Due to their track running two sportsman classes — one open and the other exclusively powered by Chevrolet Performance 602 engines — Kurt Bettler (right) and Cody Kline (left) share a car. The two race it often on the same night at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania.
Bettler and Kline became friends while racing micro sprints. That led them to running as teammates for Scott Miller, of Scott Miller Motorsports, in the Indoor Auto Racing Championship. Kline, 36, of Bangor, Pennsylvania, won the series crown in 2018. Bettler, 32, of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, won it in 2019.
While the two raced indoors, Bettler also drove a sportsman for car owner Freddie Bittner at Grandview.
“Cody came out to help me whenever I raced at Grandview Speedway,” said Bettler, who works as a public works employee for his hometown. “Freddie suggested we give him a shot driving the sportsman. Of course, I said yes. I would love to give an opportunity to such a good friend. We decided to give the guy a shot and see how he could do.”
Kline finished second in his first race with the team, in a class that had 38 entries.
“They caught me completely off-guard when they offered me the ride,” Kline, who works at NAPA Auto Parts, said. “I thought they weren’t serious. I went to the shop to help them get the car ready and drove that following weekend.”
At the beginning of the night, Bettler drives the car in the open class. Kline then drives it in the crate 602 sportsman division.
“I have 100 lb. on Cody,” said Bettler. “For him to jump in and race, we add padding to the seat and a slab of lead weight.”
Kurt Bettler and Cody Kline work well together as co-drivers of the same car. But, most importantly, they enjoy their nights at Grandview.
“I watch [Cody] in the heat races and make suggestions for minor setup changes before the feature,” said Bettler. “He communicates with the team very well. He’s a good, honest, clean racer who takes care of the equipment.”
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
