PORT ROYAL, Pa. — The Keith Kauffman Classic was run for the 11th time on Saturday night at Port Royal Speedway. Six drivers were able to boast a win in the event honoring the track’s all-time winningest 410 sprint car driver leading into the evening.
In dominant fashion, Chase Dietz led all 30 laps around The Speed Palace for the $16,000 pay day.
Dietz started alongside Kasey Kahne, who is piloting the Macri Motorsports while Anthony Macri recovers from a back injury.
The two drivers battled over the opening lap with Dietz getting the advantage over Kahne off of the fourth corner. From that point on, Dietz went unchallenged through the rest of the feature event.
Kahne, who is fresh off of his first World of Outlaws win at Williams Grove, ran second spot over the opening 12 laps before Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing points leader Aaron Reutzel passed him for the runner up spot.
Reutzel, who is the defending Bob Weikert Memorial champion at Port Royal Speedway, tried to track down Chase Dietz over the remaining 23 laps, but Dietz was too strong around the outside of the speedway to be caught.
“Pulling off these wins is so difficult to do, especially at Port Royal,” said Dietz in Kish Bank victory lane. “That’s the best I’ve felt here. Awesome team we have here, and we’re really looking forward to next week.”
The win, not only etches Dietz into the Port Royal history book being the 7th driver to win the Keith Kauffman Classic, but it would be his third triumph in 410 competition at the Juniata County half mile.
Aaron Reutzel finished and Troy Wagaman was third.
The Weikert’s Livestock 410 sprint cars will be back in competition on Friday May 22nd through the 24th with Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing for the Bob Weikert Memorial presented by Greencastle Livestock Market.
In Empire Super Sprint competition, Alex Therrien took the win from his fourth place starting spot.
The finish:
Feature (30 laps): 1. 23-Chase Dietz[2]; 2. 87-Aaron Reutzel[4]; 3. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[5]; 4. 39M-Kasey Kahne[1]; 5. 19-Brent Marks[6]; 6. 1A-Cameron Smith[8]; 7. 48-Danny Dietrich[3]; 8. 69K-Ryan Smith[17]; 9. 55K-Kerry Madsen[7]; 10. 9P-Daison Pursley[9]; 11. 67-Justin Whittall[11]; 12. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[10]; 13. 77S-Giovanni Scelzi[13]; 14. 8-Lance Dewease[21]; 15. 55-Logan Wagner[12]; 16. 11-TJ Stutts[14]; 17. 51-Freddie Rahmer[19]; 18. 12S-Brent Shearer[15]; 19. 22-Doug Hammaker[22]; 20. 77-AJ Flick[23]; 21. 91-Preston Lattomus[16]; 22. 18J-JT Ferry[24]; 23. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[20]; 24. 20-Ryan Taylor[18]
