Hometrack Advantage Carries Williamson To First Series Win Of Season
Veteran Trombley tallies fourth career CRSA triumph in Thursday night speedway special
*Mat Williamson victory lane photo attachment by Nick Meka
Canandaigua, NY – July 3, 2025 – Tom Skibinski, Land of Legends Raceway PR
Different day, different car, a few more laps and a lot more money. Other than that nothing really changed for Mat Williamson as the reigning track points champion captured his fifth feature win in seven races at Land Of Land Raceway this season, crushing the competition Thursday night in the Super DIRTcar Series ‘Stars & Stripes 76’ title event presented by Honeoye Auto Parts, DC Rauscher Contractor, Empire Seneca and Magee Transportation.
Swapping his customary no. 6 S&W Service Centre-Marin Drywall-Becker Bros.Trucking/Bicknell ride used on Saturday nights at Canandaigua for the potent Billy The Kid-powered #88 Buzz Chew Cadillac-North Country Market-Behrent’s Performance/Bicknell entry saved for the tour, the 76-lap romp was the first win of SDS ‘25 for ‘Money Mat’ and earned the St. Catharines, Ont. sensation $7,600 from the overall purse in excess of $33,000.
“Says a lot about our guys, brought this car out from Mohawk (Int’l Raceway) to shake it down really for here and they did a great job putting it together,” remarked Williamson, 35, following the 32nd career SDS victory for the two-time and defending tour champion. “Got it together close to the S&W #6 car on Saturday nights. Unfortunately, I think the hot weather and rain this morning might have played into it a little bit on how (track) locked down rubber, just never does that.”
Mirroring the runaway victory authored by Williamson in the Big-Block Modified ranks, seasoned wingman Jeff Trombley dominated the A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprint Car Series showdown to pocket $1,250 for his 25-lap effort. Trombley extended his all-time tour win mark in round one of the DisBatch Brewing Company Challenge mini-series for MighTea Boba 305 Sprints, now with four of his 16 career CRSA checkers taken at the historic Ontario Co. Fairgrounds oval in Canandaigua.
As the evening’s headline sponsor, Honeoye Auto Parts not only bolstered the pot for both Modified and Sprint teams, HAP owner Doug Dulen Jr. rewarded the fans with (4) 1:18 scale 1939 Ford Delux Wix Filter Model Cars and (3) $100 gas cards handed out to lucky 50/50 ticket giveaway winners during the show.
As the primary beneficiary of the weekly 50/50 drawing on the eve of Independence Day, the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in Weedsport also shared in the earnings during the customary ceremonies held trackside during intermission.
After the top-three heat race qualifiers redrew for starting positions in the Big-Block feature, pole winner Alex Payne shared front row with Erick Rudolph to pace the high-profile 27-car grid. Rudolph jumped out early and when Larry Wight slowed with a flat left-front tire to incur the first caution on lap 13, fifth starting Williamson ran third waiting patiently to pounce on the ensuing lap 16 restart.
Williamson made quick work of Payne back under green and with 20 laps scored Justin Haers dropped young Alex back to fourth with current SDS points leader Alex Yankowski advancing from his eighth-place start to round out the top-five. Still in search of his landmark 100th career tour triumph, pre-race favorite Matt Sheppard was not so lucky after the restart as the Waterloo wheelman got caught outside and dropped from sixth to ninth where he eventually settled in the remainder of the way.
Laps clicked off in rapid fashion with the leaders hitting traffic a third of the way through allowing Williamson to close in. Using the lapped cars of Dave Rauscher and Marcus Dinkins as a pick rounding turns one and two, Williamson ducked low after Rudolph elected to go high and in a three-wide surge the charging Canadian forged the lone lead change on lap 29.
At the midway mark the top-3 running order remained intact with Williamson, Rudolph and Haers gradually pulling away from the rest of the field. The second and final yellow flag flew on lap 47 for the slowing machine of Mike Trautschold with the brief break in action only delaying the inevitable.
Despite getting stymied by lapped traffic in the closing laps, Williamson hung on for a three-car length victory under chief starter Dave Farney’s checkered flag as Rudolph secured a solid second-place in the final rundown. Haers finished third ahead of Payne who sported new sponsorship from Honeoye Auto Parts while Yankowski placed fifth to stay ahead of Williamson by only four markers in the 2025 SDS points chase.
“That was a long time to get to victory lane on the Super DIRT Series,” exclaimed Williamson, on the heels of his ninth win at Canandaigua in the past two years. “Ever since that beer company sponsored the World Racing Group I haven’t won a damn race. I’m one that always smashes a beer and I was looking to smash some American beers!”
