Lutz Tops Lancaster Season Opener

LANCASTER, N.Y. — The 64th season of stock car racing at Lancaster Motorplex kicked off Saturday afternoon under beautiful racing conditions.

Jake Lutz picked up his first career Lancaster victory in the Monroe Extinguisher Sportsman. Eldon King III won the late model feature event. Jacob Gustafson won the street stock main event. Dave Schulz won the Mighty TQ Midget feature. Andy Danielwicz won the 4 Cylinder feature. 

John Barber and Lutz were on the front row for the Monroe Extinguisher Sportsman feature, with Lutz taking off into the lead ahead of George Skora III, Shawn Nye, Barber and Tony Carbone. The lead duo of Lutz and Skora would pull away from the balance of the field.

The caution would come out on lap 21 as Tony Carbone spun in turn three. The restart would see the top trio of Lutz, Skora and Nye all battle for the lead, with Lutz in the lead, ahead of Skora, Nye and Tom MacLeod. Lutz would take off ahead of Skora and Nye late in the contest, with Skora challenging Lutz for the lead.

Lutz would hold off Skora and Nye to score his first career Lancaster victory.

In victory lane, Lutz dedicated the win to fallen racer Kyle Inman, who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. 

Bobby Weber and Eldon King set the pace for the late model feature event, with King taking the lead and quickly pulling away from the field. A multi-car tangle occurred in turn two, taking out Dave Whittaker, Joe Mancuso, Dave Heitzhaus and Chris Durbin. On the restart, King would pull away from the field as Dave Russell raced in second.

Once the field got under green flag conditions, King would pull away from the field to score the win. 

Frank Batista and Kyle Schosek were on the front row for the street stock feature, with Batista leading John Carlson, Jacob Gustafson, Schosek and David Brunka. Carlson would take the lead away on lap two, with Gustafson running in second. Gustafson would apply the pressure to Carlson for the lead, as the top two pulled away from the balance of the 26-car starting field.

Tim Welshans challenged Batista for third on lap 10, just as the first caution came out for Jay Canonico, who spun in turn three. Gustafson would take the lead away from Carlson on the restart, with Welshans taking over second. Gustafson and Carlson would battle for the lead for several laps, with each taking turns at the front of the field.

Gustafson would reclaim the lead with five laps remaining, with Welshans regaining second. Gustafson held on to score the win. 

Andy Danielwicz and Russ Bulger Jr were on the front row for the 4 Cylinder feature, with Danielwicz getting the early race lead. Danielwicz and Bulger would pull away from the field, as Hunter McKay, John Byrd and Mason Offhaus raced inside the top five.

Chris Deyoe Jr worked his way into the top five at the halfway mark and would close in on the third-place car of McKay and would move into third with five laps remaining. Danielwicz held off Bulger and Deyoe to score the win. 

Dave and Brian Schulz brought the Mighty TQ Midgets to the green flag for their 20-lap event, with Dave Schulz in the lead. Paul Jorgensen would bring out the caution on lap one. Schulz would lead on the restart ahead of brother Mark, with youngest brother Brian in third, followed by Dave Wollaber and Kyle Hutchinson.

Dave Wollaber would race his way to second and would go after race leader Dave Schulz at the halfway point. Schulz held off Wollaber for his first career win at Lancaster. The second-generation driver from Somerset joins his father Gene and brother Mark with wins at Lancaster.