In the 1980s, more drivers were migrating to the area and the local talent was arguably at its best. Each week was a "who’s-who" of sprint car racing. With the newly formed World of Outlaws making regular appearances at the speedway and claiming to have the best talent in sprint car racing, a new rivalry was beginning. Through this, the term "Pennsylvania Posse" was coined for the regular sprint car drivers at the speedway to signify that there was a "new sheriff in town." While drivers such as Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell were tearing up the national scene, Central Pennsylvania proved to house the toughest challengers. The names of Lynn Paxton, Bobby Davis Jr., Keith Kauffman and Bobby Allen among others, were leveling the playing field. The 1980s also brought on the classification of sprint car racing by engine size. Unfortunately, it also spelled the end of the 'big block' Sprint cars which, with a nod from Gambler frames, were king at The Grove until Ted Johnson threatened a boycott of Williams Grove if his Outlaws had to compete with the 520 ci aluminium engines used by the PA Posse's top teams. The main division would become 410 ci Sprint cars with aluminium blocks for national touring series but, for a time, PA's local racers were limited to iron block motors for local weekly racing. A new weekly attraction, 358 sprint cars, were added in 1989. The World of Outlaws began a Late Model series in 1988, with the first race held at the speedway. The inaugural event was won by Larry Phillips.