Sheppard Ends One Year Drought With 97th LOLR Big-Block Triumph
Gray, Spoor & Hyde collect 1st checkers as Grant & Minutolo master stock car classes
Canandaigua, NY – August 1, 2026 – Tom Skibinski, Land of Legends Raceway PR
The second straight ‘Saturday Spectacular’ at Land Of Legends Raceway resulted in four more first time winners this season with superb track conditions grabbing just as many accolades on Lake Beverage Night at the Ontario County Fairgrounds.
While open-wheel chauffeurs Matt Sheppard (Pepsi Big-Block Modified), Chase Spoor (Stirling Lubricants Sportsman), Ethan Gray (DisBatch Brewing Company 305 Sprint Car) and Mitchell Hyde (MighTea Boba New Legends Sportsman) reached Marine Blue Victory Lane for the first time in ‘26 as multi-time full-fender track champions Jimmy Grant (Proctor Enterprises Street Stock) and Marc Minutolo (Smith Brothers Drywall Hobby Stock) continued their mastery of the fast half-miler to kick off the final full month of competition in Canandaigua.
The August opener was just as special for more than a dozen youngsters entered in the annual Power Wheels Championships presented by the Mac’s Dairy Bar Kids Club, with Baylee Blencowe (6 yrs and older) from Painted Post and Andi Jean Kerrick (5 yrs and under) from Greene NY among the top finishers in a pair of 5-lap events staged on the front stretch during intermission. All participants took home souvenir checkered flags and glow sticks among a variety of donations provided by speedway personnel after this annual family gathering trackside.
A consistent winner at the fairgrounds since the start of the current millennium, Sheppard anxiously waited 364 days to post his 97th Big-Block victory.
“Just told Paul (Cole, LOLR promoter) we’ve been getting a little bit better every week, we were due to finally get this thing in victory lane,” stated Sheppard, at age 44 now a husband and father, who captured his first fairgrounds feature win in 1999 steering a Sportsman. “This place was kinda ‘cowboy up’ tonight.”
“Got up to second there, Kasey (Coffey) was running really good and he kinda got away from me for a bit, just kinda wore him down. Then Alex (Payne) was up next to me and by me so I said I gotta try and pick up the pace here some how some way and everything worked out for us tonight,” noted the Waterloo native today residing in Savannah.
‘Super Matt’ had his #9S CC Performance-powered Int'l Hot Rod Assoc.-Westmoreland Golf Glub-St. Lawrence Radiology-backed Bicknell mount on rails from the start of the headline 30-lapper, in just seven laps charging from seventh to second around the ultra-fast half-mile clay oval. Top-five runner Gil Tegg Jr. dropped off the pace after losing his brakes to incur the lone caution on lap 11, bunching up the Super DRTcar Series-caliber field featuring leader Coffey, Sheppard, Payne, Nick Root and current track points leader Mat Williamson.
Payne wrestled away the runner-up spot on lap 18 only to give it back to Sheppard two laps later as the duo continued to track down Coffey. Sheppard finally ducked down low entering turn four to forge the lone lead change on lap 23 while Payne needed four more times around to secure second when Coffey slipped high rounding turns one and two.
Sheppard cruised home for a comfortable half-straightaway victory while still winless Payne settled for his fourth second-place finish in seven Big-Block events. Tenth starting Williamson improved to third in the closing stages with Justin Haers edging Coffey at the line to complete the final top-five running order.
“Track got really spotty, was kinda tough getting down the back stretch,” added nine-time LOLR season champ Sheppard (340), who trails two-time reigning points king Williamson (363) and Payne (358) in the coveted track title chase with just a handful of points paying events remaining on the regular-season schedule. “It was so gripped up in the middle of (turns) one and two, then you kinda leave the traction and be spinning down the back stretch. It was a very technical track, but hey, we’ll take it. Been awhile since we’ve been in victory lane here.”
