“The Doctor” Grabs Another Win At Outlaw; AJay Potrzebowski Jr. Takes Mike Jackson Memorial

Story By: PAUL SZMAL / OUTLAW SPEEDWAY – DUNDEE, NY – For the first time in a couple of weeks, warm and sunny weather ruled the day and Outlaw Speedway was able to run their full race program, headlined by the 49-lap Mike Jackson Memorial for Crate Sportsman that saw Ajay Portzebowski Jr in Victory Lane.

Other winners on the night included Danny Johnson in the Friendly Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/RAM Outlaw Modifieds, Jordan Thomas in the Lane’s Yamaha 360 Sprints.

In the 30-lap Friendly Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Outlaw Modified feature, Bobby Varin took the lead from the pole and pulled away from Ron Cartwright Jr. Danny Johnson found the outside groove to his liking, tearing through the pack from his 8th starting spot to move second just before a lap 9 yellow for Cartwright, who’s car failed in turn four. For the next several laps, Johnson and Varin dueled for the lead as Kyle Coffey fought with Steve Paine for third. Johnson finally moved past Varin on lap 22 and motored home with a win, with Varin, Coffey, Paine, and Jim LaRock rounding out the top five.

Alex Payne took the lead from Will Shields one lap into the Mike Jackson Memorial feature and held off Shields during some early race restarts. Chris Fisher and Tommy Collins fought for third, but Ajay Potrzebowki Jr had a fast car and moved into the top 5 on lap 14 and sailed around the duo a couple of laps later. A yellow on lap 23 changed the game when Payne went to the pits, handing the lead to Shields. The lead only lasted two laps as Potrzebowski roared around him to take the top spot at halfway.

The story of the race’s second half was the amazing charge back through the field by Payne, as he tore through the pack running the outside lane while Portzebowski Jr and Shields continued to battle for the lead. Karl Comfort had make his was from a 15th starting spot to third and was also threatening to join the lead battle, but pulled in with an issue on lap 43. At that point, Payne was up to third, and grabbed second on the restart, but did not have enough time to catch Potrzebowski, who brought it home for a $1,919 payday with lap monies and contingency monies added to his total. Finishing behind Payne was Shields, Collins, and Donnie Lawson.

The 25-lap Lane’s Yamaha 360 Sprint feature began with Jared Zimbardi blasting into the lead ahead of Jordan Thomas and Paulie Colagiovanni, but it only lasted 5 laps and Zimbardi wound up on pit road with a flat tire. Thomas inherited the lead, but in the closing laps found himself in traffic trying to hold of Colagiovanni. Chuck Hebing, meanwhile, was also battling traffic as he tried to keep third from Johnathan Preston. Thomas was able to scoot away in the final couple of laps to take the checkers over Colagiovanni, while Herbing barely held off Preston for fourth. Jake Karklin took the fifth spot.

In the Stan’s No Tubes Street Stock feature, Dylan Cecce was the early leader, with Glenn Whritenour battling him for the top spot, which he took on lap 4. A lapped car got into the mix on lap 12 that sent Whritenour out wide, allowing Cecce to re=take the lead, but a lap 15 yellow closed the field back up. Cecce again held off Whritenour, but another yellow flew on lap 18 as John Carpenter spun and Tracy Dunn cut a right rear. Cecce once again had the measure of Whritenour, taking his first win of the season over Whritenour, Gene Sharpsteen, Adam Depuy, and Jared Hill.

The Winner’s Circle Deli 4 Cylinder feature saw Scott Lehman and Scott Lehman Jr. have some great side by side racing for the majority of the 20-lap distance, with Kenneth Evans charging from an opening lap mishap back to 3rd and fighting with them in the final five laps. On lap 17, Evans and Lehman Jr made contact in turn four that sent Lehman Jr into the infield with damage and Evans to the pits with a flat tire. Lehman held on through two final restarts to take the win over Matt Irwin, Brian Grant, Derrick Puryear, and Rich Sharpsteen.

In the Addison/Corning/Hornell/Wellsville NAPA Hobby Stocks, Willy Easling led till he was passed by Justin Eldredge on lap 6. After falling back a bit, Easling retook the top spot to take his first Outlaw Speedway checkered flag over Eldredge, Marc Minutolo, Joshua Oles, and Brian Lloyd.

Racing returns to Outlaw Speedway on Tuesday, May 18th, with the ‘Outlaw Showdown 50’ for the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Modifieds, plus Open Tire Sportsman, Street Stocks, 4 Cylinders, and Hobby Stocks. Racing gets underway at 7:30 p.m.

RACE SUMMARY-OUTLAW SPEEDWAY-MAY 14, 2021

FRIENDLY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM OUTLAW MODIFIEDS-DANNY JOHNSON, Bobby Varin, Kyle Coffey, Steve Paine, Jim LaRock, Phil Vigneri III, Derrick Podsiadlo, Tyler Siri, Eldon Payne, Eric Williams, Ray Bliss, Brady Fultz, Alex Hoag, Jeff Daugherty, Greg Birosh, Ron Cartwright, Billy Paine.

MIKE JACKSON MEMORIAL (CRATE SPORTSMAN)-AJAY PORTZEBOWSKI JR, Alex Payne, Will Shields, Tommy Collins Jr, Donnie Lawson, Kreg Crooker, Nick Guererri, Adam Hilton, Carter Crooker, Billy Paine, Chris Fisher, Brian Fish, AJ Lloyd, Kaiden Dgien, Eric Grice, Tim Guild, Reese Hackett, Justic Mayo, Karl Comfort, Ajay Potrzebowski Sr, Dale Welty, Andrew Jacobson, Justin Schenck, Greg Crooker, Stacy Jackson.

LANE’S YAMAHA 360 SPRINTS-JORDAN THOMAS, Paulie Colagiovanni, Chuck Hebing, Johnathan Preston, Jake Karklins, Craig Lane, Nick Fratto, Dave Franek, Dan Bennett, Aaron Jacobus, Andrew Jacobus, Brian Preston, Jared Zimbardi, Kyle Drum (DNS).

STAN’S NO TUBES STREET STOCKS-DYLAN CECEE, Glenn Whritenour, Gene Sharpsteen, Adam Depuy, Jared Hill, Aksel Jensen, Zach Krinner, Zach Teed, Mark Phelps, Tracy Dunn, John Carpenter, Tony Cameron, Jeremy Potrzebowski, Artie Teed (DNS).

WINNER’S CIRCLE DELI 4 CYLINDERS-SCOTT LEHMAN, Matt Irwin, Brian Grant, Derrick Puryear, Rich Sharpsteen, Mike Stone, Alex Dykes, Hannah Guererri, Kenneth Evans, Rick Margeson, Chris Force, Scott Lehman Jr, Jayson Smart, Sammy Fuller, Austin LaBar, Erica Bell, David Kinner, Jeffrey Moore (DNS), James Peterson (DNS).

ADDISON/CORNING/HORNELL/WELLSVILLE NAPA HOBBY STOCKS-WILL EASLING, Justin Eldredge, Marc Minutolo, Josha Oles, Brian Lloyd, Jamie Eldredge Jr, Bruce Kinner (DNS), Nathan Kinner (DNS).