MATT SHEPPARD LOCKS UP 2019 OUTLAW SPEEDWAY TRACK TITLE WITH 10TH FEATURE WIN
Gray, Silvers, Fish, Whritenour, Brandon Smith, Austin and Kinner all find victory lane on Championship Night.
(Dundee, NY) With a pair of make-up features to start the night and double points on the line in the regular feature events it was Championship Night at the Outlaw Speedway as track owner, Tyler Siri, his partner, Jordan Lynch and all their staff wrapped up the Regular Season heading into Post Season action.
In the Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modified 30 lap feature, Brady Fultz jumped out into the early lead from his front row starting position and the Troyer Race Cars loyalist looked poised to pick up his first feature win in several years at the Yates County oval. Fultz withstood numerous caution flags which slowed the pace, but only helped current high point man, Matt Sheppard in his quest to win the season point finale and wrap up the 2019 Track Title. Fultz was able to hold onto the lead until lap 18 when Sheppard took over the top spot. While most of the field was riding the cushion, Super Matt took his patented low line and drove from his sixth row starting position and onto his tenth feature win of 2019 at Outlaw. Justin Wright, who started eighth on the starting grid, was able to clear Fultz for second place and set sail for Sheppard, but not even two more late race yellow flags could help Wright in his quest to pick up his first feature win of the season as he had to settle for a well-deserved runner up finish. Jim LaRock once again showed his muscle and put on a solid drive to run in the top five throughout the entire distance as he claimed third. Fultz faded at the end and wound up fourth in the Fultz Family Racing machine as like LaRock, Dillon Groover ran in lead pack throughout the entire event and rounded out the top five.
FCDJR qualifying heat races went to Wright, Groover and Fultz.
Leading up to the night, the Sunrise Insulation American Racer Tire Crate Sportsman had one of the tightest point battles in recent memory as no less than five drivers had a mathematical chance of claiming the track title. The night began with a make-up feature in the division and it looked like Stacy Jackson was positioned to win his first feature in the class in 2019. However, a late race yellow flag for a flat tire on current high point man, Brian Fish wiped out a big lead that Jackson had and put a trio of hungry point challengers right on his rear bumper. On the restart, Hollywood Chris Silvers was able to clear Jackson and take over the top spot which he would never relinquish as he went on to win his first feature of the year. Hollywood Silvers was chased across the line by top point contenders Jimmy Zacharias, Tommy Collins Jr., and 2018 Track Champ, Chris Fisher. Jackson held on the round out the top five.
In the regular night feature event and with a few mere points separating the top five going into the finale pressure and tensions were high as to which driver could perform the best and walk away with the prestigious track title. Stacy Jackson and Brian Fish brought the eighteen car field to the opening green flag and when it was all said and done; Fish had not only picked up his fourth feature win of the year, but with it also clinched the 2019 Track Championship. Todd Hayward, tried everything to win his second feature of the year, but had to settle for a solid second place finish as he was followed across the line by 2018 Track Champion, Karl Comfort as two time 2019 feature winner, Tommy Collins Jr. finished third at the checkered flag. Jackson held on for fourth capping off two top five finishes on the night as Andrew Smith rounded out the top five.
Sunrise Insulation American Racer Tire Sportsman heat wins went to second generation young gun Billy Paine, Hayward and Fish.
In the companion DIRTcar Hoosier Tire Sportsman feature again it was a close point battle going into the point finale with Steve Gray still having a very good chance at winning the title. Gray did win the battle by picking up the feature victory, his third trip to victory lane in 2019, but it was the second place finish by Will Shields that saw him claim his first ever track title at the historic Yates County speed plant. Gray put on a masterful drive coming from the fourth starting row, passed a number of top quality equipment including Shields in route to the win. Gray and Shields were followed across the line by Andrew Smith, Tim Guild with Anthony Kimball coming home fifth.
Heat wins went to Shields and Jackson.
Shields, Jackson, Randy Brokaw and Andrew Smith all did double duty Sportsman action on the night competing in both American Racer and Hoosier Tire Divisions.
