By Tom Skibinski
CANANDAIGUA, NY –Age showed no bias in the latest ‘Saturday Spectacular’ at Land Of Legends Raceway with 67-year veteran Pat Ward capturing the Pepsi Big-Block Modified main while 13 year-old Chase Spoor took top honors in the Maguire Ford of Canandaigua New Legends Sportsman finale.
In between, 58 year-old LOLR lifer Darryl Ruggles out-dueled Dillon Paddock for the thrilling MighTea Boba 305 Sprint Car victory and talented 22 year-old Tyler Corcoran made a stunning final lap pass to claim the Stirling Lubricants Sportsman sequel. Already with 67 trophies on his mantle at 32, full-fender favorite Marc Minutolo added a career first by collecting the winner’s check in both the Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling Street Stock and Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stock features.
Shining just as bright on Regional Truck & Trailer, Busch Light and A-Verdi Storage Containers Nite as beneficiary of the weekly 50/50 drawing, the Humane Society of Yates County was rewarded with its own share of winnings, part of the evening festivities at the Ontario Co. Fairgrounds.
After losing three of the initial five programs due to inclement weather, a superb track greeted 100 entries in six classes of competition. With Saturday’s show the only one so far not to have rain in the forecast at some point in the week, head track prep man Rich Yahn and chief consultant Jamie Friesen went to work providing the best racing surface of the early season.
Ward took full advantage of the conditions, as well as the handicapping format that went into affect for the first time, leading all 30 laps to score a narrow victory in front of an appreciative crowd.
“Unbelievable, what a year we’re having with these Bicknell cars, we got them going good” beamed Ward, following his ninth career Big-Block win in Canandaigua. “Had motor trouble last time here but starting from the pole sure helped out.”
The ‘Genoa Giant’ opened up a commanding lead from the drop of head flagman Scott Hixson’s green flag and with 10 laps complete held a seemingly comfortable advantage over his closest challengers. Yet by the halfway mark defending track champion Justin Haers moved in to contend along with Peter Britten and Matt Sheppard while James Sweeting filled out the front-five spots.
After starting 11th in the field, two-time feature winner Alex Payne grabbed sixth on lap 23 while Sheppard improved to third the next time around. After contact with Payne, Sweeting’s mount came to a stop facing the wrong way in turn one to slow action for the first time and Sheppard overtook Haers for second on the ensuing lap 26 restart.
Yet that was as high as ‘Super Matt’ could get as Ward steered his Finger Lakes-powered #42P Beyea Custom Headers-Bicknell Racing Products/Bicknell entry to the popular victory worth $2,000. Britten, hard-charging Mat Williamson and Haers rounded out the top-5 while Payne lost ground sliding high off the track in the late stages to finish eighth on the final scoresheet.
“I looked on the (lap) counter and saw who was behind me and thought ‘well, if I’m not going good they’re going to blow me away’ so I must’ve been going alright,” down-played Ward, who logged his first win at the fairgrounds in 1998. “This motor here I’ve run a bunch and always gone to the front. Last time I was here I beat Tim Fuller so Doug Holmes (engine builder) he just put some lifters and valve springs in it and said you’ll be alright.”
“I would drive in (turn 2) straight and hit that brown up there and it was good. Down here (turns 3 & 4) we were kinda floating around but we were good enough,” added Ward, who earned the $100 Prouty’s Bar Bonus after Payne’s win streak ended.
While Ward led the entire 15-mile Modified main, in complete contrast Corcoran only moved to the point exiting the final corner on the last lap to secure a dramatic victory. It was fitting redemption for the Central Square chauffeur as just two weeks earlier he lost the lead to Kevin Ridley with one to go in another 25-lap nail-biter.
“I still thought we had another lap, good thing I hit the bottom of turns three and four good that last lap,” divulged Corcoran, after edging still winless Sam Hoxie for the improbable victory. “I’m almost in tears, this is just amazing after giving one away last time I was here. Its pretty awesome to get one right back.”
“Man, this track was unbelievable, I could go anywhere. I think Sam got a little nervous in lap traffic at the end. I really had no idea that I was even gonna have a chance (to win), what a God dang race car this thing was,” remarked Corcoran, whose fifth career LOLR win vaulted him atop the early season point standings.
