Venuto Finds Victory Lane Again at Genesee
BATAVIA, NY…What a way to end the first half of the season at Genesee Speedway on Saturday night. Great side by side action in all of the divisions plus the enduro to close the program had the fans on the edge of their seats all night long. The track honored Laverne Pangrazio during the evenings Power Trip Energy Drink 6 Star Racing Program as he was inducted into the Local Racing Hall of Fame for the class of 2009. A great honor for one the well known drivers that ever drove at Genesee.
John Venuto picked up the win in Troyer Chassis DIRTcar Sportsman feature. Venuto took over the top spot on lap 4 away from Greg Mrzywka enroute to the win. Mrzywka and James Henry led the field to the start with Mrzywka grabbing the top spot at the first. Then the V Force Racing machine from Elba started his move towards the front and taking the top spot away on lap 4 from “the Juice” Mrzywka. Once out ahead of the class, Venuto opened up the lead and pulled away from the field until a late race caution bunched the field back up and setting up what would be a dual on the dirt. Venuto held off all competition in route to the win. Brian Sage finished second followed by Mrzywka, James Henry and Rob Pratt.
Jeff Bridge picked up his third win on the season in the 20 lap event for the Street Stocks. The Street Stock division puts on a great show for the fans each and every Saturday night and the action in the 20 lap feature this past Saturday night didn’t disappoint. Kyle Rupp and Mike Jackson led the field of 21 to the green flag with Jackson getting to the early advantage. The car on the move all race long was Bill Kowsky. Kowsky who started 20th worked his way up to 9th before an early race caution on lap 1. Eventual winner Jeff Bridge started the main event in 5th and took the lead away from Mike Jackson on lap 5 and drove away from the rest of the strong field in route to his 3rd win of the season. Jackson would hold on to come home second followed by Kowsky, Josh Smallidge and Dan Pries completing the top 5.
Brian Sage truly was flyin Brian as Sage picked up his first win in the 15 lap feature for the Lauterborn Electric Sprint Cars. Joe August Jr and TJ Newton led the field to green with August Jr taking the early advantage. A great move by the multi time track champion Sage grabbed the lead away from August Jr on lap 5 and led the remaining circuits to pick up the win. August Jr would finish second follwed by Newton, Ronnie Rough and John Venuto.
Dan Miller took home the victory in the 20 lap event for the 600 CC Mini Sprints. Miller who started on the outside pole led every lap in the feature. Timex Morgan shared the front row with Miller but no one had anything for the 01 machine. Morgan hang on to second followed by Todd Cummings, Kaitlin Pashina and Ethan Morgan completed the top 5.
Dan Norton picked up another win to add to his total this season in the 15 lap Mini Stock feature. Val Stephens and Joe Barclay led the field to the green flag with Stephens getting the early advantage. Bobby Dickinson took over the number one spot away from Stephens on lap 5 but the man on the move was the driver who started 6th in the event, eventual winner Dan Norton. Norton grabbed control of the top spot on lap 10 from Dickinson and never looked back enroute to the feature win. Bobby Dickinson originally crossed the line behind Norton but failing to report to post race tech costed the Batavia driver the runner up spot, now being awarded to Joe Barclay. Val Stephens who won her first career heat race earlier in the evening came home in a strong third place followed to the line by Jimmy Maier and Matt Leistman. *JUST TO NOTE THAT THE MINI STOCK RACE IS UNOFFICIAL.
Frank Moyer used lap traffic to his advantage and passing leader Matt Pfalzer on lap 35 and not looking back as he picked up the $500 to win Black Rock Speedway Big One Enduro Qualifier. With the win, Moyer will start 9th in the Big One Enduro at the Black Rock Speedway in Dundee later on this season. A total field of 34 enduro cars took to the speedway in the 50 lap affair.
Genesee Speedway will be silenced this week as the Genesee County Fair will be taking over the fairgrounds. A complete list of fair events is available online at
www.gcfair.com. The track will return for stock car competition on August 1st as Ken Barrett Chevrolet presents a 5-Star Racing program plus a Bike Giveaway and $.25 popcorn. For more information you can log on to
www.geneseespeedway.com Results: Power Trip Energy Drinks Night 7-18-09
Troyer Chassis DIRTcar Sportsman: JOHN VENUTO, Brian Sage, Greg Mrzywka, James Henry, Rob Pratt, Stubby Pangrazio, Tim Downs, Henry Maier, Nate Reynolds, Ross Vleck, Amos Andrews, Rob Richmond Jr, Chris Mangiarelle, Brandon Aridine
Heat Winners: P38 Rob Pratt and 44v John Venuto
Street Stocks: JEFF BRIDGE, Mike Jackson, Bill Kowsky, Josh Smallidge, Dan Pries, Matt Pfalzer, Jeremy Denton, John Fry, Tony Pangrazio, Kyle Rupp, Matt Hoctor, Andrew Smith, Jason Reed, Byron Dewitt III, Darrell Moyer, Gary Eddy, Dave Conant Jr, Jeb Wallworth, Julio Padilla, Steve Austin
Heat Winners: 27c Bill Kowsky and 34 Byron Dewitt III
Lauterborn Electric Sprint Cars: BRIAN SAGE, Joe August Jr, TJ Newton, Ronnie Rough, John Venuto, Mike Lauterborn, Tim Barnard
Heat Winner: 47 Joe August Jr
600 CC Mini Sprints: DAN MILLER, Timex Morgan, Todd Cummings, Kaitlin Pashina, Ethan Morgan, Eric Bovee, Keith Heater, Sonny Goodenough, Zack Morgan, Ken Wills
Heat Winners: 01 Dan Miller and 10 Todd Cummings
Mini Stocks (UNOFFICIAL RESULTS): DAN NORTON, Joe Barclay, Val Stephens, Jimmy Maier, Matt Leistman, Samantha Burch, Duane Pingrey, Chad Dickinson, Pat Powers, Ed Neal, Bobby Dickinson (DQ)
Heat Winners: 57v Val Stephens and 328 Bobby Dickinson