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By: Steven Petty
LANCASTER, NY (September 10, 2022) … George Skora III from Eden, NY was victorious in the Sportsman US Open at Lancaster Motorplex Saturday night. Eric Brown from Holland, NY won the Super Stock main event, for his first US Open victory. Jonathan Reid from Lockport, NY won his fourth US Open for the Mighty TQ Midgets. Chris Deyoe Jr from East Otto, NY won the 4 Cylinder feature for his first career Lancaster victory.
Scott Wylie and Tony Carbone brought the Sportsman to the green flag for their 50-lap feature event, with Wylie into the lead. Jay Withey would bring out the caution, setting up an original restart. Wylie would take the lead on the restart, ahead of Shawn Nye, Carbone, and Timmy Catalano. Nye would apply pressure on Wylie for the lead early on. Andy Jankowiak would work his way through the field early on as he battled with Jake Lutz, just as 2022 track champion George Skora III moved into third place. Off a lap four restart, Wylie would take the lead, ahead of Nye, Skora, Timmy Catalano, and Andy Jankowiak. Keith Youngs spun in turn three to bring out the caution on lap nine, just as Skora would take the lead away from Wylie. Nye would apply the pressure on Wylie for second as Skora kept the lead. Andy Jankowiak would move into third place, as he continued his march towards the front of the field. Skora and Nye would battle for the lead, as Jankowiak reeled in the lead duo. Off a lap 15 restart, Skora, Jankowiak, Nye, Jake Lutz, and Bobby Hanel raced in fifth place. Jankowiak would battle with Skora for the lead off a lap 19 restart, a multi-car pileup occurred in turn four, involving Joe Evans, Trevor Catalano, Bill Mislin, and Mark Pennell. Pennell and Mislin were able to continue racing. The red flag would come out on lap 22 as Keith Youngs and Tom MacLeod got hooked together and went into the turn-one Thermal Foam. Both drivers climbed out of their cars under their own power. On the restart, Skora, Jankowiak, Nye, and Lutz would pull away from Timmy Catalano. Lutz would take over third on lap 27, as Skora and Jankowiak pulled away from the field. Jankowiak would challenge Skora by using the outside groove of the speedway, but Skora was able to maintain the lead. Bill Mislin slowed on the front straightaway to bring out the caution on lap 32. Skora had a car-length lead over Jankowiak following the restart, but Jankowiak would reel Skora back in and would challenge for the lead. The lead duo would start to pull away from Lutz in the late going. Following a lap 42 caution, the lead trio would pull away from the field. Skora would hold off Jankowiak and Lutz to score his second US Open victory, and first in the Sportsman division.
Eric Brown and Matt Druar were on the front row for the 35-lap Super Stock feature, with Druar taking the lead. Tommy Krawczyk would take over the lead on lap 14, with Druar now giving chase. Jake Wylie would take over third place, with Eric Brown, and Jacob Gustafson racing in the top five. Krawczyk and Druar would battle for much of the second half of the race. Druar got underneath Krawczyk down the back straightaway with both spinning in turn four to bring out the caution on lap 31. On the restart, Jake Wylie spun in turn two and collected Mancuso, amongst others. The restart would see Eric Brown taking the lead and Brown would go on to score the win, over Gustafson, and Josh Hunter.
Mark Schulz and Erik Musto brought the Mighty TQ Midgets to the green flag for their 20-lap feature event, with Schulz showing the way. Nick Groff raced in third and was followed by Ronnie Flaim and Kyle Hutchinson. Hutchinson would take over fourth from Flaim and would go after his teammate Groff on lap four. Vinnie Christiano Jr spun on the back straightaway to bring out the caution on lap four. The restart would see Schulz in the lead with Groff taking over second place from Musto. Hutchinson would take over third place from Musto at the race’s halfway mark, and both Groff and Hutchinson would challenge race leader Mark Schulz. The teammates would bump in turn one, allowing Musto to regain the runner-up position. Musto would spin exiting turn two to bring out the caution on lap 14. The restart would see Jonathan Reid and Dave Wollaber work their way into the top two, with Reid taking over the lead. Reid would hold off Wollaber and Flaim to score the feature win, his fourth career US Open win, and ninth career win at Lancaster.
Kevin Bainbridge and Jason Anasiewicz were on the front row for the 4 Cylinder feature event, with Bainbridge jumping into the lead. Chris Deyoe Jr battled with Anasiewicz for second place and would gain the position on lap three. Deyoe would then challenge Bainbridge for the lead. The first yellow flag of the event would come out on lap six, as Charles Palmer and Anasiewicz got together in turn one. On the restart, Deyoe and Bainbridge would battle for the lead, with Jonathan Klamut racing in third place. Chris Deyoe Jr would take over the lead at the race’s halfway mark. Deyoe would pull away from the field as Klamut, Crosta, Hessler, and Josh Schosek raced in the top five. A late-race caution would bunch the field back up, setting up a three-lap shootout to decide the winner. Deyoe would hold off Klamut, and Jacob Crosta to score his first US Open.
The gates will swing open on Sunday morning at 9:30 am for the pits, 11:00 am in the grandstands, and racing will get underway at 1:00 pm. Racing will feature the Race of Champions Modified Series, SBS Championship Series for Small Block Super Modifieds, Late Models, and the Frank Batista Sr 37 for the Street Stocks.
Please stay up to date on all things Lancaster, by checking out our Facebook and Twitter page and the all-new website, at www.lancastermotorplexny.com
RACE RESULTS – 9-10-22 – 34th US OPEN WEEKEND – SATURDAY PORTION
Sportsman: GEORGE SKORA III, Andy Jankowiak, Jake Lutz, Shawn Nye, Timmy Catalano, Tony Hanbury, Jimmy Zacharias, Bobby Hanel, Tony Carbone, John Barber, Scott Wylie, Andrew Nye, Bob Weber, Bill Mislin, Kevin Youngs, Chase Williams, Jay Withey, Mark Pennell, Keith Youngs, Tom MacLeod, Dave Kozlowski, Paul Flye, Trevor Catalano, Joe Evans, John Wilber, Neal Dietz Jr
Qualifying Heats: Timmy Catalano, Trevor Catalano, Jake Lutz
Super Stocks: ERIC BROWN, Jacob Gustafson, Josh Hunter, Jake Wylie, Jason Dieter, Paul Godby, Tommy Krawczyk, Jeff Whalen, Matt Druar, Joe Mancuso, Russ Bulger Jr, Charles Palmer
Qualifying Heats: Joe Mancuso, Matt Druar
Mighty TQ Midgets: JONATHAN REID, Dave Wollaber, Ronnie Flaim, Mark Schulz, Brian Schulz, Vinnie Christiano III, Brendan Wallace, Nick Groff, Dave Schulz, Vinnie Christiano Jr, Erik Musto, Kyle Hutchinson, Carl Schroeder, Kevin Wilson, Chester Haywood, Adam Brown
Qualifying Heats: Erik Musto, Mark Schulz
4 Cylinders: CHRIS DEYOE JR, Jonathan Klamut, Jacob Crosta, Russ Bulger Sr, Josh Schosek, Hunter McKay, Ryan Hessler, Dave Evans, Wyatt Hannon, Ryan Lent, Jake Magram, Kevin Bainbridge, Charles Palmer, Jason Anasiewicz, Mark Annis
Qualifying Heats: Chris Deyoe Jr, Charles Palmer