Filing in 14th on the starting grid, Corcoran wasted little time charging forward aboard his no. 64 Power Seal Driveway Sealing-Dirt Track Digest/Bicknell ride. Pole-sitter Kasey Coffey paced the scheduled 24-car field before all-time LOLR Sportsman winner Paul Guererri flew by on the high side with seven laps complete. Hoxie then nosed ahead halfway through for what appeared to be the final lead change.
Yet as the laps clicked off traffic thickened, bunching the front-runners leaving no clear-cut lane to advance. Corcoran improved to third with a handful of laps to go then disposed of runner-up Coffey on lap 23. When Hoxie slid up among lapped cars entering turn four on the last lap, Corcoran quickly filled the gap low and held on for the 0.229-sec. finish.
“I found the bottom in (turns) three and four,” Corcoran noted post-race. “Everybody was running the top and I said I gotta try something. It was an awful long way around the top and I just hit the bottom in three and four really good.”
Hard-luck Hoxie settled for second-place ahead of Coffey, James Henry and Nick Root, followed by the Guererri gang of Matt, Paul and Frank Jr.
With fans still catching their breath after Sportsman cars cleared the track, the winged machines would not be out-done in their own 305 Sprint A-Main. And in this 20-lap show-stopper, near race-long leaders Ruggles and Paddock produced not one but two lead changes between turns three and four on the final circuit.
“Heard somebody back there and looked at the (leader) board, (Paddock) was fast all night,” remarked Ruggles, after LOLR’s all-time sprint car win leader etched career win #48 in his no. 48jr Stirling Lubricants-Champion Oil-Ruggles World of Autobody/Eagle. “I was way too tight, my car pushed like a dump truck.”
“Just knew if I could hit my mark down there and try to roll through the corner I was okay. He did a couple of those World of Outlaws sliders on me. You can do a slider but you gotta have something to get a hold of on the other side. When he slid up to the top I seen him coming and had already put myself in position. And I knew it was coming again (last lap).”
Former LOLR Sportsman winner turned sprinter in 2024 alongside teammate James Layton, Lance Dusett jumped out early from his front row starting assignment. The original 23-car feature field was reduced to 20, which included absentee Steve Glover, after the Ontario NY ace hopped a wheel in his qualifying heat then slammed the turn four outside cement retaining wall. Glover suffered a concussion and multiple broken bones from the impact and was released from Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester on Sunday morning to begin the road to recovery from home.
Sydney Wetherbee looped her mount in turn four in front of the leaders to require the first yellow flag of the race and tighten the pack. The ensuing lap seven restart was just what Ruggles needed as the Hopewell hotshot charged into the lead followed just as quickly by his row four starting partner Paddock.
Ruggles and Paddock pulled away from there, exchanging the lead for the first time on lap 12 before Tori Kaplin stopped exiting turn two to incur the second and final caution period. Back under green, opening day feature winner Bobby Parrow joined the fray with a handful of laps to go, but over the final half-mile could only watch as the lead pair put on a performance to remember.
Paddock never lifted diving low through turn three while Ruggles never flinched as the duo rounded the final corners. With the checkers beginning to unfurl just a couple hundred yards away, Paddock slid high into turn four and Ruggles rebounded underneath enroute to making his first win of ’24 a most memorable one. Parrow crossed the line third followed by Johnny Kolosek and Dusett.
“I tried to run the bottom and block him early but I said I gotta quit racing his race, gotta run my own race,” stated Ruggles, who notched his first victory since losing sight in his right eye after a work-related sandblasting gun explosion in December of ’22. “And he did what he did.”
“We’re close, still feel like I got some work to do on the car. But the big thing is you’ve got to get comfortable. Haven’t been all year and tonight I was,” added Ruggles, the seven-time LOLR track champ, his first title garnered in 2013.
The first feature of the night was a quick one as Minutolo led flag-to-flag in the non-stop Street Stock final, outlasting defending points champion and current leader Jimmy Grant in the 20-lap headliner.