“We raced good in the beginning to get up to the front from fifth. Once (track) locked down there, just tried to go around one lapped car and (Rudolph) was leading at that point and got screwed by trying to go to the outside. Generally, the lapped cars were pretty respectable tonight. This place is one of the raciest places we go to, Paul (Cole, LOLR promoter) and his whole team do a great job,” added Williamson, who matched Steve Paine’s track mark of three straight series wins set from 1999-2001.
The 2018 season points champion and 17-time feature winner at Canandaigua, runner-up Rudolph remains in search of his first series victory at the fairgrounds.
“I knew (Mat) wasn’t gonna miss the bottom (lane) after about lap 40 or 50,” figured Rudolph, the third-generation pilot whose father Charlie, a member of both the New York State Stock Car Hall of Fame (2010) and Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame (2014), earned the overall Mr. DIRT title in 1986. “I knew the right rear (tire) was gonna be close. Started just riding around, keeping it straight, making sure it came to the end. Looks like it wasn’t too far away from going away on us.”
“Started second, finished second so can’t complain too much. Was a little late getting to the bottom in (turns) one and two. Knew three and four were locked up pretty hard but I was just a little late to the party in one and two,” said the Ransomville runner whose grandfather Jim still provides the power under the hood.
Consistency remains a staple for three-time LOLR points champ Haers after the Phelps pilot logged his fifth front-five finish in seven events staged in Canandaigua.
“If you told me before we got here that I’d finish top-3 I’d be happy with it,” noted Haers, himself a 20-time feature winner at the fairgrounds, although his last trip to victory lane came in 2022. “Never seen Canandaigua rubber up on the bottom ever and I’ve raced here a long time. We weren’t set up for it, don’t think anybody really was. Still able to pass a few cars. Kinda went back in the beginning starting on the outside (4th) but was able to claw my way back. Not too bad.”
Honeoye Auto Parts posted additional awards for the top-three finishers with Williamson ($750), Rudolph ($500) and Haers ($250) each receiving some extra cash along with VP Racing Fuels gas cans. Jack Lehner advanced eight spots to earn a $200 ‘Hard Charger’ bonus from DC Rauscher, Magee Transportation and Empire Seneca while ‘Hard Luck’ driver Larry Wight collected another $100 from Honeoye Auto Parts.
The show opened with Jimmy Phelps posting the best overall time of 19.886 sec. (90.516 mph) navigating around the slick half-miler. Williamson was best in the third and final set of group time trials with a fast lap of 20.077 sec. while Sheppard stopped the clocks at 20.063 sec. in the second session. All three drivers won their 8-lap heat to lock into the all-important feature race re-draw.
Super DIRTcar Series ’25 is back in action Tue. July 26 as the Northeast’s premier Big-Block tour returns to Weedsport Speedway for the final event of the month with the headline ‘Hall of Fame 100’ winner collecting a cool $10,000. Covington Township, Pa. campaigner Yankowski (1,317) tops the updated tour standings through nine points paying events followed by LOLR regulars Williamson (1,313), Rudolph (1,258), Sheppard (1,233) and Payne (1,228), proving once again Canandaigua boasts one of the best Big-Block fields in the entire Northeast.
The SDS returns to LOLR on Tue. Aug. 19 as the third leg of the Super DIRTcar Series SummerFAST, with another $7,500 on top for the 75-lap victor. LOLR’s own MighTea Boba 305 Sprints fill out the mid-week show presented by Honeoye Auto Parts and Seneca Meadows Landfill.
While Williamson ran uncontested in the Big-Block finale, Trombley was just as masterful among the winged warriors, scoring a convincing 3.7-sec. victory over fellow graybeard Bobby Parrow in the CRSA A-Main.
“I like tracks like this because you really gotta move around,” stated Trombley, 67, following the Altamont NY veteran’s second win of the ‘25 CRSA season worth $1,250. “Look for bite and feel the race track, kinda evens everybody out.”
Pole-sitter Jordan Hutton out-dragged front row partner Darryl Ruggles at the drop of head flagman Tyler Groescup’s initial green yet could only lead one circuit as Parrow blasted from third to first. Alysha Bay looped her pink machine in turn two to bring out the first yellow yet when fast-fading Hutton avoided heavy contact with Scott Landers entering turn one to incur a second caution, the ensuing lap six restart proved pivotal as Trombley was in prime position to take over the top spot.
