Zach Payne holds off ‘Money Mat’ to score first career DIRTcar 358-Modified victory
*SDS Top-3 Alex Yankowski-L, Mat Williamson, Stewart Friesen-R victory lane photo attachment by Nick Meka
Canandaigua, NY – August 13, 2024 – Tom Skibinski, Land of Legends Raceway PR
Canadian hotshoe Mat Williamson continued his mastery of the half-mile in Canandaigua, scoring a second straight Super DIRTcar Series victory at Land Of Legends Raceway in the Tuesday night special presented by Honeoye Auto Parts.
The St. Catharines, Ont. standout withdrew another $7,500 from the total prize pot, taking the lead just shy of the midway point and cruising home for the 75-lap SummerFAST ‘24 feature win.
“Didn’t get to smash any beers tonight because I have to race the 358 (Mod), hopefully after that we’ll we’ll to get to smash some and drink some beers later on,” smiled Williamson, following his 27th tour triumph and fourth on the 2024 trail, his last coming in the July 4 holiday show at the same Ontario Co. Fairgrounds oval. “Pretty big group effort so I’m really proud of my guys tonight.”
Accompanying their Pepsi Big-Block brethren in the open-wheel affair, DIRTcar 358-Modifieds returned to the Finger Lakes facility and it was fellow weekly opponent Zach Payne from Stanley holding off Williamson to capture the companion 30-lap feature over a competitive field of 19 Small-Block contenders.
The Disabled American Veterans foundation was the beneficiary of the special 50/50 drawing held Tuesday in front of another capacity crowd in Canandaigua.
After several inches of rain Friday from Tropical Storm Debby along with more rain throughout the weekend continuing into Monday afternoon, race officials agreed to cancel round one of SummerFAST scheduled Monday night at Brewerton Speedway giving LOLR center stage to launch this mini-series for the best Big-Block travelers.
Including the Top-23 series point chasers, a stellar field of 44 entries stacked the pit area with 10 drivers doing double-duty as they were also entered in the Small-Block portion of the lucrative DIRTcar doubleheader. Williamson was quick off the trailer, time trialing second fastest behind defending LOLR season points champion Justin Haers 19.191 sec. (93.794 mph) before winning the second of four qualifying heats and redrawing sixth to line up outside row three on the 28-car starting grid.
At the drop of guest flagman Dave Farney’s initial green flag, pole-sitting eastern New Yorker invader Mike Mahaney out-dragged front row partner Alex Yankowski from Covington Township, Pa. to lead the opening circuit. Riding the rim around the Canandaigua clay, Yankowski rocketed high out of turn four to take over the top spot on lap four.
The slowing car of Matt Caprara jumbled the pack under caution with through seven laps, with Matt Sheppard and Williamson closing in to challenge Yankowski and Mahaney when racing resumed on lap 12. Sheppard grabbed the runner-up position by lap 15 and Williamson passed Mahany for third on lap 17. When Frenchman Felix Roy dropped off the pace, Williamson charged past Sheppard on the lap 26 restart and set sail for Yankowski.
Cutting into the lead lap after lap, Williamson staying low and Yankowski chasing traction high, ‘Money Mat’ made the move stick on lap 35 as he put the #88 Buzz Chew Chevrolet Racing-North Country Market-Behrent’s Performance Warehouse/Bicknell machine out front which amounted to only third-place being decided the second half of the race.
Two more caution periods were all that could slow Williamson’s pace, the first for a limping Mahaney mount that ended his night on lap 39. Next came contact between Tim Sears Jr. and Canadian chauffeur Gary Lindberg circling turns three and four that tightened the pack once more for a lap 49 restart.
With Williamson and Yankowski holding steady up front the remainder of the race, the final 25 laps run off non-stop were among the most fierce of the night. Young Alex Payne battled with Sheppard to wrestle away third while Stewart Friesen finally got on track to crack the front-five. With 20 laps to go, Haers moved into sixth while last-place (28th) starter Erick Rudolph carved his way forward into seventh.
While Williamson’s margin ballooned to a half-straightaway in the closing stages, a late-race rally by Friesen made sure that running order would not remain intact. Friesen charged past fourth-place Sheppard on lap 74 and as the final checkers flew stole third from Payne to keep scorers reeling until the end. Despite a disappointing 5th-place result after two successive Saturday night wins, Sheppard tied all-time LOLR feature winner Alan Johnson with his 20th career Top-5 finish in Super DIRTcar Series events staged in Canandaigua.