“Can’t even believe how good the car was,” exclaimed Minutolo, following his 11th division win which earned him a $100 Prouty’s Bar Bonus for besting Grant, who won the season’s first two shows. “Was trying not to watch the leader board but damn its so hard, its so beautiful and lit up! Really didin’t want to see that #36 car (Grant) in second, just knew I had to keep hitting my marks.”
While Minutolo ran uncontested up front the battle behind attracted the most attention. Seventh-starting Grant diced with C.J. Guererri until grabbing third on lap six, then secured second after ducking under Chris Woodard two laps later. By then it was too late as the #25B Honeoye Auto Parts-Real Estate By Jenn-Big Mike’s Auto Chevrolet Camaro was nearly a straightaway ahead and never looking back.
Following Grant to the stripe were Woodard, Guererri and all-time Canandaigua stock car feature race winner Mike Welch.
“Lapped cars were consistent the first time around but the second time not so much,” figured Minutolo, the second-generation standout from Newark. “So I thought last lap, here we go again, this is where I kicked in the nuts. But luckily we didn’t. Can’t believe I’m here (victory lane) again in a street stock, such a hard division. Tonight I’m a pole-starter hero but I don’t give a sh–, I’ll take it.”
Minutolo’s full-fender opposition left the track feeling black & blue on Saturday; the first victory coming in his blue car before closing the deal with win number two on the night wheeling his black #25B Honeoye Auto-Real Estate By Jenn-Tradition Automotive Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
“Never swept here before, its a pretty special deal,” stated now 58-time Hobby Stock winner Minutolo, whose customary roof dance provided a partner on this occasion — a broom. “First race helped me a ton kinda knowing what to do. Whatever the outcome, I’ve got a lot of good people behind me that never go away.”
Brighton Grant bolted ahead at the start with Minutolo seemingly mired in ninth to begin the 15-lap finale. While Nate Peckham and Justin Eldredge traded paint from the onset, Minutolo carved his way forward with no regret. Following a lap five caution for a spinning Isaiah Murphy in his LOLR debut, Minutolo forged the final lead change on the restart leaving only second-place honors up for grabs.
A final caution with one lap to go did little to affect the outcome as Minutolo held off Eldredge by a couple car-lengths despite turn one contact on the last circuit. Peckham, Daniel Kerrick and Grant rounded out the top-five under the checkers.
“Knew (Eldredge) was gonna be fast, gonna be a factor,” added Minutolo, the reigning LOLR Hobby points king. “I screwed up going into turn one, I don’t fault him at all for jacking me, it was my fault. Just lucky I was able to hold him off, he’s a tough competitor.”
The Legends Sportsman nightcap was all Spoor as the Middlesex youth led all 12 laps to record his first feature race win in the open-wheel novice class.
“Was hoping (win) would be at some point this season,” said Spoor, who spent previous years moving up the ladder competing in go-cart and slingshot classes. His father Mark owns the No. 14J ride of Big-Block star Alan Johnson, with the numbers reversed on Chase’s #41S Rushco Gas Company-Friendly Ford-Cargill-Conley Farms/Bicknell entry to pay homage.
“Had some small stuff to work out. Once we got that done (car) seemed pretty good. Didn’t miss the bottom (lane) tonight, that made the difference,” Spoor added.
LEGEND LEDGER
The second month of motorsports continues June 8 with Wilbert’s Premium Auto Parts backing the six-division ‘Saturday Spectacular.’ Pepsi Big-Block Modified, Stirling Lubricants Sportsman, MighTea Boba 305 Sprint Car, Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling Street Stock, Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stock and Maguire Ford of Canandaigua New Legends Sportsman divisions highlight the show with the first qualifier going green at 6:30pm. Pit gates open at 3:30pm, spectators gain entrance at 5 o’clock and hot laps start at 5:30 on the fast fairgrounds half-miler.
SKIDMARKS
Spearheaded by award-winning executive producer Art Rorick, the talented LOLR TV broadcast team boasting production assistants Makenna Hansen & C.J. Miller, graphics coordinator Mark Rore, camera operators Mike Yawney, Jim & Michelle Mullen, and veteran voices Steve Ovens (PA announcer) and Doug Elkins (pit reporter) is once again on-site to provide LIVE video coverage of every event through Land of Legends TV, with LIVE streaming continuing to be offered FREE in 2024. On-line registration athttps://landoflegendstv.comfor a free account is the only step to take.