While Sheppard’s previous win was logged Aug. 2 last summer, Spoor’s came on Aug. 3 of 2024 when the Middlesex upstart claimed his fourth and final 12-lap New Legends Sportsman victory before moving up another tier last season. Twice the distance this time around, the talented 15 year-old found the same result Saturday putting his potent no. 41S Rushco Gas Company-MCS Farms & Feed-Friendly Ford-Cargill/Bicknell entry in the winner’s circle once again.
“I’ve wanted that (win) for so long, it’s crazy, I don’t have the words,” remarked Spoor, after inheriting the lead on lap 21 then outlasting Austin Germinio and Karl Comfort to record his first career DIRTcar Sportsman victory. “Have to thank everybody that got me here, especially my dad, and my mom and sister came out to see this tonight. Just shocking, this is awesome.”
Fellow New Legends graduate Kyle Ridley pulled away from his pole-position start to take head flagman Scott Hixson’s opening green and kick off the 25-lap main. Row two starter Justin Liechti tracked down Ridley on lap nine, rolling high out of turn four to take the top spot as Spoor held off top chasers Evan Nugent, Comfort and Germinio from his show position.
Spoor continued to advance, grabbing second on lap 12 before Ridley suddenly slowed to a stop on the front chute to require a yellow flag on lap 21. The ensuing restart proved pivotal as leader Liechti hesitated after contact from runner-up Spoor, jamming up the trailing pack and forcing frontrunners Nugent and Dale Darling pitside for the remainder. After a second try and similar slowdown, Liechti was docked two positions before parking his ride in the pits with 20 laps to his credit.
Spoor assumed command back under green, pulling away for a 10 car-length victory over a pair of 10 cars, Germinio and Comfort, while Nick Cooper, Tyler Guzzardi and division points leader Richard Murtaugh III crossed the line next.
“Those restarts get a little out of hand sometimes but it is what it is,” downplayed Spoor, a recent protege of Canandaigua’s all-time feature winner Alan Johnson, in response to Liechti’s penalty and the late-race lead change provoked under caution.
The 20-lap 305 Sprint Car A-Main exhibited no controversy, just near calamity for winner Gray as the local favorite from neighboring Manchester twice survived catastrophe waiting in his path to take home the trophy.
“I just know when I seen (car) coming backwards across the track I was already in the marbley stuff so it was either stay in it (on gas) or hit the wall,” said Gray, 21, describing the second of a pair of turn four spins by C.J. Jones, himself making his second-ever sprint car start. “So I just held it right to the floor to keep it off the wall.”
Falling into eighth on the 18-car starting grid, Gray blasted into second on a lap six restart after Jones had looped for the first time directly in front of the leaders entering turn four. Back up to speed, Gray shadowed race-long leader Dan Craun before pulling off a perfect slide job exiting the fourth corner to complete lap 11 out front.
Jones mirrored his mishap three laps later, this time with Gray leading and leaving little room for error as he kicked up dust just inches from the outside cement retaining wall. Gray never flinched, however, wheeling his yellow #17E Pepsi-DisBatch Brewing Company-Ballard Sports-DisBatch Brewing-IFreeze Storage & Distribution Center winged machine without the slightest pause.
Veteran Bobby Parrow moved past Craun on the lap 14 restart to challenge over the final half-dozen laps yet at the wire it was career win number four in store for Gray as he authored a narrow three car-length victory. Parrow registered his second runner-up finish of the season followed by Craun, rising star Spencer Burley, graybeard Randy Years and July 11 winner Matt Rotz.
“We weren’t expecting this tonight,” Gray remarked in the crowded winner’s circle flanked by family and friends. “This year’s been rough, we’ve already been through two or three frames now, just bad luck. Wrong place, wrong time but I guess this new one is working pretty good and I didn’t like it until now.”
