Story By: STEVEN PETTY / NYIRP AT LANCASTER – LANCASTER, NY – Second-generation driver Andy Jankowiak from Tonawanda, NY returned home and picked up the win in the 35-lap feature at New York International Raceway Park at Lancaster Speedway and Dragway Saturday night.
Freedom, NY’s Eldon King III picked up the win in the Late Models. Ryan Lagoda from Middleport, NY won his first career event as he won the Super Stock feature. Rich Sharpe from Depew, NY picked up the win for the Street Stocks. Kyle Hutchinson from Alden, NY won the Jerry Gradl Motors NYPA TQ Midgets feature. Charles Palmer from Cheektowaga, NY won the 4 Cylinder feature.
Shawn Nye and Neal Dietz Jr was on the front row for the 35-lap feature for the Sportsman, with Dietz showing the way over Nye, Andy Jankowiak, and George Skora. Jankowiak would look to the outside of Dietz to take over the lead. Skora would battle with Nye for several laps for third and would eventually take over the final spot on the podium. After taking over third, Skora would then challenge and pass Dietz to take over second, with Jankowiak well out front of the field. Nye would pull out of action before the halfway mark with issues in his number 51. The closest battle on the speedway would be for third place as John Barber started to challenge Dietz for third place as Jankowiak and Skora would pull away from the field. The caution would fly with less than five laps remaining as Dave Kozlowski spun in turn two. The late-race restart would see Jankowiak hold off Skora to pick up the win.
Eldon King III and Dave Heitzhaus were on the front row for the Late Model feature and it was King showing the way. King, Heitzhaus, Dave Whittaker, and Bobby Weber pulled away from the balance of the field. King proved that he will be tough to beat this season as he led from the outset and never looked back. King would pull away from Heitzhaus to pick up the win. King also picked up the qualifying event victory earlier in the evening.
Teej Cochrane and Jake Wylie set the pace in the Super Stock feature. Wylie would clear Cochrane for the lead on the opening lap and was pressured by Ryan Lagoda. Lagoda would take over second from Cochrane and would set his sights on race leader Wylie. Lagoda would take the lead away from Wylie at the race’s halfway mark. Cochrane’s night would end on lap 12 as he spun in turn three and dropped fluid on the racetrack. Paul Godby spun in turn four to bring out the caution on lap 17, setting up a three-lap shootout. Lagoda would hold off Wylie to score his first career win.
Rich Sharpe and Jim Dauer led the Street Stocks to the green flag for their feature event, with Sharpe having the advantage. Mark Hoch, Nik Welshans, Tim Welshans, and Ken Maltby raced inside the top five for much of the feature event. Max Northem had issues with lap traffic and spun on the back straightaway to bring out the race’s first caution. Hoch would challenge Sharpe on the restart, just as Ken Maltby challenged Tim Welshans for the fourth spot. Sharpe would continue to show the way over Hoch with Tim Welshans passing brother Nik for third. The top three of Sharpe, Hoch, and Welshans would pull away from the balance of the field.
Tony Petrea and Chad Haywood led the Jerry Gradl Motors NYPA TQ Midgets to the green flag for their feature event with Kyle Hutchinson taking over the lead. Bobby Holmes would take over second with Haywood, Dave Wollaber, and Andy Jankowiak racing inside the top five. Holmes would close in on Hutchinson while working lap traffic and Wollaber would move up into position number three. Hutchinson would be able to pull away from Holmes and Wollaber to pick up the victory.
Kyle Casper and Ryan Lent was on the front row for the 4 Cylinder main event with Casper showing the way. Charles Palmer would take over second on lap one and then just a couple of laps later would pass Casper for the lead. David Brunka would take over second as Casper and Dressel battled for several laps for third place. Dressel would finally clear Casper for third place, but Casper would battle back with Dressel in the closing laps. Palmer would go on to score the win.
Stock car racing resumes at NYIRP at Lancaster Speedway & Dragway on Saturday, June 19 with the Sportsman, 602 Sportsman, Late Models, Street Stocks, Jerry Gradl Motors NYPA TQ Midgets, and 4 Cylinders all on the card. Pit gates open at 2:30 pm with grandstands opening at 4:00 pm. Racing will get underway at 6:30 pm.
RACE RESULTS – 2021 STOCK CAR OPENING NIGHT
Sportsman: ANDY JANKOWIAK, George Skora III, Neal Dietz Jr, John Barber, Bob Weber, Kirk Totten, Bob Reis, Tom MacLeod, Kyle Hutchinson, Dave Kozlowski, Kevin Lewis, Cameron Ruggiero Jr, Leo Becker, Shawn Nye, Mark Pennell
Qualifying Heats: Andy Jankowiak, George Skora III
Late Models: ELDON KING III, Dave Heitzhaus, Dave Whittaker, Bobby Weber, Joe Mancuso, Chase Williams Did Not Start: Sam Fullone, Kevin Shanley
Qualifying Heat: Eldon King III
Super Stocks: RYAN LAGODA, Jake Wylie, Jeff Whalen, Paul Godby, Ron Richter, Teej Cochrane
Qualifying Heat: Ryan Lagoda
Street Stocks: RICH SHARPE, Mark Hoch, Tim Welshans, Nik Welshans, Dave Krawczyk, Ken Maltby, Jerry Kosmowski, Tommy Wentland, Jim Dauer, Mike Rogers, Tim Garlock, Jason Anasiewicz, Mitch Friend, Kyle Schosek, Frank Prell, Garrett Cleversley, John Carlson, Scott Soos, Max Northem, Glenn Absolom, Bobby Blaszak Jr, Bob Palmer Did Not Start: Dave Evans
Qualifying Heats: Dave Krawczyk, Rich Sharpe, Tommy Wentland
Jerry Gradl Motors NYPA TQ Midgets: KYLE HUTCHINSON, Bobby Holmes, Dave Wollaber, Andy Nye, Andy Jankowiak, Chad Haywood, Erik Musto, Ronnie Flaim, Arik McGruder, Vinnie Christiano Jr, AJ Hessler, Tony Petrea, Kevin Wilson, Vinnie Christiano III, Chet Haywood, Brian Schulz, Mark Schulz, Jonathan Reid, Adam Brown, DJ Sossong, Ricky Farina, Ryan Lagoda, Moose Rutherford
Qualifying Heats: Arik McGruder, Kyle Hutchinson
4 Cylinders: CHARLES PALMER, David Brunka, Dan Dressel, Kyle Casper, Bob Palmer, Casey Pew, Chris Deyoe Jr, Mason Offhaus, Ryan Lent Did Not Start: Jenna Dietz
Qualifying Heats: Dan Dressel, Charles Palmer