7.1.15 Empire Super Sprints Results
BREWERTON, NY – Chuck Hebing has a flare for the dramatic. The Ontario, N.Y., driver took advantage of a late race restart to claim his third Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint win of the 2015 season. The win allows him to take the early point lead for the third Annual SUNY Canton Central New York Speedweek presented by Einstein Construction Group.
“This is real good,” said Hebing. “It was a good race. To win at Brewerton is special, it’s been a long time.”
Danny Varin and Dylan Swiernik brought the 24-car field to the green with Varin earning the early advantage as they raced into turns one and two. He worked the middle lane while Swiernik attempted to utilize the extreme high-side of the speedway.
The top two remained unchanged when the caution came out on lap five when Tommy Wickham spun in turn two. When the green flag came out again it was Varin powering away for the lead one more time.
By lap 10 Varin found himself in slower traffic with Swiernik, Mark Smith and Jason Barney now all working to take the second position. The three swapped the position several times as the race reached the halfway point.
Barney finally wrestled the runner-up spot away from Swiernik and Smith on lap 16 with Varin a half-straightaway in front of him. He began to close that gap when the caution flag was displayed for the final time on lap 20 when Zach Weigand spun in turn two.
On the restart Varin led with Barney and Hebing not far behind. Varin dove to the bottom in turns one and two as did Barney with Hebing heading to the extreme top of the racing surface. The three remained glued together for the next four laps with positions being exchanged each circuit.
“That is the nice thing about ESS, double-file restarts,” stated Hebing. “The race isn’t over until it’s over. Single-file stuff with the other clubs it gets strung out. When I’m restarting sixth I call it third.”
On the final lap as they raced into the first turn Varin missed his mark slightly and Hebing got a great run off of turn two with his Panther Chassis to edge in front by mere inches on the backstretch. Through turns three and four Hebing completed the pass and won the race to the checkered flag for the win.
“That was a heck of a run,” said Hebing. “(Danny) Varin had a heck of a car on the bottom. I just tried to tell myself to be patient. Gary (King) yelled at me and told me to bring it home in one piece. I tried to knock down the fence a couple times. I need a shock collar I guess. That was me driving hard to the end. We had a hell of a car.”
Varin, of Fonda, N.Y., came up one spot short from earning his first career win with the Empire Super Sprints. The mistake on the final lap in turns one and two cost him the opportunity for the win.
“I apologize to my guys, we should have polished off there at the end,” said Varin. “We got a long week ahead of us and we put it in the trailer in one piece. Cobra has pretty much been my mentor with the Sprint Car and if anyone is going to pass me it better be him. I missed my mark by about an inch on the last lap and it cost me the win. We’ll learn from the mistake and be back tomorrow.”
Barney ended up finishing in the third spot. The local favorite from Brewerton lost his chance when the caution came out late in the race. Had the yellow not been displayed he may have had the opportunity to get the win.
“Late race cautions have been the story of our season so far,” said Barney. “I’m happy we moved forward after a bad draw. The draw doesn’t matter though when you got a track like this that you can race three and four wide. I’m glad it was a good race at end. I didn’t need that last caution and I shouldn’t have been afraid of the top in three and four.”
Pennsylvania invader Smith, driving for Patrick Vigneault, finished in the fourth spot in his first ever appearance at Brewerton while Paul Kinney finished fifth after starting 15th in the field.
ESS Speedweek Notes Night #1 – A total of 35 cars filled the pits…Making first starts on the season were Mitch Brown, Sam Reakes, IV, Will Glover, Dave Wickham and the father/daughter tandem Darryl and Alysha Ruggles…Steve Poirier filipped in his heat but came back in his back up car for the A-Main, Pete Richardson also got upside down in the same incident…Special thanks to the entire Brewerton Speedway staff for never throwing in the towel even with heavy rains throughout the night and during the day.
A-Main – CHUCK HEBING ($2,150), Danny Varin ($1,075), Jason Barney ($1,050), Mark Smith ($630), Paul Kinney ($580), Dylan Swiernik ($660), Larry Wight ($455), Bryan Howland ($420), Steve, Poirier ($435), Matt Tanner ($425), Dave Franek ($410), Jeff Cook ($320), Shawn Donath ($350), Joe Trenca ($290), Paulie Colagiovanni ($285), Mitch Brown ($330), Zach Weigand ($125), Dave Axton ($120), Parker Evans ($300), Rob Dietrick ($345), Chris Durand ($265), Gordy Button ($285), Tommy Wickham ($255), Sam Reakes IV ($325).
Did Not Qualify – Will Glover, Paul Habeck, Yan Bilodeau, Dave Wickham, Darryl Ruggles, Mike Stelter, Pete Richardson, Denny Peebles, Alysha Ruggles, James Hanson, Keith Prutzman.
Lap Leaders – Varin 1-24, Hebing 25
Car Mate Trailers $25 to win Heats – Button, Tanner, Wight
Lacaillade Masonry $50 to win B-Main – Brown
87 Speed/X1 Race Cars – Cobra Coaches Dash – Hebing $100
Bonuses:
Insinger Fuels Hard Charger – Hebing (13 pos.) $50
Engler Machine and Tool Halfway – Varin $50
Ohsweken Speedway 20th Anniversary – Dietrick $50
SUNY Canton Smart Move – Donath $50
Beard Sewer and Drain Determination Award – Barney $50
Fondations 55 Pick 5 – Kinney $35
Bitner Automotive Blistering Fast Time – Varin $25
9/11 Restoration – Poirier and Franek $25
Hoosier Tire – Barney $200
Vahlco Wheels – Swiernik $190
For more Information on the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints:
Web: www.empiresupersprints.com
Twitter: @ESSprints
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpireSuperSprints
Android App: Empire Super Sprints
The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, Mach 1 Chassis, SUNY Canton, NAPA Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tires, Insinger Performance, Car Mate Trailers, Fondations 4 Saisons, Cobra Coaches, 911 Restoration, Westward Painting Company, Fondations 55, Einstein Construction Group, Panther Frameworx, YorkMont Auctions, Engler Machine and Tool, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Beard Sewer and Drain, Lacaillade Masonry, FX Chevy, ASI Racewear and many, many associate sponsors!!