LAFARGEVILLE, N.Y. — The 50th Golden Jubilee season got back underway Friday night at the Can Am Speedway, but it started off by honoring a legend in the sport of auto racing, who called the speedway home for so many years.
Under threatening skies the features were run off very quickly. In the Donath Motorworx Limited Sportsman Logan Brown was in pursuit of his third straight feature win in his third career start, however Brady Howard had something to say as he took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Howard was fast at the start and would go untouched in the 12 lap feature. Howard would notch his first win of the year and stop the Logan Brown dominance. Camdin Cook ran a strong second with Brown finishing third.
The Panther Frameworx Crate Sprints had a fantastic battle in their 15 lap feature go with Andrew Hennessey and Josh Verne Jr. putting on a great show for the lead. These two drivers put on one of the best races with Hennessey leading the way while Verne did everything to get by. As the laps wound down it looked like Hennessey would finally get a Can Am win, but Verne had other plans. On the final lap Josh Verne Jr was able to make the pass down the backstretch. Hennesey tried one more time but Josh Verne Jr. would hold on to score back to back wins and the 13th of his Can Am sprint car career. Hennessey crossed a close second with Sprint Car rookie George Sanford finishing third.
The 25-lap Whitesboro Plowshop DIRTCar 358 Modified feature saw Andy Howard jump out front at the drop of the green and lead the opening 8 laps with Michael Mandigo, Derek Webb, Tim Fuller and Nick Webb right there to challenge. Howard had a fast car, but the driver on the move was Fuller, as he came from the 12th starting spot to challenge for the lead. On lap 11 Fuller would take the sot away and put on a dominant performance. A yellow on lap 13 for Nick Webb would slow the race, allowing Howard and the rest of the field another shot at the leader. On the restart Fuller would jump out front and drive away once again, while Howard, Webb and Mandigo all tried to keep pace. Mandigo had a solid top 5 run going until he went too high in turn 2, falling out of the top 5, but would recover to finish 9th. In the end nobody was catching Tim Fuller as he scored his second in a row, over Andy Howard, Derek Webb, Ryan Bartlett and Lance Willix. In victory lane Fuller dedicated the win to the McCreadie family, as he spoke of the many doors Bob McCreadie opened for him over the years, and the advice that helped guide him to what is now a Hall of Fame career.
Xavier Andrews took advantage of the outside pole position in the 20 lap Bob Johnson Auto Group DIRTCar Sportsman event, he led the way over fellow Canadians, Greg Brinklow, Brennan Moore and Jessica Power, with Eric Nier in 5th. Andrews started to open up a big lead of nearly a straight away at the halfway point with a fierce battle behind him from 3rd on back. While Moore pulled away in 2nd, Jessica Power, Greg Brinklow and Eric Nier put on a great show for position with Nier moving to 4th while Brinklow lost 5th to Gavin Eisele. As the laps wound down Brennan Moore began closing on Andrews for the lead and did all he could to get to his back bumper. However on this night, it was all about Xavier Andrews as notched his first ever Can Am Sportsman win. Brennan Moore scored a hard fought second place finish, with Jessica Power, Eric Nier and Gavin Eisele completing the top 5.
The weather gods were on our side on this night as the Sundance Leisure Thundercars were able to get their 15 lap feature in before the skies opened up. Michael Greenfield led early over Jared Gilson and former track champion Tony Frezzo. Frezzo would jump into the lead on lap 3 and looked to have the car to beat. A few laps later Greenfield would return to the top spot and bring Damien Bechler to second, who was in search of his second win in a row. Over the remainder of the event, Bechler, Greenfield and Jared Gilson were involved in a great battle, trading positions lap after lap. On lap 13 the yellow flew as OJ White spun in turn 4 setting up one final shot at the leader. When the green flew for the final time Damien Bechler was able to get away and march to his second win in a row. Jared Gilson held on for second with Francis White charging to third in a borrowed ride.
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