PA Posse Fans Witnessed Amazing Run By Kyle Larson
Column By: RUSTY RHOADES / RPW – POTTSTOWN, PA – “Maybe someday in my lifetime I’ll get a sprint car win in Central Pennsylvania.”
That was a hopeful Kyle Larson almost 2 years ago in an MRN Radio interview before his NASCAR race at Pocono Raceway in response to being asked about his inability to grab that elusive first open wheel dirt checkered flag in an area known for its difficult facilities and competition, known as the “Posse”.
Obviously, having a rising Cup star openly discuss his desire to still win a particular lower tier race or in a particular region as one of his goals means it’s going to attract more focus and attention every time the opportunity again arises yet goes unfulfilled. And the tough and vocal fans of the Central PA sprint car region won’t let anyone forget it either. One of those rare opportunities during Larson’s busy top-level pavement schedule presented itself for a few nights last week, and anyone that was in attendance for a single evening will be sure to tell you it will be one of those races they’ll always remember.
I was fortunate enough to be on hand for all three emphatic examples of the elite wheelman they call “Yung Money” showing the throngs of fans in attendance and nationwide the ability to win anywhere at any time against the best of the best on pavement or dirt, and in high-flying fashion if need be. He also showed the humility, genuine respect and continued strong attachment to his roots throughout his romp through the Keystone State, devoting a great deal of time connecting with and praising the fans and facilities and displaying his ability to be an ambassador of the future on all levels of this great sport. Now admittedly I’m just a 36 year old lifelong dirt racing fan, but the following is my first-hand account of a big part of, to this point, the greatest run of racing domination I’ve seen in my lifetime.
When Kyle Larson, along with fellow NASCAR star Kasey Kahne and open wheel phenom Rico Abreu, announced intentions to attend several Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek shows on social media several weeks prior to the annual series kicking off, it generated tons of buzz and excitement throughout the region. More specifically, the fact that they would be high-tailing out of “The World Center of Stock Car Racing”, Daytona Speedway, immediately following a high-profile race like the Firecracker 400 in order to make it to little old Spring Grove, Pennsylvania and 1/4 mile bullring Path Valley Speedway to race the following night, again shows their unquestionable love for all things racing coming to the surface, as in every time they show up anywhere on dirt. Their desire to race during their free time, and in this case even over a holiday week, shows a respect towards their craft and passion that is second-to-none.
Before the festivities began, I asked Larson about his visit. “This is my first time to Path Valley, it looks fun, it’s a short track like I’m more used to than all the long paper clips here in Pennsylvania so hopefully it’s a good night.” He also spoke about how he picks and chooses where and when to hop into the Finley Farms 57 machine. “I’m only allowed (contractually by Chip Ganassi Racing) to run 25 or so shows and have to all basically be midweek shows. Plus, it’s nice that Paul (Silva, car owner and crew chief) got his schedule opened up for Rico and I to run some of Speedweeks. PA is a very cool place to run and I’m glad I could be here for some midweek shows.”
The fans most certainly came out to the little speedway tucked up in the Central PA mountains in droves to catch a glimpse of the top-notch invaders trying their hand against the best the Keystone State had to offer. This was my 3rd visit to Path, and easily the largest crowd I’ve seen there and probably had more fans in attendance than my prior 2 times combined! I arrived 2 hours before show time and still had to create my own parking space in the pit lot, which was inevitably outdone by several other fans and their parking ingenuity a bit later. Many regulars to the track told me there were several places around the grounds that they’ve never seen cars parked before. Upon walking into the pit gate, I immediately noticed how many of the special edition Larson-PA Speedweek shirts had already been sold and immediately put on by the fans. After time trials, I decided to take a walk around the standing room only grandstand area and check in with Larson’s merchandise vendor. At this point she was already completely sold out of all the blue shirts in every size and only had a few black shirts left in large only! I inferred that she would have more available the following night at Lincoln, and she responded, “No, that was all of them we had for the entire week!” Again, this was before the first heat race! After the show, social media reports of nearly $13,000 in merchandise being sold that evening surfaced, and I was able to confirm that number with Kyle a few days later at Grandview. Unbelievable.
Kyle’s performance that evening matched all the hype, as he qualified well, made the invert in his heat as he tested out all the high and low angles the racy short track had to offer, and drew the 4th position for the A-Main. After a good battle with local Brock Zearfoss, Kyle assumed the lead on lap 7 and never looked back, surgically maneuvering his was through lapped traffic to take his first Pennsylvania 410 sprint car win in dominating fashion and scratch that goal off his bucket list. After the race, Larson showed what he is really all about and stayed very late into the night signing autographs and taking pictures with all the fans eager to meet the high-flying racing talent even with another big show in the Pigeon Hills of Southern PA on tap soon enough.
