Hanover, PA (March 27, 2023) – In what can only be described as a tough weekend of racing in Central PA that went from one extreme to another, Dylan Norris and the Gobrecht Motorsports Team put their heads down and came out on the other side unscathed with two top 10 finishes.
Mother Nature delayed another attempt at the Williams Grove season opener on Friday night and it looked like she might get the best of Lincoln on Saturday but the promoters decided to give the drivers a chance to race. It was the first handicapped show of the season at Lincoln which had Norris lined up sixth for his heat race start. Despite heavy track conditions Norris drove up to third in the heat putting him in a handicapped spot at the front of the feature line-up, “We had a good heat race that put us in a better position. I got handicapped back to ninth for the start of the feature and on a track like we had its just hard to go anywhere.” After five attempts to get a green flag lap in the books to start the 30-lap feature which included an open red for a fuel stop, officials had the field line-up single file for the sixth attempt which was a success. Norris ran in the sixth spot for most of the race and that is where he would finish, “The team performed well, I had a great racecar all night and I’m excited to keep getting into the thick of the season.”
BAPS Motor Speedway kicked off their 410 sprint car schedule on Sunday afternoon and it did not take long to realize that the track conditions would be the polar opposite of what teams saw the previous night at Lincoln with the track drying out early in the program. Norris started eighth in the second heat race and drove up to finish fifth, putting him the feature. Dylan lined up 18th for what would turn out to be another marathon main event, “BAPS on Sunday was a rough day with track conditions which made it hard to pass and your starting position made up most of your race.” Norris and the team opted to run the old tire compound as opposed to the new compound available on Sunday and once right rear tires started to go, Dylan fell victim as did many others. The Gobrecht Motorsports Team had the opportunity to change both the right and left rear tires before rejoining the field to finish the shortened race, “We put the old compound back on because we knew we would burn off whatever we put back on.” With five laps to go under caution, officials decided on a green white checkered finish to make the race 27 laps instead of 30. Dylan crossed the line eighth, “I feel like once again our car had good speed but we started the night with a terrible pill draw and that combined with the track conditions put us behind from the start.”
Dylan was one of four drivers to finish in the top 10 both nights over the weekend, which considering the circumstances is quite the accomplishment, “It does help build a little bit of confidence in our program because I know that we can pass cars now and if we could just start further forward we would be okay.”
Norris and the team are now looking ahead to another scheduled three-race weekend which will take them across state lines to New Jersey on Sunday to Bridgeport Speedway.
UP NEXT:
Williams Grove Speedway, Friday, March 31 at 7:30PM; Lincoln Speedway, Saturday, April 1 at 6PM; Bridgeport Speedway, Sunday, April 2 at 6PM
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Beerhill Gang
Here in Central PA when you think of sprint car racing, one of the first tracks that may come to mind is Williams Grove Speedway. What else may come to mind when you think of Williams Grove? The famous chicken fingers and French frys? The iconic blue bridge that crosses over the back stretch? The amount of technique it takes to wheel around the half mile long paper clip? Or MAYBE the rowdy group of fans in Turn 3 known as the Beer Hill Gang?
“The Beer Hill Gang?” you ask. Yes! The Beer Hill Gang. A passionate group of sprint car fans that was established in 2002 by Mike Root and later taken over by the current “Commish” Dave Stewart (aka Stew. This group has participated in the “Adopt a Highway Program” and organizes trash cleanup yearly along Lisburn Road, and sponsors drivers. Beer Hill Gang has also sponsored various hard charger awards and laps at the Tuscarora 50. The group is also a strong supporter of the Jeff Gordon’s Kick it Foundation that helps aid children’s cancer research.
717 Innovations; AL Driveline; All Pro; Andy’s House of Powder; Baker Door; Beerhill Gang; Brown & Miller Racing Solutions; Darwin Martin Trucking; Engler; E‑Z‑GO; Freedom Offroad; Front Runner Exteriors; FXG Sign and Label; Fine Line Auto Body; Gardy Enterprises; Gene Latta Ford; Gettysburg Rental; Golf Cart Services; Highlands’ Powersports; Hepfner Racing Products; iNet Technology Group; KH Suspension; K-Hill Motorsports; KSE Racing Products; Kevin Nouse Designs; Leppo Racing Inc.; McSherrystown Moose #720; Moose Blocks; Motor State; Overdrive RC; Pruitt Innovation & Technologies; Racing Optics; Racing Through Times; Rider; Robison Racing Products; RPM Signs and Lighting; Rucker Computer Solutions; SCC Trucking; Schoenfeld Headers; Service Master Clean; Sharp Advantage; Smith Titanium; Superior Bearing Supply; Team Automotive Group; The Gear Shop; The Racing Trading Post; Thrivent Fusion Financial Group; Tyson Fence; UltraShield Race Products; Winters Performance
STAY IN TOUCH:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DylanNorrisRacing44
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DylanNorris17
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gobrecht_motorsports/
Website: https://dylannorrisracing.com/
STATS:
BAPS Motor Speedway: 1 start
Top 10: 1
Lincoln Speedway: 3 starts
Top 10: 2
Port Royal Speedway: 1 start