Story By: RACE OF CHAMPIONS – HOLLAND, NY – Young Jake Lutz of Hamburg, NY, turned in a veteran like performance this past Saturday to win “The Crosby’s 100” at Holland (NY) Speedway.
Lutz started 9th, saved his equipment and made his way to the front late in the race to move past defending series champion, Zane Zeiner of Bath, NY, to claim his second career Race of Champions Modified Series victory.
“We had a good and it was all about saving our equipment,” smiled Lutz in victory lane. “We worked on the car hard all week and ran practice on Thursday which helped get us to this point. These races are not easy to win and I need to thank our entire team, the families that let us do this and all of our supporters. This feels great and we are certainly going to enjoy it.”
Zeiner, who started 10th, worked his way to the lead and ultimately finished second. Mike Leaty of Williamson, NY, finished third after starting on the front row for the second race in a row.
Andy Jankowiak of Tonawanda, NY, came through the field several times to finish fourth.
Early race leader Austin Beers of Northampton, Pa, rounded out the top-five. Beers also earned the BKH “TC Passing Cars Award” for advancing the most positions in the first 13 laps of the race.
Jankowiak posted the fastest qualifying speed in green-white-checker qualifying.
Paulie Hartwig, III, of Galloway, NJ; Beers; Zeiner and Jack Ely of Wall Township, NJ, won the qualifying races.
Nik Welshans of West Seneca, NY, won an extremely competitive Race of Champions Street Stock Series race over Jim Loffredo of Elma, NY, and Nik Welshans of West Seneca, NY.
Nick Robinson of Waverly, NY, captured another feature victory in Race of Champions FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Series competition. Robinson had to use his second team car to earn the victory. Tommy Hughes of Akron, NY and Trisha Connolly of Palmerton, Pa., finished second and third.
The next race for the Race of Champions “Family of Series” is Friday, August 2 at Spencer Speedway in Williamson, NY, featuring the Race of Champions Modified Series in the Whittaker Ford F50, 50-lap $5,000-to-win event. The Race of Champions Super Stock; Race of Champions Rocket Performance 602 Sportsman Modified Series and Wilbert’s U-Pull It Super Six and Wilbert’s U-Pull It Four Cylinders will join the card.