Ajay Potrzebowski II Dominates for $5,500 Payday At Woodhull

Story By: JOE COOK / WOODHULL RACEWAY – WOODHULL, NY – Ajay Potrzebowski II made his return to the Woodhull Raceway, picking up the $5500 check in dominating fashion.

During the front stretch redraw Potrzebowski drew the coveted number one starting spot. He was joined on the front row by Russell Morseman IV. Billy VanPelt looked over the field and dropped the initial green flag and we were underway for 50 laps.

Early cautions plagued the beginning of the race. Potrzebowski was able to hold off the field as they were continuously bunched back together. After an extended green flag, Tanner Van Doren made his way up to the runner spot.

The caution lights came back out on lap 18. Potrzebowski motored away from the pack, Van Doren fell back to 4th. In victory lane he said, “I just tried something different, and it didn’t work out.” Van Doren powered his way back into second, but that allowed Potrzebowski to open over a 5 second advantage on the field.

Eventually Van Doren got his final shot at Potrzebowski when the yellow flag flew on lap 34. However, the single file restart played into the hands of the race leader. Potrzebowski was able to rocket off turn four and lead the remaining sixteen laps with moderate comfort.

Potrzebowski’s third trip to victory lane at the Woodhull Raceway netted him a big $5500 payday. In victory lane Potrzebowski stated, “I am fired up, that right there gets more fired up. I love this track, the cheers, the boos, they make me want it more. The track was perfect. This is exactly what I want in a racetrack.”

Tanner Van Doren came home in the runner-up slot.

Russell Morseman IV held off numerous challengers, holding on to the final podium position. Fourth was Danny Creeden of Middletown.

Rounding out the top five was Russell Morseman who was also the hot lap hero, receiving $150 sponsored by Craig Gilbert of Custom Wood Creations.
Jake Dgien was the Hard Charger of the event, $150 courtesy of W&W Groceries. Dgien piloted his machine from twenty-second to seventh.

Joe Dgien, Tanner Van Doren, and Russell Morseman IV each picked up an extra $100 for their heat race wins thanks to Joe Trappler of Trappler Trucking and JT Logging.

The Hometown Excavation Crate Sportsman took center stage next. Todd Titus and Tony Harris led the field to the green flag with Titus taking the early advantage leading the first five laps.

While Titus was leading, Grant Hilfiger was making a charge. Hilfiger picked up four spots quickly, finding himself in second place. Hilfiger pulled alongside Titus coming out of turn two. The two raced side by side down the backstretch into three and four. Coming out of turn four, Hilfiger motored around Titus to take over the race lead.

Red lights came out on lap eleven for a melee on the back stretch and once the cars were cleared off the race track the action resumed.

The caution flag flew once again on lap twenty. The single file restart once again proved to favor the leader, as Hilfiger went on to pick up his first win at the track since last fall.
When asked in victory lane about how it felt to win on the night honoring Billy VanPelt, Hilfiger said “It’s almost a perfect storyline really as Billy drove one of my Modifieds to four straight Woodhull Titles.”

Todd Titus finished second with Quintin Buchanan finishing third and completing the podium. Fourth went to Braylon Lawson as he held off older brother Cayden Lawson who rounded out the top five.

The final feature of the evening belonged to the 600cc modifieds, making their first of two appearances in 2025. Kyle Percy started on the hammer in the twenty-lap event. He led the first three laps as a great battle ensued between Percy and TJ Smith. Smith got around Percy, but that opened the door for Jared Green.

Percy, Smith, and Green had a three-car battle that was a lot of fun to watch. Jared Green got the better of the two and powered on for his second win in 2025, after claiming a Crate Sportsman feature earlier this season at Woodhull.
TJ Smith settled for the runner up spot. Third place finisher was Justin Ladue. Tyler Talada came next across the line in fourth while Kyle Percy fell back to finish fifth after leading early on.

Congratulations to all competitors.

A big thank you to B.H. Log Hauling and Whites Repair for sponsoring the Honoring Alice Williams race.

Next up at the Woodhull Raceway, this Saturday night August 9th, the CRSA 305 Sprint Cars will be joined by the regular classes except for the Modifieds as they will have the night off.

RACE RESULTS:

Insinger Performance Modifieds (23)
(50 Laps): 1. 72-Ajay Potrzebowski II[1]; 2. 27T-Tanner Van Doren[4]; 3. 444-Russell Morseman IV[2]; 4. 01-Dan Creeden[14]; 5. 44-Russell Morseman[11]; 6. 11-Donnie Lawson[13]; 7. 24-Jake Dgien[22]; 8. 21G-Aiden Grover[8]; 9. 17-Dayton Brewer[3]; 10. 84JR-Adam Coots[17]; 11. 00X-Byron Worthing[19]; 12. 1-Stacy Jackson[21]; 13. (DNF) 88J-Alan Johnson[16]; 14. (DNF) 3X-Joe Dgien[7]; 15. (DNF) 88-Brady Fultz[18]; 16. (DNF) 145-Alan Rudalavage[5]; 17. (DNF) 89-Jason Andrews[6]; 18. (DNF) 32-Carter Crooker[15]; 19. (DNF) 2B-Ronald Cartwright Jr[10]; 20. (DNF) 7-Brian Doolittle[12]; 21. (DNF) 62W-Walt Chyrywaty[20]; 22. (DNF) 47-Kreg Crooker[9]; 23. (DNS) 07-Wally Wade
Hometown Excavation Crate Sportsman (16)
(30 Laps): 1. 78-Grant Hilfiger[6]; 2. 9-Todd Titus[1]; 3. 27B-Quintin Buchanan[5]; 4. 11JR-Braylon Lawson[3]; 5. 11-Cayden Lawson[8]; 6. 121-Chris Clemens[14]; 7. 13G-Adam Taft[11]; 8. 22K-Kevin DeCamp[12]; 9. 13T-Jacob Trowbridge[15]; 10. 84-Colton Coots[10]; 11. 25-Braden Buchanan[4]; 12. 19-Glenn Trowbridge[7]; 13. 9CAT-Tony Harris[2]; 14. 40M-Matt Sullivan[16]; 15. (DQ) 5K-Kenny Peoples Jr[13]; 16. (DQ) 06-Tim Guild[9]
600CC Modifieds (10)
(20 Laps) 1. 35-Jared Green; 2. 101-TJ Smith; 3. 99L- Justin Ladue; 4. 80- Tyler Talada; 5. 314- Kyle Percy; 6. 28- Brandon Elliot; 7. 53jr- Aiden Miller; 8. 27Z- Justin Hall; 9. 39- Justin Sullivan; 10. 39K- Eli Elliot