VERNON, N.Y. — Matt Sheppard claimed the season finale at Utica-Rome Speedway on Tuesday night, topping a stout 26-car field in the “Modern Day Outlaw 50” race worth $5,000.
The Savannah, N.Y., resident raced from his ninth starting position to take the lead at the completion of lap 26 and drove away with a dominant performance for his record-setting 12th victory of the season.
“I’m just really excited for my team, we had an unbelievable year here at Utica-Rome,” Sheppard said. “It’s been storybook. We’ve been on a roll lately and this is a great way to kick off a busy stretch.”
The Sunoco Modified champion’s 12th win of the campaign at Utica-Rome set a record for the most modified wins in a season at the Route 5 oval.
“That’s pretty special,” Sheppard said of the record. “All the history in New York State at all these different tracks. Just to have a small part of it — until somebody knocks me off, we’ll have the bragging rights.”
With Sheppard firing from the inside of the fifth row, Rocky Warner and Will Shields occupied the front row following the redraw. It was Shields who raced off the outside row to take the early advantage in the 50-lap affair.
The modified rookie led the opening four laps before Warner used the inside groove to slide by and take the lead. Warner would race away with the lead while Sheppard was quickly attempting to march his way into the top five. Sheppard began to battle with Demetrios Drellos for the fifth spot while another pair of drivers were waging war for the final podium spot.
Bobby Hackel and Larry Wight traded the third spot back and forth before Wight found speed on the outside lane.
Wight raced around both Hackel and Shields to move into the runner-up position on lap nine. Shields moved to the bottom groove, allowing Hackel and Sheppard to follow in Wight’s path around the outside of Shields’ No. 82s machine.
With Warner opening his advantage in lap traffic, Sheppard rolled his way to the front with Hackel and Wight separating himself from the leader. Sheppard cleared Hackel on the 15th circuit around the half-mile clay oval before locking in on Wight. Four laps later, Sheppard raced underneath Wight to take the second spot away.
Sheppard quickly ate into Warner’s advantage as the halfway mark neared. Warner would lead the halfway point before Sheppard raced underneath Warner and stole the position away. The race’s only delay would come on lap 32 as Billy Decker was on his roof in the fourth turn.
Decker climbed out of the car unscathed.
When the race resumed Sheppard picked up where he left off, winning by seven seconds over the rest of the field.
‘Lightning’ Wight took home the runner-up spot in his F.X. Caprara Honda No. 99L and Drellos rounded out the podium in his family-owned No. 111. Warner claimed fourth in his Jason Simmons Racing No. 98 and Bobby Hackel rounded out the top five in his Killer Crate-backed No. 97.
Feature Results (50 Laps)
Matt Sheppard, Larry Wight, Demetrios Drellos, Rocky Warner, Bobby Hackel IV, Alex Yankowski, David Schilling, Alan Johnson, Will Shields, Willy Decker, Brian Gleason, Pat Ward, Danny Bouc, Jeff Trombley, Neil Stratton, Jeff Taylor, Cale Ross, Rusty Smith, Billy Decker, Alan Barker, JaMike Sowle, Brian Murphy, Andy Bachetti, Ronnie Johnson, Ryan Darcy, Aaron Jacobs
‘Cole Cup’ Signals Seasons End At Utica-Rome
Racin’ Jason Barney joined Stewart Friesen as the only pair of two-time winners of the “Cole Cup” as the A-Verdi Storage Containers Patriot Sprint Tour (PST) 360 Sprint Cars tackled Utica-Rome Speedway for the final time.
Barney used a late race restart in a caution-filled 30-lap affair to slide by Jonathan Preston and take the $5,000 victory.
“The money doesn’t mean anything. Cole Cup wins and wins at Utica-Rome are what makes this one special,” Barney said in victory lane.
Preston held on for second and Matt Farnham, who set a new track record in his heat race, rounded out the podium.
Danny Varin completed a late-race charge to come home fourth and Shawn Donath rounded out the top five.
Feature Results (25 Laps)
Jason Barney, Jonathan Preston, Matt Farnham, Danny Varin, Shawn Donath, Jordan Thomas, Davie Franek, Parker Evans, Larry Wight, Steve Glover, Tyler Trump, Chad Miller, Dave Axton, Dalton Rombough, Chase Moran, Paulie Colagiovanni, Joe Trenca, Jordan Poirier, Tommy Wickham, Adam Carberry, Jordan Hutton, Mike Kiser, Matt Tanner, Denny Peebles