The most anticipated 10 days for Central Pennsylvania Sprint Car racing and fans alike commences Friday at Williams Grove Speedway, which hosts the 35th opener of PA Speedweek presented by Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews.

Last year, Anthony Macri and Danny Dietrich won the lion's share of Speedweek events, taking three features apiece among the nine races contested. World of Outlaws invader Logan Schuchart won a pair of miniseries events while Logan Wagner captured his first Speedweek race of his career.

With Schuchart not expected to race this year and NASCAR superstars Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson expected to make their Speedweek returns, the miniseries winners list is poised to have more variety. 

Let's break down the 10 drivers who have the best shot of winning at least one PA Speedweek race from June 27 at Williams Grove through July 6's finale at Path Valley Speedway Park.

Christopher Bell, Norman, Okla.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Bell has one Speedweek win in 2019 at Grandview Speedway.

Last year: This would be Bell's first PA Speedweek appearance since 2021.

Comment: Teamed with the PA-based Kreitz Racing No. 69k, the 30-year-old's return to PA Speedweek will be a popular one. His best shot to win among his two scheduled races is Tuesday at Grandview as he's never won at Lincoln. In eight races this year, Bell has a World of Outlaws win (Feb. 6 at Volusia Speedway Park) and two more podiums, including a third at Grandview on May 20 with High Limit Racing.

Best chances to win: Tuesday at Grandview Speedway.

Lance Dewease, Fayetteville, Pa.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Dewease's 31 wins are most all-time, with seven of those coming at Williams Grove Speedway.

Last year: Three top-10s in six Speedweek races, with a best finish of sixth in Williams Grove's second miniseries race.

Comment: On a streak of eight top-10s in a row for the first time since 2022, the 59-year-old must be feeling good about his Speedweek outlook, which includes both Williams Grove races, both Port Royal races, Sunday at BAPS and Thursday at Hagerstown. Dewease's wheelhouses, of course, are Williams Grove and Port Royal, but he's perhaps the driver to beat at half-mile Hagerstown where he's won six of the 18 miniseries events.

Best chances to win: Thursday at Hagerstown Speedway.

Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, Pa.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Dietrich's 15 wins are fourth-most all-time, with five of those coming at Lincoln Speedway.

Last year: Three wins in the opening round at Williams Grove, second round at BAPS and final round at Selinsgrove en route to runner-up points finish.

Comment: Fresh off an Ohio Speedweek championship, the 37-year-old now looks for his third career PA Speedweek title. Last year, his 4.2 average finish in nine Speedweek races would've been title-worthy if not for back-to-back champ Anthony Macri being so strong. Dietrich's wheelhouses are Lincoln, Williams Grove and particually BAPS (seven wins, 12 podiums last 15 starts there), but he's plenty capable at Port Royal and Hagerstown, too.

Best chances to win: Sunday at BAPS Motor Speedway.

Chase Dietz, York, Pa.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Third in 2023 Williams Grove Speedway's second stop.

Last year: Five top-10s in six miniseries events, with a best finish of fifth in Williams Grove Speedway's opener.

Comment: Amid his best season yet, the 28-year-old could very well become the latest first-time PA Speedweek winner. His three wins this year in Feb. 23's IceBreaker at Lincoln, May 16 at Selinsgrove and May 31 at Port Royal show Dietz's versatility. His 2.3 average finish at Lincoln, including May 7's runner-up vs. the World of Outlaws, points to the Pigeon Hills as his best shot at winning. 

Best chances to win: Saturday or Monday at Lincoln Speedway.

Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Larson's 10 wins are seventh-most all-time, with four of those wins coming in his runaway 2020 Speedweek title run.

Last year: Larson hasn't raced Speedweek since finishing second twice in four races in 2022.

Comment: With his merch team teasing the 32-year-old's return, count Larson in for PA Speedweek. While his races aren't confirmed yet, he's traditionally raced the miniseries Monday through Thursday. Larson has 10 wins in 30 career Speedweek starts, so based off that win percentage, he should be good for at least one Speedweek win, likely at Grandview (four wins in seven Speedweek starts there) or Port Royal (seven wins last 14 starts there).

Best chances to win: Tuesday at Grandview Speedway or Wednesday at Port Royal Speedway.

Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, Pa.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Macri's eight wins are 10th-most all-time, with three of those wins each coming at Port Royal and Lincoln Speedways.

Last year: Macri rallied from an opening-round DNF for eight straight podiums (three being wins) en route to his second straight Speedweek title.

Comment: As long as the 26-year-old stays out of trouble, he's the unequivocal favorite to win the Speedweek laurels once again. Macri has been feast-or-famine at PA Speedweek over the years, a wild stat being he's either finished on the podium or 19th or worse his last 25 miniseries starts. Last year, he wrecked while leading the opening round at Williams Grove before reeling off eight straight podiums to win the title.

