Williams Grove Set For Three-Day National Open Event This Weekend

Story By: SHAWN BROUSE / WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY – MECHANICSBURG, PA – Williams Grove Speedway will present its marquee event for sprint cars this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 28, 29 and 30, when it hosts the 55th annual Champion Racing Oil World of Outlaws National Open.

First expanded to a three-day format in 2015 but plagued by rain since that time, the annual event will again find the best in the sprint car business across the nation gathered at the famed Williams Grove Speedway half-mile for the prestigious affair.

Each of the first two days of competition will help to set the stage for the big Saturday Champion Racing Oil National Open that pays $50,000 to win.

Thursday and Friday will find the historic oval hosting full programs of World of Outlaws sprint car racing complete with 25-lap main events paying $10,000 to win each before the field is set for the 55th running of the Champion Racing Oil National Open.

Thursday night’s program will also feature the held-over from July Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals finale, paying $20,000 to win.

Saturday’s 55th annual World of Outlaws Champion Racing Oil National Open will go the customary 40 laps with the winner going home with $50,000 in his coffers.

The Saturday Open finale will also crown the 2017 Lawrence Chevrolet 410 Sprint Williams Grove Speedway track champion.

Freddie Rahmer leads the locals known as the PA Posse into the Open weekend as the Williams Grove Speedway point leader by nearly 500 points.

Qualifying time trials on Thursday and Friday are set to begin at 7:30 pm with Saturday’s program that features NO time trials getting underway at 6:30 pm.

Points earned throughout the first two days of the three-day event will set the starting grids for Saturday’s qualifying heat races.

Throughout history, no other driver has ever won the Williams Grove Champion Racing Oil National Open as many times as outlaws warrior Donny Schatz who put himself on top of the event win list by claiming his fifth Nationals in 2012.

Schatz will enter the Williams Grove Champion Racing Oil National Open weekend leading the outlaws point standings with 18 series victories to date in 2017.

After a rain out of all three days last year, Gettysburg’s Danny Dietrich scored a make-up Open on October 14 over Joey Saldana and Brad Sweet.

Dietrich took the lead from Saldana with two laps to go in the 40-lapper last year to score the popular victory for the local drivers.

California’s Sweet currently ranks second in the World of Outlaws point standings.

The Open champion in 2014, Connecticut’s David Gravel currently ranks third in Outlaws season points and has 14 wins to his credit this season.

Fireworks displays will be a part of all three 2017 Champion Racing Oil National Open events. .

Adult general admission for Thursday and Friday is $30 with youth ages 13-20 admitted for just $15.

Admission prices for Saturday’s National Open are $35 for adults and $20 for youth.

And please remember, kids ages 12 and under are always admitted free at Williams Grove Speedway.