VERNON, N.Y. – Matt Tanner has been close twice in the last week to scoring his first ever Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint feature victory. The former 305 Sprint Car champion finished second at Humberstone Speedway and then second again on Saturday night to Bryan Howland at the Fulton Speedway. In both cases Tanner had the fastest car and he simply ran out of time to make the pass for the lead.
Sunday night at Utica-Rome Speedway Tanner had an upfront starting position which he utilized to get to the lead early. He then held off all challengers including speedway regular Stewart Friesen. He was working through traffic when rain drops began to fall on lap 13 with the red eventually coming on lap 15.
The rain never ceased and Tanner was awarded with a well earned win in the finale of SUNY Canton Central New York Speedweek. His first win was worth $2,225 and came as part of the Today’s Options Stars and Stripes American Tour as well.
“This feels pretty good,” said Tanner from his trailer in the rain. “It took us three years to get this one so it is pretty special.”
Tanner wasted little time getting to the front in Sunday night’s feature as he took the lead on the initial lap from Chuck Hebing with a slide job in turns three and four. Hebing settled in behind him and the pair raced away.
On lap four the caution was displayed when contact was made between Shawn Donath and Steve Poirier. Poirier bounced off the outside wall on the front straightaway blowing the right front tire and sending him off the banking in turn one.
Even with the double-file restart Tanner was undeterred as he again held off Hebing to keep the lead. At this point he opened the advantage on Hebing who a lap later gave up the second spot to a hard charging Friesen.
At lap 11 Tanner was forced to work through traffic in his Roush-Yates powered GF1 Chassis. He was perfect in using the top as well as the bottom to keep Friesen at bay.
“With Stewie (Friesen) and Chuck (Hebing) right behind me it makes it a little more special,” commented Tanner. “Holding those guys off for 15 laps, it was only ten more, we would have liked to finish it but we’ll take what we can get.”
Then, on lap 13, the rain drops began falling with the caution flag and eventually the red flag coming one lap later. Tanner waited patiently in the pit area as the rains began falling harder and harder forcing the cancellation of the rest of the night’s program giving him the win.
“I didn’t even know it was raining until we slowed down and I could see it on my shield,” stated Tanner about the rain. “I don’t know if happened real quick or it was happening for a while. I didn’t notice until the caution.”
Friesen scored his second podium finish of the week after winning on Thursday night at the Brewerton Speedway. It once again came in a Doug Emery and Barb Patterson owned No. 33.
“I’m having a lot of fun with these cars and driving for Doug (Emery) and Barb (Patterson),” said Friesen afterwards. “Driving for Doug and Barb has made this so much easier and speeded up my learning curve. I’m looking forward to running with Doug again.”
Michael Parent finished in third and picked up the first ever SUNY Canton Central New York Speedweek championship. Parent never finished outside the top ten during the week long events.
Hebing fell back to finish in the fourth spot after starting on the front row while Bryan Howland worked his way up from mid-pack to complete the top five after a win the previous night at the Fulton Speedway.
Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints SUNY Canton CNY Speedweek Night #5 – Utica-Rome – 37 Entries
SUNY Canton Speedweek A-Main – Matt Tanner ($2,200), Stewart Friesen, Michael Parent, Chuck Hebing, Bryan Howland, Jessica Zemken, Charlie Donk, Cory Sparks, Danny Varin, Larry Wight, Paul Kinney, Shawn Donath, Jason Barney, Etienne Girard, James Hanson, Lance Yonge, Tommy Wickham, Kevin Ward Jr., Patrick Vigneault, Warren Alexson, Dylan Swiernik, Jeff Cook, Steve Poirier, Justin Barger, Paul Habeck.
Did Not Qualify – Joey Biasi, Josh Pieniazek, Kelly Hebing, Joe Trenca, Dave Ely, Curt Michael, Tim Hogue, Chris Jones, Dave Wickham, Todd Weigand, Vinnie Vitale, Mike Stelter.
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 1 – Wight, Zemken, Donk, Barney, Swiernik
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 2 – Poirier, Friesen, Varin, Howland, Kinney
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 3 – C. Hebing, Barger, Girard, Vigneault, Cook
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heat 4 – Tanner, Parent, Sparks, Donath, Habeck
Walt’s Hobby Dash/Cobra Coaches Dash – Wight
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – T. Wickham, Ward Jr., Hanson, Alexson
Provisional Starter – Yonge
Bonuses:
Westward Painting Company Halfway – Tanner $100
Ohsweken Speedway Winners Bonus – Tanner $100
Fondations 4 Saisons Hard Charger – Howland (9 pos.) $50
Fondations 55 Pick 5 – Howland $50
North Eastern Pool and Spa Power Pick – Donk, Hanson $50
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – T. Wickham $50
Go Nuclear Late Models Go Fast – Tanner (20.042) $25
Jimmy D’s Speed and Machine Fast Time – Hebing (20.350) $25
Car Mate Custom Built Trailers Heats – Wight, Poirier, C. Hebing, Tanner $25
Dirt Track Digest Hard Luck – Ely $25
Mike Emhof Motorsports – Howland, Kinney $25