Williams Grove Speedway’s 58th Annual National Open Just Three Weeks Away

Story By: SHAWN BROUSE / WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY – MECHANICSBURG, PA – The biggest and richest sprint car race in the East and in the history of Williams Grove Speedway is now just three weeks away as the 58th annual Champion Racing Oil National Open looms.

Sanctioned by the World of Outalws Sprint Cars Series, the two-day affair on October 2 and 3 will put the eyes of the sprint car world on Williams Grove Speedway.

Speedway officials recently announced that the October 3 58th annual Champion Racing Oil 40-lap National Open will pay a monstrous $75,000 to the winner, up from 65K just one year ago.

Slated for October 2, the National Open Preliminary will feature a 30-lap main paying $10,000 to the winner.

The 2020 Champion Racing Oil National Open at Williams Grove will again offer the biggest winner’s share ever in the history of the oval and in the East, at $75,000.

And this season, the widely acclaimed event will indeed go down in history as the richest one-day event and biggest payday in sprint car racing across the nation, with Saturday’s A-Main total purse alone eclipsing $130,000!

The early October sprint car meet will showcase the best of the Pennsylvania Posse sprint car stars against the World of Outlaws series stars in an epic Williams Grove battle culminating with the 75K to win, 40-lap finale on Saturday night.

Brent Marks of Myerstown is the defending Champion Racing Oil National Open champion.

The National Open will also see the 2020 Williams Grove Speedway Lawrence Chevrolet 410 sprint car series champion crowned at the conclusion of Saturday’s Open.

Adult general admission for October 2 is set at $30 with youth ages 13 – 20 priced at $15. Adult admission for October 3 is $35 with youth priced at $20.

Kids ages 12 and under are always admitted for FREE at Williams Grove Speedway.

Both nights of action are slated to get underway at 7:30 pm.

All Stars To Contest Gunn Memorial Dirt Classic Qualifier Friday; Rahmer, Dietrich and Marks Vying For Track Crown

Speedway is in action this Friday, September 18 at 7:30 pm with the All Stars Circuit of Champions Sprints Jack Gunn Memorial/Dirt Classic Qualifier for the Lawrence Chevrolet 410 sprint cars.

The 30-lap main for the 410 sprints will be 30 laps in distance and pay $5,000 to the winner.

The PASS/IMCA 305 sprint cars are also on the program for their only appearance of the season.

Adult general admission for the special show is set at $20 with youth ages 13 – 20 priced at $10. Kids ages 12 and under are always FREE at Williams Grove Speedway.

Gates will open at 5:30.

The 410 sprints will time trial to set heat starting lineups with Fast Tees Screenprinting of Thompsontown offering $300 to set quick time over the field.

With just four point shows to go in the 2020 season including this Friday, the chase to be Williams Grove track champion is as hot as one could possibly imagine.

Coming into this week, 2017 champion Freddie Rahmer is leading defending track titlist Danny Dietrich by just 100 points.

In fact, as recent as the September 4 event, the pair was tied at the top of the standings.

And now, enter Brent Marks into the fray for the crown as the Myerstown driver is just 135 markers back of leader Rahmer.

And to back up their attempted claims on the title, all three pilots have dominated victory lane at the track since late July.

This weeks special All Stars event for the sprinters will be another contest in the 2020 Hoosier Diamond Series at Williams Grove as well.

Aaron Reutzel of Clute, Texas, a seven-time winner with the All Stars this season is the current series point leader over California’s Cory Eliason.

Friday’s winner will earn a guaranteed starting spot in the Dirt Classic at Lincoln Speedway coming up the next night, September 19.

Run yearly beginning in 1983, the Jack Gunn Memorial honors late Williams Grove promoter Jack Gunn, a native of Hancock, Maryland.

Gunn was a Hall of Fame Promoter who heralded the speedway as promoter from 1967 until his untimely death from cancer at the age of 48 in 1980.

Kyle Larson won over the All Stars during a circuit appearance at the track back in July.

Reutzel is the defending Jack Gunn Memorial champion.