PHOTO: Shawn Nye in victory lane (Howard Boundy)
LANCASTER, N.Y. (May 18, 2024) – Past track champion Shawn Nye from Lancaster, NY won the 50-lap Sportsman Challenge for the Insinger Performance/VP Race Fuels Sportsman at Lancaster Motorplex on Saturday night. 2023 track champions Mark Hoch from West Seneca, NY and Chris Deyoe Jr from East Otto, NY brought home the checkered flags in the Monroe Extinguisher Street Stocks, and the 4 Cylinder division respectively. Dave Wollaber from North Tonawanda, NY won the Mighty TQ Midgets feature event.
Tony Carbone and Jake Vernon brought the Insinger Performance/VP Race Fuels Sportsman to the green flag for their 50-lap event, with Carbone showing the way early over Vernon, Shawn Nye, Jake Christman, and Jeff Szafraniec. Chris Pennell spun on the front stretch to bring out the caution on lap nine. Vernon would take the lead away on lap 10. Carbone would reclaim the lead on lap 11. The caution would come out on lap 14 as Brian Schulz spun in turn one. On the restart, Carbone would share the front row with Shawn Nye, as Vernon, Christman, and Tony Hanbury raced in the top five. Nye would take the lead on lap 19, after Carbone spun on his own in turn four. Nye would take over in the lead ahead of Vernon, Christman, Hanbury, and George Skora III. Carbone would work his way back up to 6th place with 10 laps remaining. Carbone would spin again with three laps to go to bring out the caution on lap 47. Nye would hold off Vernon and Christman to pick up the victory.
Gary Bartella led the opening circuits of the 25-lap feature for the Monroe Extinguisher Street Stocks, with Mark Hoch and Mike Dalfonso racing in the top three. Dalfonso would take over second from Bartella on lap seven, with Hoch starting to pull away from the field. Dalfonso would work his way to Hoch and would challenge for the lead with three laps to go. Dalfonso would do everything possible to reel in Hoch, but Hoch would hang on for his first of the season and 15th of his career. His 15th victory moved him into a tie with TJ Cochrane for fourth all-time in the division. For the second straight week, the Street Stock feature ran green to checkered. The race was run in memory of Justin Myers, who passed away earlier in the day.
Dave Wollaber and Brendan Wallace were on the front row for the Mighty TQ Midgets, with Wollaber out front. Brian Schulz would take over second, with Kyle Hutchinson and Andy Jankowiak racing in the top four. The first caution would come out on lap nine as Chad Haywood spun in turn two off the front bumper of Clayton Cain. Off the restart, Kyle Hutchinson would take over second and Andy Jankowiak would move into third place, while Wollaber was in the lead. Wollaber would go on to score the victory, the 36th of his career at Lancaster.
Andy Danielwicz and Hunter McKay led the 4 Cylinders to the green flag for their 20-lap main event, with Danielwicz showing the way. Kyle Casper would take the lead away from Danielwicz on lap four and would begin to pull away from the field. Chris Deyoe Jr passed Danielwicz to take over second on lap six. Deyoe would close in on Casper for the lead at the halfway mark and would take the lead with two laps to go. Deyoe would go on to win his second straight feature event.
Racing returns to Lancaster Motorplex on Saturday, June 1 as the Must See Sprint Cars will be making their inaugural visit to Lancaster Motorplex. Tickets are available online by clicking the “Buy Tickets” icon at www.lancastermotorplexny.com Hot laps will begin at 3:30pm, with racing beginning at 6pm. Joining the Must See Sprint Cars will be the Insinger Performance/VP Race Fuels Sportsman, Monroe Extinguisher Street Stocks, and the Rusty Diamond Cores Pro 4.
For more information, follow Lancaster Motorplex on social media and visit the website at www.lancastermotorplexny.com
RACE RESULTS – SPORTSMAN CHALLENGE 50
INSINGER PERFORMANCE/VP RACE FUELS SPORTSMAN: SHAWN NYE, Jake Vernon, Jake Christman, Tony Hanbury, George Skora III, Tony Carbone, Billy Mislin, Jeff Szafraniec, Paul Townsend, Tim Garlock, Cory Grenzy, Alyssa Leaty, John Barber, Alan Bookmiller, Brian Schulz, Andrew Nye, Daryl Lewis Jr, Mason Hanel, Chris Pennell, Tim Nies, Andy Lewis, Rich Littlefield, Andy Jankowiak
Qualifying Heats: Mason Hanel, Tony Hanbury, Shawn Nye
MONROE EXTINGUISHER STREET STOCKS: MARK HOCH, Mike Dalfonso, Dustin Novoa, Gary Bartella, Lou Carbone, David Johnson, Dan Dressel, Nathan Bryant, Kyle Schosek, Tim Welshans, Tommy Wentland, Josh Schosek, Chris Barber, Matt Friend, Mike Rogers, Bobby Blaszak, Alex Bialkowski, Jim Loffredo, Bob Palmer, Mike Piccirilli, Nik Welshans
Qualifying Heats: Kyle Schosek, Mark Hoch, Dustin Novoa
MIGHTY TQ MIDGETS: DAVE WOLLABER, Kyle Hutchinson, Andy Jankowiak, Brian Schulz, Brendan Wallace, Ronnie Flaim, Nick Groff, Carl Schroeder, Chad Haywood, Kevin Wilson, Jacob Schulz, Clayton Cain, Dave Schulz, Vinnie Christiano Jr (Did Not Start)
Qualifying Heats: Dave Wollaber, Brendan Wallace
4 CYLINDERS: CHRIS DEYOE JR, Kyle Casper, Andy Danielwicz, Hunter McKay, Mason Offhaus, Mikey Place, Ryan Hessler, Matt Heale, Tim Durfy (Did Not Start)
Qualifying Heat: Chris Deyoe Jr