Grant’s black no. 36 Geneva Glass-Proctor Roofing-Fratto Curbing-Washburn Excavating-J.E. Marine Chevrolet Camaro has been the standard of success in the Street Stock ranks lately, yet a couple of winless weeks recently sent the Penn Yan pilot back to the garage looking to repeat. Mission accomplished.
“We went to work on this (car) and found some problems with it,” said Grant, after notching his 37th career Street Stock win at the fairgrounds. “We’ve been not really great here for the past couple weeks. Went home, tore this thing apart and put it back together. I’ll see you here (victory lane) next week.”
Outside front row starter Mike Welch jumped out to the early lead in the 20-lap finale followed immediately in his rear-view mirror by Grant. The lead pair set a quick pace with Rick Crego, Marc Minutolo and full-fender invader Jerry Lobdell Jr. trailing further back.
Crego moved in to challenge by the midway point with Lobdell gaining ground in a rare appearance at the speedway. The Freeville driver grabbed third from Crego on lap 11 then mirrored his move high rounding turns one and two to take second from Welch with seven to go.
With Grant and Lobdell battling up front, Welch and Crego swapped spots twice over the last three laps while Minutolo remained a good distance back. Despite Lobdell creeping up within a bumper in the closing stages, Grant sped away for a four car-length advantage as Welch, Crego and Minutolo stayed steady in the front-five.
Despite falling short in his bid to upset Grant on his home soil, Lobdell still pocketed a $100 bonus from NG Promotions for being the highest finishing non-LOLR regular.
“Kept track of the leader board and once I saw (Lobdell) there I picked up the pace again,” Grant added. “I don’t know what the gap was but the tracks real heavy and the car was a handful. We set it up for a fast track tonight and we’re back!”
Matching Grant’s win total of three this season, Minutolo is also back following his second straight trip to Marine Blue Victory Lane at the venerable Ontario Co. oval.
“Tonight was definitely one of those nights that’s for sure,” figured Minutolo, who spun out by himself while leading although he remained out front as the caution flag had flown moments earlier for another disabled competitor. “Man, a little tricky down in (turns) three and four, I kept getting tight. Couldn’t quite figure it out, not really sure what I got going on but I’m just glad I got saved by the bell there when the yellow was already out.”
“Just glad for the way the rules are written I guess. Thought (car #67) was gonna make it in (pits) but then he crapped out up there (turn 3). Was a great race, its always fun racing with Justin (Eldredge), I like duking it out. I knew Bubba (Burnell) was gonna be there. He turned me sideways on that one restart, I won’t forget it,” declared Minutolo, after raising his all-time career stock car win total to 82 (2nd-best) at the Land of Legends.
Tyler Burnell bolted from third to first to begin the 15-lap feature with sixth starting Eldredge even quicker as he advanced to second a half-mile in. Eldredge took the lead the second time around yet Minutolo edged out front by a bumper as the leaders crossed under the flagstand to end lap four.
Bubba Burnell overtook Eldredge on lap 10 while son Tyler, Brighton Grant and Blane Smith jockeyed for top-five positions. The yellow flag came out again on lap 12 when James Werner slowed to a stop on the back straight, followed immediately by Minutolo looping his #25B Big Mike's Auto Repair-Real Estate By Jenn-Tradition Automotive Chevrolet Monte Carlo between turns three and four.
The rest is history as Minutolo regained his place on the point and held on for a two car-length win over Bubba Burnell while Grant slipped past Eldredge for third on the final circuit. Tyler Burnell rounded out the front-five under the checkers.
The curtain came down on the six-star card with the most dramatic race of the night as third year New Legends driver Hyde swapped the lead no less than six times with Sydney Wetherbee, in search of her second straight win at the fairgrounds.
“(Win) kinda been haunting me for awhile, a lot of top-5s, lots of top-3s but could never pull it off, finally did it,” said the more relieved winner from Williamson, after parking his no. 26 Mike's Auto Service-Sal’s Birdland-Kevco Oil Pans & Components/Bicknell entry in the winner’s circle. “(Turns) one and two kinda been our demons, we always seem to end up in the trees but it was actually pretty good tonight. Good cushion, very good track. Want to give a shout-out to the track crew, they did an amazing job.”
