By Alex Nieten
ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (May 7, 2024) – The time has come for the Pennsylvania Posse to make room on the porch. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are ready to invade.
Sprint Car Racing’s fiercest rivalry is rekindled this week with three matchups in the “Keystone State.” First up is a Wednesday, May 8, visit to Abbottstown, PA’s Lincoln Speedway for the Federated Auto Parts Gettysburg Clash. The midweek action will be the Series’ lone trip to the 3/8-mile in 2024 and the 53rd in history.
Then, the weekend brings the tour to Mechanicsburg, PA where Williams Grove Speedway awaits to host the HVAC Distributors Morgan Cup presented by Daikin on May 10-11. The finale on Saturday puts $15,000 and possession of the coveted Morgan Cup on the line.
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Let’s look at the week’s top storylines:
LACKING LINCOLN LUCK: Lincoln Speedway hasn’t been particularly kind to the current crop of World of Outlaws. Only three of this year’s full-timers have been to Lincoln Victory Lane in Series competition, and none of them have done so multiple times.
Donny Schatz managed to grab one Lincoln win, leading flag to flag in the 2016 visit. The Fargo, ND driver owns eight top 10s in 15 tries at the 3/8-mile.
The following season, David Gravel topped the 2017 visit. While Gravel doesn’t own multiple Lincoln wins, he’s been consistent with eight consecutive Series top 10s there.
The last full-timer with a Lincoln victory is Sheldon Haudenschild. The Wooster, OH native came out on top in 2020.
GROOVIN’ AT THE GROVE: Contrary to the lack of success at Lincoln, there are two full-time World of Outlaws drivers in 2024 that have experienced their highest rate of winning at Williams Grove, and it happens to be the duo atop the standings.
David Gravel is the current point leader, and the Big Game Motorsports driver has notched eight of his 93 career wins at the Mechanicsburg oval. The most recent of those came in October of 2020. The Watertown, CT native needs only one more win to push car owner Tod Quiring to 100 World of Outlaws victories.
Donny Schatz is currently second in the standings, and his Williams Grove résumé is mind blowing. The 10-time champion owns 21 Series triumphs at the historic half mile, which ranks second behind Steve Kinser’s 38 for the most all-time. Like Gravel, Schatz is seeking his first Williams Grove checkered flag since October of 2020 in the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15.
POSSE TURNED OUTLAWS: With its tendency to groom some of the country’s best regional talent, Pennsylvania consistently sees competitors test their skills nationally by joining the World of Outlaws tour. And trips to PA offer the opportunity for those drivers to come back home. A pair of 2024 full-timers are former Posse turned Outlaws.
Logan Schuchart is an established veteran on tour, currently navigating his 11th season. But before he joined The Greatest Show on Dirt, Schuchart cut his teeth in Pennsylvania. The Hanover, PA native is yet to top Lincoln with the World of Outlaws, but he did claim a pair of local wins in 2013 in Abbottstown. Last year, Schuchart snagged his first Williams Grove win using a last lap pass and photo finish to give the World of Outlaws possession of the Morgan Cup.
Brock Zearfoss is in his fourth season after graduating from the PA ranks. Williams Grove is home to the “Jonestown Jet’s” first career World of Outlaws win. Back in 2017, he drove Aaron Long’s #58 to Victory Lane at the Mechanicsburg facility. Zearfoss also owns a trio of local Williams Grove checkered flags.
CA CONQUERS PA: California may be thousands of miles from Pennsylvania, but two of the three Golden State gassers on tour have conquered Williams Grove.
Carson Macedo picked up a pair of Williams Grove World of Outlaws wins in 2021 with Jason Johnson Racing. One of those included a $75,000 payday in the prestigious National Open. The Lemoore, CA driver finished runner-up in the most recent visit to “The Grove.” Macedo enters the week on a roll of eight consecutive top five finishes.
Giovanni Scelzi’s victory at Williams Grove marked a special moment for the Fresno native. Back in 2018, making only his second ever appearance at the half mile, Scelzi became the youngest winner in World of Outlaws history at 16 years old – a record that still stands. He and KCP Racing currently sit third in the standings heading to PA.
PENNSYLVANIA POWER: As always Pennsylvania sends their top talent into battle with hopes of stealing glory from the World of Outlaws and earning some bragging rights.
Anthony Macri undoubtedly headlines the Posse representatives entering the week. The Dillsburg, PA gasser owns seven victories in 25 races this year including two apiece at Lincoln and Williams Grove. One of the Williams Grove wins required an incredible drive from 17th. Last year, Macri stole the Gettysburg Clash with a last lap, last corner pass for his third career World of Outlaws win.
It’s impossible to discuss Posse favorites without mentioning Lance Dewease. The Fayetteville, PA legend owns 20 World of Outlaws wins, and 17 of them have come courtesy of Williams Grove. One of the others came at Lincoln in 2019. Dewease is fresh off driving the Shearer #12 to Williams Grove Victory Lane this past Friday.
Danny Dietrich already owns six podium runs in 2024 between Lincoln and Williams Grove including a Lincoln win on March 16. The Gettysburg, PA native owns two World of Outlaws victories apiece at the two tracks ahead this week.
Salfordville, PA’s Freddie Rahmer is always dangerous at Lincoln, where he scored a whopping 14 wins last season. Rahmer’s lone World of Outlaws triumph occurred at Lincoln in 2018. He’s bagged one Williams Grove local win so far in 2024.
Troy Wagaman Jr. has come out of the gates hot in 2024 aboard the Heffner Racing #27. He’s already won at both Lincoln and Williams Grove and has seven top fives in 13 races. The Hanover, PA native looks to translate that success to strong runs with the World of Outlaws this week.
More Pennsylvanians expected to compete this week include Chad Trout (Dover, PA), Chase Dietz (York, PA), Lucas Wolfe (Mechanicsburg, PA), T.J. Stutts (Liverpool, PA), Dylan Norris (Hanover, PA), Kyle Moody (Lewisberry, PA), and more.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Wednesday, May 8 at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, PA
Friday-Saturday, May 10-11 at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA
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CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (18/80 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports #2 (2542 PTS)
2. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 (-48 PTS)
3. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing #18 (-58 PTS)
4. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing #41 (-74 PTS)
5. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing #1S (-94 PTS)
6. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports #83 (-120 PTS)
7. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 (-168 PTS)
8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports #17B (-282 PTS)
9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing #3Z (-402 PTS)
10. Landon Crawley – Sides Motorsports #7S (-478 PTS)