Jul 6, 2024 09:57 AM EDT
AJAY POTRZEBOWSKI JR. CLAIMS WIN THREE ON THE 2024 SEASON AT THE OUTLAW SPEEDWAY
Willy Easling doubles up for the second time (Mini Stock and Hobby Stock), Chris Fisher bags first of the season (Sportsman). Joe Giardina takes first ever (Street Stock).
Race Report by Kenny Shupp Jr.
(Dundee, NY) 2022 Outlaw Speedway Modified Track Champion, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. of Elmira, NY made short work of the thirty lap Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modified feature and in doing so picked up his third win of the 2024 season at the Outlaw Speedway.
Potrzebowski had previously visited victory lane on May 3 and May 16.
The father/son duo of Steve and Billy Paine would bring the twenty- car field to the opening green with the Hurricane taking control and leading the opening ten laps.
A pair of caution flags on laps two and seven would keep the field bunched, however on every restart, Paine would continue to set a blistering pace.
Potrzebowski Jr. would begin the event outside row three and methodically work his way into the runner-up spot and on lap eleven made his move around Steve Paine and from there cruise to the popular win.
One final caution flag would wave on lap fifteen, but that would not slow down the high-flying Potrzebowski as he would go on to claim the victory by almost a full straight away over the Hurricane Steve Paine who had to settle for second place.
Behind the lead duo a torrid battle was shaping up between current point leader, Alex Payne, Jim LaRock and Bossman Tyle Siri.
Alex Payne was able to advance from his fourteenth starting spot to claim third at the double checkered flags as he was chased across the line by LaRock who moved up one position from his original fifth starting spot.
Siri, who lined up ninth on the opening grid would move forward in completing the top five finishers.
In Sunrise Insulation/Knapp and Schlappi Lumber Sportsman twenty-five lap feature action twenty eight of the thirty-one registered cars would take the opening green flag with Bryan Rhodes and Colton Herrington leading the charge into turn one.
Outside row two starter, Brett Buono would take control of the event on lap three after stalking early race leader, Rhodes who led the first two circuits.
Buono would continue to set the pace through lap seventeen when 2022/2023 Track Champion, Chris Fisher would assume the top spot and go on to his first feature win of the 2024 campaign after being silenced for the first half of the season.
However, Fisher’s victory was no walk in the park as he had to hold off relentless pressure from teenager, Justice Mayo.
Mayo began the quarter century grind outside row seven, used a trio of caution flags on laps one, thirteen and twenty-one to his advantage and suddenly found himself on the rear bumper of Fisher as the two would go at it for the final seven laps with Mayo trying everything to get by the veteran competitor.
But, in the end it was Chris Fisher of Bluff Point, NY taking home the check and hardware with Mayo having to settle for the runner-up spot. Third place went to current class high point man, Carter Crooker who began the event in fifteenth position with early event leader, Brett Buono drifting to claim fourth.
Tim Guild would begin the feature in slot twenty-one and put on a masterful performance to round out the top five.
In the Swarthout Recycling Street Stock twenty-lap feature Zach Teed and Joe Giardina would bring the twenty-five-car field to the opening green flag with Giardina getting the jump and leading the entire distance to claim his first ever feature event.
However, for Giardina it did not come easy as he had to withstand a pair of caution flags on laps fourteen and seventeen, but on both occasions, he was able to maintain his composure and hold on for his first ever win.
Former Outlaw Speedway Street Stock Champion, CJ Guererri would keep the pressure on Giardina throughout the closing laps, but came up just a few car lengths short and had to settle for second as he was chased across the line by multi time Outlaw Speedway Track Champion, Glen Whritenour who began the event in position fourteen and rounded out the podium.
Two-time 2024 feature winner, Damon Decker would begin the feature outside row six and move forward to claim fourth at the finish as he was followed across the line by Jared Hill who began the event in position six and move up one spot to round out the top five.
The Addison, Corning, Hornell, Wellsville NAPA Hobby Stocks found two-time 2024 feature winner, Doug Batterson and Jesse Ballance bringing the fifteen-car field to green with Batterson leading the opening pair of laps before Justin Eldredge would assume control on lap three from his outside row two starting position.
Eldredge would set the pace for the next four circuits before giving way to Beaver Dams, NY speedster, Willy Easling on lap eight and from there it was checkmate as Easling would go on to his second Hobby Stock victory of the 2024 season.
Four caution flag slow downs on laps two, ten, fourteen and fifteen would slow the pace and keep the field bunched up, however Easling was the class of the field in route to the popular win.
Nate Peckham would begin the twenty-lap feature outside row four and move forward to claim the runner-up spot with front row starter, Jesse Ballance running within the lead group the entire distance in rounding the podium finishers.
Fourth place went to Justin Eldredge who drifted after leading early on with Jason Rhodes completing the top five advancing from the last starting row.
In Winner’s Circle Deli 4 Cylinder Mini Stock action, 2023 Track Champion, Corky Grant would jump into the early lead from his pole position starting spot and set the pace for the first seven circuits before giving way to June 14 feature winner, Jason Smart who would lead laps eight through ten.
Willy Easling would begin the feature in position thirteen and was on a mission as he sliced and diced his way through the field and take control on lap eleven and from there go on to win five of the season and with that completed the double for the second time in 2024 in winning both the Mini Stock and Hobby Stock features on the same night.
