BECHTELSVILLE, Pa. – For the fourth time in five years on a sweltering Tuesday night, Kyle Larson rolled to victory in the Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek stop at the tight-quartered Grandview Speedway.
The Elk Grove, Calif. pocketed another $10,000 payday in round five of the mini series and moved his win total to 15 on the year, with six of those coming in a sprint car.
Everyone could see it developing, as the white Silva Motorsports No. 57 car earnestly made its way to the front at the clay bullring propped in the hills of Bechtelsville, Pa.
Like he had for most of the week, Brent Marks controlled the pace, setting fast time and leading the first 27 laps of the Hodnett Cup feature. But when Larson pulled the trigger from second with eight laps to go, a familiar result ensued.
“Here [at Grandview], Port [Royal], and Lincoln are three of my favorite tracks here; this place is different compared to the rest of the tracks, but it seems to suit me and Paul [Silva],” Larson said. “I really had to work for that one. This place is awesome. It changes so much throughout the feature. We were able to be good when it mattered tonight.”
1️⃣4️⃣ wins across the country.
— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) June 30, 2021
6️⃣ in a sprint car.
1️⃣ son to haul atop the wing.@KyleLarsonRacin steals the show again here in Central Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/iDWxRMlTTB
In a 27 car field headlined by other names like Christopher Bell, Buddy Kofoid, and Lance Dewease, Larson went out second-to-last in qualifying. The late pill draw didn’t alter the course of events, as Larson qualified sixth overall, putting him on the pole of his heat thanks to the invert.
The 28-year-old breezed to his heat win and drew fifth to start the 35-lap feature. While Marks checked out, Larson scurried to fourth off the get-go, setting his sights on Anthony Macri and Bell ahead.
A caution on lap seven for Jeff Halligan bunched things back up, where Larson was able to jump Bell for third. Then, on lap 10, a lengthy stoppage occurred when 12th-running Kofoid flipped in turns three and four.
Tenth-running Freddie Rahmer, needing a good run Tuesday to make up for a 138-point deficit in the PA Speedweek points, got tangled in the five-car wreck.
Once things got back going, Larson sensed he lost some air pressure in his left rear tire with how the car responded around the tight track. That momentarily stalled his pursuit.
“My car was starting to bottom out on the left side, just no grip,” Larson said. “Then we had the last caution, and we had a lot of grip. I was surprised about that.”
By lap 21, Larson powered around Macri for second and by lap 25, he had another chance at a restart because of a caution for Paul McMahan.
That’s when Marks, pressured from behind, slipped off the top in turn four with eight laps to go. Larson, meanwhile, generated a good head of steam off the bottom of turns three and four to complete the race-winning pass on the other end of the track.
“It was pretty disappointing to lose that race, especially since leading so much of it,” Marks said. “We had a really good car all night long again. I’m really proud of that. … I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish tonight. We just have to keep it up.”
Marks now carries an unofficial 88-point lead in the PA Speedweek standings over Danny Dietrich heading to round six at Port Royal Speedway on Wednesday.
Dietrich finished third, while Macri and Kyle Moody rounded out the top five. Rico Abreu, Bell, Lynton Jeffrey, Ryan Taylor, and Justin Peck closed the top 10.
Rahmer, meanwhile, was credited with 19th, while Kofoid placed 21st.
A faulty fuel pump in his heat race ended Dewease’s night early.
The finish:
1. 57-Kyle Larson, 2. 19-Brent Marks, 3. 48-Danny Dietrich, 4. 39m-Anthony Macri, 5. 99m-Kyle Moody, 6. 24r-Rico Abreu, 7. 39-Christopher Bell, 8. 15-Lynton Jeffrey, 9. 20-Ryan Taylor, 10. 13-Justin Peck, 11. 5w-Lucas Wolfe, 12. 24-T.J. Stutts, 13. 49h-Bradley Howard, 14. 67-Justin Whittall, 15. 5-Paul McMahan, 16. 35-Tyler Reeser, 17. 70-Sam Schlosberg, 18. 11a-Austin Bishop, 19. 51-Freddie Rahmer, 20. 6-Ryan Smith, 21. 5x-Buddy Kofoid, 22. 27-Devon Borden, 23. 45-Jeff Halligan, 24. 15h-Sam Hafertepe Jr.