Also available for download is the LOLR mobile app found at Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/
App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/
In addition to LOLR’s weekly racing being simulcast on Land of Legends Raceway TV, each show will also be broadcast live on DIRTVision and highlighted by the mighty DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds. To watch, sign up for an annual Platinum FAST PASS with DIRTVision and experience every event either online or through the DIRTVision App.
2024 TICKET BUNDLES & PIT PASS SPECIALS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
General Admission Ticket and Pit Pass bundles continue to be offered to LOLR fans and race teams while providing a great opportunity to save money in the process. G.A. packs of 20 ($220) or 50 ($475) and Pit bundles of 20 ($700) or 50 ($1,700) must be pre-ordered to be used during the upcoming season.
Regular weekly G.A. ticket prices stay set at $15 Adults and $13 Seniors while Kids 16 yrs. and under (must be accompanied by an adult) remain FREE. Pit passes are $40. For those youngsters needing pit access, a Child Season Pit Pass is $50 for tykes under 2 yrs. and $150 each for kids 2-13. Camping is FREE at all race events.
To purchase ticket and pit pass bundles or discuss marketing opportunities available at the track in 2024, please contact LOLR Director of Marketing & Operations Tana Robinson via e-mailtana@landoflegendsraceway.comor cell 716-799-5669.
Check outwww.landoflegendsraceway.comoften as the latest news and season schedule information will be posted right up to raceday.
Land of Legends Raceway is located at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, east of the city on Town Line Road (County Road 10), with easy access off either Exit 43 (Manchester, Route 21 South) or Exit 44 (Farmington, Route 332 South) of the New York State Thruway, just ½-hour southeast of Rochester.
Land of Legends Raceway Event Summary – June 1, 2024
Regional Truck & Trailer, Busch Light and A-Verdi Storage Containers
present Saturday Spectacular
Pepsi Big-Block Modified
*Feature (30 laps): 1. 42p-Pat Ward ($2,000), 2. 9s-Matt Sheppard, 3. 21a-Peter Britten, 4. 6-Mat Williamson, 5. 3-Justin Haers, 6. 34-Kevin Root, 7. 14j-Alan Johnson, 8. 70a-Alex Payne, 9. 27j-Danny Johnson, 10. 7z-Zach Payne, 11. 27jr-Daniel Johnson Jr., 12. 17-Marcus Dinkins, 13. 18k-Dalton Martin, 14. 7s-Torrey Stoughtenger, 15. 11j-James Sweeting, 16. 19w-Justin Wright, 17. 21-Derrick Podsiadlo.
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Ward, D.Johnson, Root, Dinkins, Z.Payne, A.Payne, D.Johnson Jr, Williamson, Martin.
#2: Haers, Sheppard, Britten, Sweeting, A.Johnson, Wright, Stoughtenger, Podsiadlo.
Stirling Lubricants Sportsman Modified
*Feature (25 laps): 1. 64-Tyler Corcoran ($750), 2. 00-Sam Hoxie, 3. 32c-Kasey Coffey, 4. 21-James Henry, 5. 30-Nick Root, 6. 12g-Matt Guererri, 7. 7-Paul Guererri, 8. 113jr.-Frank Guererri Jr, 9. 38-Zach Sobotka, 10. 10-Karl Comfort, 11. 34-Behr Grover, 12. 18h-Justin Henderson, 13. 51-Tim Lafler, 14. 9-Tim Baker, 15. 711-Nick Ventura, 16. 31k-Kennedy Payne, 17. 26-Greenley George, 18. 2-Mike Taylor, 19. 23b-Timmy Borden Jr., 20. 87-Brad Sawyer, 21. 44-Dave Conant Jr., 22. 20x-Kevin Ridley, 23. 21j-Justin Liechti, 28-Mark Potter(DNS).
Heats (8 laps)
#1: M.Guererri, Coffey, Sobotka(DSQ), Root, Liechti, Hoxie, Baker, Sawyer.
