The thrilling 100-lap Northeast Crate Nationals main event on Sunday culminated in a nail-biting three-lap showdown.
Demetrios Drellos, driving the Roberts No. 44, made an impressive surge from 19th position to take the lead, overtaking pole-sitter Fire Swamp on the 79th lap.
However, Swamp was not ready to give up without a fight. He kept Drellos on his toes, and the caution flag was raised on lap 97, setting the stage for a fierce duel. Swamp regained the lead on the restart, only for Drellos to snatch it back a lap later.
In a thrilling finale, Swamp made a daring slide in front of Drellos on the last lap to secure his second win of the season at the $5,000-to-win 100-lap Northeast Crate Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vermont.
Brian Calabrese maintained a top 10 position throughout the race to secure a third-place finish. He was followed by Richard Murtaugh and Tyler Corcoran. Vince Quenneville, Dominic Roselli, Kevin Chaffee, Troy Audet, and Justin Comes rounded out the top 10.
The opening day of the two-day event saw the small-block modifieds take the spotlight, with Robert Bublak emerging victorious in the 30-lap feature. He was followed by Matt Woodruff, Mike Mahaney, Matt DeLorenzo, and Troy Audet.
Fonda Speedway resumed action on Saturday night with significantly improved track conditions. However, the complete race program was interrupted by a steady rain after the heat races and the 4-cylinder feature, leading to the cancellation of the remainder of the program.
Track announcer Chris Moore informed the fans, “The amount of time that it would take to dry the track would be too long. After all of the time that was spent getting the track right trying to run it in after all of the rain may put us in the same predicament that we were in a couple of weeks ago, so we are calling the racing program at this time.”
In the completed 12-lap, 4-cylinder division feature, Kerrie Hollenbeck crossed the finish line first, claiming the dual overhead cam victory. His brother, Ken, finished second overall to win the single overhead cam race. Both drivers received a $100 bonus from the evening sponsor, Upstate Spray Foam.
Heat race victories in the modified category were claimed by Drellos, Stewart Friesen, and Michael Maresca. John DuMond, Ricky Quick, and Josh Kane won the 602 Crate Sportsman qualifiers. Bob Rowback and Randy Cosselman took home the Limited Sportsman heat race victories, while Shane Playford emerged victorious in the Pro Stock category.
On Saturday, Fonda will host the CRSA 305 Sprint cars along with all other regular divisions. The track management will announce plans to reschedule the rained-out features.
Marc Johnson, who had earlier claimed victory in the 25-lap DiCarlo Auto Body 358 Shootout, was aiming for a clean sweep of the modified features on Friday night at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. However, his plans were foiled by Jessey Mueller, who beat Johnson to claim his first win of the season.
Mueller started in fifth position and overtook early race leader Brandon Darrah on lap 11. Meanwhile, Johnson, last week’s winner Jack Lehner, and Jeremy Pitts were locked in a fierce battle for position.
The caution flag was raised with 13 laps remaining, setting up an exciting showdown with Johnson and Lehner in hot pursuit. Mueller managed to hold off Johnson to secure his eighth career victory at the Great Race Place. Lehner finished third, followed by Peter Britten and Brian Calabrese.
Andrew Buff finished second to Johnson in the 358-modified shootout, with Robert Bublak Jr. in third, Matt DeLorenzo in fourth, and Chris Curtis in fifth.
Kim Duell recorded his first win of the season in the 25-lap pro stock feature, while Brendon Gibbons collected his first career 25-lap sportsman feature win. Nick Brundige grabbed his first career feature win in the 20-lap limited sportsman main event. Chris Stalker outran Jason Meltz to claim his second 20-lap street stock feature win of the season.
For the fourth time this season, and the 75th time in his career, Matt Sheppard emerged victorious at Utica-Rome Speedway, beating the field to pick up the Thunder on the Thruway Series $4,000 paycheck.
Rocky Warner finished second, followed by Jessica Friesen, Pat Ward, and Michael Maresca.
Payton Talbot claimed his first win of the season in the Crate 602 Sportsman feature event, beating Mike Richmond, Tyler Peet, Chad Edwards, and Allan Hodge.
Devon Camenga celebrated his first career Pro Stock win, while Josh Coonradt raced to his third win of the early season in the Limited Sportsman category.
