Matt Sheppard Returns To Victory Lane At Outlaw Speedway

Story By: KENNY SHUPP / OUTLAW SPEEDWAY – DUNDEE, NY – An evening that started out under beautiful clear skies ended up with rain at the Outlaw Speedway as once again weather had an outcome in part of the events as it has numerous times throughout the 2019 season.

Cardinal Disposal was onboard as the host sponsor of the event and in the make-up Sunrise Insulation American Racer Tire Sportsman feature, Karl Comfort came away with his second win of the 2019 campaign and with it keeps his hopes alive of claiming the track title like he did in 2017. However, Comfort didn’t gain much ground in the points as other top five point contenders in the division were all right there as the checkered flag dropped on the 25 lap event. Brian Fish, who wound up second, Will Shields third and Jimmy Zacharias who crossed the line in fourth are all in the top five in the current point standings with Jimmy “Z” leading in the category. Dale Welty had his best finish in quite some time as the veteran driver rounded out the tip five at features end. Other point contender and 2018 Track Champ, Chris Fisher was an early exit winding up in 16th finishing position and with that taking a big hit in the points.

In the regular night of action in the Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modifieds, Matt Sheppard, who was shut out of victory lane last week quickly moved to the front of the field from his seventh starting spot in the 30 lap feature. Only one yellow slowed the pace as on lap one, Kyle Coffey’s night came to an abrupt end as he got collected with Danny and Alan Johnson. The brothers Johnson both went to the back and without another caution to help their cause, both drove thru the field to top ten finishing spots.

Dillon Groover led the first fourteen laps from his front row starting position, but he couldn’t hold off the high flying Sheppard who rode the bottom of the speedway, took over the top spot and from there cruised to a full straight away victory, his ninth of the season. Other top point contender, Hurricane Steve Paine started just one spot ahead of Super Matt on the starting grid, cleared Groover for second place on lap twenty three and set sail for Sheppard, but the veteran Seneca Falls competitor had nothing in the tank and like he has so many times in 2019 had to settle for a fine runner up finish. Groover held on for third at the finish, his best run as of late while Justin Wright and Brady Fultz both started in the top five and that’s right where they finished with Wright in fourth and Fultz rounding the top five.

Heat wins in the FCDJR Modifieds went to Jim LaRock, Wright and Fultz.

The DIRTcar Hoosier Tire Sportsman were in action on Cardinal Disposal Night. In their 25 lap feature event, Alex Payne jumped out into the early lead from his pole position starting spot as the third generation pilot led thru lap ten when the first caution waved. On the restart, Brandon Butler took over the top spot, but his lead would be short lived as Steve Gray would assume command of the event and go on to his second feature win in the division in 2019. Gray, who started in the third row made a nice recovery from a last week incident, however he is still over 100 points behind Will Shields in the standings with only a few weeks remaining in the regular season. Andy Smith had perhaps his best finish of the year by finishing in the runner up spot at the checkered flag as he was followed across the line by AJ Lloyd, Will Shields and Jeff Davoli who were all rock solid in placing in the top five.

DIRTcar Hoosier Tire heat wins were claimed by Payne and Butler.

Dylan Cecce was able to put some distance between himself and Glen Whritenour in the Stan’s No Tubes Street Stock point standings as he picked up his 7th feature win of the “19” campaign. Cecce, who started sixth on the starting lineup moved to the point quickly and from there, cruised to the popular win. As he has multiple times during the hotly contested point season, Glen Whritenour has been able to keep the pressure up on Cecce, but on this night it was CJ Guererri splitting the two top point contenders as he was able to keep GW at bay as he claimed the runner up position at the finish. Whritenour did hold on for third as he was chased across the line by Carl Cleveland who finished fourth as Jared Hill rounded the top five.

Stan’s No Tubes heat wins went to; you guessed it, Whritenour and Cecce.

The Marion Decker Insurance Hobby Stocks found a new face in victory lane as Jason Clugstone made a rare appearance at Outlaw Speedway and came away with the feature win. For Clugstone it was his first trip to victory lane since last year as he bested a stout field of cars including 2019 feature winners Casey Wagner who finished second, current high point man and 2018 Track Champ, Marc Minutolo who claimed third. Bruce Kinner put on another solid performance and finished fourth at the end of the 20 lap affair while Bubba Burnell rounded out the top five finishes.

Earlier evening heat wins went to Kinner and Clugstone.

