MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Brad Sweet and Williams Grove Speedway are beginning to see eye-to-eye, especially when it comes to winning.
The Kasey Kahne Racing driver fired off from second in the postponed National Open preliminary feature on Saturday night, where he’d slide around polesitter Tyler Courtney on lap six and put on a clinic the rest of the way.
The four-time and defending World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion secured his third triumph in the last two seasons at the half-mile dirt oval.
With points at a premium as Sweet and the No. 49 KKR team look to lock up their fifth consecutive title next month at The Dirt Track At Charlotte (N.C.), Sweet felt his weekend at the Central Pennsylvania dirt oval was a positive outing.
“Obviously these weekends at the end of the season are really crucial to run well. It’s a time that you can open the door or you can close the door,” Sweet told SPEED SPORT.
“This is a big weekend with 58 and 52 cars. A lot of things can go wrong.”
Despite parking his car in victory lane at The Grove once again, Sweet looked back at what could’ve been in the 40-lap feature that predated his winning prelim run where he finished fifth.
“You can’t really complain about a win here and a fifth, but like I said, it not being the National Open and standing on the frontstretch, you’re always happy,” Sweet said.
“But, $75,000 and that National Open trophy would have been a lot nicer.”
With a strong fifth-place run and a victory during the two-race stretch at The Grove, Sweet extended his points lead to 90 markers over David Gravel.
The 25-lap prelim was run promptly after the conclusion of the 61st annual Champion Racing Oil National Open at Williams Grove Speedway, which saw Brent Marks score his second victory in the event. The prelim was rained out on Friday.
Following Sweet was Carson Macedo as the Jason Johnson Racing driver charged from fourth.
Sweet’s title rival Gravel finished third to claim his 30th podium result of the season, with Courtney and National Open finale winner Marks completing the top five.
Feature Finish (25 Laps)
1. Brad Sweet, 2. Carson Macedo, 3. David Gravel, 4. Tyler Courtney, 5. Brent Marks, 6. Lance Dewease, 7. Freddie Rahmer, 8. Justin Peck, 9. Daryn Pittman, 10. TJ Stutts, 11. Buddy Kofoid, 12. Gio Scelzi, 13. Donny Schatz, 14. Brian Brown, 15. Aaron Reutzel, 16. Troy Wagaman Jr., 17. Sheldon Haudenschild, 18. Brock Zearfoss, 19. Danny Dietrich, 20. Spencer Bayston, 21. Kyle Moody, 22. Dylan Norris, 23. Logan Schuchart, 24. Chad Trout, 25. Kasey Kahne, 26. Chase Randall
DNS: Zeb Wise, James McFadden, Anthony Macri, Rico Abreu