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WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ Modified stock car driver Ricky Collins and Sportsman driver Neil Rutt III have each experienced their share of sorrow in recent months. Collins lost his father, mentor and car-owner Rick Collins to natural cause last off-season, while Rutt lost his mentor and car-owner Chris Kilbride to a household accident a few month ago. Obviously, both were very emotional after winning feature races at Wall Stadium Speedway Saturday night.
In the Modified 40-lapper, Collins was in the thick of the lead battle from the start as he tussled with Jackson’s Blake Barney, Brick’s Eddie McCarthy, Jackson’s Steve Reed and point race leader Andrew Krause of Holmdel. As the race wore on Krause was able to slip into second between Barney and Collins, before Barney and Krause tangled on the backstretch with Krause and Reed slamming the third turn rail as a result.
Collins and Barney were side-by-side on the restart before Barney’s car slipped a bit and Collins throttled into the lead. Collins then stretched an advantage to the finish as Tyler Truex of Little Egg Harbor advanced to second. Barney, Ron Frees of Lanoka Harbor and McCarthy wrapped up the top five.
“I know my dad is looking down on this right now and I hope he is proud,” the Willow Grove, Pa. resident said in the winner’s circle. “He was my best friend. This win is a dream come true, but I wish he were here with the team.”
In the Sportsman 25-lapper, Rutt wasted little time in charging into contention. By lap 18 the Edison racer charged to the front while early leader Jeffrey Loesch of Neptune was spinning. Rutt then fought off former champ Kevin Davison of Howell for the win. Brothers Carsten and Jarret DiGiantomasso, both of Jackson, were third and fourth, while Manahawkin’s Jake Nelke was fifth.
“Chris Kilbride gave me the chance I needed to drive an Sportsman stock car,” Rutt said through tears. “We worked together every evening in the shop and grew very close. I miss him so much. We all want to thank the Kilbride family for giving us this chance to race on in Chris’ memory.”
The Sportsman cars ran a second 25-lapper lapper, rain postponed from June 19, and Davison was the winner in this one taking the lead with an outside lane pass on lap 15. Point leader Carsten DiGiantomasso was second in this one, followed by Howell’s Ryan Fisher, Jarret DiGiantomasso and Larry Thompson of Parlin.
Mike Lavery of Orangeburg, N.Y. took the lead on lap 2 and raced on to win the 25-lap feature for the Fast 4 Cars. Ian Ashford of Farmingdale, point leader Alonzo Morales of Burlington, Wall’s Alex Greatz and Richard Smith of Brick wrapped up the top five.
Howie Conk of Howell won a rain postponed 25-lap Limited Late Model feature race over Manchester’s Shannon Mongeau, Ray Minieri of Miller Place, N.Y., Bayville’s Mike Tillett and Rick Giannino of Bayshore, N.Y. Rutt then came back to win the regularly scheduled nightcap over Conk, Tillett, Jackson’s Greg Gastelu and Andy Gamble.
The 2021 Saturday night regular season continues this Saturday (Sept. 25) evening. Modifieds, Sportsman cars, Fast 4 cars, Factory Stocks and TQ Midgets will all compete. Grandstands will open at 4:00 p.m., qualifying starts at 5:00 p.m. and main event action starts at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday night racing action will continue through October 9’s Cliff Krause Memorial with schedule details available at wallspeedwayracing.com.
Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway hotline number is 732-681-6400 and email address is ckmotorsports@aol.com.
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RACE RESULTS
MODIFIED FEATURE – 40 Laps – 1. RICKY COLLINS, WILLOW GROVE, PA., 2. Tyler Truex, 3. Blake Barney, 4. Ron Frees, 5. Eddie McCarthy, 6. Tommy Martino, Jr., 7. Dom Fattaruso, 8. Jason Hearne, 9. Steven Reed, 10. Shaun Carrig, 11. Jake Nelke, 12. Chris Reynolds, 13. Andrew Krause, 14. Marc Rogers, 15. Tom Catanzaro
SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. KEVIN DAVISON, HOWELL, 2. Carsten DiGiantomasso, 3. Ryan Fisher, 4. Jarret DiGiantomasso, 5. Larry Thompson, 6. Neil Rutt III, 7. Jake Nelke, 8. Chris Silvestri, 9. Jeffrey Loesch, 10. Jimmy Wolcott, 11. Darren Cox, 12. Teddy Cranmer, 13. Kenny Reaves, 14. Dave Bailey, 15. Jimmy Stanger
SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. NEIL RUTT III, EDISON, 2. Davison, 3. Carsten DiGiantomasso, 4. Jarret DiGiantomasso, 5. Nelke, 6. Reaves, 7. Larry Thompson, 8. Cranmer, 9. Silvestri, 10. Fisher, 11. Loesch, 12. Wolcott, 13. Bailey, 14. Stanger, 15. Cox
FAST 4 FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. MIKE LAVERY, ORANGEBURG, N.Y., 2. Ian Ashford, 3. Alonzo Morales, 4. Alex Greatz, 5. Richard Smith, 6. James Hall, 7. Deanna McLaren, 8. Nicole Razzano, 9. Nick Kilmer, 10. Ryan Maher, 11. Bill Pross, 12. Cody Critelli
LIMITED LATE MODEL FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. HOWIE CONK, HOWELL, 2. Shanon Mongeau, 3. Ray Minieri, 4. Mike Tillett, 5. Rick Giannino, 6. Greg Gastelu, 7. Andy Gamble, 8. Shawn Patrick
LIMITED LATE MODEL FEATURE – 25 Laps – 1. NEIL RUTT III, EDISON, 2. Conk, 3. Tillett, 4. Gastelu, 5. Gamble, 6. Giannino, 7. Minieri
