9.24.21 Genesee Speedway Results
Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY, (September 24, 2021)- A chilly yet clear fall night made for some of the best racing of the season at the Genesee Speedway with fast yet technical action around the 1/3-mile oval.
Running a car he had never been in before, John Waters saw his new ride come to life and put some veteran moves together to notch his first RUSH Late Model Tour win in years.
Waters, of Whitesville, moved by Joe Martin on a lap 21 restart and would drive off to win the 30-lap feature on night one of the Topless Nationals at Genesee Speedway. Restarts were friendly to Waters all race long, as Martin selected the inside line on each occasion, which is historically the weaker groove to restart in on the 1/3-mile. Waters, who had led laps three through 18 was run down by Martin on a long green flag run was unsure until the finish if he would be able to fend off the No. 10s.
“I saw before the feature that he had (a harder compound tire) on so when he ran me back down and peaked underneath me I thought it was over,” admitted Waters in Victory Lane, holding the $2,000 payday placard.
Lap 27 was really where the battle for the race lead heated up, with Martin appearing poised to pass Waters’ No. 32 entry. A lap later, though, Waters had the LeBarron-owned ride back out by three car lengths, enough breathing room to enable him to bring home the victory.
Michael Durtisky Jr. had taken the initial race lead rim-riding on lap one but a lap later came to a stop in turn four and had to restart in the back. As Martin took the lead and would hand it over on the ensuing restart to Waters, Duritsky was on a mission, getting back inside the top five just 11 laps in to the race. As the lead duo battled it out for the win, Duritsky was the show, coming home in fourth, just behind Jeremy Wonderling who got back up to third at the end of the race. Jimmy Johnson would round out the top five in his new race car, outlasting JJ Mazur, who broke on the final lap and would be credited with a 12th place finish.
With the sportsman running after the late models, a different race track was presented to those teams than they normally see, which was just what Phil Vigneri III wanted. Vigneri, of Elba, used the bottom line to drive up from the fifth starting spot to run down Brett Senek and pass him on lap 17 to win his fourth feature of the season, but his first since June 26.
“This track had a lot of bite tonight, but it had a bottom, and that’s what I needed,” said Vigneri after the 25-lap feature. “To go up against one of the best Sportsman racers in Brett Senek and get this win, this is huge.”
Senek had made a quality charge of his own, taking the lead on the first lap despite starting in third place. Just before the race’s first caution flag on lap 10, though, it was clear that Vigneri was reeling in the No. 111. The yellow flag would slow up PV3’s momentum but once a long green flag stretch ensued, his No. 12v came back to life and got him the race lead he would never relinquish.
As Vigneri and Senek paced the field, Ohio frontrunner Chas Wolbert finished in third in his first appearance in Batavia. Noah Walker would cross in fourth while veteran Randy Chrysler rounded out the top five.
The RUSH Sprint Cars put on a feature for the ages as their 20-lap event ran from start to finish without a caution and saw a last-lap pass for the lead. Weekly series point leader Gale Ruth Jr. paced the field from the drop of the green flag but was stalked by Chad Ruhlman and Ryan Fraley for much of the race. Ruhlman began to make his move just after halfway and looked to have the pass set up on lap 13 but was unable to move by the No. 24. After resetting his No. 68, Ruhlman ran the leader back down in the closing laps and drove by the lead down the backstretch on the final lap, completing a slidejob in turns 3 and 4 and hanging on to win the thrilling feature. For Ruhlman, his eighth win of the season will tighten up the points with Ruth with just a handful of races remaining. Ruhlman also remained perfect at Genesee Speedway, as he is the only driver to win a RUSH Sprint Car feature in the four apperances by the series in Batavia. Behind the lead duo was Ryan Fraley with a fine third place effort. Blaze Myers and Steve Pedley rounded out the top five.
Josh Pangrazio put on a clinic in the Street Stock Feature, as he led 19 of the 20 laps to capture the $1000 top prize. Pangrazio, the two-time track champion from Elba, took the lead on the second circuit from his buddy Dennis Cummings, who was focused on battling with Brandon Sherwood for the top spot on the opening lap. Once jumping out in front, Pangrazio was untouched, however John Zimmerman was able to reel in the No. 7 in the middle of the race to keep the result in question until the end. Zimmerman would have to settle for second, ahead of Joe Chamberlain who made a fine run up to third. 2021 Track Champion Bill Taylor picked up two spots in the final three laps to finish fourth, just ahead of Tommy Kemp and Tom Baker.
