6.17.21 Genesee Speedway Results
Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY, (June 17, 2021)- An “ordinary” night at Genesee Speedway was anything but as a Thursday Night Thunder event saw three drivers capture their first career win in Batavia, including one who won the biggest Mini Stock race of the year.
The special race was being held in memory of young race fan Mackenzie Kulesza, who lost her life in an automobile accident over the winter. Thursday night was her birthday and the stands and pits were filled with cupcakes, banners and t-shirts all in her favorite color of blue. Over $4000 of lap money was raised for the Mini Stocks and with 29 cars in that field, the racing did not disappoint.
Ashley Harbison, of Ransomville, led all 20 laps of the special $750-to-win Mini Stock feature for her first trip to Victory Lane at Genesee. For the 2019 co-champion the win was in question right to the end. The race featured just two caution flags, which saw long green-flag runs led around by Harbison’s No. 6. Over the second half of the race, James Gayton, who helped to organize the bonus money for the event, inched closer to Harbison for the lead, pulling to the inside of the leader on several occasions in the closing laps. Entering the final set of corners, it appeared that Gayton might be able to steal the win, but Harbison used the top line to sling back by and capture the win by just .056 seconds.
“I saw James go down to the bottom and he had a good run but I just stayed in the throttle to get back by,” said Harbison in Victory Lane. “We’ve been trying here for a long time and to win on this night for Kenzie it is extra special.”
Not only were Harbison and Gayton battling it out for the win, it was a five-car freight train duking it out. Chirs Leone kept searching for a line around the top two but would settle for third while Dante Mancuso crossed a close fourth. On the final lap, Rocco Conte blew the engine, which enabled point leader Brad Whiteside to round out the top five.
In the Late Model Feature, JJ Mazur got the jump on the initial start of the event from the inside pole and then set sail on the pack to score his first feature win at his hometown track since May of 2019.
“Finally,” declared the three-time track champion in Victory Lane. “We’ve had a great car for a while now, I knew I just had to get a good start and then I just picked my spots up on the top.”
The 25-lap feature ran off without caution and was completed in less than eight minutes, allowing Mazur to lap up to sixth place. Doug Ricotta chased Mazur throughout the feature but would have to settle for his second runner-up finish of the year. Point leader Bill Holmes crossed a close third while Dave DuBois moved by Jimmy Johnson in the closing laps to finish ahead of the No. 39J inside the top five.
Noah Walker scored his second Sportsman Feature win in the last three events, taking the lead from Ray Bliss by using the bottom line on a lap six restart and then driving off for a comfortable victory. Walker, of North Tonawanda, started in third but quickly got to second and utilized the first restart of the event to make a power move from the bottom to get in front but then chose the top side on the ensuing restart to take reign over the field and walk away. Zach George was a driver on the move, taking second on a lap 9 restart but then failed to reel in the No. 22 over the second half of the race. Ray Bliss held off Austin Susice at the line for fourth while Brandon Michaud was fifth for the second straight race.
Damian Long had come close on a number of occasions to capturing his first career feature win at Genesee, so when he took the lead coming to the white flag he made sure that he was not going to give it up, even if that meant crashing in to the wall coming to the line. Long, of Pavilion, chased down Dennis Cummings as they approached the white flag using the top line, which was enabling him to keep the momentum up on his “00”. As he entered the final set of corners, Long had a different plan to stay in front.
“I wasn’t going to lose this. I ran it in to the wall to make sure nobody got by me,” declared Long after riding the wall across the finish line. “I’ll let you in on a secret, this wasn’t my engine from last week; it was a 602 crate motor. So it goes to show you can win with one.”
Long started in eighth but was in the top five for much of the feature. Coming to five laps to go, Pat Powers made a pass around the outside of Dennis Cummings, but as the duo entered turn one, Powers was chauffeured up over the berm, allowing the No. 74D to get back in front and enabling Long to jump from fourth to second. As the racing stayed green, it became clear that Cummings’ car was a little loose out front and that was where “Damo” saw his chance to pounce. He quickly ran down the leader and made a swift move to the approval of the large crowd on hand. Cummings would have to settle for second while Brandon Sherwood finished in third for his fifth-straight podium finish. Race leaders Pat Powers and Shawn Hazlett rounded out the top five.
