CALEDONIA’S, BRAD WHITESIDE TAKES HOME THE LOOT IN STATELINE’S CHALLENGER SPECIAL!

June 4, 2023 | by Marc Hoegerl

Busti, NY (June 3, 2023) by Marc Hoegerl: Caledonia, NY’s Brad Whiteside made the 2 hour and 15 minute trek to The New Stateline Speedway worthwhile, by picking up the victory in the annual $1,500 to win Challenger Special. Steve Dixon would go back to back in the RUSH Pro Mods. Jason Black would finally get it done in the Pro Stocks. It would be Greg Oakes picking up his first Stateline win of the season in the Super Lates. Zach Johnson would grab his career first in the highly competitive UMP Mods, and Jason Genco would get back on track, by cruising to victory in the RUSH Crate Late Models.

The Challenger’s Special would bring in 34 of the best in the region, to do battle in the 20 lap showcase. Odds On Favorite Chris Horton, would jump out to the lead for the first four circuits, until the Livingston County, New York Native, Brad Whiteside would muscle his way around Horton on lap 5, to go on to win the $1,500 first place prize. This would also be Whiteside’s first ever career Stateline win. Horton would settle for 2nd, Andy Schumaker had a nice run from his 9th place starting position to register 3rd. Previous two weeks winner John Mease brought home 4th, and Curtis Rung rounded out the top 5.

18 RUSH Pro Mods would hit the surface for their 20 lap A-main. Franklinville, NY’s, Josh Wilcox would get out front early in the event, to lead the initial 8 laps, until the sharp looking #50 of veteran Steve Dixon would take over on lap 9. Dixon would have his hands full most of the second half of the race, as “The Albion Assassin” Dennis Lunger, who brought out the races first caution, sending him to the tail, would pick off the field, lap after lap, finally moving into 2nd on lap 11. Lunger would chase down the leader Dixon the remainder of the race, but Dixon would once again not be denied, picking up his second consecutive Stateline win of the season. Lunger would once again have to settle for 2nd, Brenden Warner having his best run of the season was 3rd, Al Brewer was 4th, and Brian Mohawk rounded out the top 5.

With a stout field of 17 Super Late Models, Jason Genco, and opening nights winner, Greg Oakes, would make up your front row for the 25 lap main. Oakes would motor to the front of the field, at the drop of the green, to go the entire distance untouched to pick up win #2 of 2023, and Stateline career win #9. 6th place starter Andy Boozel had his best run to date, to come home in the bridesmaid spot. Ryan Scott would nail down 3rd, David Scott, driving Wyatt Scott’s #X3 would make a late race charge to come home 4th, after starting 9th. Nicholas Eck in an impressive run would round out your top 5 from the 12th starting spot.

Spring Creek, PA’s Jason Black has had number of good runs over the past two season but has just not been able to park himself in victory circle. This night would be the night that Black would finally end his elongated dry spell. Black would get out front at the outset, and fend off many challenges from Tanner Ramsey, and Shane Applebee, to go on to pick up a much deserved win in the Pro Stocks, for Stateline win #1 of 23’. Ramsey who had stalked Black for the first 13 laps, would go pit side during a caution on lap 13. Shane Applebee would pick up where Ramsey left off but would have to settle for 2nd. 11th place starter, and multi-champion John Boardman would ride home 3rd, as Gary Fisher Jr., and last week’s winner Jason Covey, would round out the top 5.

The UMP Modifieds would be up next, with stellar field of 20 competitors. At the drop of the green, Greg Johnson looked like he’d get his first UMP Modified win, since May 14th, 2022, but Jamestown’s Zach Johnson would have different intentions. Johnson would overtake the elder Johnson on lap 5, to go on to bring home his first ever Stateline UMP Modified win, as well as his first ever main event win in Johnson’s short career. Johnson would keep his poise throughout, holding off 8th place starter Dennis Lunger, in the late stages, to finally get his candid moment, in Stateline’s victory lane. Lunger would settle for 2nd,Greg Johnson, Butch Southwell, and Dave Lanphere having his best run of 2023, would round out the events top 5.

