Patience Pays Off: Ricotta Scores First Genesee Win Since 2024

Afterwards, the normal six classes ran, with Lucas Newton winning Novice Sportsman, John Zimmerman in Street Stock, Chase Powers with the Bandits, Phil Vigneri III in Sportsman Modified, Cole Susice in Mini Stock, and Doug Ricotta in Late Model.

But before everyone stood in Victory Lane, talked about the races, and got photos taken, races had to be run.  And it all started with the Ron & Newt’s Sales and Service Bandit make-up event.

The 10-lap race saw Harvey on the pole.  As they raced into the first turn, he held the lead, but Victor Baxter was right on his bumper.

After one lap was scored, the first Transitowne Dodge of Williamsville caution flag came out.

On the restart, Harvey jumped out to the lead again with Baxter just waiting for a slip-up.  However, throughout the race, he kept inching closer and closer to Harvey, and on Lap 8 he gave Harvey a little nudge in Turn 3.

The final two laps saw an intense show between Harvey and Baxter as they traded paint all throughout the corners and straightaways.  By less than half a car-length, the Scio, NY, native Harvey took home the win.

“[This win] means a lot, and we’re doing good,” said Harvey about being in Victory Lane.

Next up was the 585 Auto Repair RUSH Late Model make-up feature, with Johnson on the pole after Demetrious Drellos had to be pushed back to the pits due to a transmission failure.

Johnson capitalized on his newfound lead by shooting into it as the field began their 20-lap race.  However, Dave DuBois and Ricotta were putting on a show behind him for second, racing side-by-side down the backstretch.  Ricotta reigned victorious as they hit Turn 3, but the caution flag was thrown.

On the restart, Johnson retained his lead, but Ricotta had some pressure from Allan Hammond as they came out of the first corner.  Hammond got by him coming out of Turn 4, but the caution was thrown once again.

It was at this point in time that the race was put under red flag conditions so that the track could do some prep work to Turns 3 and 4 as it was extremely dusty.  Also, with it being a red flag, the drivers couldn’t work on their cars, hence making it fair, even though all the drivers went back to the pits for a while.

Once the track was watered and packed, the field was brought back out.  Hammond took the lead on the restart, but didn’t hold it for very long as the caution was thrown; Head Flagger John Veach didn’t like the start.

The second time around, Johnson shot out to the lead with Hammond right behind him.  He would try to get by Johnson on both the top and bottom, but to no avail.  Johnson, from Newfane, NY, took home the win.

[AUTHOR’S NOTE: If Johnson gave a celebratory interview sometime during the course of the night, I didn’t hear, or see it.  I sincerely apologize for the lack of words from Johnson.]

Next up on the card were the Heat races.

They came out in order of how they were going to race, with the Novice Sportsman coming out first.  They only had one Heat, and that was taken by Newton.

Next were the Street Stocks with two Heats.  Mike Fellows and Rich Conte claimed their wins, respectively.

Third up were the Bandits, and again, only one Heat was run.  Baxter took that.

The Sportsman Modifieds were after that, and they had two Heats with Dave Conant and Vigneri taking home those wins, respectively.

Following in the tire tracks of the Sportsmen, the Mini Stocks also had two Heats.  Susice took the first one with Racelyn Lippa taking the second.

Finally, the RUSH Late Models came out with DuBois and Paul Grigsby taking home those wins.

After some more track work, it was feature time.

The Blue Diamond Racing Products Novice Sportsmen were up first, as per the running order for the Heats.

Newton was on the pole, and held the lead for the entire duration of the race, even after there was a caution thrown with two laps to go — it didn’t stop Newton.  He shot right back out to the lead to claim his second Novice race of the year at Genesee, making it two-for-two.

When interviewed, Newton said that all week he had worked on the car with his dad and that it was “pretty cool” to be back in Victory Lane.

The Conte’s Auto Street Stocks came out next with Fellows on the pole.  As the 15 car-field shot down to the first turn, Conte took the lead, with Byron DeWitt slipping into second going into Turn 3.

Fellows and DeWitt got side-by-side as they came down the back chute on Lap 2, but Fellows slightly faded, allowing some space between himself and DeWitt.

The race changed when a multi-car incident brought out the caution involving Conte, DeWitt, Fellows, and Qutermous. Zimmerman was able to avoid the trouble and took over the lead as the field slowed under yellow.

After the race, DeWitt said the incident started when he lost his brakes entering the corner and made contact with Conte, setting off the chain-reaction wreck that collected the other cars.

With a single-file restart, Zimmerman shot out to the lead.  However, Bobby Lippa, Jr., and Damian Long were battling it out for third.  Coming out of Turn 2, Lippa scored the position, but they were back to being sparring partners down the back straight.

Long was going high to try and pass Lippa, but he got a little too high and went over the Turn 3 edge, drawing a caution.

