Erick Rudolph Picks Up Outlaw Speedway Fall Series Finale Win Friday Night

Story By: KENNY SHUPP / OUTLAW SPEEDWAY – DUNDEE, NY – The Outlaw Speedway wrapped up its 2020 Fall Series this past Friday night and with no other race venues within a four hour drive competing against the Yates County oval a huge car count of some 150 machines representing the Super 7 Show jammed into the pit area.

Third generation Ransomville, NY pilot, Eric Rudolph has logged thousands of laps around the Outlaw Speedway during his career having numerous events where he looked like the man to beat. However, unforeseen issues and a multitude of runner-up finishes kept Rudolph out of victory lane in the Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Modified Division.

That all changed on this night as he was able to put it all together, hold off a determined Tyler Siri who made a late race charge and was finally able to make it into victory lane.

With the draw/re-draw once again in effect, heat race winners, Ron Cartwright Jr. and The Doctor, Danny Johnson brought the twenty-four-car field to the opening green flag. Cartwright would lead the first five laps before a flat tire would send him pit side for a quick change thus handing the lead over to Doctor Johnson who would lead the next three circuits. Rudolph, who lined up inside the third starting row had to work past the most recent Outlaw Speedway feature, Cory Costa and journeyman racer, Nick Nye before taking over the top spot which he would never relinquish. Once in control and setting a torrid pace, Rudolph was only slowed twice for yellow flags with those coming on laps twelve and twenty-two with the latter almost causing Rudolph the race as it put track owner, Boss Man Tyler Siri right on the back bumper of the Ransomville native. Siri put relentless pressure on Rudy over the remaining eight laps and on at least one occasion was side by side for the lead. But Eric Rudolph was not going to be denied a trip to victory lane on this night and went on to the win by only a car length over Siri. For Tyler Siri it was another bitter loss having chalked up countless bride maids finishes over the past four years since his last win at the track he owns and promotes. Following the lead duo across the line at the completion of the thirty-lap affair was AJ Slideways, Alan Johnson who started sixth and advanced three spots. Cory Costa was able to get by Bobby Varin late in the race as the two literally slugged it out for a top five finish. Varin came from seventeenth on the opening grid to claim fifth.

Five qualifying heat racers were won by Tyler Siri, Alan Johnson, Steve Paine, Danny Johnson and Ron Cartwright Jr.

Dean Laughlin picked up the win in the consolation event for his first ever checkered flag.

In the Hoosier Tire Sportsman Division Zach George was able to back up his earlier Fall Series feature win on September 18. Teammates Stacy Jackson and Tim Guild brought the field to the opening green flag, but George, who lined up sixth on the opening green wasted little time in getting to the point. With only one yellow flag after the halfway mark on lap eighteen slowing the pace, George was able to pick up the win over a fast closing 2020 American Racer Tire Track Champion, Karl Comfort who is post season play has done double duty racing on both tire brands. Alex Payne was looking to back up his win of two weeks ago on the Hoosier Tires, but came up a bit short in finishing third as he was chased across the line by invader, Dalton Martin while Guild would race within the top group all event and came home fifth.

Heats went to Brett Buono, Nichole Hoag, Stacy Jackson and AJ Lloyd.

Nathan Peckham nailed the consi.

In the companion Sunrise Insulation American Racer Tire Sportsman Karl Comfort was able to wrestle the lead away from Kenny Peoples Jr. on lap thirteen and cruise to the win. For Comfort it was his third trip to victory lane on the American Racer Tires for the 2020 campaign and it backed up his Fall Series feature victory on October 9. Chris Fisher led in the early going from the drop of the green with Peoples taking control of the top position on lap five. For the next seven laps the second-generation driver from Addison set the pace until the high-flying Comfort made a gutsy bottom side pass for the lead on lap thirteen and from there it was game over. A multitude of caution flags as well as a lengthy red flag for the over turned machine of Ben Feldman in turns three and four slowed the pace, however on every restart Comfort was able to keep Peoples from visiting victory lane for the second time in the Fall Series as he would hold on to claim second at the double checkered flags. Steve Davis was caught up in one of the early event caution flags, started last and like a hot knife thru butter mowed the field down but ran out of laps and had to settle for third while Chris Fisher drifted back to finish fourth. Brett Buono lined up sixteenth on the opening grid, took full advantage of the abundance of yellow flags and drove home for fifth.

