Justin Haers Victorious In Modified Feature Saturday At Land Of Legends Raceway

Story By: TOM SKIBINSKI / LAND OF LEGENDS RACEWAY – CANANDAIGUA, NY – When the clock struck 11 to drop the curtain on the last Saturday Spectacular of the month at Land Of Legends Raceway, the seventh and final checkered flag flew for six drivers rising to the top after a hot summer’s night of auto racing in Canandaigua.

Making their maiden voyage to victory lane in 2021 were Justin Haers in the Pepsi Big-Block Modified Mid-Season Championship main and Josh Pangrazio in the Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling Street Stock feature while third-year speedster Jordan Moden scored the first win of his open-wheel career in flag-to-flag fashion in the near non-stop Speed Connection Sportsman finale.

Strengthening their advantage atop the current standings, reigning division points champions Alysha Bay (Mike Emhof Motorsports 305 Sprint Car) and Matt Guererri (Sportsman) returned to the winner’s circle as did Justin Eldredge, who did one better as he claimed both ends of the Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stock twin-bill to close out ‘Double Points Night’ presented by Pepsi / Geneva Club Beverage at the Ontario County Fairgrounds.

“Its been a long time that’s for sure, this one’s for my dad,” remarked an emotional Haers, 41, now 20 years removed from his lone Sportsman title at LOLR and four seasons from his last Big-Block win at the same fairgrounds clay oval he grew up attending races as a youth. “Got a great crowd, have a ton of fans. This is the first win since my dad passed … man, its special.”

Justin’s father passed away July 15, 2019 and the 3rd Annual Gerald Haers Memorial is slated for Sept. 18 as part of the lucrative 2021 Super DIRTcar Series.

Authoring his own memorable night, Hears wasted little time blasting from eighth starting position to kick off the extended 40-lap Big-Block feature as front row partners Jimmy Maier and Torrey Stoughtenger swapped spots from the drop of chief starter Scott Hixson’s opening green flag. The popular Phelps pilot moved his black #3 Honeoye Auto Parts-Phelps Cement Products-FLX Home Solutions/Bicknell mount up top, and in a mad third-to-first dash, swept by both leaders rounding turns three and four as scorers scratched lap four in the books.

Action remained non-stop around the entire half-mile oval with Haers running flawlessly flat-out as he navigated through traffic in nearly every corner. Still in search of his own first win of the season in Canandaigua, 11th starting Erick Rudolph reached second on lap 8 while a star-studded group of heavy hitters jockeyed among the Top-10 by the halfway mark.

The first yellow flag finally flew on lap 27 when Eric Williams looped his ride in turn two, with the slowdown suddenly evaporating Haers’ huge lead and allowing traveling tour stars Rudolph, Matt Sheppard, Tim Fuller and Peter Britten to cozy up to his rear bumper for the ensuing restart. Back-to-back cautions for a spin by Marcus Dinkins (lap 28) then the disabled machines of Matt Farnham and Robbie Johnston (lap 30) gave the contenders second chances but each time Haers repelled any challenge.

“When that last yellow came out somebody had spilled water up there (turn 1) on the track and I went flying off,” noted Haers, who moved to within four points of race runner-up Rudolph after his sixth top-4 finish in as many events. Hears totaled four front-five finishes in all of last season’s abbreviated 13-race campaign to rank seventh on the final LOLR points chart. “I’m like ‘oh my God, I can’t believe I just gave this thing away,’ then that caution came and (dad) was riding with me.”

“Starting out I knew there was a lot of traction up high and being able to get to the front first ahead of those top guys is a big advantage. Early in the night I couldn’t really tell how (track) would be later, at the time didn’t know if there was going to be a top lane. There was nothing down low at the end of the race and the top line in turns one and two was almost the grass. I just had to move down a groove and we were alright,” said Haers, who pocketed $2,250 in the extra-distance affair.

Rudolph showed his nose low on each of the final restarts but at the end fell eight car-lengths back under the checkers, barely edging Sheppard by a rail at the stripe followed fast by Fuller, Britten, Alan Johnson, Coffey and recent Sportsman grad Kevin Root in his first Big-Block start of the season.

“Feels good to be back here (victory lane),” added Haers, whose last win came in September of 2017 when he actually tied Sheppard for high point honors before ‘Super Matt’ was crowned champion due to more feature wins that season. The 2001 Canandaigua Sportsman champ and ’04 DIRTcar Northeast Rookie of the Year now owns 15 first-place trophies at the fairgrounds, ranking him 12th all-time in Big-Block competition.

