Port Royal Speedway set for Tuscarora 50 weekend
Photo by HighLimit Racing
PORT ROYAL, Pa.—For the third-straight week, one of Sprint Car Racing’s major events is the focal point for Kubota High Limit Racing – going from California’s Gold Cup Race of Champions to Washington’s Skagit Nationals and now Pennsylvania’s Tuscarora 50.
Simply known as “The Tusky,” the 58th running of Port Royal Speedway’s crown jewel race offers a $58,000-to-win payout with the High Rollers, PA Posse stars, and invaders alike all converging on “The Speed Palace” this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, September 4-6.
Between an all-time great championship chase, the parity in Central Pennsylvania, and history on the line – plus all those rides and that fair food – there’s a lot to look forward to as the Juniata County Fair rolls on.
Let's look at what's on the table entering the Tuscarora 50:
THE PARITY PALACE: Port Royal Speedway has been as unpredictable as ever during the 2025 season – offering 14 different winners through 18 races. Dillsburg, PA’s Anthony Macri in his family-owned No. 39M, York, PA’s Chase Dietz in the Stehman No. 23, and Kunkletown, PA’s Ryan Smith in the Kreitz No. 69K are the only multi-time winners entering the Tuscarora 50.
A heap of 11 other drivers have visited victory lane at the famed half-mile this year including in order Michael Walter II of Selinsgrove, PA, Brent Marks of Myerstown, PA, Aaron Reutzel of Clute, TX, Logan Wagner of Harrisonville, PA, Mike Wagner of Harrisonville, PA, Lance Dewease of Fayetteville, PA, Troy Wagaman Jr. of Hanover, PA, Justin Whittall of Vincentown, NJ, Jonathan Preston of Geneva, NY, Dylan Cisney of Port Royal, PA, and Brock Zearfoss of Jonestown, PA.
In the chase for the track championship, Justin Whittall currently leads Logan Wagner (-135), Brock Zearfoss (-320), Michael Walter (-670), and Gerard McIntyre Jr. (-910) with a crucial weekend for points ahead.
TUSKY TITLES: With five and half decades of history to its name, the Tuscarora 50 is the crown jewel of Port Royal Speedway – an event that aspiring racers dream of winning, especially those who grow up in the heart of Central Pennsylvania. Entering the 58th running this week, 29 different drivers can claim a Tusky title.
Over the last seven years, we’ve seen seven different champions from the event between Rico Abreu (’24), Brian Brown (’23), Anthony Macri (’22), Logan Wagner (’21), Lance Dewease (’20), Aaron Reutzel (’19), and Donny Schatz (’18). For everyone in that group besides Dewease, it was their first and remains their only title to this point.
Speaking of Dewease, nobody has ruled the Tuscarora 50 quite like the 59-year-old native of Fayetteville, PA. His seven scores are easily the most and they’ve came with five different car owners including the Walt Dyer No. 461 in 1994, the Joe Harz No. 88 in 2001, the Al Hamilton No. 77 in 2002, the Pete Postupack No. 25 in 2006, and the Kreitz Racing No. 69K in 2016, 2017 & 2020. He’s now in the Barry Shearer No. 12 and finished podium both nights of the Bob Weikert Memorial with Kubota High Limit Racing in May.
The 12 remaining drivers to have won multiple Tuscarora 50 titles includes legends like Doug Wolfgang (4), Fred Rahmer (4), Greg Hodnett (4), Mitch Smith (3), Lynn Paxton (3), Todd Shaffer (3), Don Kreitz Jr. (3), Smokey Snellbaker (2), Keith Kauffman (2), Bobby Allen (2), Stevie Smith (2), and Doug Esh (2).
DÉJÀ VU FOR RICO: This cross-country trip from Alger, Washington to Port Royal, Pennsylvania is starting to feel all too familiar to what occurred last year during the same stretch with Kubota High Limit Racing.
In 2024, Rico Abreu left the Skagit Nationals with the richest payday of his career and used that momentum to help score his first-career Tuscarora 50 title – and first-career Port Royal Speedway victory – the following week. In 2025, Abreu once again left Skagit with a new mark for richest payday of his career ($126,000) and is dead set on a $58,000 repeat at “The Speed Palace” this weekend.
