8.22.20 Genesee Speedway Results
Rich Vleck, BATAVIA, NY, (August 22, 2020)- A hot a dry night in Batavia produced a unique night of racing at the Genesee Speedway, with 98 different cars utilizing lines not seen every Saturday Night on the 1/3-mile. The results were also different too, with new names heading to Victory Lane.
After coming up one lap shy of winning his first RUSH Late Model Feature at Genesee two weeks ago, Paul Grigsby capitalized on his next opportunity to lead all 25 laps to shake off his bad luck and find redemption with a trip to Victory Lane.
“When you start up front you have to capitalize on your opportunity because it’s not like you can win every night,” declared Grigsby in Victory Lane. “These guys are so good and it can be hard to come from deep in the pack.”
Grigsby, of Springville, took the lead from Austyn Fugle on the initial start from the outside line and then utilized that same line on the ensuing restart. Beamer Guzzardi and Dustin Waters both gave chase, but neither could reel in the No. 24 as he knew where to put his potent ride.
“The track took some rubber in turns 1 and 2 but the car was good on the top too so that was the fast line,” Grigsby recounted afterwards.
Two weeks ago, Grigsby was in the lead on the white flag lap on two occasions only to have incidents thwart was appeared to be his night to breakthrough. After a fifth place effort last week, the veteran who is running weekly for the first time in his crate late model at Genesee found the break that he was looking for.
While Grigsby was finding his glory, Beamer Guzzardi also put together a much-needed result. Guzzardi scored a fine second place finish in his first race in over a month. Guzzardi started in eighth and used good early race restarts to move up the board. Dustin Waters ran to a solid third-place showing while multi-time winners Jimmy Johnson and Jeremy Wonderling rounded out the top five.
In the Sportsman Feature, Zach George licked his chops when he saw leader Dave Conant chose the bottom line for a lap seven restart, and for good reason. On the restart, George took the race lead, only to have it called back due to a caution; nothing changed on the ensuing restart though as George once again put his 126 out front and then fought hard to hold on the rest of the way.
“When I saw Dave choose the bottom I thought I could stick it on the top,” recalled George in Victory Lane. “When the first start got called back I just was hoping he wouldn’t choose the top but when he didn’t I just did it again and that was pretty much it.”
Only it wasn’t quite over.
George, of Wilson, won his second feature of the season by withstanding a late-race charge from point leader Kyle Inman amongst heavy lapped traffic to capture the win.
Once George had taken the lead he held a comfortable distance, but when Inman took second from Conant on a lap 13 restart he began to rim-ride the track while George utilized the top only in turns three and four. In the final third of the race, Inman began to chase down the No. 126.
“I could see Johnny Veach (starter) showing me that the gap was shrinking, then I saw the 20 (Inman) on the board so I knew who it was but I just said he’s not getting this one.”
When the duo caught a lapped car with three laps to go George was able to gain a pawn that enabled him to keep the No. 20k at bay and drive off to the win. Inman secured a quality point night in second. Cam Tuttle was able to run up from ninth to third while Conant and Sarah Johnson completed the top five.
Pat Powers led all 20 laps to win his first Street Stock Feature since June of 2017 as he rode the high line to a popular victory. Powers, of Dale, had to withstand Bill Taylor throughout the majority of the race, peaking to the inside of the No. 53 coming to the checkered flag, but falling just a car-length shy of the win. Brandon Sherwood and Dale Rissinger scored their best finishes of the season, finishing third and fourth, respectively. Jesse Qutermous used a back-up car to run up to round out the top five.
Brandon Shepard led all 15 laps of the Mini Stock Feature, but that hardly tells the story of the battle for the lead that he had to endure to bring home the victory. Shepard scored his second win of the season but had Rich Conte and Donald Newton challenging him early in the feature and then had his brother, Brad Shepard, throwing everything he could at him down the stretch. In the final three laps, Brad was able to pull alongside the No. 8s on a few occasions but on the final circuit amongst lapped traffic Brandon was able to stay in front heading in to the final set of corners. Off of turn four Brad again got to the inside and the two Shepards bumped off one another coming to the checkered flags, with Brandon winning by just a half car length. Behind the brothers was point leader Brad Whiteside who finished in third. Larry Wise had a fine run in fourth while Donald Newton’s final lap issue saw him slip back to fifth.