It has been very well documented throughout the entire 2019 season that the Stan’s No Tubes Street Stock Division two time and defending Track Champion, Glen Whritenour was going to have his work cut out for him if he was to three peat in the division. Dylan Cecce has given GW fits all season as the pair have designated Outlaw Speedway as their home track for 2019 and with both focused on claiming the track title. Going into the feature event, Cecce led in the feature win column with eight trips to victory lane and Whritenour with five. Even though Cecce had a comfortable point lead he still had to keep his nose clean as a double point feature win by Whritenour and a poor finish by Cecce could change everything. Like Steve Gray in the DIRTcar Sportsman, Glen Whritenour did exactly what he had to do in claiming the feature victory, his sixth win of the year as he was followed across the line by last week’s runner up, Quinn Sutherland. CJ Guererri has been a solid top five competitor all year and once again showed his muscle by finishing third at the finish followed by one time 2019 feature winner, Jake Karlnoski as veteran driver Gene Balmer rounded the top five. With a seventh place finish by Dylan Cecce he claimed the 2019 Stan’s No Tubes Street Stock Track Championship.
Heat wins went to Whritenour, Sutherland and Balmer.
Like the Sunrise Insulation American Racer Sportsman, the Marion Decker Insurance IMCA Modifieds also had a make-up feature to start out the evening as Brandon Smith made short work of the 20 lap feature in picking up his fifth feature in of the season as he was followed across the line by “Dick in the Dirt’ Rich Karlnoski, Bruce Tinsley, Nicole Spaulding and Brad Smith.
In the regular double point season finale for the Decker Insurance IMCA Modifieds, Brandon Smith again showed why he is now considered one of the top runners in the northeast in the IMCA Modified Division as he again picked up the feature and with it the 2019 Outlaw Speedway Marion Decker Insurance IMCA Modified Track Championship. In the night cap Smith was followed across the line by last year’s track champ, Rodney Morgan. Nicole Spaulding did a great job in finishing third at the finish as Brad Smith and Rich Karlnoski finished fourth and fifth respectfully.
The lone Marion Decker Insurance qualifying heat was claimed by Nicole Spaulding.
Like all of the other classes, the Mighty 4 Cylinder Division point title was also up for grabs and even though last year’s high point man, Adam Austin had a comfortable lead entering Championship Night he still had to show up and perform and that he did as the second generation pilot won both the battle and the war as he cruised to feature win number eight on the year and thus claimed the 2019 Track Championship. All eyes were on the sixth starting row as Austin along with Scott Lehman Jr. who came into the night with four feature wins were both looking to cap off the regular season by finding victory lane. Austin was able to break out of the pack first and went onto win the feature and track title as Lehman Jr had to settle for a disappointing second place finish having come into the night having won three of the last four events. Jeremy Bunn, last week’s feature winner continues to gain momentum heading into post season play finished third at the double checkers as he was followed by Tim Van Etten and Joshua Oles who rounded the top five.
4 Cylinder heat wins went to Austin, Lehman Jr. and Erica Bell.
Marc Minutolo headed into the night with the point lead in the Marion Decker Insurance Hobby Stock Division and even though he had only visited victory lane twice thus far in 2019 looked to repeat his title from last year. However, like every point leader heading into the Championship Night point finale, he too had to have a good finish as with double points on the line a lot could change with a lack luster performance. Bruce Kinner has been a mainstay in the class all season. Knocking on the door every week and racing with the top guns in the class only to come a spot or two short of victory lane numerous times. Tyler Burnell and Kenny Hunt brought the fourteen car field to Raymond Kennerup’s opening green flag, but it was Bruce Kinner who would steal the show from his outside second row starting position as he moved to the lead and would not be denied his first feature win and it could have come on a better night. Like Justin Eldredge and Jason Clugstone the previous two weeks feature winners, Kinner etched his name into the books as a first timer in 2019, as he was followed across the finish line by Clugstone, five time feature winner in 2019, Wayne Ellison, Jamie Eldredge Jr. and with his fifth place finish, Marc Minutolo was able to make it back to back championships in the Decker Hobby Stock Division.
Heat wins were claimed by Tyler Burnell and Kinner who had a perfect night.
In the Winner’s Circle Deli Youth Bandit feature it was Blake Parsons besting a strong field of entries including Steve Perkins III who ultimately claimed the track title after a good fourth place run.
Congratulations to all competitors.
Outlaw Speedway will take a three week respite heading into the next scheduled event which is the Annual Fall Nationals set for Friday and Saturday, September 20 and 21 featuring the return of the World of Outlaws Late Models as they will invade the facility for the second year in a row. Series favorite, Brandon Sheppard will be the favorite heading into the event hoping to back up his 2018 Outlaw Speedway victory.
All upcoming information regarding the Fall Nationals will be posted on the tracks Facebook at www.Facebook.com/OutlawSpeedwayLLC/.
The final point 2019 point standings including the current points in the ongoing Outlaw Speedway American Racer Tire Series along with other valuable information can be found by going to www.outlawspeedwayllc.com.