Story By: FIVE MILE POINT SPEEDWAY – KIRKWOOD, NY – Seth Zacharias had an afternoon at Five Mile Point Speedway on Sunday that he will never forget.
After winning the companion Crate Sportsman special event, Zacharias, a high school senior, made his first ever Modified start at the speedway and won that headline feature as well.
The victory was worth $2,500 bringing his total for the day to $3,500. Tommy Groover was the Factory Stock winner, ending the early season streak had by Dominik Albanese. Justin Pope came out on top in the FWD Four Cylinder Expert Class. P.J. Goodwin was the 600 Modified winner with Charlie Towner winning the Futures Sportsman class. Bruce Illenberg remained unbeaten this season in the FWD Four Cylinder Novice class.
The 35 lap Modified feature event saw Seth Zacharias and P.J. Goodwin on the front row of a very talent-laden field. At the drop of the green Zacharias raced out to the lead. Bobby Hackel the fourth place starter, wasted no time in moving up to the second slot. The caution flew on lap 3 for Jeremy Hamilton. On the restart the field bunched up in turns one and two and fourth place runner Brandon Walters wound up spun. Once racing resumed Zacharias maintained his race lead with Hackel trying to keep pace. Sixth place starter Dany Creeden was now up to third place with back-to-back Modified Track Champion Brett Tonkin also advancing forward.
A pair of cautions flew on lap 10 and again on the restart of the action Zacharias pulled back ahead. Hackel continued to run in second place with Creeden, Goodwin and Tonkin in the top five. The race continued under green flag conditions and Zacharias maintained his eight-car length race lead during the duration. The final caution of the race flew on lap 30 again providing Hackel one more opportunity to make a move. On the restart Zacharias was flawless and was again able to maintain his lead over the field. Hackel was never able to make a serious bid for the race lead over the final laps. At the finish it would be Zacharias capping his dream day with the victory. Hackel finished second, coming up one spot short of his first Modified feature win at the speedway. He did win the National Quarter Mile Weekend Modified Dash last fall. Creeden finished third with Tonkin making his way to fourth at the wire. Goodwin wound up fifth in his double duty effort. He had earlier won the 600 Modified main event. Justin Holland drove from his fourteenth starting slot to sixth. Dillon Steuer was seventh. Kenny Titus charged from twentieth to finish eighth. Brian Malcolm and John Aumick completed the top ten. The victory for Zacharias was only his third Modified start ever and his first at Five Mile Point Speedway. He was the Spring Crate Sportsman Co-Champion and swept the National Quarter Mile Weekend last fall with Sportsman wins on both Friday and Saturday.
The Crate Sportsman 25 lap feature was much like the Modified feature with Seth Zacharias again leading wire to wire for the win. Zacharias and Mike Doty led the field to the green flag. Doty ran in second place during the early going with fourth place starter Mike Nagel taking over that position on lap four. Nagel remained close throughout the event but never was able to make a serious bid for the lead. A caution on lap 9 regrouped the field. On the restart Zacharias kept his pace up front. Nagel ran in second and Ray Leonard now made his way past Doty for third. Leonard, the Spring Crate Sportsman Series Co-Champion was trying all routes around Nagel for second. A couple of late race cautions again reset the field but Zacharias was up to the task and went on for his first Sportsman win in three attempts in 2023. Nagel, the opening day winner was second with Leonard, the week two winner finishing third. Doty wound up fourth with Dale Welty making a charge through the field to finish fifth.
Nick Johnson looked like he might have the field covered in the 20 lap 600 Modified feature event. Johnson led the first 9 laps until a caution reset the field. On the restart P.J. Goodwin took command and he never looked back. Goodwin went on to lead the rest of the race and go on for the victory. Spring Champion Justin LaDue finished second after starting sixth. David Brown, James Randall and Johnson rounded out the top five.
Charlie Towner raced to his first Futures Sportsman victory of the season. Towner took the lead from Buck Brown and led the 20 lap distance for his first ever win in the class at the speedway. Spring Champion Lance Hill finished second with Buck Brown finishing third. Avery Decker and McKenzie Smith complete the top five.
Tommy Groover ended the two-win streak of Dominik Albanese in the Factory Stock main event. Justin Pope invaded to win the Four Cylinder Expert feature and Bruce Illenberg remained unbeaten in the Four Cylinder Novice class.
SUNDAY SUMMER SERIES MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (35 LAPS): SETH ZACHARIAS ($2,500), Bobby Hackel, Dan Creeden, Brett Tonkin, P.J. Goodwin, Justin Holland, Dillon Steuer, Kenny Titus, Brian Malcolm, John Aumick, Danny Tyler, Tyler Yeagle, Casey Plummer, Jimmy Zacharias, Jeremy Hamilton, Corey Cormier, Daniel Morgiewicz, Derek Cornish, Brad Rothrupt, Brandon Walters, Ray Reynolds, Kenny Hildebrandt. DNS – Hunter Metzger, Bailey Boyd, Tyler Siri.
CRATE SPORTSMAN OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (25 LAPS): SETH ZACHARIAS ($1,000), Mike Nagel Jr, Ray Leonard, Mike Doty, Dale Welty, Jason Benjamin, Brad Weaver, Joe Buchanan, Mark Shupp, Marty Goodwin, Therese Aumick, Mike Multski, Matt Brewer, Ned Fitch.
FACTORY STOCK OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (25 LAPS): TOMMY GROOVER ($500), Dominik Albanese, Jason Rhodes, Buck Mills Jr, Rich Sharpsteen, Stan Matthews, Hayden Albanese, Tony Dickerson, Adam Gilbert, Buck Mills III, Brett Spoor, Billy Shoemaker.
FRONT WHEEL DRIVE FOUR CYLINDER EXPERT OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS): JUSTIN POPE ($400), Kenny Underwood, Chris Yob, John Maynard, Randy Lane, Dave Simms, Collin Mills, Dakota Fuller, Rich Wagner, Josh Gunn.
FRONT WHEEL DRIVE FOUR CYLINDER NOVICE OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (15 LAPS): BRUCE ILLENBERG, Jesse Lovejoy.
FUTURE SPORTSMAN OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS): CHARLIE TOWNER, Lance Hill, Buck Brown, Avery Decker, McKenzie Smith, Ryan Zelosko.
600 MODIFIED OFFICIAL FEATURE FINISH (20 LAPS): P.J. GOODWIN, Justin LaDue, David Brown, James Randall, Nick Johnson, Doug Newbigging, Gaege Higley, Logan LaDue, Ajay Tuttle, Caleb Lacey, Chelsea Beebe, Alan Bibalo.