Trombley moved outside to grab the point from Parrow and from there the familiar yellow #3A Grant-powered Maple on the Lake-Roosevelt’s-Powder Tech-Warren’s Autobody/XXX mount was home-free in his latest fairgrounds foray. The former Big-Block driver pulled out to a near straightaway advantage 20 laps in and coasted on to the checkers leaving Parrow to salvage second edging 11th starting Dillon Paddock at the line. CRSA points leader and recent LOLR Sportsman kingpin Zach Sobotka placed fourth ahead of all-time track sprint car winner (49) Ruggles.
“I kinda was moving around the track a little bit, found a little bit of something going into (turn) one,” recalled Trombley, who won the inaugural CRSA race at Canandaigua in May of 2018, Cole’s first year of track promotion. “I was just hoping they’d leave me that lane open (on lap 6 restart) and they did so I got a good run.”
“I was starting to cover the bottom (lane) because (Parrow) ran underneath me a couple times so I kinda ran in the middle. There was good bite coming out of four so I just had to make sure I caught that,” added Trombley, who earned an additional $300 in cash and a VP gas can from Honeoye Auto Parts in the 15-minute A-Main. HAP also rewarded runner-up Parrow with an extra $200 and Paddock pocketed $100 with both taking home their own VP gas cans.
“Jeff was running a great race, I mean he was running anywhere,” declared Parrow, younger than the winner at age 56, yet his three wins in ‘25 keep him firmly atop LOLR’s 305 points standings in search of a second straight season title. “He could run the middle, the top, the bottom. He was doing really good.”
“I was trying to get a little more momentum through (turns) one and two because I was cutting it down and slowing down two much in one and two. I was watching (Trombley) and he was sweeping it a lot better,” Parrow noted.
Looking for an encore performance after his first-ever CRSA triumph in last year’s holiday doubleheader, Paddock ran out of laps as the rising star from Savannah shadowed Parrow across the line to place third on the final scoresheet.
“A real technical track tonight,” described Paddock, who won on May 17 to give him three trips to victory lane at the fairgrounds. “Honestly, didn’t feel that well at the beginning, then the tires came in a little bit and we got a little bit more comfortable. Not bad for chasing our tails all night.”
Local runner Ethan Gray finished 11th after improving 11 positions to claim the $100 DC Rauscher, Magee Transportation and Empire Seneca ‘Hard Charger’ award while Tomy Moreau ($50 Honeoye Auto Parts) and Dalton Martin ($25 Ruggles World of Auto Body) split ‘Hard Luck’ hardware.
The wingmen are back in action at LOLR in just two more days with the second round of the DisBatch Brewing Company CRSA mini-series on tap July 5 to headline the Jason Quigley Memorial. Check out the most updated info regarding the series, schedule, results and points by visiting www.crsasprints.com throughout the season.
LEGEND LEDGER
Land Of Legends Raceway continues its Independence Day celebration with a return of the A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints to Canandaigua on July 5 for the inaugural Jason Quigley Memorial presented by iFreeze Storage & Distribution Center. Put in motion by Adam and Stacy DePuy, the 25-lap feature for MighTea Boba 305 Sprints will pay tribute to Quigley, a fellow racer, sponsor and long-time friend of Adam, who passed away in January. Quigley competed in a Street Stock at LOLR, a division in which DePuy previously racked up numerous victories and multiple track titles before moving into the sprint car ranks.
On behalf of iFreeze, Todd’s Towing, Quigley Concrete, B&N Disposal, Scott’s Services, Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling and Legion Auto Service & Repair, $5000 in extra purse money —$1,750 to win— awaits racers in round three of the DisBatch Brewing Company Challenge. Supplementing the $10,335 saved for the top-24 race day qualifiers, an additional $2,355 in lap sponsorship rewarding random drivers in the front-15 plus $910 in specialty awards ups the ante. In addition to the Sept. 27 A-Main winner at LOLR, Saturday’s victor will receive a free right-rear Hoosier Tire compliments of VanBortel Trucking.
The return of the CRSA tour to the fairgrounds on Saturday accompanies a full card of Pepsi Big-Block Modified, Stirling Lubricants Sportsman, Auto Value Parts Stores Street Stock and Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stock action with the Hutchinson Property Preservation New Legends Sportsman class having the night off. Pit gates open at 3:30pm, spectators gain entrance at 5 o’clock, hot laps start at 5:30 and qualifying getting underway at 6:30pm.
SKIDMARKS
Once more commanded by award-winning executive producer Art Rorick, the talent-laden LOLR TV broadcast team boasting production assistants Makenna Hansen & C.J. Miller, graphics coordinator Mark Rore, camera operators Mike Yawney, Jim & Michelle Mullen, and veteran voices Steve Ovens (PA announcer) and Doug Elkins (pit reporter) maintains its presence on-site to provide LIVE video coverage of every event through Land of Legends TV, with LIVE streaming continuing to be offered FREE in 2025. 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.