After a rare week where he did not win the Novice Feature, Jake Bansmer made sure to get back in front as the division as he dominated the 15-lap feature for his sixth win of the year. The East Aurora resident took off from the pole position and was never challenged as he was consistent throughout. Andrew Joy ran a solid race to finish in second, his best result of the season. Last week’s winner Tyler Guzzardi rounded out the podium positions.
It was a wild Bandit Feature with some wild changes for the lead, in the end though it was Hailey Weis claiming her first feature win after four years of trying. Weis, of Batavia, took the lead on lap 3 when Jonathan Logsdon’s No. 16 slowed suddenly while out in front. Point leader Alexis Traxler would chase down Weis for the lead but was unable to set up a pass for the top spot as Weis kept her car fast using the bottom of turns 1 and 2 and the top of 3 and 4. After Traxler in second was Grayson Harding, who crossed in third.
A total of 98 cars filled the pits on an absolutely perfect night for racing. Action will be dormant this Saturday, but will return next weekend with a “Super 6 at 6:00” program on June 26th. For more information, visit www.Genesee-Speedway.com.
Genesee Speedway Results: 6/17/2021-
NAPA Auto Parts/ LiquiTube presents “Light Up the Night for Kenzie”
Cornerstone Eye Associates RUSH Late Model Feature (25 Laps)- JJ MAZUR, Doug Ricotta, Bill Holmes, Dave DuBois, Jimmy Johnson, Beamer Guzzardi, Brian Kotarski, TJ Downs, Austyn Fugle, Jon Rivers, Billy DuBois, Chuck LaFleur, Austin Hauser, Carl Shetler.
Lap Leaders- Mazur 1-25.
Heat Winners- Johnson, Ricotta.
Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman Feature (25 Laps)- NOAH WALKER, Zach George, Ray Bliss, Austin Susice, Brandon Michaud, Jordan Moden, Jim Harbison, Cameron Tuttle, Clayton Cain, Larry Vick, Greg Mrzywka, Dave Conant, Kyle Richner, Byron Dewitt, Dalton Martin, Phil Vigneri III, Jessica Kriegisch, Ricky Newton, TJ Newton, Dan Kolb, Michael McCarthy (DNS), Ryan Barrett (DNS).
Lap Leader- Bliss 1-5, Walker 6-25.
Heat Winners- Tuttle, Walker, Susice,
Yasses Trucking & Construction Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- DAMIAN LONG, Dennis Cummings, Brandon Sherwood, Pat Powers, Shawn Hazlett, Bill Taylor, Chuck Mogavero, Tom Baker, Neil Patterson, Phil Schepis, Billy Burd, Mike Childrose, Mike Kelly, John Zimmerman, Jacob Vick, Jesse Qutermous, Dale Rissinger.
Lap Leaders- Hazlett 1-4, Cummings 5-13, Powers 14, Cummings 15-18, Long 19-20.
Heat Winners- Sherwood, Taylor.
Pellegrino Auto Sales Mini Stock Feature (20 Laps)- ASHLEY HARBISON, James Gayton, Chris Leone, Dante Mancuso, Brad Whiteside, Brad Shepard, Olivia Coniber, Cole Susice, Rich Conte, Andrew Gayton, Ryan Allen, Robert Knapp II, Gary Hopkins, Curtis Rung Jr., Jessica Schleede, Rocco Conte, Eric Brumsted, Richard Wagner Jr., Don Whiteside, Brandon Shepard, Brian Gregory, Andy Schumaker, Chad Desso, Tony Kulesza, Jay Eck.
Lap Leaders- Harbison 1-20.
Did Not Qualify- Cody Griffin, Ron Seefeldt, Caleb Wolcott, Eric Weis,
Heat Winners- Mancuso, B. Whiteside, J. Gayton, Leone.
Consolation Winner- Rung.
Champion Racing Oil Novice Sportsman Feature (15 Laps)- JAKE BANSMER, Andrew Joy, Tyler Guzzardi, Allison Dewitt, Bailey Logsdon, Nate Rhiner, Casey Jonathan, John Livingston Jr.
Lap Leaders- Bansmer 1-15.
Heat Winner- Dewitt.
DML Sealing Bandits (10 Laps)- HAILEY WEIS, Alexs Traxler, Grayson Harding, Morgan Coniber, Nicholas Lipome, Ian Paul, Kayley Bacon, Jonathan Logsdon.
Lap Leaders- Logsdon 1-3, Weis 4-10.