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Dustin Novoa, Jacob Gustafson, and David Brunka Score Sunday Wins
Howard Boundy Photo
LANCASTER, N.Y. (September 20, 2026) – Jake Lutz from Hamburg, NY won the 38th US Open for the Tour-Type Modifieds at Lancaster Motorplex on Sunday afternoon. It was Lutz’s second win in the event in the past three years. Jacob Gustafson from Webster, NY won the Late Model main event. Dustin Novoa from Springville, NY won the BRK Memorial for the Street Stocks. Jacob Gustafson from Webster, NY won his first career Late Model feature win. David Brunka from Cheektowaga, NY won the Rusty Diamond Cores Pro 4 feature.
George Skora III and Andy Jankowiak were on the front row for the Modified feature, with Jankowiak taking the lead, with Jake Lutz moving into second, Lutz would take the lead on lap two. Skora would reclaim second from Jankowiak on lap four and would apply the pressure to Lutz for the lead. Trevor Catalano would close in on the leaders on lap 13, as they would pull away from Jankowiak and Timmy Catalano. Timmy Catalano would pass Jankowiak to move into four place, as the field settled into their green flag run. Timmy would move up to third on lap 28 after passing brother Trevor, with Andy Jankowiak running in fifth place. Jankowiak would pass Trevor Catalano to move into fourth on lap 30. Jankowiak would reel in Timmy Catalano for third place with ten to go, just as Tyler Catalano moved into the top five. The caution would come out for debris on lap 48, setting up a 2-lap shootout. Lutz would hold off Timmy Catalano and Andy Jankowiak to score his second US Open win.
Nik Welshans and Mark Hoch led the field of Street Stocks to the green flag for the BRK Memorial, with Welshans showing the way over Hoch, Dustin Novoa, Tim Garlock, and Troyer Catalano racing in the top five. Hoch would take the lead away on lap three, with Novoa applying the pressure to Welshans for second place. The caution would come out on lap seven as Rich Sharpe spun on the back straightaway after contact from Josh Schosek. Sharpe would rejoin the field after a pit visit. The restart would see Hoch in the lead ahead of Dustin Novoa, with Dan Dressel battling with Welshans for third place. Dustin Novoa would take the lead away on lap 13. Troyer Catalano would enter the top five and on lap 15, would pass Tim Garlock to race his way to fourth place. The lead duo of Novoa and Hoch would pull away from the field, as Tim Garlock raced his way up to third on lap 20. After multiple cautions bunched the field up over the final ten laps, Novoa would go on to win his third straight US Open win.
Danny Knoll Jr and Jacob Gustafson shared the front row for the Late Model feature, with Knoll in the lead ahead of Gustafson, Scott Wylie, Dave Heitzhaus, and Sam Fullone. Bobby Weber entered the top five on lap two after passing Fullone, with Jeff Brown battling with Fullone for sixth. Wylie would pass Gustafson for second place on lap four and would go after race leader Danny Knoll Jr. Gustafson would reclaim second from Wylie on lap ten and would go after race leader Knoll. Gustafson would muscle his way to the lead on lap 15. Heitzhaus would methodically move up through the field and would take over second on lap 25. Gustafson would drive away to score his first US Open win, and first career Late Model win at Lancaster.
Connor Kurdziel and Patsy Catalano brought the field of Rusty Diamond Cores Pro 4’s to the green flag for their US Open event, with Catalano taking the lead. Andrew Cook would battle with Kurdziel for second, with Russ Bulger, John Byrd, and Mason Russo battling for fourth place. Bulger would take second away on lap three, just as David Brunka would enter the top five. Catalano would continue to lead Bulger, Russo, Brunka, and Cook. Brunka would take third away on lap five and would close in on the lead duo. Brunka would continue to move up through the field as he moved into second prior to the race’s halfway mark. Brunka would take the lead away on lap 18 and would lead the final seven laps to pick up the win.
The US Open concluded the 2026 Stock Car season at Lancaster Motorplex. The complex will still be hosting IHRA sanctioned drag racing and weekly grudge drags and cruise nights going into October.
For more information, follow Lancaster Motorplex on social media and visit the website at www.lancastermotorplexny.
RACE RESULTS:
MODIFIEDS: JAKE LUTZ, Timmy Catalano, Andy Jankowiak, Tyler Catalano, George Skora III, Trevor Catalano, Amy Catalano, Matt Alix, AJ Emms, John Barber
Qualifying Heats: Trevor Catalano, Timmy Catalano
STREET STOCKS: DUSTIN NOVOA, Mark Hoch, Tim Garlock, Tucker Welshans, Dan Dressel, Nik Welshans, Rich Sharpe, Mike Dalfonso, Kyle Schosek, Ryan Hessler, Troyer Catalano, Tommy Wentland, Marty Kling, Hunter McKay, Gary Bartella, Alex Bialkowski, Jeremy Hinman, Max Northem, JW Flagler, Rick Meyers, Jimmy Dunkleman III, Donnie Aquino, Josh Schosek, Nathan Bryant
Qualifying Heats: Nik Welshans, Troyer Catalano, Donnie Aquino
LATE MODELS: JACOB GUSTAFSON, Dave Heitzhaus, Scott Wylie, Jeff Brown, Danny Knoll Jr, Bob Weber, Sam Fullone, Bill Catania, Jr Peters, Joe Mancuso, Ron Richter
Qualifying Heats: Scott Wylie, Jacob Gustafson
RUSTY DIAMOND CORES PRO 4’S: DAVID BRUNKA, Patsy Catalano IV, Jeff Szafraniec, Andrew Cook, Chris Deyoe Jr, Wyatt Hannon, Connor Kurdziel, Ryan Hessler, Chase Metz, Chris Skobjak, Marty Hughes, Dan Murray, Russ Bulger Jr, Bob Palmer, Mason Russo, Eric Black, John Byrd, Tommy Hughes, Eric Szychowski, Kyle Smith
Qualifying Heats: David Brunka, Eric Black
