Mechanicsburg - York's Chase Dietz won the battle and the war at Williams Grove Speedway on Saturday night when he claimed the 64th annual J & S Classics World of Outlaws Sprint Cars National Open while sealing up the 2026 sprint car track title.
Dietz pocketed $75,000 for his fourth win of the year at the track, coming in the prestigious 40-lap event.
It was his remarkable 24th overall win of the season behind the wheel of the Stehman Motorsports No. 23 and the ninth of his career at Williams Grove.
Dietz raced to second in the dash to earn the outside of the front row for the start of the National Open, flanked by Bill Balog.
Having led the first 36 laps of the race last year, Balog looked stout when action began but only the first lap was scored before the yellow flag appeared for a stopped Ryan Newton.
Balog then stretched out a 1.5 second lead over Dietz by lap seven before Logan Rumsey slowed out of the 16th position.
The yellow for Rumsey's racer turned red for refueling and when action resumed six-time Open winner Donny Schatz raced around two-time Open champion David Gravel for third before trying to challenge Dietz for second.
But just that quickly Balog fell off the pace before lap nine could be scored and after a stint in the pit area he returned to the field to tag at the rear.
Balog's faltering surrendered the point to Dietz who went out to a 1.5 second lead over Schatz by lap 15.
And then Schatz was rallying to contest the lead with Dietz when the final caution flag of the race unfurled for the stopped car of two-time Open champion Brent Marks.
Dietz maintained his lead on the restart as seventh starter Justin Peck got by Gravel for third.
At the halfway point Dietz was already out to a 1.5 second advantage over Schatz, a margin that had grown to nearly two seconds by the time he began to enter the rear of the field with 12 laps to go.
Dietz struggled for several laps as he began trying to put cars a lap down and that allowed Schatz to close in for what he hoped would become a seventh National Open checkers.
With six laps to go Dietz worked hard to navigate the backmarkers of Brent Shearer and Balog before he broke free of the pair.
However more traffic entered the picture during the final two circuits and again Schatz was there to mount a charge as he began letting his CJB No. 15 eat off of the bottom lane in the fourth corner.
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And it was that lane that Schatz used to make a final turn charge to steal the win.
But in the end Dietz proved victorious by .257 seconds for the massive triumph.
Peck completed the podium with a good run for third.
David Gravel rode home fourth and Daryn Pittman was fifth.
Sixth through 10th went to defending National Open winner Sheldon Haudenschild, two-time Open winner Carson Macedo, Anthony Macri, Tanner Holmes and Logan Schuchart.
Dietz entered the event leading the oval point standings by 40 points over Troy Wagaman Jr. and when Wagaman failed to qualify for the event Dietz secured his first ever oval track crown.
It was also a career first oval title for car owners John and Kelly Stehman.
Heats for the 54-car field went to Lance Dewease, Balog, Pittman and Schatz.
Chris Windom claimed the C Main and Brady Bacon won the B Main.
Windom also won the non-qualifiers race.
Dietz set fast time with a lap of 16.379 seconds.
It was his sixth fast time of the season at Williams Grove.
Feature Finish
10/3/26
410 Sprints, 40 Laps: 1. Chase Dietz, 2. Donny Schatz, 3. Justin Peck, 4. David Gravel, 5. Daryn Pittman, 6. Sheldon Haudenschild, 7. Carson Macedo, 8. Anthony Macri, 9. Tanner Holmes, 10. Logan Schuchart, 11. Buddy Kofoid, 12. Ryan Timms, 13. Cole Macedo, 14. Justin Whittall, 15. Danny Dietrich, 16. Garet Williamson, 17. Lance Dewease, 18. Steve Snyder Jr., 19. Austin Bishop, 20. Spencer Bayston, 21. Skylar Gee, 22. Brent Shearer, 23. Bill Balog, 24. Brady Bacon, 25. Logan Rumsey, 26. Brent Marks, 27. Doug Hammaker, 28. Ryan Newton
DNQ: Chad Trout, Darin Naida, Ayden Hare, Dave Grube, Conner Morrell, JJ Loss, Samuel Miller, Troy Fraker, Sye Lynch, Brie Hershey, Troy Wagaman Jr., Bryce Lucius, Chris Windom, Lucas Wolfe, Tyler Ross, TJ Stutts, Buddy Schweibinz, Mike Thompson, Freddie Rahmer, Brock Zearfoss, Cody Fletcher, Kasey Jedrzejek, Cameron Smith, Emerson Axsom, Ryan Smith, Dylan Norris
