Dietz Finds Port Royal Redemption In Night Before The 50

Chase Dietz celebrates in victory lane at Port Royal Speedway Friday. (High Limit Racing photo)

By Brian Walker, High Limit Racing PR

PORT ROYAL, Pa. (Sept. 11, 2026) – After losing a heartbreaker on Thursday night – shredding a right rear tire while leading with three laps left – Chase Dietz refused to be denied when he came back to Port Royal Speedway Friday.

The York, Pa., native quickly relocated the same speed that he’s dominated all of 2026 with and took the Stehman Motorsports No. 23 to the front in only four laps after starting fourth in the 25-lap Hampel Oil Night Before the 50 presented by HVAC Distributors.

Going toe-to-toe with fellow PA Posse star Ryan Smith, Dietz exchanged the lead with the Kreitz Racing No. 69K a handful of times before assuming command for good on lap 10.

Although he’d never relinquish it, Dietz still had to deal with the pressures of late-race lap traffic and a green-white-checkered restart to test his nerves.

He’d survive it all just fine, though, scoring his first-career Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing win to make it an even 20 victories in 2026 – the most of all 410 sprint car drivers in the country.

In doing so, the Pennsylvania star joined elite company alongside Kyle Larson and Corey Day as the only three drivers not full-time on a national tour to beat both the World of Outlaws and High Limit Racing this season.

Following Dietz to the stripe after leading four laps overall, Smith earned his career-best finish with Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing. In the final points night of the season, Smith also stole the Port Royal Speedway track championship for the Kreitz Racing No. 69K team.

Closing out the podium was Bob Weikert Memorial champion Giovanni Scelzi, who finished third in the Spire Motorsports, Chili’s Grill & Bar No. 77. Daison Pursley earned an excellent finish in fourth with the Kasey Kahne Racing No. 9 and New Jersey's Justin Whittall snagged Rod End Supply Hard Charger honors with a 15th-to-fifth effort.

Defending High Limit champion Rico Abreu, Tanner Holmes, Cameron Smith, Chase Randall, and Ryan Timms were sixth through 10th, respectively.

The finish:

Interstate Batteries A-Main (25 laps): 1. 23-Chase Dietz [4]; 2. 69K-Ryan Smith [2]; 3. 77-Giovanni Scelzi [3]; 4. 9-Daison Pursley [1]; 5. 67-Justin Whittall [15]; 6. 24-Rico Abreu [10]; 7. 13-Tanner Holmes [9]; 8. 1A-Cameron Smith [12]; 9. 9R-Chase Randall [13]; 10. 10-Ryan Timms [7]; 11. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr. [14]; 12. 71-Parker Price Miller [20]; 13. 88-Tanner Thorson [6]; 14. 87-Aaron Reutzel [5]; 15. 48-Danny Dietrich [23]; 16. 71R-Logan Rumsey [11]; 17. 12-Brent Shearer [22]; 18. 26-Justin Peck [21]; 19. 19-Brent Marks [16]; 20. 55-Kerry Madsen [18]; 21. 4-Kasey Kahne [19]; 22. 5-Kasey Jedrzejek [24]; 23. 21-Brian Brown [17]; 24. 55W-Logan Wagner [25]; 25. 47K-Kody Lehman [26]; 26. 39M-James McFadden [8].

ARTICLE CREDIT: High Limit Racing