Apr 20, 2024 02:56 PM EDT
MATT SHEPPARD AND KARL COMFORT CLAIM LIONS SHARE OF 4TH ANNUAL MIKE JACKSON MEMORIAL CASH AT OUTLAW SPEEDWAY OPENER
Story by Kenny Shupp Jr.
(Dundee, NY) After a third straight week of unpleasant weather, Outlaw Speedy sat poised to swing the gates for their April 19, 2024 season lid lifter and what became even more demoralizing during the day when showers passed through the Central Part of the Finger Lakes Region of upstate, however late day clouds passed, clouds dispersed, temps warned up, the track was prepared, and it was show time.
The late Mike Jackson who once promoted the Black Rock Speedway prior to his premature death was an all-time great at popular Yates County Oval and now the event is named in his remembrance.
In the Jackson Memorial Sunrise Insulation/Knapp and Schlappi Lumber 602 Crate Sportsman Division which paid a hefty $1919 to win the 40-lap feature, the event drew many of the top 602 Sportsman teams in the region.
It was veteran versus youth and exuberance as Tim Guild would lead Carter Crooker to the opening green flag with fourth generation young gun, Crooker taking the early jump and leading the first trio of circuits before Guild would cruse by and take command from laps 4 through 24. However, Crooker kept Guild in his cross hair throughout the event and was able to retake command on a lap 25 pass to once again lead the charge. It was on lap thirty-six that an altercation arose between the leaders with Guild, Crooker and the third place running machine of Nick Cooper all getting collected virtually eliminating the entire lead pack and with only four laps remaining, former Outlaw Speedway Sportsman Track Champion, Karl Comfort said “Thank you very much” and cruised to the popular victory. Zach Sobotka had his share of qualifying problems and was buried deep in the twenty-four-car field at the opening green, however the former Hoosier Tire Dirtcar Outlaw Speedway Track Champion put on a brilliant drive to make it to Comfort but just ran out of time. Ageless driver, Ray Bliss began the event up front and kept the leaders well within eyesight of the victory and came home for third at the double checkered flags with Dave Rogers and 2022/2023 Outlaw Speedway Sportsman Track Champion, Chris Fisher completing the top five.
Six through ten were covered by Frank Guererri Jr., 2022/2023 Hoosier Tier Sportsman Champ, AJ Lloyd with Greg Crooker, Daryl Krebs and Mike Schane completing the top ten finishers.
For Comfort it as a huge pay day of $1919 not including any lap money or contingencies which were to be distributed.
With some last-minute leg work by track staff, an additional $2,000 was ponied into the Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modified 40 lap Jackson Memorial Feature driving the overall total to $5019. With Utica Rome Speedway adjusting their regular Friday Night schedule due to weather related matters, Super Matt loaded the potent #9 and headed to his old stomping grounds and made it pay off by taking the $5K plus paycheck.
For years, Outlaw Speedway had been Sheppard’s personal sand box winning at will, however this event was a bit different from many other trips he has claimed at Outlaw Speedways victory lane.
Ron Cartwright Jr and Matt Sheppard pulled the full twenty-four car field to the opening green and in a surprise move, Cartwright was able to get the jump and maintain a full second advantage over Super Matt for the first four circuits before Sheppard hit the go baby go button and began to drive away. Only a pair of cautions would slow the pace and keep the field bunched, however on each occurrence, Sheppard was able to hold court as a pair of heavy-footed young guys were now on the prowl as Alex Payne and Michael Maresca were methodically whittling away at the Sheppard advantage. However, their attempts fell a bit short as they had to settle for second and third respectfully. After a solid qualifying effort, Bobby Varin was able to line up sixth on the opening feature grid and advance a pair of spots to fourth while his new Team Siri Motorsports partner, AJ Slideways Alan Johnson would follow in tow to round the top five. 2023 Class Track Champion, Cory Costa began the event inside row eight and had his work cut out, but as he did so masterfully in 2023 used common sense and a pair of yellow flag slowdowns to rally for sixth. Early lap leader, Cartwright Jr. faded but still finished seventh in the high-profile division. Hometown favorite, Brady Futz qualified seventy and dropped one spot in finishing eighth. Bossman, Tyler Siri lined up outside row five on the start and advanced one spot to ninth with 2022 Class Track Champion, Ajay Potrzebowski Jr. rounding the top ten.
For Matt Sheppard it was not exactly one of his more overpowering wins as the margin of error over Alex Payne was less than three seconds with Maresca just barely trailing as both drivers continue to impress in northeast Modified racing circles.
As for Super Matt Sheppard, his incredible early 2024 season northeast performance continues to set him aside from the rest of the competition.