#2: Ridley, Comfort, Corcoran, Conant, Payne, George, Henderson, Potter.
#3: Henry, P.Guererri, F.Guererri, Lafler, Ventura, Grover, Taylor, Borden.
MighTea Boba 305 Sprint
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 48jr.-Darryl Ruggles ($500), 2. 8-Dillon Paddock, 3. 80-Bobby Parrow, 4. 26j-Johnny Kolosek, 5. 14x-Lance Dusett, 6. 48a-Alysha Bay, 7. 18-Timmy Lotz, 8. 18c-Dan Craun, 9. 17e-Ethan Gray, 10. 21b-Blake Warner, 11. 23-John Smith, 12. 77-Matt Rotz, 13. X-Dan Bennett, 14. 9-Alan Buchanan, 15. 29-Tori Kaplin, 16. 2-Randy Years, 17. 33z-Sydney Wetherbee, 18. 25-Cameron Moss, 19. 30-Kirsten Dombroski, 20. 99-Adam DePuy, 14-James Layton(DNS), 121-Steve Glover(DNS), 42-Jeff Holliday(DNS).
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Smith, Dusett, Parrow, Kolosek, Bennett, Years, Dombroski.
#2: Paddock, Bay, Lotz, Wetherbee, Kaplin, Rotz, Layton, Glover.
#3: Ruggles, Warner, Craun, DePuy, Buchanan, Moss, Gray, Holliday(DNS).
Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling Street Stock
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 2. 36-Jimmy Grant, 3. 57j-Chris Woodard, 4. cj1-CJ Guererri, 5. 00-Mike Welch, 6. 93-Jared Hill, 7. 3-Patrick Hobbs, 8. 12-John Burritt, 9. 34t-Tommy Bowen, 10. 74- Ronald “Bundy” Metcalf.
Heat (6 laps)
#1: Woodard, Guererri, Minutolo, Welch, Hobbs, Grant, Hill, Burritt, Bowen, Metcalf.
Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stock
*Feature (15 laps): 1. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 2. 25j-Justin Eldredge, 3. 90-Nathan Peckham, 4. 61-Daniel Kerrick, 5. 36x-Brighton Grant, 6. 56-Eddie Stevens, 7. 11-Dan Korpanty, 8. 67-James Werner, 9. 88-Justin Jacoby, 10. 29i-Isaiah Murphy, 11. 52-Doug Robinson, 12. 24k-Kevin Lloyd, 13. 8j-Jeff Rex, 14. 55b-Blane Smith, 69j-Tyler Hutchinson, 15. 55b-Blane Smith, 22j-Randy Johnson(DNS), 22c-Craig Dingy(DNS), 97-Kevin Schrader(DNS), 59-Justin Finger(DNS).
Heats (6 laps)
#1: Kerrick, Eldredge, Murphy, Johnson, Lloyd, Rex, Dingy, Schrader, Hutchinson, Finger.
#2: Peckham, Minutolo, Grant, Stevens, Jacoby, Werner, Robinson, Korpanty, Smith.
Maguire Ford of Canandaigua New Legends Sportsman
*Feature (12 laps): 1. 41s-Chase Spoor, 2. 20k-Kyle Ridley, 3. 25n-Elizabeth Nugent, 4. 20-Nick Galusha, 5. 29g-Evan Gray, 6. 57j-Bruce Batzel, 7. 63-Dylan Woodworth.
Heat (6 laps)
#1: Nugent, Ridley, Spoor, Gray, Galusha, Batzel, Woodworth.
NEXT EVENT: Saturday Spectacular, June 8 @ 6:30pm; Wilbert’s Premium Auto Parts presents Big-Block Modified/Sportsman/305 Sprint/Street Stock/Hobby Stock plus New Legends Sportsman with Midlakes H.S. AV Club ‘Eagle Vision’ Benefit.
Track Instant Info
Website:www.LandOfLegendsRaceway.com
E-Mail:info@LandOfLegendsRaceway.com
Twitter: @LandofLegendsNY
Facebook: @LandofLegendsNY
Instagram: @LandofLegendsNY
Live Stream:https://landoflegendstv.com/