The #24 pilot is arguably at the peak of his career, fresh off a weekend sweep that propelled him to 16 wins entering September and gave him the Kubota High Limit Racing championship lead for the first time in his career.
Another score this week would put Rico in elite company alongside Mitch Smith (1968-70), Doug Wolfgang (1984-87), Todd Shaffer (1990-91), Fred Rahmer (1996-97), and Lance Dewease (2001-02 & 2016-17) as the sixth man to go back-to-back at the Tuscarora 50.
HALF-MILE HISTORY: August 2025 was a month that Ryan Timms will remember for the rest of his life. The 19-year-old Oklahoma City, OK native dominated the Knoxville Nationals and then charged to a Huset’s Speedway track title. To kick off September, he’s bringing the Shane Liebig owned No. 10 to Port Royal Speedway – where he’s made 11 previous appearances with a career-best of P8 in 2022.
Timms won the Knoxville Nationals in his third attempt after missing the A-Main in his first two tries. This week, the numbers are eerily similar. He’ll attempt his third Tuscarora 50 after missing the A-Main in his first two tries.
If he could pull off the $58,000 win over the High Roller and PA Posse stars alike, Timms’ double would mark the fourth occurrence in history of a Knoxville Nationals champ taking the Tuscarora 50 only weeks later. Ironically enough, the previous three times it happened all came under the ownership of the late, great Bob Weikert – namesake of May’s major event for Kubota High Limit Racing at Port Royal. Weikert experienced such history first with Kenny Weld in 1973 and then in back-to-back years during his iconic stretch with Doug Wolfgang in 1984-85.
CHAMPIONSHIP CHAOS: With 15 races left, including three point races this weekend at Port Royal, all eyes are on what appears to be an all-time great championship battle with Kubota High Limit Racing. Entering September, five teams are within a hundred points of the top spot and we’re fresh off a weekend where three different teams led across three nights at Skagit.
The Rico Abreu Racing No. 24 is the championship leader for the first time, using a weekend sweep to go from down 75-points to up 10-points. Rico returns to Port Royal as the defending Tuscarora 50 champion with hopes of building his point lead.
The Ridge & Sons Racing No. 87 sits second in the standings, -10 points behind the RAR No. 24. The biggest news out of the RSR camp is full-time pilot Aaron Reutzel is back from injury this week after Californian Justin Sanders was a superb sub in August. A-Aron is a former Tuscarora 50 champion in 2019 and made $100,000 at the Bob Weikert Memorial in his last trip to Port Royal.
The Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 was relegated to third in the championship, -35 points from the top. It was a weekend to forget for Brad Sweet with three-straight finishes outside the top-10 sending his NAPA Auto Parts ride to the biggest points deficit he’s ever faced with Kubota High Limit Racing. To win a seventh-straight national title, “The Big Cat” needs a big weekend at the Tusky to turn his momentum around.
The Clauson-Marshall Racing No. 7BC is down to fourth in the title hunt, -60 points from the lead. Jake Argo and crew have excelled at Port Royal with Tyler Courtney in the car – beating the All Stars, the World of Outlaws, and nearly winning the 2024 Bob Weikert Memorial together. They’ve now got Giovanni Scelzi in the seat, who’s twice ran podium during Tuscarora 50 prelims in the past.
The Murray-Marks Motorsports No. 19 remains fifth on the charts, on the climb to -99 points back. It’s a home race for Brent Marks and his Myerstown, Pennsylvania based organization at one of his best tracks on tour – where he won the 2015 Tuscarora 50 title. This could be a turning point for them to make this five-way title fight even closer than it already is.
RACING SCHEDULE AND TICKETS
Thursday, September 4 – Kickoff Night
The weekend begins Thursday with a full program of Kubota High Limit Racing 410 Sprint Cars, featuring time trials, heats, and a high-stakes feature that sets the tone for the weekend paying $10,000 to the winner. The Penns Valley Meat Market PA Sprint Series will join the card to be the support class. Only the top 24 in points will be invited to compete.