“The original start I fell back a little, had to get in sixth and the outside was really good on the restarts,” remarked Williamson, the LOLR high points man, who closed to within 16 markers of series leader Sheppard through 10 events. “Knew I had a good car when I was tracking Matt down and Alex down. Man, what a hot rod. Them (crew) guys were working hard in the pits trying to do double-duty and hopefully can do another (win) here.”
“With the track championship we still have one race, it’s double points. That’s one of those deals that could go any way so we’re gonna work our tails off just like we always do with the S&W (Service Centre/Bicknell) #6. My dad (Randy) gave me a helluva car and we can compete weekly here so we’re looking forward to contending for the (title),” added Williamson, who looks to become the first Canadian points champ at LOLR since Joe Plazek earned back-to-back titles in 1996-97.
Making only his third start on the ‘24 tour trail, Yankowski’s runner-up tally in a rare appearance was his first-ever top-5 finish at the fairgrounds.
“Definitely helps starting up front with a good redraw spot,” noted heat one winner Yankowski, following a stellar run aboard his red #84Y NAPA Auto Parts-S.Y. Murray Performance/Bicknell entry. “We did a good job, definitely not exactly what we wanted though.”
“Knew that the moisture (top groove) was gonna go away on me, the problem was I just didn’t really know where to go to. Was hoping that lapped traffic was going to get dicey there, the cautions just kinda fell (Mat’s) way. We’ll take (2nd) and move on. Hats off to his Buzz Chew guys, Matty is on a tear here,” added Yankowski, who stands 26th on the series points chart.
With his fifth Top-5 finish in as many tour starts this season, Friesen settled for third in the latest frantic finish at the fairgrounds.
“We had a good long-run car, a couple of those early yellows kinda didn’t fall our way,” figured Friesen, a three-time Big-Block winner at LOLR including a 60-lap tour triumph in August of 2021. “Alex picked the top and I got stuck on the bottom and it took me three or four laps to get going. Hats off to this Halmar team, we’ll take a top-3 out of the notebook here. We’re probably a couple adjustments away from getting (car) a little bit better but put it in the notebook and we’ll know what to do next time.”
Headline sponsor Honeoye Auto Parts’ owner Doug Dulen Jr. provided additional bonus awards for the top-three finishers with Williamson ($500), Yankowski ($250) and Friesen ($100) each collecting gas cards to use at the pump as well as fuel jugs. HAP also handed out a case of oil to hard lick driver Tim Sears Jr.
Fulton Speedway hosts the final leg of the rain-shortened SummerFAST tomorrow, Wed. Aug. 14, which will be round #11 of the 2024 Super DIRTcar Series. With one win to his credit, Sheppard (1449) tops the updated tour standings followed by Williamson (1433), Jimmy Phelps (1396), Sears (1373), Anthony Perrego (1365) and leading tour rookie candidate Alex Payne (1289).
In Williamson’s quest of copping a second open-wheel win to close out Tuesday’s terrific twin-bill, it was Zach Payne’s night as he survived a late race push from the Canadian kingpin to collect the $2,000 first-place payoff. The second-generation driver registered his first career Big-Block feature win last summer in Canandaigua, authoring a last lap pass for the lead en route to the memorable triumph. His first-ever Small-Block victory at the fairgrounds was just as worthy as the Stanley speedster led all but five laps in the DIRTcar 358-Modified nightcap.
“Was just trying to be consistent every lap, and those lapped cars, trying to get by them as fast as possible,” stated Payne, 23, who ranks seventh in the current Canandaigua Big-Block point standings with a pair of front-five finishes. “I seen Matty was in second so I knew he had to be close and knew I just had to keep hitting my marks.”
“Feels really good. This is our first small-block win so this is awesome. We need this for the team, been struggling for a little while so this will help out a lot,” remarked Payne, also with two Sportsman feature wins to his credit at Canandaigua in 2021.
Mirroring their Big-Block counterparts, the top-2 finishers in each of the three qualifying heats redrew for starting positions putting Payne on the pole alongside veteran driver Brad Rouse from Fort Erie, Ont. to begin the 15-mile main. Rouse grabbed the early lead yet after fellow Canadian Gary Lindberg slowed on the back chute, Payne was there to pounce on the ensuing lap six restart.
Fourth starting Williamson matched Payne’s move three laps later and by the midway mark it was Payne holding a commanding lead over Williamson, Erick Rudolph, Alex Payne and Rouse. Yet as the laps dwindled so did Payne’s once comfortable margin as traffic became a factor during the final five laps.
