Story By: PAUL SZMAL / FREEDOM MOTORSPORTS PARK – ARCADE, NY – Bright, sunny skies greeted teams and fans as Freedom Motorsports Park opened its 2023 season with a full card of racing on Mesler Trucking LLC night, highlighted by the East Coast Speed RUSH Crate Late Models running in the annual Ron Baker Memorial.
Paul Grigsby pulled out to an early lead in the 30-lap Ron Baker Memorial event, with Andy Michael locked in battle with David Pangrazio for second. John Waters made some quick moves early on to move into fifth as race leader Grigsby pulled away. Pangrazio took second from Michael at the lap 8 mark and chased after Grigsby as Waters battled Dave DuBois for fifth spot. The race’s first yellow flew for a Billy DuBois spin on lap 19, and on the restart, Grigsby and Pangrazio pulled away while Chuck LaFleur battled Michael for third. LaFleur eventually passed Michaelf for third, with Waters following him into fourth. Grigsby carried it the rest of the way for the $2,000 payday, with Pangrazio, LaFleur, Dave DuBois, and Michael completing the top five.
East Coast Speed RUSH Crate Late Model heats were won by John Waters and Chuck LaFleur.
The 25-lap Close Racing Supply RUSH Pro Mod feature saw Steve Dixon jump out to the early lead. Bill Holmes moved to second past Tyler Oakes on lap 3 as Adam Ashcroft took fourth. Ashcroft moved to third, then to second past Holmes on lap 6. The race’s first yellow flew when Garrett Miller and Nick Arnold spun in turn two. On the restart, Dixon pulled away and Ashcroft battled Holmes for second. As Ashcroft battled with Dixon for the lead, Zain Harvey began a charge, moving into third by lap 20. Ashcroft got alongside Dixon on a couple of occasions, but Dixon hung tough and took a one car length feature win at the flag, followed by Ashcroft, Harvey, Holmes and Oakes.
Close Racing Supply Pro Mod heats were won by Adam Ashcroft and Critter Hemphill.
In the 20-lap Street Stock feature, Justin Neff and Randy Taylor brought the field to green with Neff taking the lead.
Taylor slipped wide on the backstretch on lap 2, which allowed Joe Chamberlain to move into the runnerup spot. A red flag came out on lap 5 when Ryan Sullivan caught the frontstretch wall and flipped. He was OK. When racing resumed, Chamberlain’s car faltered and he dropped out. Two laps later, Kemp sailed around the outside to take the lead from Neff. Kemp drove away from Neff and the defending track champion took the win, with Neff, Taylor, Skylar Maybee, and Dale Rissinger.
The Street Stock heat was won by Justin Neff.
In the 15-lap Mini Stock feature, Brad Whiteside jumped to the early lead with Andy Shumaker moving past Bill Weatherley to go into second. As the top four started to string out, John Michael and Rich Conte had a great side by side race for fifth. Whiteside pulled away for an easy win over Shumaker, Weatherley, Putt, and Michael.
Mini Stock heats were won by Brad Whiteside and Andy Shumaker.
In the 10-lap Bandit feature, Raiddan Wilson bested Khloe Griffin, and in the RUSH Stock car feature, Kaden Michael outdueled Lane Reinwald for the feature victory.
The Bandit heat was won by Raiddan Wilson and the RUSH Stock Car heat was won by Kaden Michael.
Racing continues at Freedom Motorsports Park on Friday, June 2nd with the East Coast Speed RUSH Crate Late Models, Close Racing Supply RUSH Pro Mods, Street Stocks/RUSH Stock Cars, Mini Stocks, and Bandits. Racing will be presented by IronListing.Com and will begin at 7:30 p.m.
RACE SUMMARY-FREEDOM MOTORSPORTS PARK-MESLER TRUCKING LLC NIGHT-MAY 26, 2023
EAST COAST SPEED RUSH CRATE LATE MODEL ‘RON BAKER MEMORIAL’-PAUL GRIGSBY, David Pangrazio, Chuck LaFleur, Dave DuBois, Andy Michael, Dan Bennett, John Waters, JJ Mazur, Brad Mesler, Bill Taylor, Jason Dobson, Jacob Peterson, Ian Travis, Zach Carley (DNS).
CLOSE RACING SUPPLY RUSH PRO MOD FEATURE-STEVE DIXON, Adam Ashcroft, Zain Harvey, Bill Holmes, Tyler Oakes, Josh Wilcox, John Woodward Jr, Critter Hemphill, Tim Schram, Nick Arnold, Derek Austin, Tyler Sutton, Bryson Hill, Al Brewer, Garrett Miller.
STREET STOCK FEATURE-TOM KEMP, Justin Neff, Randy Taylor, Skylar Maybee, Dale Rissinger, Joe Chamberlain, Ryan Sullivan, Scott DeRock, Ron Richter (DNS).
RUSH STOCK CAR FEATURE-KADEN MICHAEL, Lane Reinwald.
MINI STOCK FEATURE-BRAD WHITESIDE, Andy Shumaker, Bill Weatherley, Trevor Putt, John Michael, Rich Conte, Ken Weatherley, Tyler Pastorious, Joe Bieber, Devon Tarr.
BANDIT FEATURE-RAIDDAN WILSON, Khloe Griffin.