Story by: A2DPR / KODY HARTLAUB RACING – NEWBERRYTOWN, PA – Kody Hartlaub has been a busy guy in 2023. The year started with the construction of a new race shop and the birth of his first child.
Hartlaub built his team’s depth to enable them to compete at both Williams Grove and Lincoln on a weekly basis when the 358 sprint cars are on the card.
Then, with the help of partner Pat Brewer and Brewer Home Improvements, he decided to start building his 410 sprint car program and has hit the track six times with that car already.
In 2023, Hartlaub entered 24 total races. He has already competed in that many to date in 2024 and he has at least six more on his schedule.
In the span of just over 24 hours August 18th and 19th, Hartlaub logged three 358 sprint car features, two at Williams Grove on Friday night and one at Lincoln on Saturday night. He finished 5th, 2nd and 10th respectively in the J Fuels, Brewer Home Improvements, Moose Blocks, Smith Titanium, SRR Engines, Siegel Racing, T&N Solutions, Inch & Co. Real Estate, Bigham Appraisals, Pretzel Boy, HAAS Shocks, Chop Designs, Herr Electric, Hartlaub’s Furniture, Kody Hartlaub Racing No.95.
While the main events were certainly not a walk in the park, Hartlaub did the heavy lifting during the heat races that weekend, passing six cars at The Grove and four at Lincoln during qualifying.
Hartlaub was just as good at Lincoln the following weekend, August 26th. He won his heat race and drove from 8th to 3rd in the A-main that night.
“We’ve been really consistent all year. That’s a credit to Pat (Brewer), my dad and all my guys who put it a lot of hours by my side to make sure everything is well maintained and we are as prepared as we can be. I can’t thank them enough.“, Hartlaub said.
Hartlaub has compiled some impressive statistics at the wheel of his 358 sprint car in 2023. Along with the two wins at Lincoln Speedway, his average finishing position is 5.8 over eleven races. Just up the road at Williams Grove Speedway, Hartlaub owns an average finish of 3.5 over six races.
It will come as no surprise those stats have put Hartlaub atop the season championship point standings at both tracks.
Hartlaub leads Derek Locke by 70 points at Williams Grove and Logan Rumsey by 80 points at Lincoln Speedway. Both tracks have 3 races remaining for the 358 sprint cars this season.
Hartlaub closed out the month of August with his sixth 410 sprint car race of the season. He was part of a 23-car field signed in at BAPS Motor Speedway for the Capitol Renegade Clash on Sunday evening.
The night got off to a solid start for Hartlaub with the 4th quickest lap in his group, which put him on the pole for his heat race. It was in the heat race that he turned some heads. Hartlaub led the first seven laps before giving up the lead and settling for a runner-up finish.
In the 30-lap A-main Hartlaub initially slipped back to 10th from his 8th starting spot but he was able to find his rhythm and move into 6th by lap three. He kept a firm hold on the spot for the duration of the event, notching his 2nd top ten in six 410 sprint car races.
Hartlaub will focus on his 358 sprint car this weekend with two nights at the track in central Pennsylvania.
Friday night he will go after his first career win at the legendary Williams Grove Speedway.
Saturday night he will get back to victory lane for the first time since May at Lincoln Speedway. While Hartlaub has been very good there all summer (with an average finish of 5.8), the handicapping system adds an extra challenge to get to the front in a 20-lap feature. Hartlaub has two podium finishes in his last three trips to the Pigeon Hills oval, so a return to victory lane may not be far away.