By T.J. Buffenbarger
PORT ROYAL, PA (September 12, 2026) — James McFadden overcame two separate crashes earlier in the week at Port Royal Speedway to win the 59th Annual Tuscarora 50 Saturday night with the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing series.
Moving forward at a rapid pace from 11th starting position McFadden took the lead from Tanner Holmes on lap 20 and was able to hold off Holmes through traffic after the halfway break for the $59,000 victory.
After crashing the previous two nights while filling in the injured Anthony Macri in the Macri Motorsports entry, crew chief Joe Mooney had the car dialed in for McFadden on Saturday to drive straight to the front before the halfway break in the 50-lap finale.
“Obviously, it’s been well documented that I headbutted the fence about every time I hit the track. So, credit to these guys,” McFadden said of the Macri Motorsports crew. “We went back to shop, built another car, and came out swinging tonight. To start 11th and drive to the front like that is special. It just shows how good Joe and those guys are. And yeah, I just had to get my inner Anthony Macri out and pound the fence, and it worked tonight. “
Danny Sams III and Kody Hartlaub started on the front row for the Tuscarora 50 with Sams taking the lead during the early stages of the feature event. Hartlaub quickly was under pressure from Kasey Kahne, exchanging the second position until Kahne took the position on lap four.
Two laps later Holmes made his presence feel by taking the third position on lap six. Four laps later Holmes was able to move past Kahne for the second position. Kahne briefly took second position back on lap 13 before Holmes countered to take the position back one lap later.
The first caution flag of the event appeared with 16 laps complete when Kasey Jedrzejek ended up backwards in turn two and Parker Price-Miller also slowed with damage to his car.
During the restart Holmes was able to drive by Sams for the lead while McFadden went from fifth to second in two laps and started to pressure Holmes for the lead.
The caution flag appeared again on lap 19 when 2026 Tuscarora 50 winner Ryan Timms slowed on the racetrack, ending his chance at back-to-back victories in the event.
McFadden continued to lead until the halfway break at lap 25. After the restart McFadden was able to slip by Holmes to take the lead on lap 20. Behind him Holmes, Rico Abreu, and Troy Wagaman Jr. were racing three wide for the second position.
After dropping back to fourth at one point after the break, Holmes regained his form and raced back up to the second position by lap 37, starting to pressure McFadden for the lead when the caution flag appeared for Ryan Newton slowing in front of the leaders.
After the restart Holmes was able to stay close to McFadden for several laps working the bottom of the racetrack, but eventually McFadden used his momentum on the top of the track to pull away for the biggest American feature victory of his career.
Holmes finished in the runner-up position while Brent Marks was able to move up after the last restart for the final podium position. Wagaman, and Abreu rounded out the top five.
For McFadden the victory was sweeter after the adversity he faced the first two nights with separate, hard crashes before Saturday’s finale.
“I was a bit bruised and batted and tried not to show it,” said McFadden. “The guys worked until 3:00 last night and early this morning. And it’s tough coming here in this car. I think this car, anywhere in the country, obviously
Joe Mooney has won an outlaw race with Kasey (Kahne), won the Kings Royal with Anthony, and then to win this with me is just a testament to how good he can get a car and how good he can read a car and different drivers. It’s been really cool to work with him. I worked with him at KKR, hung out a lot, and to see what he’s achieved is pretty special. For me to conquer Port Royal and get a crown jewel, mate. I wanted to get one before I retired.”