“Just an awesome night, hope to be back here a few more times this year. Thank you fans for always supporting me and also to Bicknell Racing Products and all my product sponsors. Gotta thank my crew for busting their butt all week long and helping me out … as well as my mom, brother and my wife. Both my kids are here tonight so that’s pretty awesome too.”

A pair of 25-lap Sportsman features complemented the Modified menu with Guererri dominating the make-up main rain-delayed from the previous Saturday while Moden was just as strong in the nightcap.

“Had a really good car at the end but there wasn’t much left up top in that second race,” said Guererri, now with 13 career Sportsman wins at the fairgrounds including a division-best five last season en route to claiming the coveted track crown. “Just needed a yellow at the end to get back up there with the leaders.”

Andrew Jacobson led his first feature laps of the season from the pole-position yet “12” proved to be too formidable in the final outcome. Filing in 12th on the 24-car starting grid, Guererri’s potent #12G Tradition Automotive Group-Product 9-Mohawk Northeast/Bicknell entry rocketed from fifth to first on a lap seven restart before cruising home uncontested for a half-track triumph.

With a half-dozen laps complete, second-generation driver Rich Vinson broke on the front chute while running third to afford Guererri his opportunity on the pivotal restart. A rare red flag stopped the action on lap nine when Tim Lafler spun alone entering turn four and was slammed in the side by Timmy Borden Jr. with no place to go. Back under green, Zachary George got turned around on the restart and that was the last time Guererri would be seen.

While Guererri rode away at will, Jacobson, brother Nick Guererri, their uncle Paul Guererri and teenager Alex Payne attracted more attention as they battled in the Top-5 the remainder of the way.

“All in all it was a great night, won a heat race, won the first feature, then came back with a third,” added Guererri, after the Waterloo wheelman increased his points lead to 40 (455-415) over Zach Payne, who settled for seventh in both main events. “And double points were big for us. If there was a night we needed to click, it was tonight.”

Posting one Top-10 finish in just four starts at LOLR last season, Moden had his blue #28 Wolfepack Racing-Stirling Lubricants-Empire Dairy/Bicknell car dialed in on this special occasion. After Ricky Newton slid high off the track in turn two to incur the only slowdown the second time around, Moden could not be stopped as he recorded his first-ever win at his new Saturday night hangout.

“Never did I think I would get my first Sportsman win here with all the competition, its really good to get it here,” muttered the seemingly stunned chauffeur towing in from the WNY town of Medina. “Worried about hitting my marks and not messing up. As long as you did that you were pretty good. This feels really well.”

With slicker track conditions prevailing after sunset in round two of the Sportsman doubleheader, Moden never flinched while his closest pursuers sought the needed traction hoping to challenge. After only two laps 10th-starting Zach Sobotka advanced to third and stole the runner-up slot from Sam Hoxie with five complete.

Starting 16th and looking to match his earlier success, Matt Guererri overtook A.J. Lloyd for fifth on lap 13 and when Sobotka suddenly pulled pitside on lap 22, climbed to third as younger brother Nick Guererri held onto second. At the wire it was Moden by three car-lengths over Nick and Matt, with Hoxie logging his first Top-10 ahead of Frank Guererri Jr. and Paul Guererri.

“Big thank-you to Scott and Donelle (Wolfe), they help me keep this car at their place and spend a lot of money to make this all possible,” added Moden, now in his third year of open-wheel racing after moving up from the go-karts and street stocks at Ransomville Speedway closer to his Friday home out west. He joins second-generation standouts Zach Payne and Alex Payne as first-time winners at LOLR in 2021. “I appreciate all the hard work they put in all week to make this happen.”

Second-generation success continued in the 20-lap MEM 305 A-Main as Bay out-dueled her dad Darryl Ruggles to nail down a convincing victory for the winged machines.

“Just had to hit my marks every lap to catch him,” smiled Bay, following her 15th career 305 triumph at the fairgrounds to match David Ferguson for second all-time, now just 25 wins behind her father! On course to defend her points title, the female flash from neighboring Gorham leads her father 328-310 through five events. “Knew I had a shot to get him. With about six laps to go I was going to lay back a little bit but I couldn’t wait to do it for too many laps.”

Fresh off a CRSA Series win Friday night at Utica-Rome Speedway, Bay was in fine form to make it two straight Saturday on home soil. Ruggles went around both Matt Rotz and leader Dan Craun on lap two before Bay tracked him down for the final exchange up front on lap 14.

