RANSOMVILLE, NY – Ransomville Speedway honoured their 2022 track champions on December 3 at the annual Awards Banquet at the Lewiston Fire Company #2 Hall. Breakaway provided music for the evening and Donna Eick catered the meal. Track announcer Steven Petty served as emcee for the evening.
Mat Williamson, from St. Catharines, Ont., was honoured as the 2022 Krown Undercoating Modified track champion. Williamson won eight times on the season, including the win in the 37th Summer Nationals, to earn his second straight track title. Third-generation driver Erick Rudolph won three times at his home track in 2022. Ryan Susice won twice, including the visit by the BRP Modified Tour. Multi-time track champions Chad Brachmann and Pete Bicknell each won twice. James Sweeting also visited victory lane this past season. The Best Appearing Modified went to Greg Martin. Jonathan Reid was named the division’s Most Improved Driver.
Derek Wagner, from Middleport, NY, earned his first Investor’s Service Sportsman title. It was the fifth consecutive season that Wagner finished in the top-three in divisional points. Wagner visited victory lane five times. Three-time consecutive champion Brett Senek won four times and finished second in the points chase. This year’s Mr. DIRT titlist Cody McPherson won twice, as did Cameron Tuttle and Scott Kerwin. Dave DiPietro and Noah Walker also claimed checkered flags in 2022. Brett Senek had the divisions’ Best Appearing Car. Dylan Duhow was the division’s Most Improved Driver.
Oakfield, NY’s Josh Pangrazio won his first KiPo Chevrolet Street Stock championship. The champ visited victory lane seven times in route to the divisional crown, including the Mackenzie Kulesza Memorial. Dan Schulz won three times, while John Zimmerman visited victory lane twice. Jimmy Grant and Dennis Cummings each won once. Southern Tier champion Glenn Whritenour won the John Susice Memorial. Simon Bissell won the Mateo Hope Memorial, as well as earned the divisions’ Rookie of the Year award. Pangrazio also picked up the Best Appearing Car Award. The Most Improved Driver went to Joey Zimmerman.
Cole Susice, from Ransomville, NY, earned his third Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stock track championship. Susice visited victory lane once but had consistent finishes to earn him the title. Dante Mancuso had a division-high four wins. Chris Leone, Ryan Plante and Curtis Rung each won three times. Rocco Conte, Dave Dussault and Ian Paul also scored feature wins. Curtis Rung was the Most Improved Driver and had the division’s Best Appearing Car.
Noah Mamo, from Ridgeway, Ont., was the Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman track champion. Mamo had five victories this season. Colby Adamczak also won five times. Aden Harris won twice, while Abby Castile, Dillon Adamczak and Kasey Coffey each won once. Castile had the division’s best appearing car. Twenty two different drivers competed in the entry-level division this past season, the most for any Novice Sportsman division in the region.
The 2022 complete point standings are available online, by clicking on the points tab at www.ransomvillespeedway.com.
Sprint Cars returned to the Big R for two races in 2022, with Parker Price-Miller winning the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions event on July 8. Matt Farnham earned the popular win with the Empire Super Sprints by winning the Ron Lux Memorial.
The Driver of the Year went to Sportsman track champion Derek Wagner. Bubby Pawlak was named Owner of the Year. John Cocco was named the Pat Spina Mechanic of the Year. Cocco has served as crew chief and crew member for Scott Kerwin and Mat Williamson for several seasons. The Hard Luck Award recipient was John Smith.
The Key Player Award went to Office Manager Lynda O’Keefe for her years of dedication and service to the Ransomville Speedway. Brett Senek was named the 2022 Trevor Wilkins Hard Charger Award winner. Chad Brachmann was the recipient of the Ray MacIver Sportsmanship Award. The Performance Award went to Modified champion Mat Williamson.
Speedway management gave an update on what is happening at the speedway over the winter months and plans for the 2023 season. The 2023 season will get underway on Friday, May 5, 2023.
Look for the 2023 schedule and rules to be released in the coming weeks. Follow Ransomville Speedway on social media for all updates, as well as the speedway website, www.ransomvillespeedway.com.
- By Steven Petty/Ransomville Speedway
Discussion about this post