Story By: KENNY SHUPP / OUTLAW SPEEDWAY – DUNDEE, NY – 2022 Outlaw Speedway Track Champion, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. wasted little time throwing his name into the ring as one of many Outlaw Speedway Modified drivers all looking for the $10,000 overall 2024 Point Championship.
Potrzebowski Jr’s. triumph in the $3,067 to win Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modified thirty-five lap feature was no cake walk by any means as he had to hound race leader, Alex Payne through most of the distance before making his move late in the event to go on and claim the victory.
Alex Payne and Will Shields would bring the twenty-five car, star studded field to the opening green with former Outlaw Sportsman Champ and now full time Modified pilot Payne getting the jump and lead the first six circuits before the pace was slowed by the first of three caution flags. On the re-start, Payne would continue to hold court at the head of the class as Potrzebowski was now in second from his inside row two starting spot and closing on the race leader. The second yellow rag would wave on lap twenty-two and with the field bunched, Potrzebowski would make his move around Payne on lap twenty-four and take command with Payne still glued to his rear bumper. One final caution flag on the white flag lap would set up a one lap shootout between the two young guns in the sport, but Potrzebowski was able to hold off Payne to claim his first feature at Outlaw Speedway in 2024 and take the early season point lead.
The Doctor of Modified Racing, Danny Johnson piloting the Tim Gibson owned 27j machine began the event inside row four and put on one of his patented driving clinics to complete the top three podium.
Michael Maresca continues to impress at Outlaw Speedway as the Central New York speedster lined up eleventh on the opening grid and drove to fourth with second generation, Elmira speedster, Jeff Daugherty rounding the top five advancing four positions from his ninth starting spot.
From sixth on back it was a barrage of Tyler Siri owned machines as his drivers Bobby Varin and AJ Slideways, Alan Johnson would finish in positions sixth and ninth with Siri himself credited with tenth at the finish. 2023 Outlaw Speedway Track Champion, Cory Costa began defense of his title by nailing sixth at the finish with 2023 Class Rookie of the Year, Tommy Collins Jr. giving chase in seventh.
The Sunrise Insulation/Knapp and Schlappi 602 Sportsman would find some thirty-three drivers trying to qualify for the $2067 to win thirty lap A Main and after the feature field was set Kenny Peoples Jr. along with Adam Taft would bring the twenty-nine-car grid to the opening green with Peoples immediately taking command.
Yellow fever was the name of game throughout the entire distance with a pair of yellow flag slow downs coming on laps one and six. Each time Peoples was able to maintain his advantage on the re-start, however his night would come to an end as he slowed on lap nine drawing the events third caution as he limped to the pit area with a flat tire.
With Peoples departure it handed the top spot over to Brian Fish who would set the pace from laps nine through twenty-six as he would maintain his composure through another pair of caution flags and one full red flag stoppage with that coming on lap twenty-five. However, it was on the final restart that then second place runner Dave Rogers made his move around Fish and would hold on for the remaining three trips around the Fast 4/10 of a Mile to claim his first feature win of the season.
For Rogers it was a job well done having lined up thirteenth on the opening grid, used the multiple yellow flags to his advantage keeping the lead pack in sight and making his move late in the event.
Fourth generation young gun, Carter Crooker began the thirty-lap grind in twelfth, drove a methodical race but ran out of time as he had to settle for second at the double checkers with Fish holding on for third.
Donnie Lawson, making a rare Outlaw Speedway appearance after many years of success at the Yates County oval showed he still has the touch lining up fifth at the start, racing in the lead pack throughout coming across the line fourth as he was chased there by youngster, Justice Mayo who put on a fierce drive coming from seventeenth to fifth.
Veteran driver, Loren Lincoln slid back a couple positions from fourth to sixth at the finish as Darly Krebs would advance fourteen spots to claim seventh at the completion.
Blake Parsons, Scott Torbitt and Ray Bliss would round the top ten finishers.
In Swarthout Recycling Street Stock 25 lap feature action, Jimmy Grant would lead the entire distance from his outside front to starting spot to claim the $1567 winners check and place himself at the top of the point battle after night one of the 2024 campaign.
However, Grant’s victory was no walk in the park by any means as he had to contend with a slew of the best names in the division in an event that was slowed on three occasions by caution flags. But on every re-start, Grant was up to the challenge and in the closing laps had to hold off relentless pressure from a pair of veterans in Gene Sharpsteen and many time Outlaw Speedway Street Stock Track Champion, Glen Whritenour.
Dundee, NY native, Carl Cleveland still has everything it takes to compete, and it showed as the veteran full fender competitor would line up ninth on the opening grid and claw his way to fourth with newcomer, Joe Giardina giving chase in fifth.
Six through tenth went to Tim Grady, Damien Decker, Zach Teed, Chris Woodard and Jesse Tuthill.
In the Addison, Corning, Hornell, Wellsville NAPA Hobby Stock Division, many time Woodhull Raceway Hobby Stock Track Champion, Jeredd Dennis and Brian Lloyd would lead the stout sixteen car field to the opening green flag for their 20 lap, $1067 to win season point opener.
Dennis would jump into the early lead which he would hold till lap fifteen when eventual winner, Doug Batterson would drive by and from there cruise onto his first win of the 2024 campaign at Outlaw Speedway.
Dennis would still hold on to claim second as he was chased across the line by the defending Track Champion, Marc Minutolo who began the event in third and that is where he would finish. Justin Eldredge advanced one spot during the event claiming fourth at the finish as did Nate Peckham who lined up sixth at the start and put on a steady drive to take fifth at the finish.
