Gary Lindberg Wins Fifth 358-Mod Feature Of ’24 At Ransomville; Mat Williamson Takes Title

Story By: STEVEN PETTY / RANSOMVILLE SPEEDWAY – RANSOMVILLE, NY – Mat Williamson from St. Catharines, Ontario won his fourth consecutive Krown Undercoating 358 Modified track championship at the Ransomville Speedway Friday night.

Cody McPherson from St. Catharines, Ontario earned the 2024 Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman track championship. Mike Welch from Stanley, NY was crowned the KiPo Chevrolet Street Stock track champion by four points over Brandon Sherwood. Ryan Plante from Cheektowaga, NY won his second straight Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stock track title. Nigel Pendykoski from Chippawa, Ontario earned the Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman division. Firth Jewelers and Evergreen Lawn & Tree Service night at Ransomville Speedway.

The racing action would see Gary Lindberg from Ridgeway, Ontario win his fifth Krown Undercoating Modified feature of the season. Cody McPherson win his seventh Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman feature. John Zimmerman from Varysburg, NY won his second KiPo Chevrolet Street Stock feature of the season. Ian Paul from Wilson, NY won his first Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stock feature. Nigel Pendykoski would win his eighth Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman feature of the season.

Gary Lindberg and Ryan Susice were on the front row for the Krown Undercoating 358 Modified feature, with Lindberg in the lead ahead of Susice and Mat Williamson. Erick Rudolph would quickly take over fourth place, with Nelson Mason racing in fifth. Chad Brachman would take over fifth after a several lap battle with Mason. Williamson would close in and battle with Susice for second place, as Lindberg continued to pull away from the field. Williamson and Susice’s battle lasted several laps, but Susice would be able to hold off Williamson. Lindberg would go on to win his fifth feature of the season, over Susice and Williamson. Williamson’s third place finish clinched him his fourth consecutive divisional title, the first time in speedway history that a Modified driver won the divisional title four years in a row.

Dave DiPietro and Adam Hilton brought the field of Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman to the green flag, with DiPietro showing the way. Third place starter Cody McPherson would take over the lead at the end of the first scored lap. Brett Senek would take over third place from DiPietro entering turn three, with Curtis Friesen racing in fifth place. Senek would then take over second and challenged McPherson for the lead following a lap eight restart. Derek Wagner would take over third place at the halfway point, as McPherson and Senek continued to show the way. McPherson would drive away to his seventh win of the season and would clinch the 2024 track title. It was McPherson’s first Ransomville points crown since 2015.

Butch Zimmerman and Brandon Sherwood were on the front row for KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks main event, with Sherwood in the lead. The caution would come out as Phil Schepis, and Curt Sherwood got together in turn three. The restart would see Butch Zimmerman and Bobby Lippa Jr on the front row as Brandon Sherwood went to the pits under the caution period. John Zimmerman would take over second and then would battle with dad Butch for the lead, with Mike Welch racing in third. John Zimmerman would take over the lead on lap five, allowing Butch and Welch to close in. Welch would take over second and would go after John Zimmerman for the lead. Zimmerman would go on to score his second win of the season. With Welch finishing in second, he secured the track championship and thanked the Sherwood and Lippa racing team for their help in the pits to get Mike’s car out there for the feature after suffering carburetor issues in qualifying.

Brian Melcher and Ian Paul shared the front row for the Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stocks points finale, with Ian Paul in the lead. Cole Susice would quickly take over second, with Chris Leone, Ryan Plante, and Brandon Close racing in the top five. Leone, Plante, and Hornquist battled for third place at the race’s halfway point, as Susice closed in on race leader Ian Paul. Paul would go on to score the feature win, his first of the season. Ryan Plante earned the track championship for the second consecutive year.

Tyler Foster and Jocelyn Just brought the Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman to the green flag with Nigel Pendykoski taking over the lead. Pendykoski and Foster would pull away from the field and would battle hard for the 15-lap event. Pendykoski would hold off Foster to score his eighth win of the season.

The final event of the 2024 season at the Big R will take place on Friday, September 6 for the John Susice Memorial featuring the Empire Street Stock Series. The Krown Undercoating Modifieds will also be in action in the annual Big Block/Small Block Shootout. The Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman and the Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman will also be in competition. Pit gates will open at 5pm, grandstands open at 6pm, and racing will get underway at 7:15pm.

RACE RESULTS – SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT

Krown Undercoating 358 Modifieds: GARY LINDBERG, Ryan Susice, Mat Williamson, Erick Rudolph, Chad Brachmann, Nelson Mason, Noah Walker, Phil Vigneri III, Steve Lewis Jr, Jesse Cotriss, Brandon Michaud, Jessica Kriegisch, John Smith, Kyle Richner, Allan Wills

Qualifying Heats: Mat Williamson, Jesse Cotriss

2024 Track Champion: Mat Williamson

Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman: CODY MCPHERSON, Brett Senek, Derek Wagner, Adam Hilton, Jacob Bansmer, Cameron Tuttle, Dave DiPietro II, Justin McKay, Dave Conant, Jim Harbison, Colby Adamczak, DJ Rosinski, Mike Kramarz, Dillon Adamczak, Curtis Friesen, Derek Smith, Tyler Moore, Steve Miller, Kevin Wills

Qualifying Heats: Cody McPherson, Adam Hilton, Derek Wagner

2024 Track Champion: Cody McPherson

KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks: JOHN ZIMMERMAN, Mike Welch, Butch Zimmerman, Bobby Lippa Jr, Mick Kulak, Ron Richter, Joey Zimmerman, Brandon Sherwood, Curt Sherwood, Phil Schepis

Qualifying Heats: Brandon Sherwood, John Zimmerman

2024 Track Champion: Mike Welch

Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stocks: IAN PAUL, Cole Susice, Chris Leone, Matt Hornquist, Ryan Plante, Jeffrey Wynes, Ben Hornquist, Brandon Close, Brian Melcher, Dave Dussault, Cody Griffin, Curt Rung, Kenny Zimmerman, Mike Becker, Christian Soliday, Bob Palmer

Qualifying Heats: Chris Leone, Cole Susice

2024 Track Champion: Ryan Plante

Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman: NIGEL PENDYKOSKI, Tyler Foster, Jocelyn Just, Kyle Teeter, Luke Blose, Ken Washburn, Brooklyn Chaffee, Jacalyn Nettleton, Johnny Zimmerman

Qualifying Heat: Nigel Pendykoski

2024 Track Champion: Nigel Pendykoski