Pits Open: 4:00 PM
Gates Open: 4:00 PM
Hot Laps: 6:00 PM
Racing Starts: 7:00 PM
Admission:
General Admission – $30
Student (Ages 1317) – $15
Ages 12 & Under – FREE
Pit Admission – $40
Friday, September 5 – The Night Before the 50 presented by HVAC Distributors Inc.
Friday’s show builds the anticipation with another complete Kubota High Limit Racing program for the 410 Sprint Cars, giving teams one more chance to dial in their setups before Saturday’s finale. $10,000 will go to the winner and the Zimmerman Truck Repair limited late models will also support the show with the top 24 in points being invited.
Pits Open: 4:00 PM
Gates Open: 4:00 PM
Hot Laps: 6:00 PM
Racing Starts: 7:00 PM
Admission:
General Admission – $30
Student (Ages 13–17) – $15
Ages 12 & Under – FREE
Pit Admission – $40
Saturday, September 6 – The 58th Annual Tuscarora 50
Saturday marks the grand finale: the Tuscarora 50. The feature event pays $58,000 to the winner, drawing the best sprint car drivers in the nation to test their mettle against Central Pennsylvania’s fiercest competitors. A total of $180,400 is spread throughout the program with $173,000 being spread throughout the A-main that pays $2,000 to start.
Pits Open: 3:00 PM
Gates Open: 3:00 PM
Hot Laps: 5:00 PM
Racing Starts: 6:00 PM
Admission:
General Admission – $40
Student (Ages 13–17) – $20
Ages 12 & Under – FREE
Pit Admission – $55
PAST TUSCARORA 50 WINNERS
Tuscarora 50
9/21/1968 5 Mitch Smith
9/27/1969 5 Mitch Smith
9/11/1970 5 Mitch Smith
9/11/1971 77 Smokey Snellbaker
9/8/1972 1 Lynn Paxton
9/7/1973 29 Kenny Weld
9/7/1974 1 Lynn Paxton
9/20/1975 19 Steve Smith
9/10/1976 44 Jim Nace
9/17/1977 1 Gary Howsare
9/8/1978 33 Keith Kauffman
9/7/1979 56 Smokey Snellbaker
9/5/1980 1 Lynn Paxton
9/11/1981 29 George Ferguson Jr.
9/9/1982 1A Bobby Allen
9/9/1983 40 Dave Blaney
9/7/1984 29 Doug Wolfgang
9/7/1985 29 Doug Wolfgang
9/7/1986 29 Doug Wolfgang
9/7/1987 29 Doug Wolfgang
9/9/1988 19 Stevie Smith
9/8/1989 1A Bobby Allen
9/7/1990 11 Todd Shaffer
9/7/1991 11 Todd Shaffer
9/11/1992 3K Len Krautheim III.
9/10/1993 69K Don Kreitz Jr.
9/9/1994 461 Lance Dewease
9/8/1995 88 Todd Shaffer
9/20/1996 77 Fred Rahmer
9/20/1997 77 Fred Rahmer
9/12/1998 12 Greg Hodnett
9/11/1999 69K Don Kreitz Jr.
9/9/2000 77 Fred Rahmer
9/8/2001 88H Lance Dewease
9/7/2002 77 Lance Dewease
9/6/2003 7 Keith Kauffman
9/11/2004 12 Greg Hodnett
9/10/2005 88H Fred Rahmer
9/9/2006 25 Lance Dewease
9/8/2007 30 Doug Esh
9/7/2008 11 Mike Erdley
9/12/2009 22 Greg Hodnett
9/11/2010 21 Brian Montieth
9/10/2011 1 Stevie Smith
9/8/2012 30 Doug Esh
9/7/2013 69k Don Kreitz Jr.
9/6/2014 27 Greg Hodnett
9/13/2015 19m Brent Marks
9/10/2016 69k Lance Dewease
9/9/2017 69k Lance Dewease
10/28/2018 15 Donny Schatz
9/7/2019 87 Aaron Reutzel
9/12/2020 69k Lance Dewease
9/11/2021 1 Logan Wagner
9/10/2022 39m Anthony Macri
10/5/2023 21 Brian Brown
9/07/2024 24 Rico Abreu
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