Ethan Gray lost the left-rear wheel and flipped out of turn two to require a red flag as his #17E mount rested sideways at the beginning of the back straightaway. Gray walked away from the mishap uninjured but out for the final five laps. Misfortune struck third-place Rotz as he joined Gray pitside when his #77 sprinter failed to refire in the aftermath.

With green lights back on, Bay never faltered steering her #48A Batzel’s Auto Service-Danny Willmes Enterprises-Alysha’s Cut & Curl/Eagle, stretching the lead to 10 car-lengths at the line. Ruggles took second ahead of Brandyn Griffin while Jason Whipple and Jordan Hutton rounded out the Top-5.

The car looked different yet the results were just the same as Oakfield ace Pangrazio won his first full-fender feature in his first try this year at the fabled fairgrounds half-miler. It was certainly an early birthday present for the 2020 LOLR Street Stock titlist who turns 38 on Tuesday.

“Thanks to Pepsi for sponsoring tonight, its great to have fans back out here and there’s a lot of great people that support me,” said Pangrazio, who scored a division-high six wins last summer in front of empty grandstands due to the pandemic. The pristine black & blue no. 7 Skyline RV Sales&Service-Houseman Refrigeration-Cummings Trucking/Ford Mustang took center stage on Saturday after out-lasting veteran Adam DePuy in the 20-lap feature.

While a trio of yellow flags unfurled early due to a flurry of minor mishaps, 12th -starting Pangrazio remained relentless in his ride to the front. Jared Hill led Pat Hobbs on lap one before eighth starting DePuy charged ahead on the second lap two restart.

Pangrazio pulled into sixth with three laps down, then cut the distance in half taking over third down the back straightaway with five circuits complete. Points leader Jimmy Grant suddenly slowed into the pits with his #36 Chevy Camaro losing fuel pressure, leaving Pangrazio poised to take control as DePuy was now the lone man to beat.

Attempting to block Pangrazio’s preferred line up top, DePuy slid high in turn two on the lap 8 restart. Quick to retaliate, Pangrazio immediately ducked down low on the back chute and emerged as the new leader a dozen laps from the end.

DePuy never let Pangrazio out of his sight, with the leaders even making contact as they crossed the stripe with five to go. A final chance came on lap 18 when Pangrazio slid high out of the groove in turn two, yet when the checkered flag waved DePuy still fell six feet shy in a last-ditch effort.

“I seen (DePuy) once or twice coming out of turn four so I knew there must’ve been (moisture) up top but I didn’t want to get off the bottom to test it,” revealed Pangrazio, following his 11th career stock car win in Canandaigua. “Anytime you bunch up the field (in response to the lap 8 caution that erased DePuy’s big lead) you’ve got a chance to win or improve your position. So you never give up and just dig in until the checkers fall.”

An illegal trailing arm found in the customary post-race inspection dropped C.J. Guererri from third to last on the scoresheet, with Mike Welch, Hobbs and Marc Minutolo comprising the new front-five. With valuable double points on the line, still winless Welch moved to the top of the standings 28 points ahead of four-time winner Grant when racing resumes in July.

Eldredge of Waterloo left nothing to chance in the entry-level Hobby class, leading all but two times around in the first 15-lapper before outlasting mentor Marc Minutolo over the final 10 laps in the curtain closer for his fourth win of the season.

“This car’s been good since we brought it here for the first race of the year,” confirmed Eldredge, after overtaking reigning points king Tyler Burnell by a count of 442-432 after seven events. “My dad made an adjustment last week before the rain came and it really turned this car on.”

Opening the Saturday show with the sun still out, Eldredge sped past Casey Wagner on lap three en route to opening up a 15 car-length margin under the checkers. Minutolo, Brian Lloyd and Burnell filled out the front-five.

The result was just as decisive under the lights, although Minutolo valiantly held back Eldredge in his #25J Eldredge & Sons Scrap-Big Mike’s Auto/Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the initial five circuits before settling for second in the final event of the night. Burnell, Willy Grant and Wagner added to their Top-5 tallies to close out the month.

“Marc has been my idol ever since I started racing,” divulged Eldredge, whose company helps support Minutolo’s racing effort in 2021. “That’s why I’ve got the number 25, its all from him and I love battling him when we get the chance.”

SUPER SERIES / 360 SPRINT SHOWDOWN
A long-awaited return of the Super DIRTcar Series kicks off the month when the Big-Block Modifieds take center stage in the “Liberty 100” on Thr., July 1. The mighty Mod Squad is joined in the holiday happening by the electrifying Empire Super Sprints in their only appearance of the season at LOLR — set for round #2 in the five-race 2021 PJC Spray Foam CNY Speedweek schedued June 30-July 4.

