Story By: A2DPR / KYLE REINHARDT RACING – MECHANICSBURG, PA – Kyle Reinhardt wrapped up the All Star Circuit of Champions series points races at Eldora Speedway on September 24th, but there is still plenty of racing remaining over the next six weeks.
September drew to a close and October opened up with four high-profile races in Pennsylvania and New Jersey featuring the High Limit and World of Outlaw series.
As the four races unfolded, Reinhardt and crew chief Chris Shuttlesworth dialed the Capitol Renegade, Coors Banquet Beer, Henry’s Wrecker Service No.91 in, finding speed and capping off the stretch with a National Open appearance with the World of Outlaws and a top-five finish with the High Limit Racing series.
Reinhardt strapped into the Grove Racing No.45 at Lernerville Speedway for a Tuesday night shot at the $50,000 top prize in the High Limit Series event on September 26th.
The qualifying lap Reinhardt laid down was good, but with a very stout field on hand, it left him 15th in his group. It proved to be a tough hill to climb from there.
On a very fast and narrow racetrack, the Neptune City, NJ native was unable to move forward from his 8th starting spot in his heat race. The B-main proved equally challenging, with Reinhardt only able to climb one spot for a 10th-place finish, which brought an end to his night.
Three days later, Friday’s National Open preliminary night at Williams Grove Speedway had a lot of similarities to Tuesday night’s event for Reinhardt. It was once again a high-quality 58-car field and a qualifying effort that made the rest of the night harder.
Finishes of 8th in his heat race and 12th in the B-main brought an early end to Reinhardt’s Friday and turned the team’s focus back to finding the early speed they needed.
Reinhardt showed more speed and got Saturday night’s program off on the right foot by qualifying 10th quickest in Group B, putting him 5th on the grid for his heat race.
In the 8-lap qualifying race, Reinhardt slipped out of a transfer spot in the early going but fought his way back to finish 5th and put himself and his team into the National Open.
From the 20th starting spot in the prestigious 40-lap finale, Reinhardt started to work his way forward but ten laps into the event a broken spark plug brought an abrupt and early end to his main event.
“I think we had a solid weekend making the National Open. We didn’t time-trial well Friday and got in a hole we couldn’t get out of like a lot of other cars. Saturday we made it happen, then broke a spark plug in the feature and that ended our race early.”, Reinhardt commented.
Reinhardt and his team traveled to his home state of New Jersey for another Tuesday night High Limit Racing event on October 3rd at Bridgeport Motorsports Park, a 4-tenths mile oval where he has had success in past outings, including an All Star Circuit of Champions podium earlier this season.
The early speed was present again for Reinhardt, who posted the 2nd quickest time overall in the thirty-three car field.
Reinhardt went on to post a heat race victory over Tyler Courtney, Brent Marks, and Devon Borden to earn a spot in the dash. He drew the number five pill, started the 7-lap dash from inside the third row, and crossed the finish line 6th.
From the 6th starting spot in the 35-lap, $23,023 to win A-main, Reinhardt claimed the 5th spot on the opening circuit and held a firm grasp on it for the first twenty circuits.
On lap twenty he moved into 4th and began his pursuit of Cory Eliason for a podium position. On the final circuit, low fuel landed Reinhardt in 5th by 0.071 seconds.
“I’m really happy with our first High Limit race in the 91. We had good speed all night and I felt like I was in position to race for a podium but got held up behind some lapped cars running in 4th, then ran out of fuel on the last lap and ended up 5th.”, Reinhardt commented.
Reinhardt will have a busy week behind the wheel of the Capitol Renegade, Coors Banquet Beer, Henry’s Wrecker Service No.91.
Thursday night, October 5th, Reinhardt will compete in the All Star sanctioned Tuscarora 50 at Port Royal Speedway. He will remain at Port Royal to take on the World of Outlaws in the two day Nittany Showdown Friday and Saturday, October 6th and 7th.