Story By: TOBY LAGRANGE / GLEN RIDGE MOTORSPORTS PARK – FULTONVILLE, NY – The second night of action at the Glen Ridge Motorsports Park would see a few familiar faces return to victory lane. The fast paced and exciting racing program, including victory lanes and the GR Live broadcast, was completed by 9 PM.
Coming into the weekend’s racing events, Andrew Buff had the lead in the 2022 Hoosier Racing Tire DIRTcar Sportsman Weekly Championship over Brian Calabrese. Calabrese, who was the opening day winner at The Ridge in The Red Chair DIRTcar Sportsman competition looked to make up some ground on Sunday night.
Via his front row starting position, Buff jumped out to the early lead with Calabrese soon following into second. The duo would run one-two for the remainder of the race. As the laps wound down and the leaders entered slower traffic, Calabrese began to close.
Late in the event Calabrese had drawn right up to Buff’s back bumper however a caution for Zach Buff would take the momentum that Calabrese had built up away. With open track in front of him, Buff would pull away on the restart and not look back.
Buff, the defending and now two-time track champion pulled away for the win over Calabrese, Justin Buff, Ricky Quick and Garrett Poland. Andrew Buff and Cody Ochs won the heat race events.
Four-time Glen Ridge Motorsports Park Yurkewecz Auto Crushers DIRTcar Pro Stock Track Champion Luke Horning made it two for two on the season with his win in the 20 lap feature event for the division. Andy Graves gave chase early but had to settle for second over Frank Hoard, Jr. and Kyle Hoard.
The Street Stock division ran with the Yurkewecz Auto Crushers DIRTcar Pro Stock division with Adam Tranka picking up his second straight win over Mark Dupuis. Horning and Tranka were the heat race winners.
The 20 lap Cherko Fusco Realty Limited Sportsman feature would see opening day winner Mike Hill and Glen Ridge Motorsports Park Hall of Famer Butchie Irwin battle it out for the win. When all was said and done Hill stood in victory lane to remain perfect on the season. Irwin finished second with Wesley Sutliff, Lucas Duncan and Jimmy Duncan rounding out the field. Hill won the heat race.
Billy Hillman and Jamie Warner led the DIRTcar Mini Stock field to the green flag with Hillman taking the early lead over Norman Lamphear and Bruce Liddle. The caution flag slowed the field on lap two when Zach McSpirit slowed in turn two.
On the restart Hillman held the lead with Lamphear second and Liddle third. Hillman though could not pull away from Lamphear who kept the #68F right on his rear bumper. In the end Hillman was able to hang on for the win over Lamphear, Liddle, Jay Ingersoll, Jr. and Shaun Hemstreet. Liddle was the first Dual Cam driver across the line while Liddle was the first Single Cam driver across the line.
Tavian Blowers and Adam Fusco led the 15 Lap Northeast Paving & Sealcoating All-Star Slingshot feature to the green with Fusco taking the early lead. Blowers slid into second with defending track champion Danny Ballard third. On lap two Spencer Cherko made hard contact with the wall between turns one and two. Cherko would not return.
Fusco led the field back to the green with Ballard moving to second and Blowers back to third. As the race reached the half-way point the top three had pulled away from fourth place Tucker Jones and fifth place runner Kirstin Swartz.
At the checkers Fusco would take the checkers over Ballard, Blowers, Jones and Swarts. In post-race inspection Blowers would be disqualified for not making weight. Heat races were won by Blowers and Fusco. Fusco set a new track, single lap record during heat race action with a lap of 15.539 seconds.
Corky Warner and Avery Decker led the 12 Lap Northeast Paving & Sealcoating Junior Slingshot feature event to the green flag. On the opening lap Braxton Martin and Carson Hamlin made contact with both making hard contact with the turn two wall. Hamlin would continue on but Martin’s night was done.
When racing resumed Decker took over the top spot with Warner and Bodie Marks following. Decker would quickly pull away to a straightaway advantage while Warner and Marks battled for second. Marks would take second from Warner on lap nine.
In the end Decker would pick up the win over Marks, Warner, Ed Hatch and Cole Conrad. In post-race inspection both Marks and Conrad were disqualified for not meeting weight. Heat races were won by Warner and Decker.
The Glen Ridge Motorsports Park returns to action this Sunday night with another DIRTcar Sunday Night program featuring all weekly divisions. The May 15th program will be VP Small Engine Fuels night. Pit Gates open at 3PM, Grandstands at 4PM, Hot Laps at 5:30 PM with racing set to start at 6PM.
DIRTcar 602 Sportsman: Andrew Buff, Brian Calabrese, Justin Buff, Ricky Quick, Garrett Poland, Cody Ochs, Griffen Mansmith, Zach Buff, Al McCoy.
DIRTcar Pro-Stocks: Luke Horning, Andy Graves, Frank Hoard, Kyle Hoard.
Limited Sportsman: Mike Hill, Butchie Irwin, Wesley Sutliff, Lucas Duncan, Jimmy Duncan (DNS).
Street Stocks: Adam Tranka, Mark Dupuis, Harley Shepard (DNS), Brandon Tyler (DNS).
DIRTcar Single Cam Mini Stock: Bruce Liddle, Jay Ingersoll Jr, Dale VanAllen, Blaze Post (DNS).
DIRTcar Dual Cam Mini Stock: Billy Hillman, Norman Lamphear, Shaun Hemstreet, Jamie Warner, Ariana Shultz, Zach McSpirit.
All-Star Slingshots: Adam Fusco, Danny Ballard, Tucker Jones, Kirstin Swartz, Nick Millard, Andrew Millard, Jim Pollard, Joe Melius, Scott Sprague, Nathaniel Boesse, Kolton Weiler, Spencer Cherko, Tavien Blowers (DQ).
Junior Slingshots: Avery Decker, Corky Warner, Edward Hatch, Sloan Cherko, Jaden Pierce, Lucas Cole, Alex Viall, Colton White, Easten Conrad, Conner Crane, Braxton Martin, Carson Hamlin, Cole Conrad (DQ), Bodie Marks (DQ).