed with 25 laps to go for a stopped Lance Dewease in the fourth corner.
Dewease was racing for his sixth win in the race but jumped the cushion to a stop.
Just prior to the caution, Marks had muscled around Peck for second.
The caution flag for Dewease turned red flag in order for teams to refuel the cars.
Pittman then led the next two laps before the red flag appeared for a two-car flip in the first turn when Logan Schuchart and James McFadden connected after McFadden spun.
Pittman would pull out to a 1.452 second lead on the restart but Marks was ready to make his move and began to steadily drive down the leader's advantage to be on his bumper with 20 laps to go.
Marks insisted on using the top groove while Pittman was equally committed to using the bottom and middle lanes and Marks was finally able to blast the top in turns three and four with 18 laps left to squeeze into the lead.
Pittman kept Marks within striking distance for the next six laps until the leader hit the rear of the field with 12 laps remaining.
And that's when Marks began pulling away in his No. 19M to post his 20th career oval win by 2.431 seconds.
"I did what I had to do to try to make the top work," Marks said in victory lane.
"When you're trying to pass the 69K you normally don't do it on the bottom."
For his part, Pittman again finished second in the race, pushing his total to six runner-ups.
"That was hard to swallow. I feel like I let these guys down," Pittman said.
"I thought that race was gonna be won on the bottom or the middle. I didn't do a good enough job setting the pace up front."
"I would have gladly walked away and you'd never see me here again if I had won the National Open," Pittman admitted.
Rico Abreu rode home third followed by Sheldon Haudenschild and outlaws point leader Brad Sweet.
Sixth through 10th went to Peck, David Gravel, Donny Schatz, Danny Dietrich and Tyler Courtney.
Heats for the 52-car field went to Abreu, Gravel, Sweet and Marks.
Sam Hafertepe Jr. won the C Main and Buddy Kofoid scored the B Main while Marks won the dash.
Abreu set fast time with a lap of 16.462 seconds.
Following the National Open, the postponed Open Preliminary from Friday night was spun off with outlaws high point man Sweet scoring his second win of the season at the track.
California's Sweet started second in the 25-lap main and chased Tyler Courtney for the first five laps before a caution flag regrouped the field.
Sweet used a slide job in the third and fourth turns on the restart to get the lead before driving away to his third career checkers at Williams Grove.
It was his first win in the National Open Preliminary.
Third starter Carson Macedo came on strong during the final 10 laps to bypass Lance Dewease for third and Courtney for second.
Gravel was third followed by Courtney and 12th starter Marks who was surging as the checkered flag fell.
Sixth through 10th went to Dewease, Freddie Rahmer, Peck, Pittman and TJ Stutts.
Rahmer's run earned him the 2023 Lawrence Chevrolet Sprint Car Track Title.
The championship is the third of his career at Williams Grove having taken the first two in 2017 and in 2020.
Feature Finishes
National Open, 410 sprints, 40 laps: 1. Brent Marks, 2. Daryn Pittman, 3. Rico Abreu, 4. Sheldon Haudenschild, 5. Brad Sweet, 6. Justin Peck, 7. David Gravel, 8. Donny Schatz, 9. Danny Dietrich, 10. Tyler Courtney, 11. Spencer Bayston, 12. Gio Scelzi, 13. Cory Eliason, 14. Brock Zearfoss, 15. Kasey Kahne, 16. Freddie Rahmer, 17. Buddy Kofoid, 18. Skylar Gee, 19. Carson Macedo, 20. Brian Brown, 21. James McFadden, 22. Logan Schuchart, 23. Anthony Macri, 24. Zeb Wise, 25. Lance Dewease, 26. Kyle Reinhardt, 27. Aaron Reutzel
DNQ: Ryan Smith, Troy Fraker, Jordan Givler, Robbie Kendall, Michael Millard, Brent Shearer, Steve Buckwalter, Tanner Holmes, Chad Trout, Noah Gass, Kody Hartlaub, Garet Williamson, Justin Whittall, Kyle Moody, Troy Wagaman Jr., Sam Hafertepe Jr., TJ Stutts, Robbie Price, Lucas Wolfe, Devon Borden, Jeff Halligan, Landon Myers, Chase Randall, Dylan Norris, Austin Bishop
National Open Preliminary, 410 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Brad Sweet, 2. Carson Macedo, 3. David Gravel, 4. Tyler Courtney, 5. Brent Marks, 6. Lance Dewease, 7. Freddie Rahmer, 8. Justin Peck, 9. Daryn Pittman, 10. TJ Stutts, 11. Buddy Kofoid, 12. Gio Scelzi, 13. Donny Schatz, 14. Brian Brown, 15. Aaron Reutzel, 16. Troy Wagaman Jr., 17. Sheldon Haudenschild, 18. Brock Zearfoss, 19. Danny Dietrich, 20. Spencer Bayston, 21. Kyle Moody, 22. Dylan Norris, 23. Logan Schuchart, 24. Chad Trout, 25. Kasey Kahne, 26. Chase Randall
DNS: Zeb Wise, James McFadden, Anthony Macri, Rico Abreu
DNQ: Tyler Reeser, Landon Myers, Cory Eliason, Zach Hampton, Robbie Kendall, Troy Fraker, Billy Dietrich, Steve Buckwalter, Austin Bishop, Dylan Cisney, Michael Millard, Noah Gass, Kody Hartlaub, Jordan Givler, Chris Arnold, Brent Shearer, Ryan Smith, Justin Whittall, Robbie Price, Jeff Halligan, Tanner Holmes, Kyle Reinhardt, Garet Williamson, Cameron Smith, Lucas Wolfe, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Skylar Gee, Devon Borden.
