DELEVAN, N.Y. — After a handful of top five’s and overcoming some bad luck earlier in the season, Jonathan Preston finally was able to find the missing puzzle piece and pick up the Empire Super Sprints win on Friday night at Freedom Motorsports Park.
Drawing the Pinnacle Investments pole award, Preston would start on the front row alongside Kyle Drum for the 25-lap main event. Before a lap could be completed, however, the first red flag of the night was thrown for Dan Bennett after he took a tumble down the backstretch.
On the ensuing restart, Preston jumped out to an advantage over the field, with third starting Jeff Cook getting by Drum for second. Another red, this time for Sammy Reakes IV flipping wildly out of the park in turns one and two, set the field up for another early restart.
As the green flag waved again, it was Preston with the lead headed into turn one, though this time Drum was able to get back by Cook for second. By the mid-point of the race, the top two remained unchanged, but sixth-place starting Shawn Donath had quietly worked his way into the top-three.
A lap 18 restart would then allow Donath to slip by Drum for second. As the field came around for the two-to-go signal, Cook was able to get back by Drum for third. In the closing laps, it became apparent that nobody was going to have anything for Preston, and he sailed to his first victory of 2023.
Donath held on for a second place finish, and coming to the checkered Drum fought back on the outside and passed Cook for third, securing his first Ashley Lynn Winery podium finish of the season.
“As soon as I heard the 53 behind me, I knew it was go time,” said Preston in victory lane. “I was taking it easy on tires early, but as soon as I knew he was there I couldn’t hold anything back.”
Feature Finish (25 Laps)
1. #22-Jonathan Preston[1]; 2. #53-Shawn Donath[6]; 3. #47-Kyle Drum[2]; 4. #10-Jeff Cook[3]; 5. #87-Jason Barney[9]; 6. #7C-Dylan Swiernik[12]; 7. #35-Jared Zimbardi[7]; 8. #89-Robbie Stillwaggon[11]; 9. #36-Logan Crisafulli[10]; 10. #11-Ryan Stillwaggon[13]; 11. #13T-Trevor Years[4]; 12. #13-Keith Granholm[15]; 13. #18C-Dan Craun[18]; 14. #5D-Jacob Dykstra[5]; 15. 28-Jordan Poirier[8]; 16. #41-Dalton Rombough[16]; 17. #17-Sammy Reakes IV[14]; 18. #X-Dan Bennett[17]; 19. #25G-Tyler Graves[19]