Capturing three checkered flags in the opening six Big-Block series stops, Canadian star Stewart Friesen tops the current standings with 885 points. Land of Legends local Matt Sheppard (846), Mat Williamson (817), Max McLaughlin (802) and Billy Decker (797) are the closest challengers, with current Canandaigua contenders Peter Britten (8th, 778), Erick Rudolph (12th, 753) and Marcus Dinkins (18th, 610) also among the series regulars in 2021.

All past sprint winners at LOLR, Jason Barney (5), Davie Franek (1) and Paulie Colagiovanni (2) top the current ESS points chart heading into the final weekend of June. As ESS was only able to complete one event in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions in effect, Colagiovanni won that single show at Can-Am Speedway after sweeping both 25-lap A-Mains held at Canandaigua en route to the overall 2019 CNY Speedweek title.

Pit gates unlock Thursday at 3:30 p.m., grandstand seating opens at 5 o’clock and practice sessions start at 6:00. Modified group time trials go off the line at 6:30 then opening ceremonies at 7:00 followed by qualifying races for Big-Blocks and Sprints.

LEGEND LEDGER
While there will be no racing at the fairgrounds on July 3, the ‘Saturday Spectacular’ presented by Ferris Mowers on July 10 includes a traditional five star show plus a pair of make-up features from June 19. Both the Pepsi Big-Block Modified and Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling Street Stock classes will stage two main events, with a complete card of Speed Connection Sportsman, Mike Emhof Motorsports 305 Sprint and Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stock action filling the bill.

A Pallbearer’s Motorcycle Club Benefit raffle will be held during the night with practice sessions kicking off on-track activity at 5:30pm. Heat race qualifiers for all five divisions go green at 6:30pm with pit gates open at 3:30pm and spectators gaining admittance into the main grandstands at 5 o’clock.

Land of Legends Raceway Event Summary – June 26, 2021
Pepsi / Geneva Club Beverage presents Saturday Spectacular
Double Points Nite (all divisions)
Pepsi Big-Block Modified Mid-Season Championship
*Feature (40 laps): 1. 3-Justin Haers ($2,250), 2. 25-Erick Rudolph, 3. 9s-Matt Sheppard, 4. 19-Tim Fuller, 5. 21a-Peter Britten, 6. 14j-Alan Johnson, 7. 23c-Kyle Coffey, 8. 34-Kevin Root, 9. 63-Adam Roberts, 10. 56-Garrison Krentz, 11. 19w-Justin Wright, 12. 22g-Gil Tegg Jr., 13. 7s-Torrey Stoughtenger, 14. 21x-Eric Williams, 15. 17-Marcus Dinkins, 16. 10m-Henry Maier, 17. 27j-Daniel Johnson Jr., 18. 7-Matt Farnham, 19. 33j-Robbie Johnston III, 20. 77-Lance Dusett, 21. 21-Derrick Podsiadlo, 22. 31m-Jimmy Maier.
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Rudolph, Stougtenger, Coffey, Haers, Fuller, Root, D.Johnson, Tegg.
#2: Sheppard, Britten, Farnham, Johnston, Dusett, A.Johnson, Dinkins.
#3: Wright, Krentz, Roberts, Podsiadlo, J.Maier, Williams, H.Maier.

