They say you’d rather be lucky than good; but Ryan Timms was certainly both on his way to winning Thursday’s opening night of the Tuscarora 50 at Port Royal Speedway.

The good part was when the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma native wheeled the Liebig Motorsports #10 from sixth-to-second in 20 laps. The lucky part was when dominant race leader Chase Dietz blew a right rear tire on Lap 23 and gifted command of the field to Timms with three laps left.

Prior to that race-deciding moment, there was no shortage of drama already brewing at “The Speed Palace.” At the start of the 25-lapper, it was a showdown between the High Rollers and the PA Posse with Rico Abreu and Chase Dietz sharing the front row of the feature.

Abreu, back in the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #24 house car with Carquest colors, controlled the opening five laps before Dietz somehow narrowly squeezed between the High Limit championship leader and the outside wall to steal the lead on Lap 6. 

It was only two laps later when chaos ensued as Dietz’ Stehman Motorsports #23 made contact with Kasey Jedrzejek in lap traffic and completed a 360 spin. From potentially disastrous to race-saving, he was able to retain his lead due to his ability to remain fired and drive away from the scene while Zach Hampton flipped and caused the stoppage.

Regaining his composure, the York, Pennsylvania native dominated the next stretch of the race as he built a 5.056-second advantage before the next stoppage on Lap 20 when fourth-running James McFadden went flipping off the fence. That restart would change the whole picture of the race when Dietz’ right rear exploded coming off turn two and he coasted to a stop with three laps left.

Assuming control of the race lead, Ryan Timms coasted home on the final restart to claim his second-career win with Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing – the first being his $58,000 score in last year’s Tuscarora 50 finale at Port Royal Speedway.

Timms’ first trip to Whiskey Myers Victory Lane this season marked his 16th overall win with Liebig Motorsports in 2026. The score officially locks them in to defend their Tusky title on Saturday – as Thursday’s winner has a set aside provisional (to start 19th) in the 50-lap finale should they not already earn a better starting position through Heat Races.

Justin Peck of Monrovia, Indiana followed Timms to the stripe – earning his third runner-up result in the last four High Limit events at Port Royal. It’s the fifth second-place finish of the season for Rudeen Racing as the #26 still hunts for their first High Limit win of 2026.

Aaron Reutzel took the final step on the podium with a crucial eight-to-third drive putting him one spot ahead of championship counterpart Rico Abreu. The Ridge & Sons Racing #87 now trails the Tony Stewart Racing #24 by only 43-points with 12 nights left to decide the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing title.

Abreu finished fourth from the pole while Doug Hammaker of Grantville, Pennsylvania – a two-time winner at the track this year – earned a High Limit career-best fifth (from 17th) aboard the Jim & Sandy Kline #22.

Giovanni Scelzi ran sixth in the Spire Motorsports #77, New Jersey’s Justin Whittall took Rod End Supply Hard Charger honors with a 22nd-to-7th run, Kerry Madsen finished eighth in the Vermeer Motorsports #55, Pennsylvanian Troy Wagaman Jr. grabbed ninth (from 18th) in the Heffner Racing #27, and Tanner Holmes rounded out the top-10 (from 19th) in the Buch Motorsports #13.

THE ALL-IN NOTEBOOK (Thursday, September 10, 2026)
Port Royal Speedway (Port Royal, Pennsylvania)
Night 1 of the 59th Annual Tuscarora 50

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps (Flight A) – Aaron Reutzel (15.490)
Capitol Renegade QuickTime (Flight A) – Ryan Smith (15.320)
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps (Flight B) – Daison Pursley (15.635)
Capitol Renegade QuickTime (Flight B) – Daison Pursley (15.595)
TJ Forged Heat One Winner – Chase Dietz
DMI Heat Two Winner – Ryan Timms
BR Motorsports Heat Three Winner – Rico Abreu
Rod End Supply Heat Four Winner – Tanner Thorson
C-Main Winner – Brent Shearer
FK Rod Ends Dash Winner – Rico Abreu
Winters Performance B-Main Winner – Ryan Smith
DURST Dice Roll Driver – Aaron Reutzel (8th-to-3rd)
Jake’s Golf Carts Fastest Lap – Chase Dietz (17.220 seconds on Lap 3)
Rod End Supply Hard Charger – Justin Whittall +15 (22nd-to-7th)
Whiskey Meyers Victory Lane Visitors – Liebig Motorsports #10 (1st of year)
CASM Win Sticker – Ryan Timms (2nd of career)
Lap Leader(s) – Rico Abreu 1-5; Chase Dietz 6-22; Ryan Timms 23-25

Interstate Batteries A-Main Results (25 Laps): 1. 10-Ryan Timms[6]; 2. 26-Justin Peck[3]; 3. 87-Aaron Reutzel[8]; 4. 24-Rico Abreu[1]; 5. 22-Doug Hammaker[17]; 6. 77-Giovanni Scelzi[9]; 7. 67-Justin Whittall[22]; 8. 55-Kerry Madsen[15]; 9. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[18]; 10. 13-Tanner Holmes[19]; 11. 55W-Logan Wagner[16]; 12. 88-Tanner Thorson[4]; 13. 21-Brian Brown[12]; 14. 71R-Logan Rumsey[11]; 15. 69K-Ryan Smith[21]; 16. 9-Daison Pursley[5]; 17. 19-Brent Marks[7]; 18. 1A-Cameron Smith[20]; 19. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[25]; 20. 42-Sye Lynch[13]; 21. 11-TJ Stutts[26]; 22. 5-Kasey Jedrzejek[27]; 23. 23-Chase Dietz[2]; 24. 8-Lance Dewease[14]; 25. 39M-James McFadden[10]; 26. 47K-Kody Lehman[28]; 27. 6-Zach Hampton[24]; 28. 11A-Austin Bishop[23]

NEW Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing Championship Standings (After 42/54 Races):
1. 2,501 pts – Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #24 (Rico Abreu)
2. -43 pts – Ridge & Sons Racing #87 (Aaron Reutzel)
3. -151 pts – Spire Motorsports #77 (Giovanni Scelzi)
4. -216 pts – Clauson-Marshall Racing #7BC (Tyler Courtney)
5. -217 pts – Rudeen Racing #26 (Justin Peck)
6. -276 pts – Chase Briscoe Racing #19 (Brent Marks)
7. -322 pts – JST Motorsports #88 (Tanner Thorson)
8. -439 pts – Vermeer Motorsports #55 (Kerry Madsen)
9. -485 pts – Buch Motorsports #13 (Tanner Holmes)
10. -553 pts – Kasey Kahne Racing w/ Mike Curb #9 (Daison Pursley)
11. -807 pts – CJB Motorsports #5 (Brenham Crouch sub w/ Dominic Scelzi)
12. -825 pts – Mosites Lynch Racing #42 (Sye Lynch)
13. -873 pts – Chase Randall Racing #9R (Chase Randall)
14. -911 pts – Michael Dutcher Motorsports #17GP (Brock Zearfoss)
15. -974 pts – Randerson Racing #24D (Danny Sams III)

WHAT’S NEXT: The 59th annual Tuscarora 50 rolls on at Port Royal Speedway with two more nights slated at “The Speed Palace” for Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing. Friday’s “The Night Before the 50” will lead into Saturday’s $59,000-to-win finale at the half-mile. Tickets are available for purchase at HighLimitRacing.com, or you can watch every event live on FloRacing.

NEXT: Kelby Watt To Appeal World Of Outlaws Suspension And Fine After Failed Tire Test at I-55