Monday, I headed to Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, PA. This track is more along the lines of the long paperclip styles of PA Posse tracks that Larson spoke of in our discussion at Path. Again, a huge car count and crowd was on hand to see what the locals had up their sleeve for the invading stars. I remember looking inside turns 3 and 4 very early in the evening in amazement at all the people already gathered in the infield. The stands were packed from top to bottom and the air was filled with the aromas of Lincoln’s great food as well as a buzz of what we might be on hand to witness that evening. You see, unlike Path Valley, Lincoln Speedway is a weekly 410 sprint car track right in the hotbed of PA Posse territory. Winning against the locals at a place like this or Williams Grove Speedway has a history of being very difficult if your name isn’t Donny Schatz, and everyone in attendance including Larson was aware of the ”this would really be huge” feeling that a win would bring.
Larson had some work to do in his heat after qualifying 22nd, but a solid charge from 7th to 2nd place in the qualifying race would earn him the 9th starting spot in the A-main. The green flag dropped, and everyone’s jaws proceeded to do the same, as they watched Yung Money immediately put on a high side clinic. Within seven laps he put the Finley Farms, Priority Aviation #57 special to the point and set sail on the field. I looked at my good buddy Brad, who I’ve been to more races with than anyone else, in absolute awe and received the same look in return. It’s a very rare occasion that we both are pretty much speechless in the stands! However, it wasn’t over, as Larson stayed on the high side a bit too long and local hotshoe Alan Krimes was expertly running the low line and eating into the defecit. He made it all the way to leader’s bumper before the savvy Larson stuck his machine down low and stifled any opportunity Krimes would have to make a pass. Larson flew under the checkers in front of a raucously pleased crowd for back-to-back PA Speedweek wins, and more remarkably his 5th straight national 410 sprint car victory! Those wins came against The World of Outlaws, All-Star Sprints and Pennsylvania Posse, legitimately putting him in all-time territory for any kind of racing streak in history.
Larson was a whole different type of excited in victory lane, exclaiming “I’ve now won in Central PA! This is badass!” to the cheering grandstands. He admitted that this isn’t his normal style of track so being able to conquer it was even that more satisfying. He also again displayed his humble and gracious side, describing how that track has “kicked his butt” in the past and just how great he felt winning in front of all those people. He also gave runner-up Alan Krimes about the best compliment any driver could receive, saying “I’ve watched so many videos of Krimes here cruising around the bottom, I knew I was going to have to move down eventually.” The current NASCAR point leader saying he watches videos of the way a weekend local gets around a track. That’s the side of Kyle Larson that quite possibly impresses me more than all the talent he possesses.
The next night brought the action packed Speedweek tour to just north of where I live to Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA. I had already been looking forward to this show for weeks. Names like Larson, Kahne, Abreu. Hodnett, McFadden, Wolfe, Blaney, Dietrich and Walker all descending upon my home track on the same 4th of July evening! Our country can’t get much better than that in my humble opinion. Add to that the fact that I felt Larson had a very solid chance at three straight in PA and six in a row overall in the national 410 ranks, being that the high banks of the 1/3 mile Grandview facility combined with its high-speed potential remind me of a Path Valley on steroids.
Prior to the driver’s meeting, I caught up with Larson again to see if what he had accomplished the previous night and during this unprecedented run had really registered with him yet. “I don’t know, I mean everything has just seemed to kind of fall my way, like the heat race last night, I started sixth and the doors opened for me within the first straightaway and I got to second, that was really key to winning last night.” He continued, “When you start to gain momentum like we have it just seems to carry and it’s hard to explain.” This theory would really prove itself true later that evening.
The Grandview A-Main will go down as one of the most dramatic, storyline-filled features I’ve ever seen at the speedway. Larson’s comment about things falling his way immediately made itself evident once again, as heavy contact between he and Greg Hodnett sent Hodnett spinning, yet somehow didn’t do the same to Kyle or even damage his machine. Then a hard-charging Ryan Smith brought the crowd to their feet as he used every bit of the racing surface to reel in, catch and appear to take the lead from Larson on lap 24 exiting turn two, only to tag the wall entering three and wildly flip his Warko #94 to the disbelief of all in attendance. Larson would then hold off the hard charging Freddie Rahmer, who started 18th, to extend the Keystone State streak to three and six in a row overall. Again, my good buddy and I looked at each other in amazement at what we just witnessed. Larson, predictably, was humble in victory lane. “I definitely got a little lucky tonight. Smith had a great car and I hate to see him tear his stuff up.”
In my experience, you generate your own luck and momentum. How hard you work and how down-to-Earth, humble and gracious you remain during that process will result in what many consider lucky or fortunate, but is really earned. Six consecutive sprint car wins against the best competition this nation has to offer. Oh yeah, throw in a NASCAR Monster Cup win at Michigan to boot. What I continually saw from Kyle Larson both on and off the track during a three-day span makes what he has already accomplished in his young career and what appears to be on his horizon not seem lucky to me at all. It seems earned, and it is most certainly unprecedented. I will, however, tell you someone who was extremely lucky during this run – it was me – and I’ll be forever grateful for being there to see it.
