WEST PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth Raceway Park once again hosted the Dean Knittel Memorial on Saturday night.

For the second straight year, Myerstown Pa.’s Brent Marks captured the Tezos All-Star Circuit of Champions Winged Sprint Car race, which paid $22,554 to win.

Wheelersburg’s R.J. Conley took the checkers in the third annual Charlie Swartz Classic Super Late Model Feature, which paid $5,000.

The sixth annual Dean Knittel Memorial — presented by Barbour Auto Parts, Roger Hemming Contractors, All of Her Creations, the Berndt-Murfin Insurance Agency & Sherman-Kricker Insurance, the Glockner Family of Dealerships and Affordable Air — once again served as the Ohio Speedweek Finale.

Indianapolis’ Tyler Courtney claimed his second Ohio Speedweek Championship, as he won his first in 2021.

There were a total of 69 race teams on hand — with 46 Sprints and 23 Late Models.

Zeb Wise of Angola Indiana was the fast qualifier in the Sprints — turning a lap clocked at 13.006 seconds.

The quick qualifier in the Late Models was Conley, who clicked off a lap of 15.475.

The 30-lap Dean Knittel Memorial was a thriller that witnessed four different leaders and only two cautions.

While there were only technically three lead changes as far as featuring a new leader at the stripe, there were several crossover moves that saw the lead swap back and forth on the same lap.

A couple of Californians paced the field for most of the race.

Outside polesitter Michael Kofoid from Penngrove (Calif.) got the jump at the start, and led the first 18 laps with St. Helena’s (Calif.) Rico Abreu in tow.

Abreu took a hard stab at the lead, pulling up alongside Kofoid on lap 9 and again on lap 17.

Marks rode in third the first 18 laps.

In a wild sequence, Marks pulled a slider on Abreu to take second off of turn 2, while working lap 18.

However, Abreu got a big run down the back straightaway and barreled low down into turn 3 — passing both Marks and Kofoid to go from third to first in a mere instant.

Abreu would lead the next four laps until Monrovia’s (Ind.) Justin Peck would steal the lead away on lap 23.

Marks would capture the point from Peck on lap 26 going into turn 1, but Peck would cross him over and take it right back off turn 2.

Moments later, the first caution of the race flew when Zane DeVault slowed.

Just one lap after the race restarted, Peck’s left rear tire grenaded, ending his chances of victory.

Marks would inherit the lead and would hold off Abreu in the last three laps — even though Abreu managed to pull up alongside him three different times in those final three circuits.

Abreu would have to settle for the runner-up spot.

Anthony Macri charged from 12th to third, as Kofoid would place fourth — and Skylar Gee rounded out the top five.

The rest of the top-10 consisted of Courtney, Kyle Reinhardt, Cap Henry, Chris Windom and Circleville’s Cole Duncan, as Abreu won the dash to earn the pole.

Duncan prevailed in the B-Main, as one of the many feelgood moments during the evening was Chillicothe’s Danny Smith taking the win in the C-Main — driving the Dean Knittel Tribute Car No. 54.

The Charlie Swartz Classic Late Model Feature was also very entertaining.

Polesitter Adam Stricker from Batavia jumped out to the early lead, and would pace the field the first 17 laps.

The 24-year-old eventually caught the tail end of the lead lap, but got bottled in behind two soon-to-be lapped cars that were running side-by-side.

The roadblock enabled Conley to make a bold move — going into turn one diving under Stricker and taking the lead.

A few late-race cautions would tighten the field, but Conley was on point at every restart — and wound up pulling away down the stretch.

The four-time track champion Conley has kicked off this season by winning the first three races of the year at PRP.

Stricker would place second, Ashland’s Kirk Phillips finished third, and Sunshine’s (Ky.) Avery Taylor moved up five spots to finish fourth.

Wheelersburg’s Kevin Wagner closed out the top five.

The rest of the top-10 consisted of Kenny Christy, Rod Conley, Kevin Terry, 2021 Charlie Swartz Classic Winner Josh Bocook, and Zach Hill.

Another cool moment was at the conclusion of the Late Model Feature — when race leader R.J. Conley, who was donning a throwback paint scheme honoring his late father Delmas, came up on Charlie Swartz’s grandson Lucas Crooks, who was sporting a throwback paint scheme honoring his grandfather.

Area Late Model fans are very familiar with the battles that Delmas Conley and Charlie Swartz had back in the day, as is R.J. Conley, who said in victory lane afterward that it is very special to win “Charlie’s race” as he grew up watching he and his father do battle.

PRP and Dean Knittel Memorial promoter Jeff Knittel acquired nearly 300 sponsors to assist with this year’s race.

There were bonuses littered throughout the Sprint Car field.

Portsmouth Raceway Park will have this coming weekend off — before returning for a big, two-day show on July 1 and July 2.

Saturday, July 1 will be “The Preliminary Night to The Boone Coleman Memorial” presented by Army.

It will pay the Giovanni’s Pizza Late Model winner $5,000.

Also on the card will be the Gampp’s Power Equipment Modifieds racing the Jim McGraw Memorial, as well as the BluePrint Event Tent & Inflatables Rentals Sport Mods.

Then on Sunday, July 2 will be the Boone Coleman Memorial “Gator 50” presented by Berndt-Murfin Insurance, which will pay Late Models $10,000 to win.

Also racing on July 2 will be Modifieds and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Limited Lates.

For more details regarding PRP, please log on to www.portsraceway.com.