4.6.19 Pennsylvania Sprint Series Results

By: Frank Buhrman
Selinsgrove’s Ken Duke Jr. (#67) grabbed the lead from Nathan Gramley (#23) in turn two on lap 12 and went on to win Saturday’s 20-lap PASS/IMCA feature at Port Royal Speedway. It was Duke’s second straight win for 2019.

Late-charging Johnathan Jones (#12J) got past Gramley with two laps to go and took second place, 2.226 seconds behind the winner. Gramley held on for third, followed by Nick Sweigart (#8) and Ryan Lynn (#26). Completing the top 10 were Greg Dabrosky (#88D), John Scarborough (#61), defending PASS champion Zach Newlin (11Z) , Dave Grube (#3D) and Cale Riegle (#99).

The largest field in Central Pennsylvania sprint car racing so far this year, 43 cars, entered the race, and 25 of the 26 starters completed the distance. Entries came from as far away as Vermont and North Carolina.

From his fourth starting position, Duke quickly assumed the runner-up spot behind Gramley, with Dabrosky, Lynn and Scarborough giving chase. At the race’s midway point, Gramley led by .697 seconds, but traffic gave Duke his chance on lap 12, and the 2016 PASS champ made the best of it. At one point his lead stretched to more than three seconds, before Jones, who moved from sixth to second over the last five laps, narrowed the final margin.

Heat races were won by Scarborough, Gramley, and Grube. Heat winner Landon Price (#69P) was light on the scales and lost his victory, with Devin Adams (#99A) moving up to that spot. Twin consolation races were won by Michael Wenrick (#911) and Drew Ritchey (#880).

Newlin and Ritchey were the big movers under green, advancing from 16th to 8th and from 20th to 12th place, respectively.

The Port Royal race began a weekend double for the PASS/IMCA racers, with action scheduled again Sunday at BAPS Motor Speedway, where the division joins 410 and 358 sprinters for an all-open-wheel show, beginning at 5 p.m.

PORT ROYAL RESULTS

1. Ken Duke 2. Jonathan Jones 3. Nathan Gramley 4. Nick Sweigart 5. Ryan Lynn 6. Greg Dabrosky 7. John Scarborough 8. Zach Newlin 9. Dave Grube 10. Cale Riegle 11. Kyle Ganoe 12. Drew Ritchey 13. Robert Garvey 14. Jaremi Hanson 15. Jake Waters 16. Devin Adams 17. Tim Stallings 18. Josh Dressley 19. Scott Lutz 20. Domenic Melair 21. Jay Krout 22. Samantha Lieberman 23. Scott Ellerman 24. Dave Wickham 25. Michael Wenrick 26. Doug Dodson (DNF)