Tyler Burnell received family bragging rights for the week beating out Frank Burnell as the pair slugged it out for sixth and seventh with Brian Lloyd, Phil Yaw and Kyler Lloyd competing the top ten finishers.
The final feature of the evening found the Winner’s Circle Deli 4 Cylinder Mini Stocks taking to the Fast 4/10 of a Mile clay oval for their 20 lap, $1067 to win season point lid lifter. Ray Hyer and Kenneth Evans would bring the twenty-three-car starting field to green featuring a mixture of both front and rear wheel driven creations.
Hyer would get the jump and lead the first nine circuits before giving way to young gun, Willy Easling of Beaver Dams who would then go on to lead the remaining eleven laps to claim his first win of 2024. After struggling through a tough Hobby Stock feature event where Easling did not fare so well, he recovered nicely to pick up the “W” in the Mini Stocks and with it stake his claim to the early season point lead.
Coming across the line in second was opening night winner, Craig DeCamp, however an infraction was found in post-race inspection, and he was relegated to the DQ list.
After the scoring adjustment, early race leader, Ray Hyer was then credited with the runner-up spot with The Nature Boy, Mike Stone completing the Mini Stock podium.
In a rare appearance, Travis Southard was able to advance from seventh on the opening grid to nail fourth while Tony Dickerson would finish fifth.
Former Outlaw Speedway Track Champion, Scott Lehman would lead the charge of the next group of five across the line in sixth with Greg Rockwell, Aaron Robinson, Brady Richardson and Mike Ayers completing the top ten.
In early evening action the Fritz Masonry Bandit Division took to the track for their feature only event with Parker Cunningham finding victory lane for his first win of the campaign. Danica Hall would cross the line in second place with last season’s point runner-up and Rookie of the Year, Zach Daugherty completing the top three podium.
Congratulations to all competitors.
Up next at Outlaw Speedway it will be Mother’s Day Night on May 10 with all Mom’s admitted free.
On the card it will be a Regular Super 5 Show along with the Youth Bandits.
Then the High Limit 410 Sprint Car Series will arrive at Outlaw Speedway on Thursday, May 16 as they will join the Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modifieds in what promises to be the biggest event in the sixty-seven-year history of the facility, and it is all presented by Wilbert’s.
OUTLAW SPEEDWAY RESULTS. ROY SILVERS MEMORIAL. UNOFFICIAL. May 3, 2024.
The night of action presented by Buckleys Tire and Brake of Elmira.
FRIENDLY CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP, RAM, MODIFIEDS. (25 cars) 35 lap feature.
AJAY POTRZEBOWSKI JR., Alex Payne, Danny Johnson, Mike Maresca, Jeff Daugherty, Bobby Varin, Cory Costa, Tommy Collins Jr., Alan Johnson, Tyler Siri, Jake Dgien, Steve Paine, Brady Fultz, Josh Nobriga, Gil Tegg, Jim LaRock, Billy Paine, Dave Rauscher, Wally Wade, Will Shields, Brian Doolittle, Tommy Paine, Kreg Crooker, Brent Cross. DNS. Joe Dgien
SUNRISE INSULATION/KNAPP AND SCHLAPPI LUMBER 602 CRATE SPORTSMAN, (33 cars) 30 lap feature.
DAVE ROGERS, Carter Crooker, Brian Fish, Donnie Lawson, Justice Mayo, Loren Lincoln, Darly Krebs, Blake Parsons, Scott Torbitt, Ray Bliss, Bryan Rhodes, Andrew Clark, Chris Fisher, George Schweigart, AJ Lloyd, Adam Taft, Justin Henderson, Greg Crooker, Karl Comfort, Dale Welty, Brent Ayers, Steve Gray, Justin Schenck, Tony Velez, Kenny Peoples Jr., Dean Laughlin, Justin Liechti, Mark Schenck, Collin Brown.
DNS. Tim Guild, Brandon Grover, Timmy Borden Jr, Brett Buono.
SWARTHOUT RECYCLING STREET STOCKS. (15 cars) 20 lap feature.
JIMMY GRANT, Gene Sharpsteen, Glen Whritenour, Carl Cleveland, Joe Giardina, Tim Grady, Damien Decker, Zach Teed, Chris Woodard, Jesse Tuthill, Jared Hill, Bradley Morseman, Jim Buck, Dustin Menard. DNS, Sparky Hills.
ADDISON, CORNING, HORNELL AND WELLSVILLE NAPA HOBBY STOCKS. (16 cars) 20 lap feature.
DOUG BATTERSON, Jeredd Dennis, Marc Minutolo, Justin Eldredge, Nate Peckham, Tyler Burnell, Frank Burnell, Brian Lloyd, Phil Yaw, Kyler Lloyd, Daniel Kerrick, Jesse Ballance, Bob Maynare, Willy Easling. DNS. Ed Stevens, John Cogswell.
WINNER’S CIRCLE DELI MINI STOCKS. (23 cars) 20 lap feature.
WILLY EASLING, Ray Hyer, Mike Stone, Travis Southard, Tony Dickerson, Scott Lehman, Greg Rockwell, Aaron Robinson, Brady Richardson, Mike Ayers, Brian Grant, Connor Erick, Keneth Evans, Lee Fritz, Chris Davis, Michael Morton, Jeff Lafler, Kenny Hunt, Gavin Hall. DQ, Craig DeCamp. DNS, Derrick Puryear, Jason Smart, Wes Houghtaling.
FRITZ MASONRY YOUTH BANDITS. (3 cars) 10 lap feature.
PARKER CUNNINGHAM, Danica Hall, Zach Daugherty.