RANSOMVILLE, NY – Former Mr. DIRT titlist Cody McPherson from St. Catharines, Ontario was victorious in the DIRTcar Sportsman Sean Letts Memorial at the Ransomville Speedway Friday night. The night was was also the 66th Season Opener at the Big R.
Gary Lindberg from Ridgeway, Ontario won the main event for the 358 Modifieds. Brandon Sherwood from Sanborn, NY won the Street Stock feature event. Ryan Plante from Cheektowaga, NY won the Mini Stock feature event. Ken Camidge from North Tonawanda, NY picked up the feature win in Novice Sportsman action.
The Sean Letts Memorial for the DIRTcar Sportsman was led to the green flag by Curtis Friesen and Dave Conant, with Conant taking the lead with Cody McPherson taking over second place. Conant and McPherson continued to battle for the lead, with Brett Senek, Friesen, Cam Tuttle, and Derek Wagner racing inside the top six.
McPherson took over the lead on lap nine from Conant while encountering lap traffic. McPherson survived several mid-race restarts to drive away to his 12th career Ransomville victory.
Based off time trials from Test, Tune, and Time, Phil Vigneri III and Gary Lindberg brought the 358 Modifieds, with Vigneri and Lindberg battling for the lead. Ryan Susice and Chad Brachmann battled with Vigneri and moved into second, as Lindberg took off in the lead.
Brachmann started to close in on Lindberg for the lead on lap six. Mat Williamson passed Vigneri to take over fourth place on lap eight. Mat Williamson took third from Susice following a lap nine caution and set out after Brachmann and Lindberg.
Lindberg started to pull away as Williamson closed in on Brachmann for second place. Williamson took over second from Brachmann on lap 21. Erick Rudolph quietly entered the top five before the halfway mark and passed Andrew Smith to take over fourth onlap 23. The caution came out on lap 25 as Greg Martin and Luke Carleton got together on the back straightaway. Lindberg held off Williamson to score the feature win.
Brandon Sherwood and John Zimmerman were on the front row for the Street Stocks with Sherwood showing the way. Mike Welch raced his way into third place, with 12th place starter Jesse Qutermous moving into fourth place on lap two. The battle was on for third place on lap six between Qutermous and Welch, with Welch holding off Qutermous.
Qutermous passed Welch on lap 10 to move into third place. Phil Schepis got loose off turn two and spun to bring out the races’ first caution on lap 17. The restart saw Sherwood in the lead with Jesse Qutermous battling with Zimmerman for second place. Sherwood went on to score the win, his first of the season and 19th of his career.
Ryan Plante and Curtis Rung brought the Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stocks to the green flag for their 15-lap feature event, with Plante showing the way. Plante dominated the event, leading all 15-laps to pick up the feature win, his 11th of his career.
Tyler Foster and Ken Camidge were on the front row for the opening race of the year for the Novice Sportsman, with Camidge jumping out into the early race lead. Graeme Toth took the lead away on lap two, with Cameron Rowlands moving into second place. Rowlands took over the lead on lap nine, as Toth had mechanical issues and pulled into the infield. While negotiating lap traffic, Ken Camidge regained the lead on lap 12. Camidge scored the win ahead of Rowlands, Nigel Pendykowski, Kyle Teeter, and Tyler Foster.
RACE RESULTS – 66th SEASON OPENER
358 Modifieds: GARY LINDBERG, Mat Williamson, Erick Rudolph, Chad Brachmann, Ryan Susice, Andrew Smith, Dalton Slack, Phil Vigneri III, Jesse Cotriss, Noah Walker, Steve Lewis Jr, Nelson Mason, Brad Rouse, Brandon Michaud, Kyle Richner, Jessica Kriegisch, Allan Wills, Greg Martin, Luke Carleton, Dave Flannigan Jr, Nick Joy, James Sweeting
Qualifying Heats: Ryan Susice, Erick Rudolph, Mat Williamson
DIRTcar Sportsman: CODY MCPHERSON, Dave Conant, Brett Senek, Cameron Tuttle, Curtis Friesen, Jim Harbison, Derek Wagner, Justin McKay, Jacob Bansmer, Greenley George, Kevin Wills, Dave DiPietro II, Jordan Moden, Colby Adamczak, Mike Kramarz, AJ Custodi, Sheldon Gardner, Billy Bleich Jr, Dillon Adamczak, Nathan Peattie, Abby Castile, Tyler Moore
Qualifying Heats: Dave DiPietro II, Jake Bansmer, Kevin Wills
Street Stocks: BRANDON SHERWOOD, John Zimmerman, Jesse Qutermous, Mike Welch, Bobby Lippa Jr, Ron Richter, Phil Schepis, Tommy Bowen, Joey Zimmerman, Butch Zimmerman, Nate Tabor
Did Not Start: Jacob Vick, Larry Vick
Qualifying Heats: Butch Zimmerman, Phil Schepis
Mini Stocks: RYAN PLANTE, Ben Hornquist, Curt Rung, Jeffrey Wynes, Brad Whiteside, Cole Susice, Brian Melcher, Mike Becker, Dave Smith, Matt Hornquist, Ian Paul, John Carlson, Bob Palmer, Cody Griffin, Kenny Zimmerman
Did Not Start: Christian Soliday, CJ Smith, Nevin Hazel
Qualifying Heats: Jeffrey Wynes, Brad Whiteside, Dave Smith
Novice Sportsman: KEN CAMIDGE, Cameron Rowlands, Nigel Pendykowski, Kyle Teeter, Tyler Foster, Jocelyn Just, Brooklyn Chaffee, Jacalyn Nettleton, Graeme Toth
Did Not Start: Zack Bleich, Johnny Zimmerman, Luke Blose
Qualifying Heats: Jocelyn Just, Ken Camidge