Hyde dashed from fourth to first to open the 12-lap Legends nightcap with pole-sitter Wetherbee returning to the point when Hyde not surprisingly slid high out of the groove on the second lap. It was back and forth for the remainder with 21 year-old Hyde out front laps three and four, six, and then the final two circuits to score the thrilling victory over Wetherbee in wine country. Brianna Murtaugh, Elizabeth Nugent, Trent Regan and Parker Ridley came next on the scoresheet.
“Lotsa people to thank for this one,” added Hyde, who debuted in Canandaigua driving a #21J team car with Justin Liechti, posting a top-5 finish in his lone ‘24 start. “Along with all our sponsors, the Sperrings, Ridleys and Murtaughs have all been a big help along the way.”
LEGEND LEDGER
The final full month of racing at Land of Legends continues Aug. 8 with Pepsi / Geneva Club Beverage and Superior Plus Propane headlining the Saturday slate of Pepsi Big-Block Modified, Stirling Lubricants Sportsman, DisBatch Brewing Company 305 Sprint Car, Smith Bros. Drywall Hobby Stock and MighTea Boba New Legends Sportsman action with the Proctor Enterprises Street Stockers contending in an Empire Series showdown culminating with a $1,000-to-win feature event.
Continuing to keep alive the memory of the late long-time Canandaigua track official Mike Scoppo, wife Kathy Scoppo has upped the ante by $1,500 for the front-5 finishers in the 30-lap ‘Scoppo Special’ Big-Block finale with the winner pocketing $3,000, 2nd-place $1,500, 3rd-$1,100, 4th-$900 and 5th-$750. The first qualifier goes green at 6:30pm, pit gates open at 3:30pm, spectators gain entrance at 5 o'clock and hot laps start at 5:30 on the fast fairgrounds half-miler.
SKIDMARKS
Guided by award-winning executive producer Art Rorick, the talented LOLR TV broadcast team boasting production assistant Teara LeGrett, graphics coordinator Mark Rose, camera operators Mike Yawney, Jim & Michelle Mullen, and veteran voice Steven Ovens (PA announcer) and Adam DelGrosso (pit reporter) is once again on-site to provide LIVE video coverage of every event through Land of Legends TV, with LIVE streaming continuing to be offered FREE in 2026. On-line registration at https://landoflegendstv.com for a free account is the only step to take.
Also available for download is the LOLR mobile app found at Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodbarber.landoflegends or
App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/land-of-legends/id1508128970?uo=4 to secure your raceday pass today.
In addition to LOLR's weekly racing being simulcast on Land of Legends Raceway TV, each show will also be broadcast live on DIRTVision and highlighted by the mighty DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds. To watch, sign up for an annual Platinum FAST PASS with DIRTVision and experience every event either online or through the DIRTVision App.
LOWER PRICES PROVIDED WITH SPECIAL 2026 TICKET & PASS PACKAGES
General Admission Ticket and Pit Pass bundles continue to be offered to LOLR fans and race teams while providing a great opportunity to save money in the process. G.A. packs of 20 ($220) or 50 ($475) and Pit bundles of 20 ($700) or 50 ($1700) must be pre-ordered to be used during the upcoming season.
Regular weekly ticket prices remain set at $15 Adults, $13 Seniors, Kids 16 yrs. and under FREE. Pit passes are $40. For those youngsters needing pit access, Child Season Pit Passes are $50 for 2 yrs. & under and $150 for kids 3-13. Camping is FREE at all race events.
To purchase ticket and pit pass bundles, review marketing opportunities still available at the track in 2026 or make media credential inquiries and vendor requests, please e-mail manager@landoflegendsraceway.com. Be sure to check out www.landoflegendsraceway.com often as the latest news and season schedule information will be posted right up to raceday.
