Jun 1, 2024 08:57 AM EDT
BOBBY VARIN CLAIMS FIRST MODIFIED FEATURE OF THE SEASON AT OUTLAW SPEEDWAY
Willy Easling does the double winning Mini and Hobby Stock’s. Karl Comfort makes it two wins in Sportsman, Damen Decker claims first in Street Stocks. Zach Daugherty takes home Bandit Trophy.
Story by Kenny Shupp Jr.
(Dundee, NY) Under perfect weather conditions, a tabletop smooth racing surface and packed grandstands, the Outlaw Speedway wrapped up the month of May with their $5 Pack the Track Night.
Bobby Varin makes the four-hour drive to Outlaw Speedway every week to pilot one of the Tyler Siri Motorsports team cars.
The veteran Modified driver has been a factor every week with little or nothing to show for his efforts, but on this night, he was not going to be denied a trip to victory lane in the Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modified Division.
Tommy Paine and Gil Tegg would bring the eighteen-car field to the opening green with Tegg taking the early advantage.
A pair of early cautions on laps one and two would slow the pace, but Tegg was able to keep control through the first ten circuits when Varin would blast by and take control after lining up sixth on the opening grid.
Two more yellow flags on laps thirteen and twenty-three would keep the field bunched with Varin now feeling heavy pressure from last week’s feature winner, Alex Payne who had driven from twelfth to second.
Lap after lap, Payne kept turning up the heat on Varin as the two distanced themselves from the third place running machine of Kreg Crooker who has moved from fifth to third with Jeff Daugherty in tow.
With just a handful of laps remaining, Payne was still glued to Varin’s rear bumper, but as the double checkered flags waved it was Varin, using a Spec 358 engine winning by less than a half a second over Payne’s Big Block powered machine.
Jeff Daugherty was able to sneak by Crooker late in the going to complete the podium, but it is Crooker and his new upstart team that continues to turn heads as the third-generation driver from Savona, NY was able to continue his string of top five finishes nailing fourth.
Bossman Tyler Siri was finally able to shake the gremlins that have plagued his potent 5 Star machine all season as he began the thirty-lap affair in ninth and advanced four positions to complete the top five.
Tommy Collins Jr. would lead the charge of the next group of five across the line chased there by Dundee native, Brady Fultz.
The Doctor of Modified Racing, Danny Johnson rode home for eighth with Jake Dgien and The Hurricane, Steve Paine completing the top ten.
The Sunrise Insulation/Knapp and Schlappi Lumber Crate Sportsman put a solid field of twenty-seven cars on the line for their twenty-five-lap feature with Tony Velez and Greg Crooker bringing the field to green.
Opening night winner, Karl Comfort was able to make his way to the lead early on, but a red flag stoppage on lap ten for a trio of machines turned upside down brought the field to a stop with all drivers walking away ok including AJ Lloyd, Dale Welty and Ethan Decker.
On the restart, Comfort was able to maintain a comfortable margin over Brent Ayers who had worked into the runner-up spot after lining up outside row four on the opening green.
Ony final caution flag would wave on lap twenty-one once again bunching the field, but Comfort was able to use his years of experience in holding Ayers at bay to claim his second win of the 2024 campaign.
Ayers had to settle for second at the finish with Tim Guild completing the podium advancing four positions.
Ben Feldman and Daryl Krebs would line up line up twentieth and twenty second respectively, keep their noses clean and drive through a stacked field to round the top five.
Six through ten included George Schweigart who had his best run thus far in 2024, Collin Brown, Justin Schenck, Scott Torbitt and Brandon Grover who came from last to complete the top ten.
Damen Decker was dominant in claiming his first win of 2024 in the Swarthout Recycling Street Stock twenty lap A Main.
Chris Woodard and Decker would bring the field to green with Decker taking command on lap one and never looking back.
One caution flag on lap ten would wipe out a huge lead attained by Decker, but on the ensuing restart he was able to once again able to stretch the advantage over last weeks feature winner, Gene Sharpsteen who had moved from sixth into the runner-up spot but that is as far as he would get as Decker cruised to his first win of the season.
Making only his second start of the season, Brett Crawford advanced five positions to complete the top three podium.
Pole position starter, Chris Woodard ran within the lead group throughout the twenty-lap affair to nail fourth at the completion with Jered Hill putting on another consistent effort to round the top five.
Carl Cleveland would lead the next group of five to the checkered flag followed by Joe Giardina, Zach Teed, Sparky Hills and Tim Grady.
Willy Easling nearly pulled off the unthinkable last week trying to win both the Mini and Hobby Stock feature events. It was a mechanical problem while leading the Hobby Stock feature with just four laps remaining that kept the second-generation Beaver Dam speedster from doing the double.
