Bicknell, McPherson, Stefanski, Plante, & Fingerlow Take Wins At Ransomville

Story By: STEVE PETTY / RANSOMVILLE SPEEDWAY – RANSOMVILLE, NY – “Mr. Small Block” Pete Bicknell from St. Catharines, Ontario scored the main event for the Krown Undercoating Modifieds on Bailey Brothers Landscaping and Snow Removal night at the Ransomville Speedway on Friday evening.

2015 Investors Service Sportsman Co-Champion Cody McPherson from St. Catharines, Ontario scored his first Ransomville triumph in a couple of seasons. Former Mr. DIRT Pro Stock Champion and multi-time track champion Pete Stefanski from Wheatfield, NY scored the win in the KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks. “Mr. Peanut” Ryan Plante from Grand Island, NY scored his first win of the season for the Gippsters Collision 4 Bangers. David Fingerlow from North Tonawanda, NY picked up the victory in the Stevenson’s Hardware Novice Sportsman.

Divisional rookie “Hot Wheels” Greg Martin and veteran racer Rick Richner brought the field of Krown Undercoating Modifieds to the green flag for their 30-lap feature with Richner showing the way. Scott Kerwin would pass Martin to move into second place on lap three, just as Pete Bicknell cleared Jeff McGinnis to move into fourth place. “Mr. Small Block” would battle with “Hot Wheels” for third place with Bicknell, a 13-time track champion would take over third place on lap five. Kerwin would pass Richner with a slide job on the front stretch to take the lead on lap six. Kerwin and Bicknell would pull away from Richner, Ryan Susice, and opening night feature winner Erick Rudolph. Susice, the three-time and defending track champion, would pass Richner on lap 10 to move into third place. Matt Farnham would bring out the races first caution on lap 14 after slowing in the moat. The mid-race restart would see Bicknell drive on the outside of Kerwin to take the lead away. Rudolph would take over third place from Susice on lap 17. Ryan Susice went three-wide on the restart to take over second place from both Kerwin and Rudolph. “Mr. Small Block” would pull away from the field and would hold off a hard-charging Erick Rudolph and Ryan Susice to score his first win of the season.

Past track champion and Mr. DIRT titlist Cody McPherson and Darrell Borkenhagen were on the front row for the main event for the Investors Service Sportsman with McPherson showing the way. James Henry moved into second with Andrew Smith running in third. Henry would take the lead away from McPherson on lap two. Fourth-generation driver Dylan Davidson took over fifth place from Jonathan Reid on lap nine, just as the leaders hit lap traffic. As Henry hit the heaviest of lap traffic, Cody McPherson was able to start to reel in the leader. Davidson hit the moat on the front stretch and hit the turn one wall with Derrick Borkenhagen having nowhere to go and hitting Davidson. Both drivers climbed out of their cars under their own power. On the lap 16 restart, Henry and McPherson would pull away from Austin Susice. Henry had an issue coming off turn four on lap 18, giving away the lead to McPherson. Brett Senek worked his way through the field to move into third place after passing Andrew Smith with five laps remaining. Senek looked underneath Susice for second and Susice spun in turn two to bring out the caution. Robbie Johnston ended up on his side after not being able to slow the car down in time to bring out the red flag with two laps remaining. The green-white-checkered lap restart would see McPherson pull away and score his first win at Ransomville since being a co-champion in 2015.

Sophomore driver Dan Korpanty and “Showtime” Jaren Israel set the pace in the 20-lap feature for the KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks with Israel in the way with past divisional champion Brandon Sherwood challenging Korpanty for second. With Israel starting to pull away early on, Pete Stefanski took his Allen Peters tribute No. 88 ride to the second position after passing Sherwood on lap four. Stefanski quickly reeled in Israel and the two veterans would battle for the lead. Stefanski would take the lead on lap seven after passing a lap car. Ken Camidge spun in turn two to bring out the caution with nine laps completed. The restart would Stefanski, Israel, and Sherwood all battle for the lead with Jordan Moden running right behind them. Stefanski would hold off Israel and Jordan Moden to score the win.

Steve Matson and Brandon Close were on the front row for the 15-lap feature for the Gippster’s Collison 4 Bangers with Close in the lead. Nick Tarnowski, Ashley Blech, Chuck Cala, Cole Susice, and Anthony Hermanson all got tangled up in turn three to bring out the races first caution with one lap completed. “Mr. Peanut” Ryan Plante took the lead away on the restart with Matson, and Chris Leone moving into second and third respectively. Plante and Leone continued to duel for the lead out front while Chad Desso moved into third place at the halfway mark. Plante was able to hold off Leone, Desso, Matt Hornquist and Steve Matson to complete the top five.

Qualifying heat race winner David Fingerlow and Gerald Poole brought the field of Stevenson’s Hardware Novice Sportsman to the green flag with Fingerlow showing the way. Fingerlow would lead all 15 circuits to score his first win of the season over Bubby Pawlak and Gerald Poole.

NEWS AND NOTES: Street Stock competitor Pat Dell had Sean Letts’s steering wheel in the car this week. Sean was a former competitor at the speedway who passed away suddenly before the 2018 campaign started.

Ransomville Speedway is back in action on Friday, May 25, as Asset Consulting Experts presents a full card plus a $2,000 to win Modified Special. Pit gates will open at 5 pm with grandstands opening at 6 pm, with the first green flag of the night being at 7:15 pm.

RACE RESULTS – BAILEY BROTHERS LANDSCAPING AND SNOW REMOVAL NIGHT SUMMARY

Krown Undercoating 358 Modifieds: PETE BICKNELL, Erick Rudolph, Ryan Susice, Gary Lindberg, Scott Kerwin, Chad Brachmann, Ricky Richner, Greg Martin, James Sweeting, Matt Farnham, Kenny Wills, Allan Wills, John Smith, Jeff McGinnis, Mike Williams, Steve Lewis Jr, Tommy Flannigan, Jesse Cotriss

Qualifying Winners: Jeff McGinnis, Chad Brachmann, Gary Lindberg

Investors Service Sportsman: CODY MCPHERSON, Brett Senek, Andy Smith, Chris Burek, Cameron Tuttle, Dave DiPietro, Jonathan Reid, AJ Custodi, Zack Sam, Derek Wagner, Darrell Borkenhagen, Robbie Johnston, James Henry, Dylan Davidson, Derrick Borkenhagen, Kyle Wendt, Noah Walker, Justin McKay, Dustin Gorhan, Billy Coleman, Garrison Krentz, Kevin Wills

Qualifying Winners: Cody McPherson, Austin Susice, Andrew Smith

KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks: PETE STEFANSKI, Jaren Israel, Jordan Moden, Mike Kramarz, Brandon Sherwood, Ken Camidge, Pat Dell, Chris Dziomba, Dan Korpanty, Bryce Richardson, Cory Sawyer, Randy Zimmerman, Joey Zimmerman

Qualifying Winners: Jaren Israel, Ken Camidge

Gippster’s Collision 4 Bangers: RYAN PLANTE, Chris Leone, Chad Desso, Matt Hornquist, Steve Matson, Anthony Hermanson, Brandon Close, Chuck Cala, Drew Westmoreland, Cole Susice, Nick Tarnowski, Ashley Blech

Qualifying Winners: Cole Susice, Ryan Plante

Stevenson’s Hardware Novice Sportsman: DAVID FINGERLOW, Bubby Pawlak, Gerald Poole, Cody Wolfe, Kenny Washburn, Orval Harris, Brian Monahan, Mark Harsch

Qualifying Winner: David Fingerlow