Gayton Gears Up For Success; Grabs First Win Of 2024 Saturday At Genesee Speedway

Story By: JEREMY PERRY / GENESEE SPEEDWAY – BATAVIA, NY – Noah Pangrazio and Matt Radzio started on the front row in the Vigneri Racing Novice sportsman division. It was all Pangrazio of Elba, NY, early on, as he led comfortably for the first thirteen laps.

Joe Mickey was the quickest car on the track from lap five till the end, as Mickey could wheel in the leader Pangrazio. Mickey pulled a slide job in turn one and slid up too far, allowing Pangrazio to perform a cross-over move, retaking the top spot back, going down the backstretch. That was the final move the night as Noah Pangrazio picked up the feature win going back-to-back for the first time this season.

The Detail Shop Mini stocks took center stage next. Before the 24-car field completed a lap, mayhem occurred in turn three, with a massive wreck involving Robert Knapp II, Jeff Wynes, Ian Paul, Jessica Petry, and many others being knocked out of contention early on. After the lap one incident, the 24-car field was quickly knocked down to 17 cars. The story then turned to James Gayton. Gayton of East Pembroke, NY, in years past, has been arguably the car to beat week in and week out. So far, in 2024, Gayton’s best finish came back on May 4th, when he brought his mini stock home to a 4th-place finish. Gayton has faced numerous issues this year, including blowing a motor. All the bad luck seemed to be behind Gayton tonight as he took the lead from Seth Johnson on lap five. Gayton faced a ton of lap traffic for the rest of the event, but it proved to be no match for the rest of the field as Gayton picked up his first feature win of the season.

The Star Graphics and Apparel Street Stock class did something that hasn’t been done in a long time in the division. Green to checkered, yes you read that right green to checkered for all 20 laps with no issues. Damian Long of Pavilion NY started on the outside of the front row and took the lead early on to lead every lap of the feature event. It didn’t come easy for Long as on lap seven, Long caught the lap cars of Ashley Mackey and Caleb Wolcott very quickly out of turn four, contacting Wolcott with the right rear quarter panel and damaging the spoiler. All of that didn’t matter as Long worked his way through lap traffic, picking up his second feature win of the season. This marks the first time in Long’s career that he picked up two feature wins in the same season.

In one of the wildest features of the night, Brayden Davis from Castile, NY, picked up the feature win. The largest field of Dan Kolb Family Automotive bandits the track has seen to date as eight kids signed in. Yellow flew early on as Davis and Bradley Weis made contact allowing Maddox Weis to get the lead on the following restart. With Maddox Weis out front leading, Brayden Davis and Paige Gayton made contact in three and four with the bumper falling off, causing another caution. During that same caution, leader Maddox Weis stopped, needing a push to get the car going again. Once the dust settled, Gayton had the lead racing down the backstretch. Gayton, exiting turn four, lost control of her car, leaving nowhere to go for Bradley Weis, making hard contact, ending Gayton’s night. The restart with two to go saw Davis finally take the lead for good and win his fourth feature event of the season.

After this week, the BDK Construction Rush Late Models will see a shakeup at the top of the point standings. Coming into the night, Dave Dubois was the point leader, and Austin Hauser was second in points. Early in the race, Dave Dubois, and Austin Hauser both had issues bringing out the caution, ending the night early for both drivers. Jeremy Wonderling of Scio, NY, was completely dominant yet again at Genesee Speedway, picking up the feature win. So far this season, Wonderling has raced six times and has had finishes of 2nd, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 1st, and 1st. Wonderling runs at the track when he can due to his Rush Late Model Tour commitments.

The final feature of the night was the Stirling Lubricants Sportsman. The night early on looked like it belonged to Ray Bliss as Bliss started on the front row and used the dominant top line to his advantage, making it extremely hard for anyone to get by. Lap 13 on the front stretch, unfortunately for Bliss, trouble finally caught him as the lap car of John Livingston was trying to limp his car to the pit area when he and Bliss made contact. Bliss saved the car, didn’t spin out, but now found himself in 4th place. Phil Vigneri III of Elba, NY, was in the right spot at the right time as he capitalized and took over the lead. Vigneri led the final 12 laps, picking up his fifth feature win of the season at the fairgrounds.

The racetrack will go on summer break for the next two weekends as the Genesee County Fair will take over the fairgrounds for activities.

Vigneri Racing Novice Sportsman feature (15 laps) NOAH PANGRAZIO, Joe Mickey, The John, Guy Steffen, Matt Radzio, John Livingston Sr, Paul Marshall

Heat race winner – Guy Steffen

The Detail Shop Mini Stocks feature (15 laps) JAMES GAYTON, Seth Johnson, Cole Susice, Eric Brumsted, Bogey Putt, Chris Leone, Dave Smith, Racelyn Lippa, Gary Hopkins, Kevin Bacon, Brady Meakin, Chris Skobjak, Amber Lang, Jessica Petry, Kevin Napier, Bill Kapelke, Robert Knapp II, Mike Becker, Eric Weis, Ken Zimmerman, CJ Smith, Jeff Wynes, Joey Swick, Ian Paul

Heat race winners – Jeff Wynes, Eric Weis, Robert Knapp II, and James Gayton

Star Graphics & Apparel Street Stocks feature (20 laps) – DAMIAN LONG, Rich Conte, Byron DeWitt, John Zimmerman, Dale Rissinger, Jesse Qutermous, Carl Shetler, Mike Kelly, Sherman Gage, Butch Zimmerman, Joey Zimmerman, Phil Schepis, Jeff Almenkinder, Ashley Mackey, Johnathan Almenkinder, Caleb Wolcott

Heat Race winners – Byron DeWitt, Damien Long, and Dale Rissinger

Dan Kolb Family Automotive Bandits feature (12 laps) – BRAYDEN DAVIS, Maddox Weis, Bradley Weis, Carson Shetler, Paige Gayton, Lucas Newton, Addi Chamberlain, Crystalyn Burkhardt

Heat race winners – Paige Gayton & Brayden Davis

BDK Construction Rush Late Models feature (25 laps) – JEREMY WONDERLING, Demetrios Drellos, Bill Holmes, John Rivers, Alan Chapman, Billy Dubois, Bill Button, Doug Ricotta, Chad Homan, Ed Carley, Dave Dubois, Austin Hauser

Heat race winners – Bill Holmes & Jeremy Wonderling

Stirling Lubricants Sportsman feature (25 laps) – Phil Vigneri III, Adam Hilton, John Venuto, Ray Bliss, Rickey Newton, Greg Mrzywka, Gordy Hermanson, Dan Kolb, John Livingston Jr, Brandon Michaud, Tony Pangrazio

Heat race winners – Adam Hilton & Ray Bliss