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Racing Discussion / Genesee Has Some Tight Point Battles!
« on: August 26, 2019, 09:58:59 AM »
The 2019 Regular Season at the Genesee Speedway has flown by and now just has one race remaining to determine who takes home the big trophies and the hefty checks in December. While a few have already been determined, a few could not be any more intense.
This Saturday, August 31, Warrior House of WNY will present Championship Night for the five weekly divisions at Genesee Speedway. Warrior House has had a special event each August and this one could be the most intense.
Two Championship battles were settled this past Saturday as the two winningest drivers at the track in 2019, Josh Pangrazio (Street Stocks) and Allison Dewitt (Bandits), left the 1/3-mile with a point lead big enough to lock up their respective titles. For Pangrazio, it is his second track title, with his first coming back in 2014. It is the first championship for Dewitt to keep the Bandit Crown within her team and family for the last three seasons.
Kyle Inman leads the Sportsman standings by a solid 26 points, but still has to do work on Saturday to capture his fourth straight Genesee crown. Saturday’s winner Cam Tuttle is second in the standings with Jim Harbison just a point back of him. Even if one of those drivers were to win though, it would take a rash of bad luck for Inman to not repeat.
Things are far more interesting in the Late Model division. Two-time-and-defending titleholder JJ Mazur holds a narrow 6-point margin over Bill Holmes with one race remaining. It came down-to-the-wire with this duo last year and Holmes is hoping it will be his turn this Saturday. Doug Ricotta is also within reach of the championship, but will need some strong luck along the way.
No championship race could be any closer than the Mini Stocks division where Ashley Blech and Cole Susice are knotted up at 399 points. Susice had held a solid point lead over the second half of the year but after mechanical issues popped up in the feature on Saturday Night, it allowed Blech to tie things up heading in to the final race. It was also problems in the penultimate race in 2018 that hurt Susice in his pursuit of his first Genesee Championship, as he came up three points short. Even though 10 different drivers have won in the 4-cylinder division in just 15 races, Blech is one of them who has yet to score an official feature victory. The driver of the No. 6 has been able to notch a division-high seven heat wins though to help her build up points, along with 13-straight top-7 finishes. Without question, one Ransomville resident will grab their first Genesee Championship.
Plenty of other point races are shaping up to be worth watching on Saturday, including two-time winners in 2019 Dave DuBois and Jimmy Johnson going for fourth in the Late Model points. DuBois leads Johnson by just one marker. As mentioned earlier, Cameron Tuttle is just one point up on Jim Harbison for second in the Sportsman standings. Also in the Sportsman, Zach George looks to hang on to a top-five spot in the standings, but is just two points in front of AJ Custodi. Lastly, a unique battle for third in the Street Stocks is in place with Shawn Hazlitt six points up on Tom Baker and 10 up on Dennis Cummings despite none of the three gaining points this past Saturday.
Racing action kicks off at 6:00 on Saturday for the final regular season race. Remember that when the final checkered flags fall this Saturday, the attention will shift to the 3rd Annual Topless Crate Nationals Weekend Saturday and Sunday September 14-15. These shows will have afternoon start times and big money on the line. For more information, visit www.Genesee-Speedway.com.
This Saturday, August 31, Warrior House of WNY will present Championship Night for the five weekly divisions at Genesee Speedway. Warrior House has had a special event each August and this one could be the most intense.
Two Championship battles were settled this past Saturday as the two winningest drivers at the track in 2019, Josh Pangrazio (Street Stocks) and Allison Dewitt (Bandits), left the 1/3-mile with a point lead big enough to lock up their respective titles. For Pangrazio, it is his second track title, with his first coming back in 2014. It is the first championship for Dewitt to keep the Bandit Crown within her team and family for the last three seasons.
Kyle Inman leads the Sportsman standings by a solid 26 points, but still has to do work on Saturday to capture his fourth straight Genesee crown. Saturday’s winner Cam Tuttle is second in the standings with Jim Harbison just a point back of him. Even if one of those drivers were to win though, it would take a rash of bad luck for Inman to not repeat.
Things are far more interesting in the Late Model division. Two-time-and-defending titleholder JJ Mazur holds a narrow 6-point margin over Bill Holmes with one race remaining. It came down-to-the-wire with this duo last year and Holmes is hoping it will be his turn this Saturday. Doug Ricotta is also within reach of the championship, but will need some strong luck along the way.
No championship race could be any closer than the Mini Stocks division where Ashley Blech and Cole Susice are knotted up at 399 points. Susice had held a solid point lead over the second half of the year but after mechanical issues popped up in the feature on Saturday Night, it allowed Blech to tie things up heading in to the final race. It was also problems in the penultimate race in 2018 that hurt Susice in his pursuit of his first Genesee Championship, as he came up three points short. Even though 10 different drivers have won in the 4-cylinder division in just 15 races, Blech is one of them who has yet to score an official feature victory. The driver of the No. 6 has been able to notch a division-high seven heat wins though to help her build up points, along with 13-straight top-7 finishes. Without question, one Ransomville resident will grab their first Genesee Championship.
Plenty of other point races are shaping up to be worth watching on Saturday, including two-time winners in 2019 Dave DuBois and Jimmy Johnson going for fourth in the Late Model points. DuBois leads Johnson by just one marker. As mentioned earlier, Cameron Tuttle is just one point up on Jim Harbison for second in the Sportsman standings. Also in the Sportsman, Zach George looks to hang on to a top-five spot in the standings, but is just two points in front of AJ Custodi. Lastly, a unique battle for third in the Street Stocks is in place with Shawn Hazlitt six points up on Tom Baker and 10 up on Dennis Cummings despite none of the three gaining points this past Saturday.
Racing action kicks off at 6:00 on Saturday for the final regular season race. Remember that when the final checkered flags fall this Saturday, the attention will shift to the 3rd Annual Topless Crate Nationals Weekend Saturday and Sunday September 14-15. These shows will have afternoon start times and big money on the line. For more information, visit www.Genesee-Speedway.com.