Mat Williamson Scores 358-Modified Win On Labor Night At Ransomville Speedway

Story By: STEVEN PETTY / RANSOMVILLE SPEEDWAY – RANSOMVILLE, NY – Defending track champion Mat Williamson from Ridgeway, Ontario won the Krown Undercoating 358 Modified feature for his fourth victory in 2025 as Ransomville Speedway hosted the 16th Annual Labor Night at the Races presented by the Niagara-Orleans Labor Council to benefit the United Way of Greater Niagara, presented by Highmark of WNY and United Steelworkers.

Labor Night at the Races was sponsored by M&T Bank, Lewis & Lewis Attorneys, and Maxwell Murphy Attorneys at Law.

Derek Wagner from Middleport, NY won the Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman feature and would also grab the Bud’s Bounty. Josh Pangrazio from Oakfield, NY won his seventh straight KiPo Chevrolet Street Stock feature, while Justin Eldridge from Waterloo, NY won the Hobby Stock event.

Bubby Pawlak from Newfane, NY won the Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman feature. Rob Pietz from Gasline, Ontario was the overall winner of the Niagara Regional Vintage Series. Jens Mortensen from Hamilton, Ontario won the Sportsman and Ed Lawrence from Romulus, NY won the Antique class as part of the club.

Steve Lewis Jr and Kyle Richner brought the Krown Undercoating 358 Modified feature to the green flag, with Lewis in the lead ahead of Andrew Smith. Ryan Susice would go to the outside of Andrew Smith to take the lead on lap three. Gary Lindberg and Erick Rudolph would race in third and fourth following the lap three restart. Following a lap six caution, Susice would take off in the lead ahead of Smith, Rudolph, Lindberg, and Mat Williamson. Rudolph would take over second on lap 10, with Williamson racing in third place. Gary Lindberg’s run would end on lap 16 as he hit the turn three wall hard. Lindberg was alright and talked to track officials. Susice would continue to show the way on the restart with Rudolph and Williamson giving chase. Rudolph would take over the lead on lap 19 following the caution for Noah Walker coming to a stop on the front straightaway. Chad Brachmann came to a stop on lap 20 to bring the caution back out again. Rudolph would lead on the restart with Susice, Williamson, Nelson Mason, and Brad Rouse racing in the top five. Williamson would use a crossover move to pass Rudolph for the lead on lap 25. Williamson would hold off Rudolph to score his fourth win of the season, and 35th career Ransomville triumph.

Jim Harbison and Tyler Foster were on the front row for the Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman feature, with Harbison in the lead. Derek Wagner would quickly take over second place on lap three and then would challenge Harbison for the lead. Wagner would take over the lead on lap ten and would quickly pull away from the field. Cam Tuttle would race his way to fourth place and would challenge Harbison and Foster for second place. As the battle for second heated up in the late going, Wagner would pull away from the field to score the win, his first of the season. With the victory, Wagner would get the Bud’s Bounty from Bud’s Apple Pie for snapping Brett Senek’s win streak. Wagner dedicated the win to Jeff Ulrich, longtime Modified driver at Lancaster Motorplex who passed away unexpectedly in the offseason.

Alex Morris and Mike Kelly brought the KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks/Hobby Stocks to the green flag for their 20-lap feature event, with Kelly in the lead ahead of Brandon Sherwood, Josh Pangrazio, Morris, Anthony Muscato, and Mike Welch. Pangrazio would take over second on lap three and would waste no time to go after Sherwood for the lead. Pangrazio would pull away from the field to earn his seventh win of the season. Justin Eldridge would pass Chris Dziomba early in the 20-lap feature and would hold his position on the track to be the first Hobby Stock across the line.

Jens Mortensen and Chad Brown were on the front row for the Niagara Regional Vintage Series with Jipp Ortiz quickly taking over the lead. Rob Pietz would take over second place on lap three and would close in on Ortiz for the lead. Pietz would take over the lead on lap nine, with Ortiz closing in. Pietz would go on to score the feature win.

Bubby Pawlak and Lucas Newton were on the front row for the Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman feature event, with Pawlak into the lead. While running in second, Kyle Teeter spun in turn two to bring out the caution on lap eight. Pawlak would go on to score the victory.

Next Friday night, June 27th will be the annual Kid’s Poster Contest presented by JW Swanson. The Krown Undercoating 358 Modifieds, Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman, KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks, Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stocks, and the Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman will all be in action. Pit gates will open at 5pm, grandstands at 6pm, and racing will get underway at 7:15pm.

RACE RESULTS – June 20, 2025 – 16th Labor Night at the Races

Krown Undercoating 358 Modifieds: MAT WILLIAMSON, Erick Rudolph, Nelson Mason, Ryan Susice, Kyle Richner, Andrew Smith, Jessica Kriegisch, John Smith, Brad Rouse, Steve Lewis Jr, Chad Brachmann, Noah Walker, Gary Lindberg, Scott Just, Jesse Cotriss, Brandon Michaud

Qualifying Heats: Erick Rudolph, Ryan Susice

Stirling Lubricants DIRTcar Sportsman: DEREK WAGNER, Jim Harbison, Cameron Tuttle, Tyler Foster, Austin Susice, Jake Bansmer, Dave Conant, Brett Senek, Tyler Guzzardi, Nigel Pendykoski, Colby Adamczak, Kevin Wills, Jacob Chevalier, Brett Martin, Chris Hawkins, Derek Smith, Abby Castile, Noah Mamo, Luke Blose, Steve Miller, Tyler Moore (DNS)

Qualifying Heats: Dave Conant, Jake Bansmer, Tyler Foster

KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks: JOSH PANGRAZIO, Brandon Sherwood, Anthony Muscato, Alex Morris, Mike Welch, Mike Kelly, Justin Eldredge, Chris Dziomba, Randy Zimmerman, Ron Richter, Curt Sherwood, Jeff Sonnenberg, Nate Tabor

Qualifying Heats: Mike Kelly, Brandon Sherwood

Vintage Cars: ROB PIETZ, Jipp Ortiz, Stan Zanchin, Jens Mortensen (Sportsman Class Winner), Ron Wiltse, Tim Natalino, Jeff Larmet, Chad Brown, Ed Lawrence (Antique Class Winner), Ken Washburn, Mike Jacobs

Qualifying Heats: Jens Mortensen, Rob Pietz

Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman: BUBBY PAWLAK, Matthew Jessome, Jocelyn Just, Lucas Newton, Brendan Zimmerman, Christian Soliday, Cole Susice, Madyson Rouse, Cameron Olm, Russell Friesen, Kyle Teeter, Jacklyn Nettleton, Johnny Zimmerman, John McKenney

Qualifying Heats: Lucas Newton, Jocelyn Just