7.16.22 Genesee Speedway Results
Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY, (July 16, 2022)- The only race over a four-week span at Genesee Speedway had a pit full of competitors amped up to go after a win with an aggression level was a major story throughout the night.
The 10th race night of the 2022 season was also the Rich Conte Sr./ Mikey Holford Memorial night with plenty of purple and yellow adorned in the pits and in the stands. It was a special night for that race, as well as for the stories made during the racing action.
Paul Grigsby took advantage of his outside front row starting spot to outduel Bill Holmes at the start of the 25-lap Late Model Feature and never looked as he ran off to his first feature win at Genesee in over a year.
“Sometimes momentum is king here and that’s what I had to rely on,” stated the veteran after the caution-free feature. “You look at the top eight starters tonight and how good they are and I knew I had to get in front early.”
Despite settling in to second, Holmes was able to stay within range of the No. 24 and, in the closing laps, Grigsby found himself mired in lapped traffic, which tightened up the battle even further.
“I went down to the bottom (to pass a lapped car), and I think I could have got by him if I needed to but I just stayed on the top unless I saw someone a nose and nobody ever did.”
Grigsby would end up winning by a second over Bill Holmes, while Jeremy Wonderling closed late to finish in third. Doug Ricotta was a close fourth while David Pangrazio would cross in fifth after three-time winner Chad Homan fell out with 3 laps remaining.
In the sportsman feature, the first 19 laps ran off without a caution, but the first yellow flag would be a major one that would fully change the dynamic of the race. Canadian Brad Rouse had the early lead from the pole but Noah Walker began to reel him in as the race reached its second half. With 17 laps complete, Walker moved under Rouse to begin a series of slide jobs on each other, each one a little less forgiving then the prior one. Heading in to turn one on lap 20, Rouse got in to the back of Walker as the lead duo went in to the corner. Rouse would head to the pits for the remainder of the race while Walker had to head to the back of the pack. The incident would put Jim Harbison out in front, but on the ensuing restart Dave DiPietro dove under the lead and after the two made contact would take the lead and refused to give it up.
DiPietro, of North Tonawanda, scored his first-career Genesee win in the 25-lap event, but afterwards could not help but feel bad for the drivers that didn’t pick up the Checkered Flag.
“I feel bad for Noah, that was his race,” admitted DiPietro. “I also need to talk to Jim (Harbison) because I got in to him. He was faster than me all race so I knew I had to get him on a restart and I went down in (to turn three) and it was as if his car just stopped.”
After the contact for the lead, the field would slow again for a spin, which would see Harbison pit while under caution. The ensuing restart would also be unsuccessful as Dave Conant and others spun around with an accordion restart. The final restart would see DiPietro once again pull away while Phil Vigneri III held off a hard-charging Cameron Tuttle for the second spot. Jacob Bansmer scored his division-best fourth-place while Adam Hilton rounded out the top five.
Bill Taylor was involved in a heavy wreck two weeks ago and after endless hours of repair and thousands of dollars in replacements, he made it all pay off with a thrilling win in the 20-lap Street Stock Feature. Taylor, of Arcade, had to withstand the endless challenges from two-time winner John Zimmerman, most notably on lap 17 when Zimmerman looked to slide up in front of the leader but could not 100% clear the No. 1. Taylor was able to lean on the right rear of “The Z-Man” and give himself the ability to rim ride back in to the lead after losing the top spot for one lap. Zimmerman would have to settle for second while former champion Byron Dewitt close-in-tow in third. Tommy Kemp crossed in fourth while Jacob Vick rounded out the top five.
James Gayton scored his fifth Mini Stock win of the season in dominating fashion as he jumped in front of Rocco Conte on a lap two restart and drove off to a comfortable victory with the race running off without caution. Conte would hold on for second, while Don Whiteside rallied to finish third after restarting at the back. Whitside was the early leader but was spun out on the second circuit by Dylan Strade, which collected six cars. Eric Brumsted and Olivia Coniber rounded out the top five.