The Stan’s No Tubes Street Stocks had a healthy field of some eighteen cars with Dale Dissinger and Jimmy Grant leading the field to the opening green flag. Adam Depuy wasted little time in getting to the lead from his second row start spot and once out in front build up a commanding lead and with no cautions to bunch the field left sixth row starting, CJ Guererri little chance of chasing down the race leader and that is how they would finish as Depuy would park his potent machine in the Outlaw Speedway victory lane for the second time in post season play. Jake Karlnoski would start third, run a steady race and wind up in third as he was followed across the line by veteran Street Stock competitor, Gene Sharpsteen who started twelfth while Kurt Stebbins would follow Sharpsteen thru the field to round the top five.

Heats were won by Jered Hill, Karlnoski and Sharpsteen.

In the Mighty 4 Cylinder Mini Stock twenty lap feature go it was Kenneth Evans leading from start to finish and like the Street Stocks there were no caution flags to slow the pace. For Evans it was victory number two having won during the regular season as front wheel drive machines claimed all three podium spots with Cole Susice finishing second and three-time 2020 feature winner, Scott Lehman Jr. claiming third. Rich Conte was able to fight off a determined Ray Hyer as the pair would round out the top five.

Mini Stock heat wins went to Hyer, Evans and Lehman Jr.

In the four previously run IMCA Hobby Stock Fall Series feature events, Marc Minutolo has been held back just one time as two weeks ago, Justin Eldredge was able to break the three-race win streak by Minutolo. Eldredge looked poised to once again upend the Big Fella as Eldredge led the first twelve circuits before a flat time sent him pit side. From there Tyler Burnell would inherit the lead and go on to his first win of 2020 in the season finale. Two red flags would slow the pace, one for a multi car crash on the home straight away eliminating several cars and the other for a fire in the engine compartment of the Brian Lloyd car. When racing would resume Burnell was not going to be denied the win as he was able to keep Minutolo at bay over the closing laps. Jaredd Dennis once again proved why he is the 2020 Woodhull Raceway Hobby Stock Track Champion as he ran with the lead group all event long in claiming third. Jeff Hand was credited for fourth at the finish while Casey Wagner rounded out the top five.

Heat wins were won by Justin Eldredge, Burnell and Hand.

The final feature of the night was the IMCA Modified Division and with a sparce field on hand only one qualifying heat was required claimed by Keith Lamphere. With rain in the offing and a light drizzle hovering over the Outlaw Speedway the racing surface was deemed to slippery to continue and the race was checker flagged early with Jared Sparling picking up his second win of the season and his first in Fall Series play. Justin Chaddock was credited for second while 2020 Track Champion, Bad Brad Smith claimed third. Rounding out the field was Rick Watt and Keith Lamphere who led early.

Congratulations to all competitors.

With the drop of the double checkered flags on the IMCA Modified feature it also put a checkered flag on the 2020 race season at Outlaw Speedway. With a forecast of some not so promising weather over the next week track owner, Tyler Siri had previously made the call earlier in the week that the October 30 event would be cancelled and with that the speedway will lay dormant until the spring of 2021.

Siri would like to extend his sincere thanks and gratitude to a tremendous driver base that supported the facility over some very tumultuous times during the COVID 19 Pandemic. Even with a late start the track held twenty events including five during Fall Series action. All this without any fans allowed into the grandstands as the track followed both Governor Cuomo and the New York State Health Departments stringent requirements to the letter.

In addition to a who’s who list of many of most talented competitors in the northeast, Siri also relied on a limited yet very dedicated group of loyal employees who worked tirelessly thru the most difficult of times as well as a large weekly viewing audience that tuned in each and every week to see the action on DirtTrackDigest.TV.

With all the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming months due to the virus it is way to early to tell what the off season and upcoming 2021 season will hold, but rest assured as things develop they will be posted on the tracks Facebook and web site accounts as well as information coming out in press release form.

Thanks again to all for their support of the Outlaw Speedway and we hope that when Tyler Siri swings the gates to open 2021 it will be a totally different environment than was experienced this past season.