However, on this night Willy the Kid was able to able to put it all together in taking home feature wins in both classes.
Easling and Ed Stevens would lead the thirteen car NAPA Hobby Stock Class to green with Easling getting the jump and leading the entire distance. A pair of caution flags on laps ten and fourteen would slow the pace but nothing would deter Easling from finding victory lane for his first Addison, Corning, Hornell, Wellsville NAPA Hobby Stock win of the season.
Phil Yaw would finish a distant second with Marc Minutolo advancing one spot to complete the top three.
Fourth went to Justin Eldredge with Jeredd Dennis completing the top five.
Eric Beach would begin the twenty-lap event in the last starting position and drive home to sixth followed by Kaiden Dgien, Ed Stevens, Nate Peckham with two-time 2025 feature winner, Doug Batterson completing the top ten.
In the Winners Circle Deli twenty lap feature, Lee Fritz and Gavin Hall would lead the charge of the opening lap but it was Easling who began the event in tenth blasting through the field to take charge and drive away to his third straight and with that completed the double victory lane ceremonies.
A multitude of caution flags riddled the entire twenty lap Mini Stock feature with only seven of the original seventeen completing the distance.
Second went to former class Track Champion, Scott Lehman with Bandit transplant, Gavin Hall competing the podium.
Connor Erick and Michael Dickerson would round the top five with Chris Davis and Sidnie Decker completed the cars left running.
The Fritz Masonry Youth Bandits made their second appearance of the year, and it was second generation Elmira native, Zach Daugherty taking the victory over May 3 winner, Parker Cunningham. Kassitie Clugstone, Danica Hall and Connor Crane would complete the field.
Congratulations to all competitors!
Up next at Outlaw Speedway it will be another Super 5 Show on June 7, 2024
For all the details leading up to the event go to www.Facebook.com/OutlawSpeedway LLC/.
OUTLAW SPEEEWAY RESULTS AND STORY. May 31, 2024.
$5 Pack the Track Night.
FRIENDLY CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP, RAM MODIFIEDS. (18 cars) 30 lap feature.
BOBBY VARIN, Alex Payne, Jeff Daugherty, Kreg Crooker, Tyler Siri, Tommy Collins Jr., Brady Fultz, Danny Johnson, Jake Dgien, Steve Paine, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr., Tommy Paine Billy Paine, Gil Tegg, Ron Cartwright Jr., Nate Hendrix, Alan Johnson, Jim LaRock.
SUNRISE INSULATION/KNAPP AND SCHLAPPI LUMBER SPORTSMAN. (27 cars) 25 lap feature.
KARL COMFORT (2), Brent Ayers, Tim Guild, Ben Feldman, Darly Krebs, George Schweigart, Collin Brown, Justin Schenck, Scott Torbitt, Brandon Grover, Loren Lincoln, Cayden Lawson, Chris Fisher, Andrew Clark, Greg Crooker, Bryan Rhodes, Colton Herrington, Mark Schenck, Ray Bliss, Blake Parsons, AJ Lloyd, Dale Welty, Ethan Decker, Carter Crooker, Tony Velez, Brett Buono. DQ, Justice Mayo.
SWARTHOUT RECYCLING STREET STOCKS. (12 cars) 20 lap feature.
DAMEN DECKER, Gene Sharpsteen, Brett Crawford, Chris Woodard, Jered Hill, Carl Cleveland, Joe Giardina, Zach Teed, Sparky Hills, Tim Grady, Jerry Lobdell Jr., CJ Guererri
ADDISON, CORNING, HORNELL, WELLSVILLE NAPA HOBBY STOCKS. (13 cars) 20 lap feature.
WILLY EASLING, Phil Yaw, Marc Minutolo, Justin Eldredge, Jeredd Dennis, Eric Beach, Kaiden Dgien, Ed Stevens, Nate Peckham, Doug Batterson, Tyler Burnell, Jesse Balance, Brian Lloyd
WINNERS CIRCLE DELI MINI STOCKS. (17 cars) 20 lap feature.
WILLY EASLING (3), Scott Lehman, Gavin Hall, Connor Erick, Michael Dickerson, Chris Davis, Sidnie Decker, Jayson Smart, Mike Stone, Michael Morton, Lee Fritz, Craig DeCamp, Aaron Robinson, Corky Grant, Brady Richardson. DNS, Jimmy Granger, Ray Hyer.
FRITZ MASONRY YOUTH BANDITS. (cars) 10 lap feature.
ZACH DAUGHERTY, Parker Cunningham, Kassitie Clugstone, Danica Hall, Connor Crane.