Once in front Easling was on auto pilot all the while a spirited battle was shaping up for second as Jason Smart would hold off former Track Champion, Mike Stone as the pair would finish second and third respectfully.
Lee Fritz would advance four spots from the opening grid to claim fourth at the finish chased across the line by Michael Morton who came from twelfth to round the top five.
Congratulations to all competitors.
Up next at Outlaw Speedway it will be the 2nd Annual Dave Machuga Memorial on Thursday night, July 11, 2024.
On the card it will be the Short Track Super Series for Modifieds paying a hefty $7078.78 to the winner.
Also seeing action it will be the 602 Sportsman, Mini Stocks as well as the Empire Street Stock Touring Division.
For more information leading up to the July 11 Thursday Night Thunder Show go to www.Facebook.com/OutlawSpeedwayLLC/.
OUTLAW SPEEDWAY TID BITS.
Just as hot laps were on the track prior to race time a shower passed over the Outlaw Speedway putting the program on hold as the track preparation crew would go to work on the Fast 4/10 of a mile clay oval for the next three hours getting it race ready.
With a massive $20,000 Fireworks Show playing a big part of the nightly program, the pyrotechnic crew would light up the Dundee, NY skies just after dark much to the enjoyment of the massive standing room only crowd in attendance.
With time slipping away Outlaw Speedway owner/promoter, Tyler Sir conferred with his staff and the with the lateness of the program the decision was made to run just a Feature Only program with the first feature beginning around 11:00 pm and the final checkered rag dropping right at the curfew time of 1:00 am
With some one-hundred thirteen cars pit side for the five- division program the show was run off in a timely manner on a perfectly groomed racing surface which made for exciting race competition.
The Winner’s Circle Deli 4 Cylinder Mini Stock feature was cut from its original twenty-laps to twelve laps to beat the curfew time limit.
Earlier in the week, Outlaw Speedway owner, Tyler Siri offered any Woodhull Raceway drivers a free pit pass if they attended the July 5 show with several drivers taking advantage of the positive gesture helping to boost the car count to one-hundred thirteen for the Super 5 Show with many of the Woodhull faithful finding the Fast 4/10 of a mile ultra smooth racing surface much to their liking.
FRIENDLY CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP, RAM MODIFIEDS. (20 cars) 30 lap feature.
AJAY POTRZEBOWSKI JR. (3), Steve Paine, Alex Payne, Jim LaRock, Tyler Siri, Tommy Collins Jr., Jeff Daugherty, Bobby Varin, Danny Johnson, Brandon Loucks, Billy Paine, Tyler Yeagle, Ron Cartwright Jr., Stacy Jackson, Adam Coots, Kreg Crooker, Tommy Paine, Brady Fultz, Gil Tegg, Les McCann.
SUNRISE INSULATION/KNAPP AND SCHLAPPI LUMBER CRATE SPORTSMAN. (31 cars) 25 lap feature.
CHRIS FISHER, Justice Mayo, Carter Crooker, Brett Buono, Tim Guild, Bryan Rhodes, Karl Comfort, Blake Parsons, Scott Torbitt, Behr Grover, Brent Ayers, Brandon Grover, Frank Guererri Jr., Dale Welty, George Schweigart, Timmy Borden Jr., Andrew Clark, Adam Taft, Reese Hackett, AJ Lloyd, Ely Mangiarelli, Josh Akshar, Ryan Graves, Ben Feldman, Cayden Lawson, Loren Lincoln, Daryl Krebs, Greg Crooker. DNS, Colton Herrington, Kennedy Payne, Evan Nugent
SWARTHOUT RECYCLING STREET STOCKS. (25 cars) 20 lap feature.
JOE GIARDINA, CJ Guererri, Glen Whritenour, Damon Decker, Jared Hill, Jerry Lobdell, Gene Sharpsteen, Dan Gardner, Brett Crawford, Bradley Morseman, Ted Morseman, Mick Seeley, Carl Cleveland, Charlie Fulton, Tim Grady, Sparky Hills, Luke Boom, JR Kobbe, Chris Woodard, James Kriedler, Brian Butler, Gary Joslyn, John Burritt, Zach Teed, Jimmy Grant.
ADDISON, CORNING, HORNELL, WELLSVILLE NAPA HOBBY STOCKS. (15 cars) 20 lap feature.
WILLY EASLING (2), Nate Peckham, Jesse Balance, Justin Eldredge, Jason Rhodes, Doug Batterson, Brian Rhodes, Jeredd Dennis, Isaiah Murphy, Randy Johnson, Brighton Grant, Ed Stevens, Marc Minutolo, Kevin Lloyd, Kenny Hunt,
WINNERS CIRCLE DELI MINI STOCKS. (22 cars) 20 lap feature.
WILLY EASLING (5), Jason Smart, Mike Stone, Lee Fritz, Michael Morton, Danielle Thomas, Connor Erick, Brady Richardson, Gavin Hall, Ralph Teeter, Jeff Moore, Aaron Robinson, Mike Ayers, Chris Hand, Scott McCray, Jimmy Granger, Corky Grant, Jeff Lafler, Matthew Sampson, Chris Davis, Elle Grant, Ricky Vanzile.