Stay safe, stay healthy as we want to see you all back here next year!

FRIENDLY CHRYLSER, DODGE, JEEP, RAM MODIFIEDS. (32 cars)
Heats. Tyler Siri, Alan Johnson, Steve Paine, Danny Johnson, Ron Cartwright Jr.
30 lap feature. Eric Rudolph, Tyler Siri, Alan Johnson, Cory Costa, Bobby Varin, Nick Nye, Kevin Harnett, Ron Cartwright Jr., Brady Fultz, Jim LaRock, Steve Paine, Bailey Boyd, Eric Williams, Ray Bliss, Sam Allen, Scott Boudinot, Brian Swarthout, Danny Johnson, Russ Morseman, Eldon Payne, Dean Laughlin, Jake Dgien, Derrick Podsiadlo, Tony Pangrazio, Casey Williams.

SUNRISE INSULATION AMERICAN RACER TIRE SPORTSMAN. (25 cars)
Heats. Williams, Jackson, Davis
25 lap feature. Karl Comfort (3), Kenny Peoples Jr., Steve Davis, Chris Fisher, Brett Buono, Billy Paine, Troy Sperring, Steve Hartman Jr., AJ Miller, Craig Irvine, Jimmy Zacharias, Will Wood, Isabel Barron, Justin Schenck, John Livingston, Greg Crooker, Torrey Stoughenger, Matt Sullivan, Justice Mayo, Nichole Hoag, Casey Williams, Ben Feldman, Stacy Jackson, Adam Taft. DNS. Austin Germino.

HOOSIER TIRE SPORTSMAN. (25 cars)
Heats. Buono, Hoag, Jackson, Lloyd
25 lap feature. Zach George (2), Karl Comfort, Alex Payne, Dalton Martin, Tim Guild, AJ Miller, Brett Buono, Jimmy Zacharias, Nichole Hoag, Torrey Stoughenger, Nick Cooper, Stacy Jackson, Sam Hoxie, Bryan Rhoads, Michael McCarthy, Billy Paine, Joe Gosek, Ryan Barrett, Nathan Peckham, AJ Lloyd, JT Sperring, Anthony Kimble, Roy Susice, Austin Germino, Casey Williams.

STAN’S NO TUBES STREET STOCKS. (18 cars)
Heats. Hill, Karlnoski, Sharpsteen.
20 lap feature. Adam Depuy (2), CJ Guererri, Jake Karlnoski, Gene Sharpsteen, Kurt Stebbins, Gene Balmer, Damian Long, Chuck Winslow, Jared Hill, Jimmy Grant, Dale Dissinger, Bob Buono, Kane Stebbins, Shawn Hackett, Dave Matwiejow, Brandon Sherwood, Jerry Lobdell, Dan Schultz.

IMCA MODIFIEDS. (6 cars)
Heat. Lamphere.
20 lap feature. Jared Spalding (2), Justin Chaddock, Brad Smith, Rick Watt, Keith Lamphere. DNS. Bumps Scutt

IMCA HOBBY STOCKS. (20 cars)
Heats. Justin Eldredge, Burnell, Hand
20 lap feature. Tyler Burnell, Marc Minutolo, Jaredd Dennis, Jeff Hand, Casey Wagner, Shawn Lloyd, Brandon Barron, Jamie Eldredge Jr., Lee Bills, Blake Furman, Glenn Aumick, Justin Eldredge, Zachery Krinner, Brian Lloyd, Dalton Decker, Brent Ayers, Mike Carapella, Glenn Vancise, Josh Sawyer, Eric Chapman.

4 CYLINDER MINI STOCKS. (20 cars)
Heats. Hyer, Evans, Lehman Jr.
20 lap feature. Kenneth Evans (2), Cole Susice, Scott Lehman Jr., Rich Conte, Ray Hyer, Mike Stone, Brian Grant, Scott Lehman, Robert Knapp, Chris Force, Zach Teed, Steve Perkins Sr., Eric Stinson, Jake Lamphere, Matt Irwin, Rich Sharpsteen, Cody Griffin, Lee Fritz. DNS. Jack Ormsby, Austin McDonald