Scott Wolfe finally broke through in the Novice Sportsman Feature, leading all 15 laps to become the seventh different winner in the division this season. Wolfe had to withstand multiple challenges from point leader Dylan Duhow, including on lap nine when the duo encountered lapped traffic that would eventually draw the final caution of the event. Duhow would settle for second while Andrew Joy rounded out the podium.
Jake Bansmer won his fourth Bandit Feature in-a-row to all but secure his first track championship. Bansmer led all 12 laps for his seventh feature win of the year. Tyler Guzzardi drove up to finish second while Alexis Traxler completed the podium.
The 2020 Championships will be decided next Saturday with the final regular season event of the summer. For more information, visit www.Genesee-Speedway.com.
Genesee Speedway Results: 8/22/2020-
Johnson Automotive Night
Cornerstone Eye Associates RUSH Late Model Feature (25 Laps)- PAUL GRIGSBY, Beamer Guzzardi, Dustin Waters, Jimmy Johnson, Jeremy Wonderling, JJ Mazur, Dave DuBois, Austyn Fugle, Doug Ricotta, Austin Hauser, Brian Kotarski, Billy DuBois, Alan Chapman, Bill Holmes, Bill Button, Greg Mrzywka, Dave Parker, Brett Ritter, Tim Schram, TJ Downs (DNS).
Lap Leader- Grigsby 1-25.
Heat Winners- Grigsby, Wonderling, Downs.
Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman Feature (25 Laps)- ZACH GEORGE, Kyle Inman, Cam Tuttle, Dave Conant, Sarah Johnson, Phil Vigneri III, Byron Dewitt, James Henry, Ray Bliss, Dan Michaud, Kyle Richner, AJ Custodi, Jonathan Reid, Zack Sam, Larry Vick, Dan Kolb, Tom Richau Jr, TJ Newton, Gordy Hermanson Jr, Jordan Moden, Jessica Kriegisch, Clayton Cain.
Lap Leader- Conant 1-6, George 7-25.
Heat Winners- Tuttle, Conant, Kriegisch.
Yasses Trucking & Construction Street Stock Feature (20 Laps)- PAT POWERS, Bill Taylor, Brandon Sherwood, Dale Rissinger, Jesse Qutermous, Damian Long, Shawn Hazlett, Dennis Cummings, Dan Schulz, Cassie Logsdon, John Zimmerman, Mike Kelly, Dan Brumsted, Tommy Kemp, Chip Wood, Steve Austin, Phil Schepis (DNS), Randy Gregory (DNS).
Lap Leader- Powers 1-20.
Heat Winners- Powers, Kemp.
Pellegrino Auto Sales Mini Stock Feature (15 Laps)- BRANDON SHEPARD, Brad Shepard, Brad Whiteside, Larry Wise, Donald Newton, Eric Brumsted, Bailey Logsdon, Dante Mancuso, Matt Hornquist, Dylan Strade, Tyler Pastorius, Joe Beiber, Eric Black, Eric Weis, Andy Schumaker, Rocco Conte, Olivia Coniber, Curtis Rung Jr., Cole Susice, Rich Conte, Cody Wise, Chris Walton (DNS).
Lap Leaders- Brandon Shepard 1-15.
Heat Winners- Ro. Conte, Weis, Susice.
Novice Sportsman Feature (15 Laps)- SCOTT WOLFE, Dylan Duhow, Andrew Joy, Michael McCarthy, Allison Dewitt, John Livingston Jr., Brandon Close, Jordyn Jermyn, Tim Nies, Jacob Vick.
Lap Leader- Wolfe 1-15.
Heat Winner- Duhow.
DML Sealing Bandits (12 Laps)- JAKE BANSMER, Tyler Guzzardi, Alexis Traxler, Greenley George, Hailey Weis, Brian Gregory.
Lap Leader- Bansmer 1-12.
Heat Winner- Bansmer.