Jason Genco has had an uncharacteristic start to the 2023 campaign, but the veteran racer would show, from week to week you have to put the previous weeks behind you and push forward if you’re going to get back on track. Genco would put that in effect, taking no time motoring out front from his front row starting position, to cruise to his first Stateline RUSH Crate Late Model triumph of 2023. Randy Hall in his best run of 23’ was 2nd, Josh Ferry 3rd, Matt Sipes 4th, and last week’s winner Andy Michael was 5th.

Draven Kuzminski who was involved in an on track incident, during the RUSH Crate Late Model Feature, was transported to UPMC Hamot Medical Center for treatment. Kuzminski has showed signs of progress over the night, as Stateline Speedway will keep everyone informed on Draven’s condition, during the days ahead. Stateline Speedway would like to thank everyone for their continued prayers, for Kuzminski and his family.

RUSH PRO MODS (18 Entries)
Heat 1: 1) Chad Carlson 2) Brendan Warner 3) Brian Mohawk 4) John Cline 5) Ian Degolier 6) Nick Arnold 7) Donald May Jr. 8. Jarrod Silvis 9) Tyler Sutton
Heat 2: 1) Steve Dixon 2) Josh Wilcox 3) Al Brewer 4) Vaughn Nystrom 5) Dennis Lunger 6) Derek Peterson 7) Chad Ramsey 8. Ryan Sanders 9) Cody Rickard
Feature: 1) Dixon 2) Lunger 3) Warner 4) Brewer 5) B. Mohawk 6) Sutton 7) Ramsey 8. Carlson 9) Nystrom 10) Arnold 11) Degolier 12) Rickard 13) Sanders 14) Peterson 15) Wilcox 16) Cline 17) May Jr. 18. Silvis

Lap Leaders: Wilcox (1-9) , Dixon (10-20)

PRO STOCKS (20 Entries)
Heat 1: 1) Jason Black 2) Tanner Ramsey 3) Joe Stajnrajh 4) Jason Covey 5) Kole Stelmack 6) Bill Applebee 7) Corey Macqueen
Heat 2: 1) Gary Fisher Jr. 2) Shane Applebee 3) Donald Blood 4) John Boardman 5) Michael Oakes 6) Brent Marotto 7) Justin Pratt
Heat 3: 1) Tyle Dynys 2) John Cline 3) Mikael Beaver 4) Grant Richard 5) Dale Sheets 6) Garret Waters
Feature: 1) Black 2) S. Applebee 3) Boardman 4) Fisher Jr. 5) Covey 6) Cline 7) B. Applebee 8. Stajnrajh 9) Blood 10) Marotto 11) Oakes 12) Macqueen 13) Pratt 14) Richard 15) Ramsey 16) Shelmack 17) Beaver 18. Dynys 19) Sheets 20) Waters

Lap Leaders: Black (1-15)

CHALLENGERS (34 Entries)
Heat 1: 1) Dylan Greene 2) Nicholas Reed 3) Andy Schumaker 4) Craig Karns 5) Brandon Huffman6) Dave Moller 7) Brandon Marotto 8. Don Whiteside 9) Rachel Butler
Heat 2: 1) John Mease 2) Pete Volpe 3) Tommy Labarbera 4) Domingo Echevarria 5) Tyler Peterson 6) Jimmy Diabo 7) Kayla York 8. Devin Ishman 9) Dan Bittinger
Heat 3: 1) Rick Feely 2) Phil Powell 3) Tim Dragar 4) Jess Harvey 5) Collin Larson 6) Justin Drugar 7) Danny Martell 8. Jordan Richard
Heat 4: 1) Chris Horton 2) Brad Whiteside 3) Curtis Rung 4) Jon Seekings 5) Cassandra Goodwill 6) Tyler Rendell 7) Matt Lanphere 8. Nick Harvey
Consi (Top 4 Advanced): 1) D. Whiteside 2) D. Moller 3) Martell 4) York 5) Ishman 6) Richard 7) Marotto 8. Diabo 9) Lanphere 10) J. Dragar 11) Rendell 12) N. Harvey 13) Butler 14) Bittinger
20 Lap Feature: 1) B. Whiteside 2) Horton 3) Schumaker 4) Mease 5) Rung 6) Huffman 7) Feely 8. Echevarria 9) Seekings 10) Harvey 11) Pearson 12) Goodwill 13) York 14) T. Dragar 15) Labarbera 16) Reed 17) Greene 18. Martell 19) D. Moller 20) Volpe 21) Powell 22) D. Whiteside 23) Larson 24) Karns