The final feature of the night was the Mini Stock event which had a unique ending as Dante Mancuso led wire-to-wire, but would be disqualified before reaching Victory Lane, as would runner-up Bill Weller Jr. for technical infractions. The win would go to Rich Conte, which would give the No. 717 driver his second win of the season at Genesee. The race featured just two early stoppages, including a red flag for youngster Ian Paul turning over his No. 38$ but walking away. The final 19 laps saw dense lapped traffic, with only six cars remaining on the lead lap. After technical inspection, Rich Conte would finish ahead of Rocco Conte, Don Whiteside, Brad Whiteside and Andrew Gayton in the top five.
Racing action will round out on Saturday with all five divisions back in competition starting at 6:00 P.M. For more information, visit www.Genesee-Speedway.com.
Genesee Speedway Results: 9/24/2021-
Topless Nationals Night #1 presented by LiquiTube and Insinger Performance/Sunoco Race Fuels
RUSH Late Model Series Feature (30 Laps)- JOHN WATERS, Joe Martin, Jeremy Wonderling, Michael Durtisky Jr., Jimmy Johnson, Bud Watson, Brad Mesler, Kyle Hardy, Chad Homan, Jason Knowles, Ryan Frazee, JJ Mazur, Brian Kotarski, Beamer Guzzardi, Billy DuBois, Austin Allen, Brian Knowles, Jon Rivers, TJ Downs, Dave DuBois, Andy Michael, Jim Johnson, Jason Genco, Carl Eldridge.
Lap Leaders- Duritsky 1, Martin 2, Waters 3-18, Martin 19-20, Waters 21-30.
Did Not Qualify- Alan Chapman, David Stolzenberg, Mark Sundt, Todd Chapman.
Heat Winners- Hardy, Duritsky, Martin.
Dash Winner- Martin.
B-Main Winner- Mesler.
FK Rod Ends Shock the Clock Fast Time: Kyle Hardy- 16.603
Sportsman Feature (25 Laps)- PHIL VIGNERI III, Brett Senek, Chas Wolbert, Noah Walker, Randy Chrysler Cody Wolfe, Kyle Richner, Dave Conant, Jim Harbison, Dalton Martin, Ray Bliss, AJ Custodi, Cameron Tuttle, Brandon Michaud, Mark Potter, Byron Dewitt, Ryan Barrett, Sam Hoxie, Jessica Kriegisch, Gordy Hermanson Jr., Allison Dewitt, Ray Bliss Jr, Dan Kolb, Ricky Newton, Michael McCarthy (DNS).
Lap Leader- Senek 1-15, Vigneri 16-25.
Heat Winners- Vigneri, Senek, Wolfe.
Quick Timer: Conant- 17.015 seconds
RUSH Wingless Sprint Feature (20 Laps)- CHAD RUHLMAN, Gale Ruth Jr., Ryan Fraley, Blaze Myers, Steve Pedley, Tyler Newhar, Brian Hartzell, A.J. MacQuarrie, Chris Shuttleworth.
Lap Leaders- Ruth 1-19, Ruhlman 20.
Heat Winner- Ruth.
Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- JOSH PANGRAZIO, John Zimmerman, Joe Chamberlain, Bill Taylor, Tommy Kemp, Tom Baker, Shawn Hazlett, Dan Schulz, Dale Rissinger, Pat Hobbs, Jacob Vick, Dennis Cummings, Phil Schepis, Chuck Mogavero, Brandon Sherwood, Jesse Qutermous, Mike Kelly, Sherman Gage, Dave Bansmer, Mike Childrose, Pat Powers, Kenny Cook (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Cummings 1, Pangrazio 2-20.
Heat Winners- Zimmerman, Schulz, Kemp.
Mini Stock Feature (20 Laps)- RICH CONTE, Rocco Conte, Don Whiteside, Brad Whiteside, Andrew Gayton, Olivia Coniber, Jessica Schleede, Shauna Knapp, Alexis Traxler, Gary Hopkins, Tom Knapp, Travis Hayes, Mike Becker, James Gayton, Nick Hawthorne, Don Hermanson, Ian Paul, Dante Mancuso (DQ), Bill Weller Jr. (DQ), Jonathan Logsdon (DNS), Wayne Close (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Mancuso 1-20.
Heat Winners- Weller, Ri. Conte, D. Whiteside.