Zimmerman shot back out to the lead, but Lippa and Dale Rissinger were right there for second.  They were side-by-side in the corners with two to go.  Lippa took over second with one lap to go, and Varysburg, NY’s own Zimmerman took home the feature win.

“I was starting to catch them a little bit, but I saw the two leaders turn each other,” said Zimmerman about the race. “I thought, ‘[maybe] this could be a good night.’”

The second Bandit feature of the night saw Addi Chamberlain on the pole…for a very brief period of time.  As they raced towards Turn 1, Chamberlain hit the front straight wall, getting airborne and sideways, and sailing about 20 feet before landing on the Turn 2 off-ramp.  She was okay, and walked away from the wreck.

The 10-lap race got a complete restart, this time with Harvey on the pole.  He kept the lead throughout the corner and for a few laps before Powers and Brayden Bronschidle got tangled after battling on the backstretch.  The second caution flag was thrown, deeming a single-file restart.

Harvey took off like a bat out of hell, but had to slam on the brakes as Bronschidle hit one of the Turn 3 tractor tires, drawing yet another caution, this time with four to go.

The feature race was cut short by three laps as the only car that was still moving was Baxter.

On the restart, Harvey took the lead, but he broke something on his right front wheel, getting into Powers, and giving him a flat left front tire, drawing another caution, and the checkered flag.  Since Harvey was behind Powers and not moving, and Powers was able to move about a foot after the incident, Powers was deemed the winner.

“When I seen the sparks [from Harvey], I said I’d go to the outside,” said the Dale, NY, first-time winner. “It means a lot to be able to win.”

Fourth up were the Kolb Family Automotive Sportsman Modifieds.  Conant was on the pole, but Vigneri stole the lead from him as they shot out of Turn 2.

John Venuto hit one of the tractor tires on the bottom of Turn 4, drawing a caution.  But it didn’t stop Vigneri in any way; he just got right back out front.

He and Conant were right next to each other as they raced down the back straightaway.  But before Conant could try anything, Chris Hawkins hit the frontstretch wall, getting slightly airborne and a little bit sideways before landing in the infield and drawing a caution.

Again, Phil lead with no problems at all, but he would have to stop once again as Gordon Hermanson, Jr., spun in the direct middle of Turns 3 and 4, drawing yet another caution.

This time, the restart was single-file, and Conant decided to go down low as they shot off the line.  For the duration of the race, Vigneri and Conant were side-by-side, with Conant slowly closing the gap between them.

On the final turn, Conant’s nose just peeked past Vigneri coming out of Turn 4, but Vigneri was able to run the high groove to win the race.

“I was just kind of focused on my own line,” said Vigneri, from Elba, NY. “I saw a hole shot early [and took it.]  To be back in Victory Lane is an honor.”

The Weis Performance Mini Stocks came out fifth, with Mike Becker on the pole.  Almost immediately, Susice jumped out to the lead, but Eric Brumstead was right there.  Before he could make any moves on Susice though, one of the Turn 3 tractor tires had made its way onto the track, drawing a caution.

On the restart, Susice claimed the lead again, and Lippa had snuck by Becker for third, but they got back on each other’s sides as they raced into Turn 3.

Lap 8 saw Susice hit lapped traffic, and then another caution as Chad Moden touched Wesley Hughes, going over the side of Turns 3 and 4.

The restart was single-file, and that’s how the rest of the race played out, with Susice coming home first.

The Ransomville, NY, native was a man of few words on Saturday night, saying that “it’s pretty cool” to be in Victory Lane again.

To cap off the night, the RUSH Late Models came out for their 20-lap A-Main.  Jon Rivers was on the pole, and he held that pole as they came out of the first turn.

Meanwhile, Bill Holmes was side-by-side with Ricotta all throughout the corners and back straight, but took over second coming out of 4.  He kept up the momentum and passed Rivers coming out of Turn 2, before Michael Hetzel and Jimmy Button spun in Turn 2 drawing the first caution of the race.

On the restart, Rivers re-claimed the lead, and Holmes spun in Turn 2, landing on the cusp of the track and on-ramp; he decided to not come back on the track.

Ricotta got by Grigsby coming down the back chute, and settled into position directly next to Rivers, just waiting for him to make a mistake.

Hetzel and Button caused another caution, but this now gave Ricotta a chance to slip into the lead.  Which, he didn’t do right away, but he did do coming out of Turn 1 on Lap 10.

Ricotta caught up to lapped traffic five laps later, putting some space between him and Rivers.  For the first time since August of 2024, Ricotta took home the win.

“It was tough going out there,” said the Warsaw, NY, resident in Victory Lane. “[But it was] a hell of a race.”

The Dirt Track at Genesee races again on June 13, 2026, with its normal Super Six show, plus Vintage Modifieds,