In the Mighty 4 Cylinder Division, Scott Lehman Jr. continued his domination of the class over the last month as he picked up his third straight feature win in the rain shortened event. Just as the feature field completed the half way lap of the 20 lap feature the rains started coming down and with that the feature was checker flagged with Lehman Jr. taking his fourth overall on the season. Jeremy Bunn may have had something for Lehman Jr., but with the rain had to settle for second as veteran racer, Ray Hyer came home for third. Scott Lehman keeps his hopes alive for the 2019 Track Championship by holding off current high point man and 2018 Champ Adam Austin as they finished fourth and fifth respectfully.

4 Cylinder heat wins went to lady competitor, Erica Bell, Joshua Oles and Scott Lehman III.

With the rains the remainder of the program was washed out including the regularly scheduled Sunrise Insulation American Racer Tire Sportsman 25 lap feature along with the IMCA Modified feature. Both will be made up at a later date and will be posted on the tracks Facebook.

In the opening evening Outlaw Speedway Bandit Youth Division Feature Event, Ethan Nichols picked up the checkered flag for his first ever win.

Congratulations to Ethan and all other competitors.

Up next at Outlaw Speedway on Friday, August 16 it will be another Super 7 Show with a scheduled make-up for the 4 Cylinders from an earlier season rain out. Pepsi will be onboard as the nightly event sponsor and it’s also Boy Scout Night, bicycle give-a-way and the final 1 on 1 Spectator Event of the season.

OUTLAW SPEEDWAY QUICK RESULTS 8-9-18 (unofficial);

FRIENDLY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM MODIFIED FEATURE – MATT SHEPPARD (9), Steve Paine, Dillon Groover, Justin Wright, Brady Fultz, Alan Johnson, Danny Johnson, Jim LaRock, Tyler Siri, Derrick Podsiadlo, Eldon Payne Jr, Eric Williams, Cory Costa, Patrick Hoopes, Billy Paine, Kirk Reynolds, Matt Guererri, Kyle Coffey Heat Winners – Jim LaRock, Brady Fultz, and Justin Wright

SUNRISE INSULATION AMERICAN RACER SPORTSMAN MAKE UP FEATURE – KARL COMFORT (2), Brian Fish, Will Shields, Jimmy Zacharias, Dale Welty, Tommy Collins Jr., Brett Buono, Billy Paine, Chris Silvers, Stacey Jackson, Doug Kline, Jerry Aldrich Jr., Bryan Rhoads, Nathan Peckham, Allison Teed, Chris Fisher

SUNRISE INSULATION AMERICAN RACER SPORTSMAN FEATURE – POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN Heat Winners – Tommy Collins Jr., Brett Buono, and Jimmy Zacharias

HOOSIER TIRE SPORTSMAN FEATURE – STEVE GRAY (2), Andy Smith, AJ Lloyd, Will Shields, Jeff Davoli, Tim Guild, Nicole Hoag, Brandon Butler, Stacey Jackson, Alex Payne, DJ Gardner, Tony Velez, and Randy Brokaw Heat Winners -Alex Payne and Brandon Butler

STANS NO TUBE STREET STOCK FEATURE – DYLAN CECCE (7), CJ Guererri, Glenn Whritenour, Carl Cleveland, Jared Hill, Jake Karlnoski, Jayson Smart, Jeremy Trank, Nate Daggett, James Kreidler III, Dave Machuga DNS – John Burritt Heat Winners – Glenn Whritenour and Dylan Cecce

MARION DECKER IMCA MODIFIED FEATURE. POSPONED DUE TO RAIN. Heat Winner – Rodney Morgan

MARION DECKER HOBBY STOCK FEATURE – JASON CLUGSTONE, Casey Wagner, Marc Minutolo, Bruce Kinner, Bubba Burnell, Jamie Eldredge Jr., Eric Williams, Allison Pierce, Amber Pierce, Brian Austin, Anthony Guererri, DNS – Wayne Ellison, Jamie Eldredge, Jamie Eldredge Jr., Kenny Hunt Heat Winners – Bruce Kinner and Jason Clugstone

4 CYLINDERS FEATURE – SCOTT LEHMAN JR.(4), Jeremy Bunn, Ray Hyer, Scott Lehman, Adam Austin, Mike Stone, Austin LaBar, Tim VanEtten, Eric Stinson, Steve Perkins Sr., Chris Percy, Joshua Oles, Erica Bell, Cameron Nichols, Desi Force, Matt Irwin, Robert Decker, Tarince Wilson Heat Winners – Erica Bell, Joshua Oles, and Scott Lehman III