Lap Leaders: Horton (1-3) , B. Whiteside (4-20)

SUPER LATE MODELS (17 Entries)
Heat 1: 1) Greg Oakes 2) Michael Smith 3) Ryan Scott 4) Jake Finnerty 5) David Scott 6) Dutch Davies 7) Kyle Bedell 8. Khole Wanzer 9) Chevy Scott
Heat 2: 1) Andy Boozel 2) Bob Dorman 3) Jason Genco 4) Bump Headman 5) Darrell Bossard 6) Nicholas Eck 7) Scott Dellahoy Jr. 8. Anthony Marotto
Feature: 1) Oakes 2) Boozel 3) R. Scott 4) D. Scott 5) N. Eck 6) Finnerty 7) Wanzer 8. Bedell 9) Bossard 10) Headman 11) Dellahoy Jr. 12) C. Scott 13) Dorman 14) Smith 15) Genco 16) Davies 17) Marotto

Lap Leaders: Oakes (1-25)

UMP MODIFIEDS (20 Entries)
Heat 1: 1) David Scott 2) Butch Southwell 3) Mike Eschrich 4) Tom Kosinski 5) Bryon Johnson 6) Chris Deponceau 7) Michael McGee
Heat 2: 1) Zach Johnson 2) Greg Johnson 3) Dennis Lunger 4) Tim Peterson 5) Darrin Waldron 6) James Wilburn 7) James Irwin
Heat 3: 1) Dan Sasso 2) Dave Lanphere 3) Matt Kosinski 4) Tim Rockwell 5) Andrew Beatman 6) Deven Dudenhoeffer
Feature: 1) Z. Johnson 2) Lunger 3) G. Johnson 4) Southwell 5) Lanphere 6) Peterson 7) McGee 8. D. Scott 9) M. Kosinski 10) Beatman 11) Waldron 12) Irwin 13) B. Johnson 14) T. Kosinski 15) Dudenhoeffer 16) Eschrich 17) Sasso 18. Deponceau 19) Rockwell 20) Wilburn

Lap Leaders: G. Johnson(1-4) , Z. Johnson(5-20)

RUSH CRATE LATE MODELS (26 Entries)
Heat 1: 1) Josh Ferry 2) Khole Wanzer 3) David Parker 4) Andy Michael 5) Draven Kuzminski 6) Chad Clement 7) Konar Loney 8. Rick Karash 9) Darrin Waldron
Heat 2: 1) Randy Hall 2) Jason Genco 3) Matt Sipes 4) Steve Blodgett 5) Steve Houser 6) Ray Houser 7) DJ Krug 8. Kassie Norman 9) Shawn Little
Heat 3: 1) Scott Gurdak 2) Jimmy Johnson 3) Ward Schell 4) Will Pinckney 5) Gary Youngs 6) Charlie Houser 7) Hunter Proctor 8. Robert Middleton
Feature: 1) Genco 2) Hall 3) Ferry 4) Sipes 5) Michael 6) Johnson 7) Parker 8. Wanzer 9) Schell 10) Pinckney 11) Gurdak 12) Youngs 13) S. Houser 14) Loney 15) Blodgett 16) Proctor 17) C. Houser 18. Karash 19) Little 20) Norman 21) Waldron 22) Middleton 23) Kuzminski 24) R. Houser 25) Krug 26) Clement

Lap Leaders: Genco (1-20)