59th Tuscarora 50
Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing
Port Royal Speedway
Port Royal, Pennsylvania
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Capital Custom Trailers Qualifying Flight A (2 Laps)
1. 24-Rico Abreu, 15.368[23]
2. 19-Brent Marks, 15.426[27]
3. 21-Brian Brown, 15.455[22]
4. 39M-James McFadden, 15.468[21]
5. 88-Tanner Thorson, 15.472[17]
6. 5-Kasey Jedrzejek, 15.486[26]
7. 13-Tanner Holmes, 15.492[1]
8. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 15.530[6]
9. 55-Kerry Madsen, 15.576[25]
10. 1A-Cameron Smith, 15.583[19]
11. 55W-Logan Wagner, 15.642[11]
12. 77K-Kody Hartlaub, 15.646[10]
13. 66-Ryan Newton, 15.667[2]
14. 42-Sye Lynch, 15.688[15]
15. 11-TJ Stutts, 15.692[9]
16. 8-Lance Dewease, 15.713[20]
17. 51-Freddie Rahmer, 15.749[24]
18. 35-Buddy Schweibinz, 15.762[4]
19. 10C-Matt Campbell, 15.814[8]
20. 48-Danny Dietrich, 15.820[13]
21. 11T-Michael Walter, 15.829[18]
22. 38-Jordan Strickler, 15.860[3]
23. 19M-Brett Strickler, 15.894[7]
24. 17GP-Brock Zearfoss, 15.908[16]
25. 6-Zach Hampton, 15.938[12]
26. 47K-Kody Lehman, 15.981[28]
27. 27S-Dylan Cisney, 15.986[5]
28. 39-Lucas Wolfe, 16.044[14]
Capital Custom Trailers Qualifying Flight B (2 Laps)
1. 23-Chase Dietz, 15.409[6]
2. 9-Daison Pursley, 15.483[1]
3. 69K-Ryan Smith, 15.490[20]
4. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 15.544[25]
5. 10-Ryan Timms, 15.546[17]
6. 71-Parker Price Miller, 15.591[5]
7. 77-Giovanni Scelzi, 15.601[14]
8. 9R-Chase Randall, 15.613[4]
9. 67-Justin Whittall, 15.617[15]
10. 4-Kasey Kahne, 15.621[13]
11. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr, 15.633[8]
12. 24D-Danny Sams III, 15.677[7]
13. 71R-Logan Rumsey, 15.682[3]
14. 22-Doug Hammaker, 15.716[18]
15. 26-Justin Peck, 15.728[10]
16. 12-Brent Shearer, 15.745[19]
17. 18J-JT Ferry, 15.792[9]
18. 88W-Austin McCarl, 15.816[16]
19. 11A-Austin Bishop, 15.868[26]
20. 20-Brady Bacon, 15.916[11]
21. 17-Mark Smith, 15.963[2]
22. 1K-Kelby Watt, 16.149[27]
23. 20T-Ryan Taylor, 16.182[22]
24. 55M-Domenic Melair, 16.219[23]
25. 45S-Samuel Miller, 16.361[21]
26. 11Z-Zach Newlin, 16.667[12]
27. 10W-Jake Waters, 16.880[24]
TJ Forged Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 13-Tanner Holmes[2]
2. 39M-James McFadden[3]
3. 24-Rico Abreu[4]
4. 66-Ryan Newton[5]
5. 8-Lance Dewease[6]
6. 38-Jordan Strickler[8]
7. 10C-Matt Campbell[7]
8. 1A-Cameron Smith[1]
9. 6-Zach Hampton[9]
10. 39-Lucas Wolfe[10]
DMI Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 55W-Logan Wagner[1]
2. 19-Brent Marks[4]
3. 48-Danny Dietrich[7]
4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[2]
5. 88-Tanner Thorson[3]
6. 47K-Kody Lehman[9]
7. 19M-Brett Strickler[8]
8. 42-Sye Lynch[5]
9. 51-Freddie Rahmer[6]
BR Motorsports Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 77K-Kody Hartlaub[1]