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS OFFERED WITH 2025 TICKET BUNDLES & PIT PASSES
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 ($1,700) must be pre-ordered to be used during the upcoming season.
Regular weekly G.A. ticket prices continue at $15 Adults and $13 Seniors (65 yrs. and older) while Kids 16 yrs. and under (must be accompanied by an adult) remain FREE. Pit passes are $40. For those youngsters needing pit access, a Child Season Pit Pass is $50 for tykes under 2 yrs. and $150 each for kids 2-13. All children must be accompanied by a legal guardian while competitors are not eligible for kids season passes.
Camping is FREE in outer parking areas and for inside parking, modest charges of $15 for cars and $25 for motorhomes/campers are standard fairground fares.
*Individual tickets carry a $15 value and are valid for any regular Saturday Spectacular event. For special events, ticket holders may use one bundle ticket (worth $15) towards the price of admission and pay the difference at the gate.
To purchase ticket and pit pass bundles or discuss marketing opportunities available at the track in 2025, please contact LOLR Director of Marketing & Operations Tana Robinson via e-mail tana@landoflegendsraceway.com or cell 716-799-5669.
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 at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, east of the city on Town Line Road (County Road 10), with easy access off either Exit 43 (Manchester, Route 21 South) or Exit 44 (Farmington, Route 332 South) of the New York State Thruway, just ½-hour southeast of Rochester.
Land of Legends Raceway Event Summary – July 3, 2025
Honeoye Auto Parts, DC Rauscher Contractor, Empire Seneca & Magee Transportation present Super Spectacular – Super DIRTcar Series Race #9
Pepsi Big-Block Modified “Stars & Stripes 76”
*Feature (76 laps): 1. 88-Mat Williamson ($7,600), 2. 25-Erick Rudolph, 3. 3-Justin Haers, 4. 70a-Alex Payne, 5. 84y-Alex Yankowski, 6. 21a-Peter Britten, 7. 35-Mike Mahaney, 8. 2-Jack Lehner, 9. 9s-Matt Sheppard, 10. 98h-Jimmy Phelps, 11. 4-Anthony Perrego, 12. 7z-Zach Payne, 13. 12-Darren Smith, 14. 91-Felix Roy, 15. 83x-Tim Sears Jr., 16. 30-Nick Root, 17. 3rs-Dalton Slack, 18. 99L-Larry Wight, 19. 15x-Justin Stone, 20. 58-Loudon Reimert, 21. 32c-Kasey Coffey, 22. 17-Marcus Dinkins, 23. 48too-Dave Rauscher, 24. 28-Mike Trautschold, 25. 29-Garrett Krummert, 26. 23c-Kyle Coffey, 27. 15-Todd Root.
DC Rauscher / Magee Transportation / Empire Seneca Hard Charger Award $200: Jack Lehner (+8).
Honeoye Auto Parts ‘Hard Luck’ Award $100: Larry Wight.
Heats (8 laps / 6 qualify / top-3 redraw)
#1: Phelps, Haers, Rudolph, N.Root, Smith, Lehner, Reimert, Ky.Coffey, Trautschold, Stone.
#2: Sheppard, Britten, Yankowski, Perrego, Roy, Z.Payne, Krummert, Watt, Stangle, Dinkins.
#3: Williamson, Mahaney, A.Payne, Sears, Slack, Wight, Ka.Coffey, T.Root, Rauscher.
Last Chance Showdown (10 laps / 6 qualify)
#1: Reimert, Krummert, Ka.Coffey, Ky.Coffey, Trautschold, Stone, Watt, Stangle, T.Root, Rauscher, Dinkins.
Provisionals: M. Root, Rauscher, Dinkins.
Group Time Trials (2 laps / 29 cars)
#1: Phelps 19.886 sec. (90.516 mph), Haers 20.074, Rudolph 20.109, N.Root 20.137, Reimert 20.352, Smith 20.426, Ky.Coffey 20.480, Lehner 20;537, Stone 20.640, Trautschold 20.724.
#2: Sheppard 20.063 sec. (89.717 mph), Britten 20.194, Yankowski 20.228, Perrego 20.428, Roy 20.452, Z.Payne 20.466, Stangle 20.473, Watt 20.674, Krummert 20.736, Dinkins 21.135.
#3: Williamson 20.077 sec. (89.655 mph), Mahaney 20.255, Sears 20.384, Slack 20.433, A.Payne 20.442, Wight 20.702, Ka.Coffey 20.753, T.Root 20.997, Rauscher 21.236.