A brief miscue by the leader entering turn four on the white flag lap opened the door a crack but Payne slammed it shut just as fast rounding turn one. Williamson gave a last turn, last lap surge only to fall 0.305-sec shy at the line, yet still pocketed another $1,000 in winnings.
Rudolph salvaged a solid third-place finish at the stripe ahead of Alex Payne with two-time LOLR Sportsman winner Andrew Buff rounding out the final front-five.
“Have to give a big ‘thank you’ to Dig Safely Products, Brandon (Planck) and Dale (his father who passed away in a June highway accident), they took me under their arms and gave me everything I needed and taught me everything,” added Payne, who steered the family-owned blue #77Z MP Delivery-Honeoye Auto Parts/Bicknell Dale Planck tribute car on this night, becoming the 18th winner in 32 small-block events chronicled in track history since 1963. He joined modern-day heroes Alan Johnson (2), Tim McCreadie, Steve Paine, Vic Coffey, Pat Ward and Jimmy Phelps on the all-star list. “Can’t thank them enough.”
After winning his first-ever Pepsi Big-Block features at LOLR this season, Williamson had to settle for second in his bid for a first-ever Small-Block victory on the fairgrounds.
“Hats off to Zach and Mike (Payne, dad) and the whole MP race team, cool to see Zach win,” said Williamson, who joined victory lane ceremonies in the third and final mid-week show of the season. “Would’ve been interesting if it went longer but Zach ran a helluva race. I think my only shot was in lapped traffic.”
“Was just saying I hope they don’t ever get rid of Big-Blocks here because Small-Blocks don’t race as fun as Big-Blocks. Kinda weird. Small-Block racing at some places is a lot of fun but when you get to a big place like this you’ve got such low gear it just kills your momentum,” Williamson noted.
Zach Payne, Williamson and Rudolph each took home a fuel jug courtesy of Honeoye Auto Parts while Dulen presented double-duty driver and multi-time LOLR Sportsman points champ Dave Marcuccilli with a case of oil for hard luck during the night.
LEGEND LEDGER
While there will be no racing at the fairgrounds on Aug. 17, the ‘Saturday Spectacular’ presented by the Tradition Automotive Group on Aug. 24 will be Modified Season Championship Night with double points on the line for Pepsi Big-Block title contenders. Now with three wins at LOLR, Williamson leads SDS rookie Alex Payne, Peter Britten, Sheppard and the Brothers Johnson, Alan and Danny, in search of a first-ever track crown in Canandaigua.
Joining the Modifieds in the five-star show will be Stirling Lubricants Sportsman, MighTea Boba 305 Sprints, Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling Street Stocks and Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stocks with heat race qualifiers going green at 6:30pm. Practice sessions kick off on-track activity at 5:30pm with pit gates opening at 3:30pm and spectators entering into the main grandstands at 5 o’clock.
SKIDMARKS
Guided by award-winning executive producer Art Rorick, the talented 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) 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 2024. 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.
2024 TICKET BUNDLES & PIT PASS SPECIALS REMAIN AVAILABLE
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 stay set at $15 Adults and $13 Seniors 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. Camping is FREE at all race events.
To purchase ticket and pit pass bundles or discuss marketing opportunities available at the track in 2024, 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 – August 13, 2024
Honeoye Auto Parts presents Tuesday Super Spectacular
Super DIRTcar Series Race #10 Pepsi Big-Block Modified “SummerFAST 75”
*Feature (75 laps): 1. 88-Mat Williamson ($7,500), 2. 84y-Alex Yankowski, 3. 44-Stewart Friesen, 4. 70a-Alex Payne, 5. 9s-Matt Sheppard, 6. 25-Erick Rudolph, 7. 3-Justin Haers, 8. 4*-Anthony Perrego, 9. 12-Darren Smith, 10. 99L-Larry Wight, 11. 27j-Danny Johnson, 12. 98h-Jimmy Phelps, 13. 21a-Peter Britten, 14. 34-Kevin Root, 15. 11-Matt Caprara, 16. 83x-Tim Sears Jr., 17. 7z-Zach Payne, 18. 15x-Justin Stone, 19. 2-Jack Lehner, 20. 91-Felix Roy, 21. 37s-Gary Lindberg, 22. 27jr-Daniel Johnson Jr., 23. 3b-Chad Brachmann, 24. 42p-Pat Ward, 25. 14j-Alan Johnson, 26. 35-Mike Mahaney, 27. m1-Dave Marcuccilli, 28. 19w-Justin Wright.
