DUNDEE, N.Y. — Michael Maresca rode the outside lane to Bicknell Racing Products Victory Lane on Thursday night at Outlaw Speedway, earning $7,078.78 for his efforts in the ‘Outlaw Showdown’ run in memory of Dave Machuga.
The triumph for Baldwinsville, N.Y.’s Maresca came in Round No. 2 of a rain-marred Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco HYTORC of New York North Region.
“I’ve won some big races, but I feel like the other big races something happened, or other peoples’ bad luck,” Maresca said. I feel like I passed a couple of the ‘baddest’ dudes a couple times.
“That was a crazy race!”
In five STSS Modified events run in 2026, there have been as many different winners.
After precipitation doused the Dundee oval just prior to hot laps, the Tyler Siri-led track crew rallied to get the surface prepared, and fans were rewarded for their patience during a 90-minute rain delay with an entertaining 50-lap event.
Four different drivers took turns leading the event before Maresca, who started eighth on the grid, swept past Mat Williamson to lead the final eight tours around the four-tenths-mile banked venue.
Veteran Bobby Varin, who started from the pole following the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, led the opening two laps before a flat right-rear tire forced his No. 18V to slow.
The benefactor was fourth-starter Anthony Perrego, who assumed the top spot.
Perrego, in a tooth-and-nail battle with Matt Sheppard, held command for 12 laps before suffering his own misfortune. Perrego’s Bob Hentschel-owned No. 4 slowed on the backstretch on lap 14, done for the night.
After starting 12th, Mat Williamson – driving his No. 6 – was next to lead.
Williamson’s apparent winning effort was derailed by Maresca.
Ripping the extreme outside of the Outlaw oval, Maresca carved through the top five, picking up fourth on lap 26, third on lap 30, and second on lap 32 before taking command on the 42nd circuit.
“I fell back early,” Maresca said. “I told myself just to stay cool. I figured more opportunities would come if I let it play out. I found that topside and it was definitely the ragged edge.”
Maresca rolled to his third career STSS Modified victory and first since March 18, 2023 at Pa.’s Selinsgrove Speedway. He also won at All-Tech Raceway in Lake City, Fla., on Feb. 11, 2022.
The win came on the heels of a heartbreaking final-lap loss at Kutztown, Pa.’s Action Track USA in May to Cale Ross.
Williamson, of Saint Catharines, Ont., settled for a $3,000 runner-up finish, ahead of Covington Township, Pa.’s Alex Yankowski, up from sixth, Savannah, N.Y.’s Sheppard and Brady Fultz of Dundee, N.Y., in a steady performance.
The finish:
1-Maresca.Michael 2-Williamson.Mat 3-Yankowski.Alex 4-Sheppard.Matt 5-Fultz.Brady 6-Siri.Tyler 7-Payne.Alex 8-Ward.Pat 9-Collins.Tommy 10-Daugherty.Jeffery 11-Roy.Felix 12-Van Doren.Tanner 13-Comfort.Karl 14-Wright.Justin 15-Varin.Bobby 16-Morgiewicz.Daniel(Jr) 17-Grover.Aiden 18-Perrego.Anthony 19-Johnson.Danny 20-Paine.Tommy 21-Shields.Will 22-Cartwright.Ron(Jr.) 23-Klinger.Blaine 24-Potrzebowski.Ajay(II) 25-Crooker.Kreg 26-Gill.Jackson