Land of Legends Raceway is located on County Road 10 at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, just 1-1/2-miles north of Routes 5&20, and is easily accessible from the NYS Thruway (I-90), taking Exit 43 (Manchester, Route 21 South) traveling from the east or Exit 44 (Farmington, Route 332 South) coming from the west.
Land of Legends Raceway Event Summary – August 1, 2026
Lake Beverage presents Saturday Spectacular
Pepsi Big-Block Modified
*Feature (30 laps): 1. 9s-Matt Sheppard ($2,000), 2. 70a-Alex Payne, 3. 6-Mat Williamson, 4. 3-Justin Haers, 5. 23c-Kasey Coffey, 6. 30-Nick Root, 7. 21a-Peter Britten, 8. 19w-Justin Wright, 9. 7z-Zach Payne, 10. 11j-James Sweeting, 11. 27z-Dylan Zacharias, 12. 27-Tanner VanDoren, 13. 17-Marcus Dinkins, 14. 22g-Gil Tegg Jr., 15. 1-Billy Paine.
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Coffey, Tegg, Root, Haers, Sheppard, VanDoren, Dinkins, Britten.
#2: A.Payne, Williamson, Zacharias, Z.Payne, Wright, Sweeting, Paine.
Stirling Lubricants Sportsman Modified
*Feature (25 laps): 1. 41s-Chase Spoor ($750), 2. 10g-Austin Germinio, 3. 10-Karl Comfort, 4. 35-Nick Cooper, 5. 7g-Tyler Guzzardi, 6. 33-Richard Murtaugh III, 7. 113jr.-Frank Guererri Jr., 8. 10h-Trevor Houghton, 9. 63-Dylan Woodworth, 10. 87-Brad Sawyer, 11. 23b-Timmy Borden Jr., 12. 21j-Justin Liechti, 13. 25n-Evan Nugent, 14. 714-Chris Darling, 15. 20k-Kyle Ridley, 16. 9-Tim Baker, 45-Michael Lupold(DNS).
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Ridley, Liechti, Spoor, Guererri, Comfort, Murtaugh, Woodworth, Borden, Sawyer.
#2: Cooper, Houghton, Germinio, Nugent, Darling, Baker, Guzzardi, Lupold.
DisBatch Brewing Company 305 Sprint
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 17e-Ethan Gray ($600), 2. 80-Bobby Parrow, 3. 18c-Dan Craun, 4. 15b-Spencer Burley, 5. 2-Randy Years, 6. 77-Matt Rotz, 7. 36-Mike Stelter, 8. 121-Steve Glover, 9. 14x-Lance Dusett, 10. 48a-Alysha Bay, 11. 25-Cameron Moss, 12. 48jr.-Darryl Ruggles, 13. 9z-Zach Bobbett, 14. 21w-Scott Wagner, 15. 10p-Nathan Pierce, 16. 81k-Dalton Martin, 17. 22m-C.J. Jones, 18. 23-John Smith.
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Years, Craun, Parrow, Martin, Ruggles, Rotz.
#2: Glover, Stelter, Gray, Pierce, Moss, Bobbett.
#3: Smith, Burley, Dusett, Bay, Wagner, Jones.
Proctor Enterprises Street Stock
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 36-Jimmy Grant ($500), 2. 2L-Jerry Lobdell Jr., 3. 00-Mike Welch, 4. 5c-Rick Crego, 5. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 6. cj1-CJ Guererri, 7. 9-Aksel Jensen, 8. 88-Doug Webster, 9. 12-John Burritt, 10. 57j-Ely Mangiarelli.
NG Promotions Bonus ($100): Jerry Lobdell Jr.
Heat (6 laps)
#1: Grant, Welch, Guererri, Burritt, Minutolo, Lobdell, Crego, Mangiarelli, Webster, Jensen.
