PORT ROYAL, PA -- It may have taken Lance Dewease nine tries to find Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 victory lane in 2022, but the National Sprint Car Hall of Famer and Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, native finally parked it, doing so in familiar territory by claiming Port Royal Speedway’s Night Before the Tuscarora 50 for a $10,000 payday. For Dewease, the Port Royal All Star win bumps his career total to 14 at the “Speed Palace” - the most ever of any All Star competitor. Impressive enough, the victory, jumping his overall Port Royal Speedway total 121, was accomplished in dominating fashion, leading Brian Brown and Gio Scelzi to the final checkers by a margin of victory exceeding five seconds.

“We had a really good car last night, but we ended up changing motors tonight which I think helped us get a little bit better in qualifying. The car was just really good all night,” Lance Dewase said, driver of the Hess Ornamental Iron/Rapid Tire/SCA Inc./ No. 69K. “The track was really good tonight like it’s been all year. My guys did a really good job and worked their butts off. We know what we need to fix for tomorrow and hopefully be even better.”

Although starting eighth on the main event grid, Dewease was a winning threat right from the start. By lap ten, he had already powered his way to third, scooting by Gettysburg’s Danny Dietrich through the bottom of turns three and four. A restart following a lap 12 red flag, ultimately resulting in open red flag conditions, allowed Dewease to pick off second over KCP Racing’s Gio Scelzi. At the time, “Blackjack” Brian Brown was the race leader, taking command at the initial green from the pole position.

VIDEO: Watch highlights from the Night Before the 50 at Port Royal. 

By lap 15, it was apparent that Dewease was quicker than Brown, using the bottom groove to snag the lead from the Higginsville, Missouri, native just one circuit later. Dietrich followed Dewease around Brown, settling into second on lap 17.

From that point forward, it was the “Dewease Show” at Port Royal Speedway, driving on to withstand a period of heavy pressure from Danny Dietrich, as well as an additional single-file restart after the event’s final caution on lap 23, to secure his place on the victory lane platform. Unfortunately for Dietrich, he was the reason for the caution on lap 23, slowing to a stop due to engine trouble.

Brian Brown would race on to finish second, followed by Gio Scelzi, Justin Peck, and Brent Marks.

The weekend’s headline event - the 55th running of the Tuscarora 50 - will go 50 laps in distance on Saturday night and will award a $60,000 payday. Originally paying $55,000, J&S Classics boosted the winner’s share to $60,000.

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