Jacob Kimball led all 12 laps of the Fonda Fair Four Cylinder division to claim his first win of the season, while Wayne Russell Jr. claimed his fourth win of the season in the Single Cam portion of the event.
Jack Miller won the Mohawk Valley Vintage Dirt Modified feature, bouncing back from an early yellow flag to win the Modified feature. Merv Blackwell claimed the Sportsman win.
Joe Rando won the Mystique feature, John Roese was the victor in the Late Model category, and Doug Mathewson was the Antique winner.
Michael Ballestero claimed the season-opening Short Track Super Series Crate 602 Sportsman feature on Sunday at Brookfield Speedway.
Payton Talbot rallied to finish second, followed by Blaine Klinger, Tyler Peet, and Jared LaBagh.
Gene Sharpsteen beat Ken Gates to win the Pro Stock/Street Stock feature, while Jeff Weeks won the four-cylinder main event. Jaden Pierce won the All-Star Slingshot feature, and Addisyn Roger claimed the Junior Slingshot checkers.
Keith Flach and Andy Bachetti split the modified features on Saturday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway.
Flach beat Brett Haas, Kolby Schroder, Marc Johnson, and JR Heffner to win the Big Block Modified feature, while Bachetti topped Joey Coppola, Lorne Browe, Haas, and Kyle Sheldon for the win.
Tim Hartman Jr. remains unbeaten at Lebanon Valley, as he picked up the 602 Sportsman feature win. Shawn Perez Sr. won the Pro Stock main event, and Brian Walsh claimed the Limited Sportsman feature. Chris Salker won the Super Street Stock main.
Lance Willix claimed his first win of the season in the 358-modified feature on Sunday night at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park.
Brian Pessolano, Andrew Buff, Joey Bonetti, and Jordan McCreadie completed the top five.
Zach Buff won the DIRTcar Sportsman feature, while Josh Coonradt claimed the Limited Sportsman main event and Luke Horning took home the DIRTcar Pro Stock victory.
Fonda Speedway
Saturday
AMSTERDAM TRUCK CENTER MODIFIEDS — Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. Demetrios Drellos 2. Alex Yankowski; 3. Jessica Friesen; 4. Darwin Greene; 5. Cody Clark; 6. Dave Constantino; 7. Bobby Hackel IV; 8. Matt Sheppard
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Stewart Friesen; 2. Tucker O’Connor; 3. Brian Calabrese; 4. Ryan Odasz; 5. Daniel Morgiewicz Jr.; 6. Luciano (Pep) Corradi; 7. Jason Reome; 8. Don Bellen.
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. Michael Maresca; 2. Jack Lehner; 3. Craig Hanson; 4. Brian Pessolano; 5. Rocky Warner; 6. Chris Curtis; 7. Ronnie Johnson; 8. Jamike Sowle
SWAGGER FACTORY APPAREL CRATE 602 SPORTSMAN — Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. John DuMond; 2. Jeremy Tyrrell; 3. Tyler Bobar; 4. Gary Edwards III; 5. Mike Kalkbrenner; 6. Butchie Irwin; 7. Chad Edwards; 8. Chip Constantino; 9. Blaine Klinger; 10. Brett Mortensen; 11. Bill Port
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Ricky Quick; 2. Clayton DuMond; 3. Dan Santabarbara; 4. Dylan Madsen; 5. Connor Prokop; 6. Kyle Dingman; 7. Mark Mortensen; 8. Brendan Gibbons; 9. Kadon Hohensheldt; 10. Brock Miller
Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. Josh Kane; 2. Tyler Peet; 3. Stephen Gray; 4. Tanner Warner; 5. Payton Talbot; 6. Matt Perry; 7. Jared LaBagh; 8. Jonny Feagles; 9. Clyde Peek; 10. Harry Shaffer