Heats (8 laps / 5 qualify / top-2 redraw)
#1: Yankowski, Haers, Smith, D.Johnson, Phelps, Wright, A.Johnson, Coffey, Martin, VanDoren, Swarthout.
#2: Williamson, Sheppard, Ward, A.Payne, Perrego, Darrah, Brachmann, Stone, Davis, Pierson, K.Britten.
#3: Lehner, Friesen, P.Britten, Wight, K.Root, Caprara, Fuller, Hulsizer, McGannon, Dinkins, Rudolph.
#4: Mahaney, Lindberg, Marcuccilli, Z.Payne, Sears, Roy, Trautschold, D.Johnson Jr, Slack, T.Root, Morey(DNS).
Last Chance Showdowns (10 laps / 2 qualify)
#1: Wright, Brachmann, A.Johnson, Darrah, Coffey, Stone, Davis, Pierson, Martin, VanDoren, K.Britten, Swarthout.
#2: Caprara, Roy, Rudolph, Trautschold, Slack, D.Johnson Jr, T.Root, McGannon, Dinkins, Hulsizer, Fuller, Morey(DNS).
Provisionals: Stone, D.Johnson Jr., A.Johnson, Rudolph.
Group Time Trials (2 laps / 44 cars)
#1: Haers 19.191sec. (93.794 mph), Williamson 19.221, Yankowski 19.262, Ward 19.322, Smith 19.428, Sheppard 19.433, D.Johnson 19.587, A.Payne 19.606, Wright 19.613, Darrah 19.626, A.Johnson 19.630, Perrego 19.637, Phelps 19.660, Davis 19.666, Coffey 19.703, Brachmann 19.728, Swarthout 19.875, Stone 19.894, Martin 19.902, Pierson 19.935, VanDoren 20.112, K.Britten 20.209.
#2: Lehner 19.350sec. (93.023 mph), Mahaney 19.375, Fuller 19.381, Z.Payne 19.486, P.Britten 19.531, Roy 19.572, Friesen 19.637, Lindberg 19.658, K.Root 19.718, Marcuccilli 19.730, Wight 19.766, Sears 19.788, Caprara 19.845, T.Root 19.873, Rudolph 19.927, Trautschold 19.928, Hulsizer 19.971, Slack 20.016, Dinkins 20.025, D.Johnson Jr 20.081, McGannon 20.232, Morey(-NT-).
DNQ: 3rs-Dalton Slack, 10c-Tanner VanDoren, 14-C.G. Morey, 14b-Brendan Darrah, 14s-Brian Swarthout, 15-Todd Root, 17-Marcus Dinkins, 18k-Dalton Martin, 19-Tim Fuller, 21b-Kevin Britten, 21m-Bob McGannon, 28-Mike Trautschold, 32r-Ronnie Davis III, 39-Kasey Coffey, 44h-Chris Hulsizer, 215-Adam Pierson
DIRTcar 358-Modified
*Feature (30 laps): 1. 77z-Zach Payne ($2,000), 2. 6-Mat Williamson, 3. 25-Erick Rudolph, 4. 70a-Alex Payne, 5. 92-Andrew Buff, 6. 18r-Brad Rouse, 7. 11j-James Sweeting, 8. 28-Mike Trautschold, 9. 3b-Chad Brachmann, 10. 94x-Willy Decker Jr., 11. 12-Darren Smith, 12. 15-Nick Root, 13. 21r-R.J. Tresidder, 14. 22-Noah Walker, 15. m1-Dave Marcuccilli, 16. 14s-Brian Swarthout, 17. 10r-Tommy Paine, 18. 6b-Robert Bublak Jr., 19. 37s-Gary Lindberg.
Heats (8 laps / top-2 redraw)
#1: Buff, Tresidder, Trautschold, Decker, Smith, Marcuccilli, Paine.
#2: Z.Payne, Williamson, Rudolph, Bublak, Walker, Swarthout.
#3: Rouse, A.Payne, Sweeting, Root, Lindberg, Brachmann.
NEXT EVENT: Saturday Spectacular, August 24 @ 6:30pm; Tradition Automotive Group presents Big-Block Modified Season Championship Night plus Sportsman/305 Sprint/Street Stock/Hobby Stock with AutismUP Benefit.
*No Racing Sat., August 17.
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, US AirForce, VP Racing Fuels, Weedsport Hall of Fame, Wicked Tees.