Smith Brothers Drywall Hobby Stock
*Feature (15 laps): 1. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 2. 57b-Frank 'Bubba' Burnell Jr., 3. 36-Brighton Grant, 4. 25j-Justin Eldredge, 5. 57jr.-Tyler Burnell, 6. 55b-Blane Smith, 7. 97-Kevin Schrader, 8. 00-Mike Charette, 9. 9r-Roger Bush, 10. 88-Justin Jacoby, 11. 67-James Werner, 12. 22j-Jon Johnson, 13. 22c-Craig Dingy, 14. 90-Nathan Peckham, 15. 8j-Jeff Rex, 24k-Kevin Lloyd(DNS).
Heats (6 laps)
#1: T.Burnell, Eldredge, Dingy, Schrader, Werner, Lloyd, Jacoby, Rex.
#2: Minutolo, F.Burnell, Smith, Grant, Charette, Bush, Johnson, Peckham.
MighTea Boba New Legends Sportsman
*Feature (12 laps): 1. 26-MItchell Hyde, 2. 33z-Sydney Wetherbee, 3. 33b-Brianna Murtaugh, 4. 25n-Elizabeth Nugent, 5. 17r-Trent Regan, 6. 11-Parker Ridley, 57-Shaun Toland(DNS).
Heat (6 laps)
#1: Wetherbee, Murtaugh, Regan, Hyde, Nugent, Ridley, Toland(DNS).
NEXT EVENT: Saturday Spectacular, August 8 @ 6:30pm; Pepsi / Geneva Club Beverage and Superior Plus Propane present ‘Scoppo Special’ Big-Block Modified/Sportsman/305 Sprint/Hobby Stock/New Legends Sportsman plus Empire Street Stock Series.
Track Instant Info
Website: www.LandOfLegendsRaceway.com
E-Mail: info@LandOfLegendsRaceway.com
Twitter: @LandofLegendsNY
Facebook: @LandofLegendsNY
Instagram: @LandofLegendsNY
Live Stream: https://landoflegendstv.com/
Along with recognizing select 50/50 raffle fund beneficiaries, Land of Legends Raceway is proud to salute several sponsors and corporate partners that continue to help bring its fans the best Saturday night racing show in the Northeast. Listed alphabetically are 2026 division sponsors
DisBatch Brewing Company (305), MighTea Boba (Leg), Pepsi Geneva Club Beverage (Mod), Proctor Enterprises (Sts), Smith Brothers Drywall (Hob), Stirling Lubricants (Spt); event sponsors Admar Construction Rentals, A-Verdi Storage Containers, Lake Beverage, Copart, *DisBatch Brewing Company, DC Rauscher Contractor, Ferris Mowers, Fulldraw Hunting Equipment, Honeoye Auto Parts, LSI Solutions, Marine Blue, *Pepsi/Geneva Club Beverage, Phelps Cement Products, *Proctor Enterprises, Prouty's Bar & Grill, Regional Truck & Trailer, Rose City Drive In, Ryan Phelps Auto Sales, Seneca Meadows Landfill, *Smith Brothers Drywall, Superior Plus Propane, Tradition Automotive Group, Wilbert's U-Pull It; promotional partners Baker's Exterminating, Champion Power Equipment, Close Racing Supply(CRS), Comfort Windows, Elab Smokers Boutique, Emerson Oil Company, Fast Lane Rod & Customs, Hoosier Racing Tire, Mac's Dairy Bar & Mini Golf, Marine Blue, Meyer's Finger Lakes RV, *MighTea Boba, Mike Emhof Motorsports, NG Promotions, Ontario County Fairboard, Phelps Cement Products, Prouty's Bar & Grill, PumperJack Septic Services, The "Original" Red Osier Landmark Restaurant, Schultz Heating & Cooling, *Stirling Lubricants, Turn 5 Media, VP Racing Fuels, Weedsport Hall of Fame, Wicked Tees.