LEATHERSTOCKING CREDIT UNION PRO STOCKS — Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. Shane Playford; 2. Ivan Joslin; 3. Nick Stone; 4. Luke Horning; 5. Ken Gates; 6. Devon Camenga; 7. Michael Achzet; 8. Caden Dumblewski; 9. Gary Silkey
MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING LIMITED SPORTSMAN — Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. Bob Rowback; 2. Jeff Bobilin; 3. Corky Warner; 4. Brandon Tyler; 5. AJ Greco; 6. Walter Cook; 7. Adam Tranka; 8. Bobby Rhinehardt; DNS Ben Balzer
Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. Randy Cosselman; 2. Maddy Broedel; 3. Steve Wagoner; 4. Lance Hill; 5. Dylan Huston; 6. Joel Knudsen Jr.; 7. Josh Persse; DQ Rocco Constantino
FONDA FAIR FOUR CYLINDERS — Feature (12 Laps): 1. Kerrie Hollenbeck; 2. Ken Hollenbeck; 3. Jon Mason; 4. Jay Ingersoll; 5. Josh Beals; 6. William Liberatore; 7. Wayne Russell Jr; 8. TJ Marlitt; 9. Tim Warner; 10. Howard Marlitt; 11. Stephanie Maille; 12. Len St Andrews; 13. Hayleigh Gates; 14. John Napoli; 15. Todd Morey
Albany-Saratoga Speedway
Friday
NAPA MODIFIEDS — JESSEY MUELLER, Marc Johnson, Jack Lehner, Peter Britten, Brian Calabrese, Jeremy Pitts, Robert Bublak Jr., Mike Mahaney, Brendan Darrah, Matt DeLorenzo, Ryan McCartney, Ronnie Johnson, Rich Scagliotta, Rich Ronca, Demetrios Drellos, Kolby Schroder, Scott Huber, Josh Masterson, Jack Speshock, Kyle Armstrong, CG Morey, Justin Stone, James Meehan, Todd Ryan, Matt Depew, Derek Bornt, Neil Stratton, Don Ronca, Eric Mack, David Schilling.
DICARLO AUTO BODY 358 SHOOTOUT SERIES — MARC JOHNSON, Andrew Buff, Robert Bublak Jr., Matt DeLorenzo, Chris Curtis, David Schilling, Mike Mahaney, Garrett Poland, Joey Coppola, Walt Hammond, Chris Brisson, Jeff Reis, Ray Hall Jr., Brandon Daley, Angelo DiCarlo, Matt Woodruff, Bill August, Jim Introne, Ronnie Johnson, Floyd Billington, Tyler Jashembowski, Walter J. Hammond
IDEAL EXCAVATING SPORTSMAN — BRENDON GIBBONS, Craig Wholey, Zach Buff, Taylor Wason, Dan Grignon, Chris Jakubiak, Michael Wagner Fitzgerald, Alex Bell, Chris Crane Jr., Connor Crane, Mike Benson, Justin Buff (subbing for Daryl Nutting), Mike Coffey Jr., Dave Baranowski Jr., Cody Ochs, Joey Scarborough, Tim Hartman Jr., Tyler Rapp, Cody Bleau, Elliiot Lussier, Mike Ballestero, Alex Palmer-Sawyer, Dylan Madsen, Scott Duell, Nick Lussier, Travis Witbeck, Scott Towslee, Tony Farone, Bryce Breault.
SARATOGA MASONRY SUPPLY PRO STOCKS — KIM DUELL, Jason Casey, Kyle Hoard, Chucky Dumblewski, Rich Crane, Slater Baker, Beau Ballard, Caden Dumblewski, Luke Horning, Mike Hill, Pete Vila, Shane Henderson, Jordan Modiano, Dom Denue, Jay Casey, Rob Yetman, Jay Corbin, Brandon Emigh.
HAUN WELDING LIMITED SPORTSMAN — NICK BRUNDIGE, Dakota Green, Tanner Coon, Nick Auspelmyer, Alex Smith, Chad Gregory, Mike Baker, David Zelker, Nick Arnold, James Galarneau, Dan Seguin, John Santolin, Mike Block, Sloan Cherko, Cordell Younger, Matt Jordan, Lucas Duncan, Dan Odell, Sara Arnold, Chase Zimmer, Matthew Gebo, Jordan Hill, Steve Burch, Maclain Campbell.
CORNELL’S AUTO PARTS STREET STOCKS — CHRIS STALKER, Jason Meltz, Matt Mosher, PJ Cram Jr., Al Relyea, Ray Pierre Jr., Dan Madigan, Jeff Meltz Sr., Damien Ward, Josh Hemming, Mark Lester, Tim McFarland, Mike Duggan, Mark Burch, Jimmy Duncan, Derek Van Veghten.
Disagree – The swamp dominating a race does not seem like a typical or fair competition.
Disagree – Swamp dominating a race doesn’t seem fair or exciting.
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