Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY, (August 4, 2018)- Jon Rivers has collected five track championships at the Genesee Speedway in his career across three divisions, but he was able to accomplish a new feat on Saturday Night: winning in a Crate Late Model.
Rivers, of Basom, dominated the 25-lap Crate Late Model Feature for his first win in five years. “Jonzilla” was overjoyed in Victory Lane, stealing the microphone to express how big of a deal the win was.
Rivers had a lead over six seconds 15 laps in to the main even when the only caution flag appeared. Despite the advantage evaporating, Rivers pulled back out to a healthy lead and pounded the outside of the race surface each and every circuit.
“I didn’t really care what the track was doing as long as my groove was good it didn’t matter,” exclaimed Rivers in Victory Lane after noting that the middle of the corner was starting to slick off late in the race. “I didn’t know where anyone else was so I kept hitting my line.”
As Rivers was running away to the victory, an inspired battle was on for second. In the waining laps, David Pangrazio got by Beamer Guzzardi to finish in second. Doug Ricotta crossed in fourth while Greg Mrzywka had a top five for his best finish in the division.
Despite leading the Sportsman points here in the final month of the season, Kyle Inman had yet to capture a feature win at the Genesee Speedway in 2018, but on Saturday he capitalized on a front row starting spot and held off veteran Ray Bliss to get the win.
“I wasn’t sure it was going to ever happen this year,” said Inman in Victory Lane. “It helped that was got a good starting spot and tried to run away with it but boy we had to earn this one. I saw Bliss put his nose under me a few times and the top was going away. I’m just glad to hang on to it.”
After two early cautions, the race took on a long green flag stretch with Inman slicing through lapped cars to keep Bliss at bay. Matt Steffenhagen would make it a three car battle up at the front before a lap 18 caution allowed for the trio to catch their breath. A slew of cautions down the stretch forced Inman to be perfect on restarts. The two-time track champion was flawless on a final lap restart to collect the win over Bliss, Steffenhagen, Austin Susice and Austyn Fugle, who all drove up in to a top five finish.
The final race of the night would turn out to the be the best finish of the evening as well as John Zimmerman chased down point leader Dave DuBois in the closing laps and passed him coming off the final corner to capture his first win of the year. Zimmerman, of Burt, surrendered the lead on a lap three restart to DuBois but stalked the No. 012 throughout the race. Once “The Z Man” figured out turns one and two, he reeled the leader right in on the final circuit was able to set up a pass heading in to turns three and four. With the proper gear in, Zimmerman drove by DuBois and won by a half car length at the line. Tommy Kemp rallied from an opening lap incident to cross in third.
Josh Pangrazio became the first Street Stock competitor to win a third feature event of the season, making a move on Dennis Cummings on a lap seven restart and then driving away to the victory. Pangrazio, of Elba, was strong on each restart and flexed his muscle driving to the inside of the point leader and then putting distance on him. Just after taking the lead, the race was slowed when Mike Jackson wandered off course and sunk his No. 9 in the infield pond. He was ok. Cummings would hold off Byron Dewitt for second, while Jesse Qutermous drove up to fourth from the back. Bill Taylor completed the top five.
Chris Leone shook off the slump he suffered in July and got back to his winning ways, scoring his fourth victory of the year in the Mini Stock feature. Leone, of Niagara Falls, was pressured by Brad Shepard on lap 10 but before Shepard could get by for the lead, the first caution of the race would occur, allowing Leone to get clear track and check out down the stretch to score the win. Shepard would hold off Cole Susice on the final lap for second while Brandon Shepard came home in fourth in his first start of the year. Don Whiteside completed the top five.
Allison Dewitt captured her third Bandit feature win of the year, holding off defending division champion Jessica Traxler throughout the event to earn a trip to Victory Lane. Dewitt was able to use the high line to find success and forcing her competition to search elsewhere on the track. Traxler would settle for second while Adam Jackson completed the podium positions.
Over 90 cars filled the pits once again on a beautiful night, and they also filled the front stretch during intermission for a top-notch autograph session, bike giveaway and candy extravaganza. Up next at Genesee is the ULMS Super Late Model Tour Race next Saturday, starting at 6:00 P.M. For more information visit www.Genesee-Speedway.com.
Genesee Speedway Results: 8/4/2018-
Select Collision/ Beamers Sales and Service Night
MHL Performance Crate Late Model Feature (25 Laps)- JON RIVERS, David Pangrazio, Beamer Guzzardi, Doug Ricotta, Greg Mrzywka, JJ Mazur, Bill Holmes, TJ Downs, Kyle Murray, Billy DuBois, Sarah Johnson, Mike Jackson (DNS).
Lap Leader- Rivers 1-25.
Heat Winners- Mrzywka, Pangrazio.
Cornerstone Eye Associates Sportsman Feature (25 Laps)- KYLE INMAN, Ray Bliss, Matt Steffenhagen, Austin Susice, Austyn Fugle, Zach George, Sarah Johnson, Jim Harbison, Tony Pangrazio, Cody Wolfe, AJ Custodi, Shane O’Grady, Cameron Tuttle, Dave Conant, Kyle Wendt, Zack Sam, Mike Denning, Dalton Martin, Chase Matteson, Chuck Mogavero, Gordy Hermanson Jr, Adam Chaddock, Ray Bliss Jr, Carl Inman, Rick Blech Jr.
Lap Leader- Inman 1-25.
Heat Winners- Inman, Susice, Wendt.
Johnson Automotive 360 Late Model Feature (15 Laps)- JOHN ZIMMERMAN, Dave DuBois, Tommy Kemp, Jacob McConnell, Tom Baker, Shawn Hazlitt, Rich Hale, Brian Kotarski (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Zimmerman 1-2, DuBois 3-14, Zimmerman 15.
Heat Winner- Zimmerman.
Yasses Trucking & Construction Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- JOSH PANGRAZIO, Dennis Cummings, Byron Dewitt, Jesse Qutermous, Bill Taylor, Bob Babbitt, Ryan Allen, Dave Bansmer, Jaren Israel, Mike Kelly, Patrick Nash, Phil Schepis, Mike Jackson, Kenny Begnouche, Doug Jones, Bill Tice.
Lap Leader- Cummings 1-6, Pangrazio 7-20.
Heat Winners- Jones, Dewitt.
Pellegrino Auto Sales Mini Stock Feature (15 Laps)- CHRIS LEONE, Brad Shepard, Cole Susice, Brandon Shepard, Don Whiteside, Eric Weis, James Gayton, Tony Kulesza, Tony Hermanson, Ruben Coffey, Chris McGuire, Dante Mancuso, Ashley Blech, Joe Kilby, Jessica Schleede, Olivia Coniber, Trinity Reynolds, Dominic DiLiberto, Eric Brumsted, Bill Weller Jr.
Lap Leader- Leone 1-15.
Heat Winners- Brad Shepard, Mancuso, Brandon Shepard.
DML Sealing Bandits (12 Laps)- ALLISON DEWITT, Jessica Traxler, Adam Jackson, Bailey Logsdon, Greenly George, Hailey Weis, Riley Gordon, Brian Gregory, Randy Gregory, Alexis Traxler, Evan Farruggia.
Lap Leader- Dewitt 1-12.
Heat Winner- Dewitt.