Best chances to win: Williams Grove Speedway or Port Royal Speedway.

Brent Marks, Myerstown, Pa.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Marks's Speedweek resume has 11 wins, sixth-most all-time, with two wins at Hagerstown, Lincoln, Port Royal, Selinsgrove and Williams Grove Speedways.

Last year: In three races, Marks finished twice in both races at Port Royal and third in the second Williams Grove stop.

Comment: The Speedweek dominator of 2022, where he finished on the podium in all nine races that year, is squeezing in the final three races of the miniseries, July 4 at Williams Grove, July 5 at Port Royal and July 6 at Path Valley. With two wins and seven top-fives in 29 races this year, the 34-year-old hasn't been up to his usual standard, but perhaps he can spark some momentum at Speedweek having won two of the last four miniseries at Williams Grove and two of the last five at Port Royal.

Best chances to win: July 4 at Williams Grove Speedway or July 5 at Port Royal Speedway.

Ryan Smith, Kunkletown, Pa.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Second at BAPS Motor Speedway in 2021 and Hagerstown in 2016. 

Last year: Ran five of nine races, with best finishes of 11th twice at the Williams Grove opener at Wednesday show at Port Royal aboard the BJD No. 6.

Comment: Of all the drivers due for their first Speedweek win, the 37-year-old has to be next in line, having gone 69 starts without a miniseries victory. Aboard the No. 69k for five races (both Williams Groves and Port Royals, plus June 28 at Lincoln), he'll be a serious threat to win. He's planning to race all 10 events also with the BJD No. 6 team, but it's worth noting his wife Stephanie, due July 2, is on baby watch. Both of his wins this year have come at Port Royal.

Best chances to win: Either event at Port Royal Speedway.

Troy Wagaman Jr., Hanover, Pa.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Second last year in the Williams Grove Speedway opener and last year at Hagerstown.

Last year: Two podiums, three top-fives and five top-10s in nine miniseries races en route to a third-place points finish.

Comment: The 28-year-old has risen from operating his frugal family-run team to regular contender of the Heffner Racing Enterprises No. 27, a premier ride in Central PA. In his first full-fledged Speedweek effort last year, he finished an impressive third in points. He's been impressive again this season, especially at Lincoln, where he has a $10,119 victory and another victory from the ninth-starting spot. He also has a victory at BAPS over Danny Dietrich.

Best chances to win: Either event at Lincoln Speedway.

Justin Whittall, Vincentown, N.J.

Best PA Speedweek finish: Third in last year's Williams Grove Speedway opener.

Last year: Four top-fives and another top-10 in six Speedweek shows.

Comment: Though the 24-year-old only has five career 410 wins (three coming last year), he's worthy of being on this list because of his qualifying ability. He logged four top-fives and another top-10 in six Speedweek shows last year, and this year, he's started in the first four rows six times among eight time trial shows. If he keeps qualifying up front, he'll eventually knock down that first Speedweek win.

Best chances to win: Either event at Port Royal Speedway.

Other PA Speedweek Drivers To Watch

• Freddie Rahmer: His three Speedweek wins (2023 at Lincoln, 2019 at Hagerstown and 2017 at Williams Grove) are tied for 20th all-time.
• Logan Wagner: The five-time Port Royal track champ won last year's second Speedweek event at Port Royal and recently picked up a June 7 at The Speed Palace.
• Brock Zearfoss: The former World of Outlaws traveler has surprisingly never won a Speedweek event, but his speed (2024 BAPS finale winner) and Jimmy Shuttlesworth as crew chief, he's always a threat.
• Lucas Wolfe: The four-time Speedweek champ has five miniseries wins (four at Port Royal), tied for 12th-most all-time.
• Brady Bacon: The two-time Indiana Sprint Week champ who's running all of Speedweek will be one to watch at Grandview (five USAC wins) and Path Valley, where he won the first-ever miniseries event there in 2014.
• Ashton Torgerson: The 18-year-old hired gun at Shark Racing who won't hop on the Speedweek trail until Monday at Lincoln has shown flashes of speed. He won an April 27 stunner at BAPS just last week started from the pole of Wednesday's Husets Hustle prelim.
• Tyler Walker: After an eight-year absence, the 45-year-old whose four Speedweek winsare  tied for 17th all-time is back in Central PA. Expectations should be very low for Walker, who has a best finish of 10th in three races among California 360 competition. The last time he raced all of Speedweek was 2017 where he qualfied for six of nine features, posting an average feature finish of 17.6.
• Cameron Smith: The 19-year-old has upset potential as he topped Buddy Kofoid on May 23 at Williams Grove this year.
• Chad Trout: The 46-year-old is another driver with upset potential, especially after his June 20 victory at Williams Grove. He's also known to qualify well, which should help him at Speedweek.