DNQ: 4m-Logan Watt, 6-Matt Stangle.
A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprint Car Series Race #7
DisBatch Brewing Company Challenge Series Race #1
MighTea Boba 305 Sprint
*Feature (25 laps): 1. 3a-Jeff Trombley ($1,250), 2. 80-Bobby Parrow, 3. 8-Dillon Paddock, 4. 38-Zach Sobotka, 5. 48jr.-Darryl Ruggles, 6. 14x-Lance Dusett, 7. 33-Scott Landers, 8. 21b-Blake Warner, 9. 18-Timmy Lotz, 10. 23-John Smith, 11. 17e-Ethan Gray, 12. 99-Adam DePuy, 13. 29-Dalton Herrick, 14. X-Dan Bennett, 15. 66-Jordan Hutton, 16. 25g-Tyler Graves, 17. 48a-Alysha Bay, 18. 3-Bailey Boyd, 19. 15b-Spencer Burley, 20. 2-Randy Years, 21. 9-Jordan Freas, 22. 18c-Dan Craun, 23. 10vc-Vince Chicklets, 24. 77-Matt Rotz, 25. 22-Tomy Moreau, 26. 81k-Dalton Martin.
DC Rauscher / Magee Transportation / Empire Seneca Hard Charger Award $100: Ethan Gray (+11).
Honeoye Auto Parts ‘Hard Luck’ Award $50: Tomy Moreau.
Ruggles World Of Auto Body ‘Hard Luck’ Award $25: Dalton Martin.
Heats (8 laps / 6 qualify)
#1: Hutton, Bay, Trombley, Parrow, Paddock, Herrick, Burley, Graves, Sehn, Moss.
#2: Smith, Boyd, Landers, Warner, Years, Rotz, Bennett, Craun, Chicklets, Moreau.
#3: Dusett, Lotz, Ruggles, Martin, Freas, Sobotka, Glover, DePuy, Gray.
B-Main (8 laps / 6 qualify)
#1: Bennett, Craun, Graves, Burley, Gray, DePuy, Glover, Chicklets, Moss, Sehn, Moreau.
Elab Smokers Boutique Dash (4 laps): Sobotka ($100), Lotz, Paddock, Boyd, Warner, Years(DNS).
Provisionals: Moreau, Chicklets.
DNQ (3): 121-Steve Glover, 25-Cameron Moss, 410-Jerry Sehn Jr.
NEXT EVENT: Saturday Spectacular, July 5 @ 6:30pm; iFreeze Storage & Distribution Center presents Jason Quigley Memorial: Big-Block Modified/Sportsman/ Street Stock/Hobby Stock plus A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprint Car Series Race #9 / DisBatch Brewing Company Challenge Series Race #3 – MighTea Boba 305 Sprint(25L) with Ontario County Humane Society Benefit.
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 its weekly 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 2024 division sponsors Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling, Lloyd’s Contracting, Maguire Ford of Canandaigua, MighTea Boba, Pepsi Geneva Club Beverage, Stirling Lubricants; event sponsors Auto Value Parts Stores, AMS Enterprises, A-Verdi Storage Containers, Busch Light/Lake Beverage, Cargill, Disbatch Brewing Company, DC Rauscher Contractor, Empire Seneca, Ferris Mowers, Honeoye Auto Parts, Hoselton Auto Mall, Jack Howell Properties, iFreeze Storage & Distribution Center, Labatt/Wright Beverage, LSI Solutions, Maguire Ford of Canandaigua, Pepsi/Geneva Club Beverage, Phelps Cement Products, Prouty’s Bar & Grill, Regional Truck & Trailer, Rushco Gas Company, Ryan Phelps Auto Sales, Seneca Meadows Landfill, Smith Drywall, Tradition Automotive Group, Wilbert’s Premium Auto Parts; promotional partners Always Locked Self Storage, American Woman Designs, Auto Wash Car Wash, Baker’s Exterminating, Champion Power Equipment, Close Racing Supply(CRS), Disbatch Brewing Company, Ed’s Garage/Krown Undercoating of Ransomville, Elab Smokers Boutique, Elderlee, Emerson Oil Company/Castrol, Fox Pest Control, Hoosier Racing Tire, Legott’s Club 86, Mac’s Dairy Bar & Mini Golf, Meyer’s Finger Lakes RV, Mike Emhof Motorsports, Ontario County Fairboard, On The Rocks Bar & Grill, The “Original” Red Osier Landmark Restaurant, Schultz Heating & Cooling, Speed Connection, Stop DWI NYS, Turn 5 Media, VP Racing Fuels, Weedsport Hall of Fame, Wicked Tees.