2. 5-Kasey Jedrzejek[3]
3. 55-Kerry Madsen[2]
4. 21-Brian Brown[4]
5. 11-TJ Stutts[5]
6. 17GP-Brock Zearfoss[8]
7. 11T-Michael Walter[7]
8. 27S-Dylan Cisney[9]
9. 35-Buddy Schweibinz[6]
Rod End Supply Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 4-Kasey Kahne[1]
2. 77-Giovanni Scelzi[2]
3. 23-Chase Dietz[4]
4. 71R-Logan Rumsey[5]
5. 87-Aaron Reutzel[3]
6. 11A-Austin Bishop[7]
7. 1K-Kelby Watt[8]
8. 12-Brent Shearer[6]
9. 45S-Samuel Miller[9]
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #5 (8 Laps)
1. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[1]
2. 10-Ryan Timms[3]
3. 9R-Chase Randall[2]
4. 22-Doug Hammaker[5]
5. 9-Daison Pursley[4]
6. 18J-JT Ferry[6]
7. 20-Brady Bacon[7]
8. 20T-Ryan Taylor[8]
9. 11Z-Zach Newlin[9]
Checkered Customs Heat Race #6 (8 Laps)
1. 24D-Danny Sams III[1]
2. 71-Parker Price Miller[3]
3. 69K-Ryan Smith[4]
4. 67-Justin Whittall[2]
5. 26-Justin Peck[5]
6. 17-Mark Smith[7]
7. 88W-Austin McCarl[6]
8. 10W-Jake Waters[9]
9. 55M-Domenic Melair[8]
SugarBee C-Main (8 Laps)
1. 11T-Michael Walter[3]
2. 42-Sye Lynch[9]
3. 10C-Matt Campbell[1]
4. 19M-Brett Strickler[5]
5. 27S-Dylan Cisney[11]
6. 20T-Ryan Taylor[10]
7. 11Z-Zach Newlin[18]
8. 10W-Jake Waters[12]
9. 45S-Samuel Miller[16]
10. 1K-Kelby Watt[6]
11. 88W-Austin McCarl[2]
12. 20-Brady Bacon[4]
13. 1A-Cameron Smith[7]
14. 12-Brent Shearer[8]
15. 51-Freddie Rahmer[13]
16. 55M-Domenic Melair[14]
17. 35-Buddy Schweibinz[15]
18. 6-Zach Hampton[17]
19. 39-Lucas Wolfe[19]
Winters Performance B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 21-Brian Brown[1]
2. 66-Ryan Newton[5]
3. 67-Justin Whittall[4]
4. 9-Daison Pursley[2]
5. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[3]
6. 71R-Logan Rumsey[6]
7. 8-Lance Dewease[11]
8. 22-Doug Hammaker[8]
9. 11-TJ Stutts[9]
10. 26-Justin Peck[12]
11. 88-Tanner Thorson[7]
12. 17GP-Brock Zearfoss[15]
13. 87-Aaron Reutzel[10]
14. 11A-Austin Bishop[16]
15. 18J-JT Ferry[14]
16. 42-Sye Lynch[20]
17. 47K-Kody Lehman[17]
18. 38-Jordan Strickler[13]
19. 11T-Michael Walter[19]
20. 17-Mark Smith[18]
Interstate Batteries A-Main (50 Laps)
1. 39M-James McFadden[11]
2. 13-Tanner Holmes[3]
3. 19-Brent Marks[9]
4. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[5]
5. 24-Rico Abreu[7]
6. 23-Chase Dietz[8]
7. 48-Danny Dietrich[17]
8. 9-Daison Pursley[22]
9. 69K-Ryan Smith[16]
10. 67-Justin Whittall[21]
11. 4-Kasey Kahne[4]
12. 77-Giovanni Scelzi[14]
13. 55-Kerry Madsen[15]
14. 9R-Chase Randall[18]
15. 55W-Logan Wagner[6]
16. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[23]
17. 26-Justin Peck[27]
18. 87-Aaron Reutzel[25]
19. 71R-Logan Rumsey[24]
20. 24D-Danny Sams III[1]
21. 21-Brian Brown[19]
22. 77K-Kody Hartlaub[2]
23. 8-Lance Dewease[26]
24. 66-Ryan Newton[20]
25. 10-Ryan Timms[10]
26. 5-Kasey Jedrzejek[13]
27. 71-Parker Price Miller[12]