Speed Connection Sportsman Modified
*Feature (25 laps / *rain-delayed from 6/19): 1. 12g-Matt Guererri ($750), 2. 61-Andrew Jacobson, 3. 25g-Nick Guererri, 4. 7-Paul Guererri, 5. 70-Alex Payne, 6. 38-Zach Sobotka, 7. 7z-Zach Payne, 8. 113-Frank Guererri Jr., 9. 1-Andrew Smith, 10. 11n-Ricky Newton, 11. 31-Kane Bristol, 12. 7x-Troy Sperring, 13. 1f-A.J. Lloyd, 14. 3-Justin McKay, 15. 21v-Tony Velez, 16. 9-Tim Baker, 17. 7j-J.T. Sperring, 18. 79-Brandon Close, 19. 00-Sam Hoxie, 20. 36m-Zachary George, 21. 51-Tim Lafler, 22. 23b-Timmy Borden Jr., 23. 132-Dalton Martin, 24. 93-Rich Vinson.
*Feature (25 laps): 1. 28-Jordan Moden ($750), 2. 25g-Nick Guererri, 3. 12g-Matt Guererri, 4. 00-Sam Hoxie, 5. 113jr.-Frank Guererri Jr., 6. 7-Paul Guererri, 7. 7z-Zach Payne, 8. 70a-Alex Payne, 9. 1f-A.J. Lloyd, 10. 26-Zachary George, 11. 35-Nick Cooper, 12. 31-Kane Bristol, 13. 90-Nathan Peckham, 14. 3-Justin McKay, 15. 11n-Ricky Newton, 16. 9-Tim Baker, 17. 61-Andrew Jacobson, 18. 21v-Tony Velez, 19. 38-Zach Sobotka, 20. 1-Andrew Smith, 21. 93-Rich Vinson, 22. 132-Dalton Martin, 23. 7j-J.T. Sperring, 24. 7x-Troy Sperring.
Heats (8 laps)
#1: M.Guererri, Lloyd, F.Guererri, P.Guererri, Velez, K.Payne, Nardozzi, Taylor, Lafler(DNS).
#2: Hoxie, Cooper, Peckham, Sobotka, Smith, Vinson, Baker, Grover.
#3: Z.Payne, Newton, N.Guererri, Jacobson, T.Sperring, Bristol, Waldron, Borden(DNS).
#4: McKay, A.Payne, Moden, J.T. Sperring, Martin, Close, Z.George(DSQ), G.George(DNS).
Consolation (8 laps)
#1: Z.George, Bristol, Vinson, Baker, 42-Brandon Grover(DNQ), 31k-Kennedy Payne(DNQ), 55-Michael Nardozzi(DNQ), 7t-Larry Taylor(DNQ), 132-Dalton Martin(DNS), 4-Emmett Waldron(DNS), 79-Brandon Close(DNS), 23b-Timmy Borden Jr.(DNS), 51-Tim Lafler(DNS), 26-Greenley George(DNS).

Mike Emhof Motorsports 305 Sprint
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 48a-Alysha Bay ($500), 2. 48jr.-Darryl Ruggles, 3. 75-Brandyn Griffin, 4. 38-Jason Whipple, 5. 66-Jordan Hutton, 6. 13t-Trevor Years, 7. 18c-Dan Craun, 8. 2-Randy Years, 9. 77-Matt Rotz, 10. 17e-Ethan Gray.
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Whipple, Hutton, Griffin, Craun, Gray.
#2: Ruggles, T.Years, Bay, Rotz, R.Years.

Eldredge & Sons Scrap Recycling Street Stock
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 7-Josh Pangrazio, 2. 57j-Adam DePuy, 3. 00-Mike Welch, 4. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 5. 3-Patrick Hobbs, 6. 5c-Rick Crego, 7. 55p-Parker Smith, 8. 93-Jared Hill, 9. 9-Aksel Jensen, 10. 122-Chris Beyea, 11. 99-Nick Dandino, 12. 34q-Jason Quigley, 13. 12s-Dakota Sharp, 14. 36-Jimmy Grant, 15. 74-Ronald “Bundy” Metcalf, cj1-C.J. Guererri(DSQ).
Heats (6 laps)
#1: Grant, Hobbs, Guererri, Hill, Smith, Dandino, Jensen, Beyea.
#2: Pangrazio, Welch, Minutolo, DePuy, Crego, Metcalf, Quigley, Sharp.

Lloyd’s Contracting Hobby Stock
*Feature (15 laps / *rain-delayed from 6/19): 1. 25j-Justin Eldredge, 2. 42-Casey Wagner, 3. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 4. 13b-Brian Lloyd, 5. 57jr.-Tyler Burnell, 6. 36w-Willy Grant, 7. 86L-Shawn Lloyd, 8. 28-Brandon Barron, 9. 17jr.-Jamie Eldredge Jr., 10. 15k-Jeremy Trank, 11x-Glen VanCise(no show).
*Feature (15 laps): 1. 25j-Justin Eldredge, 2. 13-Marc Minutolo, 3. 57jr.-Tyler Burnell, 4. 36-Willy Grant, 5. 42-Casey Wagner, 6. 13b-Brian Lloyd, 7. 86L-Shawn Lloyd, 8. 15k-Jeremy Trank, 9. 28-Brandon Barron, 10. 17jr.-Jamie Eldredge Jr.
Heat (6 laps)
#1: Minutolo, Ju.Eldredge, B.Lloyd, Wagner, Burnell, Grant, Ja.Eldredge, Barron, Trank(DNS), S.Lloyd(DNS).