Casey Jonathan scored his second Novice Sportsman Feature win of the season in dramatic fashion, holding off four-time winner Greenley George down the stretch to return to Victory Lane. Jonathan, of Basom, slipped up on lap 13, which allowed George to drive to the inside in turns three and four and challenge for the lead, but Jonathan was able to put his No. 74 up on the cushion and take the lead back by just .002 seconds at the line and then use his momentum to get back out in front and hang on to score the narrow victory. George was a strong second while heat race winner John Livingston Jr completed the podium positions.
Seth Johnson rounded out the night with a fine pass of Tyler Foster on lap seven of the Bandit Feature to take his No. 85 to Victory Lane for the fifth time this season. Johnson, of Castile, had to tiptoe on the bottom of the track to make the pass with slick conditions to complete the pass for his second win in-a-row. Foster would hold on for second while Morgan Coniber completed the podium.
Genesee Speedway will be off next Saturday before returning to action on Saturday, July 30 for the Clayton Downs Memorial, presented by The Hangover Crew. This $1533-to-win 33-lap event for the Late Models will highlight a show with all weekly divisions plus the Sharp Mini Late Models. For more information, visit www.Genesee-Speedway.com.
Genesee Speedway Results: 7/16/2022-
Rich Conte/ Mikey Holford Memorial Night
Cornerstone Eye Associates RUSH Late Model Feature (25 Laps)- PAUL GRIGSBY, Bill Holmes, Jeremy Wonderling, Doug Ricotta, David Pangrazio, Chris Fleming, JJ Mazur, Dave DuBois, Jon Rivers, Brian Kotarski, Jim Mazur, TJ Downs, Chad Homan, David Stolzenberg, Dustin Waters, Jimmy Johnson (DNS).
Lap Leader- Grigsby 1-25.
Heat Winners- Ricotta, DuBois.
Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman Feature (25 Laps)- DAVE DIPIETRO, Phil Vigneri III, Cameron Tuttle, Jacob Bansmer, Adam Hilton, Brandon Michaud, Ryan Barrett, Larry Vick, Jim Harbison, Dave Conant, Jessica Kriegisch, Tyler Guzzardi, Kyle Richner, Noah Walker, Brad Rouse, Jordan Moden, Bill Gill, Austin Hauser, Michael McCarthy, Greg Mrzywka (DNS).
Lap Leader- Rouse 1-18, Walker 19-20, DiPietro 21-25.
Heat Winners- Harbison, DiPietro, Hilton.
Yasses Trucking and Construction Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- BILL TAYLOR, John Zimmerman, Byron Dewitt, Tommy Kemp, Jacob Vick, Zach Walsh, Rich Conte, Dale Rissinger Jr., Darrell Rissinger, Mike Kelly, Damian Long, Pat Powers.
Lap Leaders- Taylor 1-16, Zimmerman 17, Taylor 18-20.
Heat Winners- Zimmerman, Taylor.
The Detail Shop Mini Stock Feature (15 Laps)- JAMES GAYTON, Rocco Conte, Don Whiteside, Eric Brumsted, Olivia Coniber, Bill Weller Jr., Alexis Traxler, Ray Dinehart, Dylan Strade, Andrew Kreamer, Tim Fisher, Robert Knapp II (DNS), Jessica Schleede (DNS), Caleb Wolcott (DNS), Chris McGuire (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Whiteside 1, Gayton 2-15.
Heat Winners- Gayton, Conte.
Ron & Newt’s Sales and Service Novice Sportsman Feature (15 Laps)- CASEY JONATHAN, Greenley George, John Livingston Jr., Allison Dewitt, Doug Walsh Jr., Mike Taddonio, Charles Palmer, Paul Marshall (DNS).
Lap Leader- Jonathan 1-15.
Heat Winner- Livingston.
DML Sealing Bandit Feature (10 Laps)- SETH JOHNSON, Tyler Foster, Morgan Coniber, Joey Swick, Nicholas Lipome, Jonathan Logsdon (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Foster 1-6, Johnson 7-10.
Heat Winner- Foster.