2023 Swarthout Recycling SS Track Champion, Shane Wolfe laid down the gauntlet that he is back to play in 2024 as he totally waxed a stellar field of the Classy Looking Street Stocks by leading every circuit in the 30 lap, nonstop A Main. Even a pair of the northeast’s top Street Stock drivers in Glen Whritenour of Jasper and Dylan Cecce of Williamsport could not even get a smell of the high-flying Wolfe as they had to duke it out for final two podium spots. Gene Sharpsteen put on yet another one of his patent hard drives to claim fourth while former Outlaw SS Champ CJ Guererri competed the top five. Six through ten went to Jared Hill, Jimmy Grant, Chris Woodard, Damion Decker and Bob Buono. The non-stop Swarthout Recycling Street Stock feature was run off without incident in just a tick over eight minutes.
In Addison, Corning, Hornell and Wellsville NAPA Sponsored Hobby Stock Action, Phelps, NY standout driver and multi time Outlaw Speedway Track Champion, Marc Minutolo put a good ole fashioned butt whipping on the field in claiming his first feature go of the new season. Minutolo began the 25-lap feature on the pole and was only contested early by invader, Kaiden Dgien. Two yellow flag slowdowns would bring the field to a crawl on laps fifteen and eighteen, however that would not deter the Clown Prince of Hobby Stock Racing as Minutolo powered away to the popular win holding off Justin Eldredge and Tyler Burnell who completed the podium.
Fourth place went to journeyman driver, Nate Peckham with Willy Easling crossing the line in fifth.
Finishing out the Super 5 Mike Jackson Memorial Card was the Winner’s Circle Deli Mini Stocks and with a full field of cars taking to the twenty-five lap feature it would be a shootout to see which driver would walk away with the top winner’s check.
Craig DeCamp was able to hold off Ray Hyer by nearly a full five seconds to claim the $1019 pay day with The Nature Boy, Mike Stone completing the podium.
Former Outlaw Speedway Track Champion, Scott Lehman nailed fourth chased across the line by Andrew Kreamer.
Jack Symonds, Jason Smart, Lee Fritz, Aaron Robionsen and Jimmy Granger completed the top ten.
Congratulations to all competitors!
OUTLAW SPEEDWAY RESULTS. 4th Annual Mike Jackson Memorial. April 19, 2024. UNOFFICIAL!
FRIENDLY CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP, RAM. MODIFIEDS.
35 Lap feature.
MATT SHEPPARD, Alex Payne Michael Maresca, Bobby Varin, Alan Johnson, Cory Costa, Ron Cartwright Jr., Brady Fultz, Tyler Siri, Ajay Potrzebowski, Jake Dgien, Kreg Crooker, Danny Johnson, Will Shields, Brian Swarthout, Zach Payne, Jim LaRock, John Phillips, Stacy Jackson, Nick Nye, Shannon Whaley, Tommy Collins Jr., Jeff Daugherty, Chuck Miller, Les McCann.
SUNRISE INSULATION INSULATION/KNAPP AND SCHLAPPI LUMBER COMPANY SPORTSMAN.
40 LAP Mike Jackson Memorial feature.
KARL COMFORT, Zach Sobotka, Ray Bliss, Dave Rogers, Chris Fisher, Frank Guererri Jr., AJ Lloyd, Greg Crooker, Daryl Krebs, Mike Schane, Brent Ayers, George Schweigart, Justin Schenck, Doug Kline, Dale Welty, Ben Feldman, Carter Crooker, Tim Guild, Nick Root, Brett Buono, Even Nugent, Timmy Borden Jr., Scott Torbitt, Collin Brown.
SWARTHOUT RECYCLING STREET STOCKS.
30 lap feature.
SHANE WOLFE, Glen Whritenour, Dylan Cecce, Gene Sharpsteen, CJ Guererri, Jared Hill, Jimmy Grant, Chris Daugherty, Damion Decker, Bob Buono.
ADDISON, CORNING, HORNELL AND WELLSVILLE NAPA HOBBY STOCKS.
25 lap feature.
MARC MINUTOLO, Justin Eldredge, Tyler Burnell, Nate Peckham, Willy Easling, Brian Lloyd, Shawn Doucette, Jeredd Dennis, Doug Batterson, Ed Stevens, Meadow Dgien, Kaiden Dgien. DNS, Bubba Burnell
WINNERS CIRCLE DELI MINI STOCKS.
25 lap feature.
CRAIG DECAMP, Ray Hyer, Mike Stone, Scott Lehman, Andres Kreamer, Jock Symonds, Jason Smart, Lee Fritz, Aaron Robionsen. Jimmy Granger, Conner Erick, Derrick Evans, Willy Easling, Gavin Hall, Tony Dickerson, Christopher Cordeau, Eric Inman, Nate Powers, Michael Norton, Kevin Greenfield, Corey Vallade, DNS Kenneth Evans.
Over 100 cars reported for early event registration.
Congratulations to all competitors. Fast 4/10 lived up to all the hype. Prefect surface.
Next week, Friday, April 26, Outlaw Speedway will take a nigh off in preparation for the upcoming Roy Silvers Memorial which will swing the gates open for the Month of May
