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A Night of Firsts: Brian Calabrese Wins SuperNationals STSS Crate Event

Written by Chris Moore

VERNON, NY – A night of firsts.

Night one of the 15th annual ‘Short Track SuperNationals’ at Utica-Rome Speedway is in the books.

Johnstown, N.Y.’s Brian Calabrese dominated the 25-lap Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco Crate 602 Sportsman event, leading every lap on his way to the $2,000 payday.

“We had a lot of luck with the redraw,” Calabrese said in Bicknell Racing Products Victory Lane. “I don’t know if it would’ve ended this way if I had to start in the back.

“I figured after the sprint cars there had to be a good way around the track,” he continued. “So, I left it the way we always run it and it worked out good.”

The win for Calabrese was his second of the season, claiming the ‘Richie Evans Remembered’ Crate 602 Sportsman event back in July at the Route 5 oval as well.

Calabrese staved off challenges from Blaine Klinger and Jeremy Slosek on multiple restarts and eventually drove away with the victory.

The event served as the finale to the Madsen Overhead Doors North Region for the STSS Crate 602 Sportsman.

With a 21st to sixth drive, South New Berlin, N.Y.’s Payton Talbot claimed his first career STSS title.

“We’ve been chasing this one forever,” Talbot smiled. “This definitely awesome… we never could finish it off at Afton (Motorsports Park) so I’m glad we could get it done here at Utica-Rome.”

Klinger, Michael Ballestero, Richard Murtaugh, and Slosek completed the top five.

The STSS Modifieds were on hand for rounds of timed practice, with the fastest car in each set locking into the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw for tonight’s ‘Working Man’s Race.’

Elizabethtown, N.Y.’s Mike Mahaney and Durhamville, N.Y.’s Matt Janczuk were the quick timers, setting themselves up for the redraw this evening.

The CRSA 305 Sprint Cars were on hand for their one and only appearance at the ‘Home of Heroes’ and Zach Sobotka pulled off an upset victory, the first of his Sprint Car career.

In just his fifth start in a Sprint Car, Sobotka led all 25 laps of the A-Main on his way to his first career Sprint Car triumph.

It wasn’t all easy for Sobotka, as the front wing on his No. 38 machine broke off the racecar, forcing him to drive an ill-handling car for the final 18 laps of the event.

Sobotka’s front wing coming did end second place running Dillon Paddock’s night, as the runner-up ran over the front wing, damaging something in the rear and forcing him to retire from the main.

Sobotka held off the challenges from Tyler Graves to pick up the victory. Graves, Kyle Pierce, Johnny Smith, and Tomy Moreau completed the top five.

Newport, N.Y.’s A.J. Walters claimed his fifth Next Generation Graphix Pro Stocks victory of the season, outdueling Andy Graves with just two laps to go to pick up the victory.

Graves led the opening 18 laps of the affair, but Walters got by with a runoff turn two and led the final two laps to claim the victory.

Graves settled for the runner-up spot with Ken Griffin, George Cushman, and Kenny Gates completing the top five.

The Stone Motorsports/Online Performance Parts Street Stocks were on hand for their one and only appearance of ’24 as well and it was Jason Samrov leading all 20 laps on his way to the victory.

Samrov held off a challenge from brother Josh Samrov in the late stages to pick up the victory.

Josh Samrov, Mark Lester, Matt Mosher, and Ray Pierre Jr. completed the top five.

Sullivan Dickey dominated the All-Star Slingshot main event for his second win of the season, while Brody Janczuk celebrated his 11th birthday with his first career Junior Slingshot triumph.

To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short Track Super Series’ on Facebook, @ShortTrack_SS on Twitter or @ShortTrackSS on Instagram.

Utica-Rome Speedway is located at 5591 NY-5 (Seneca Turnpike) Vernon, NY 13476. The official website is www.uticaromespeedway.com and the speedway can be reached by phone at 315.953.4097. Like Utica-Rome Speedway on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @UR_Speedway.

The Short Track Super Series is presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear, FloRacing, American Racer, Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, BDR Speed, NJ Quality Drywall, River Valley Builders, Ollie’s, Penske Racing Shocks, Saint Lawrence Radiology, Capitol Custom Trailers & Coaches, Bicknell Racing Products, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Madsen Overhead Doors, Belmont’s Garage, Wegner Automotive, DIG Race Products, ATL, Dirt Draft, Swagger Factory Apparel, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Algonkin Motel LLC, Beyea Custom Headers, Design for Vision, Sunglass Central, Dirt Track Digest TV, DKM Fabrication, EIBACH, Fastline Performance, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust Systems, JK Signworks, JLR Technologies, Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools, PEM Engineering, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Superior Remodeling, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.

SHORT TRACK SUPERNATIONALS NIGHT NO. 1 RESULTS SUMMARY – SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. Crate 602 Sportsman North Region Championship Round Feature Finish (25 laps): 1. 21C-Brian Calabrese[1]; 2. 9K-Blaine Klinger[5]; 3. 27-Michael Ballestero[10]; 4. 33-Richard Murtaugh[16]; 5. 16S-Jeremy Slosek[3]; 6. 14T-Payton Talbot[21]; 7. 60-Jim Ryan[4]; 8. 262-Matthew Richardson[7]; 9. 63-Chip Constantino[9]; 10. 12T-Tyler Peet[22]; 11. 12-George Schweigart[17]; 12. 4-Carson Rothwell[18]; 13. 14J-Jeremy Tyrrell[24]; 14. 69-Blake Sarpriacone[26]; 15. 03-Joshua Jock[25]; 16. 89-Dylan Madsen[8]; 17. 42-Darryl Nutting[15]; 18. 77L-Ed Lukas[2]; 19. 00X-Josh Coonradt[20]; 20. 2RJ-Bodie Marks[19]; 21. 90-Nick Nye[23]; 22. 82H-David Hackett[11]; 23. 99-Jordan Millard[13]; 24. 78-Tanner Warner[14]; 25. 621-Seth Martin[12]; 26. 3-Colby Herzog[6]; 27. 5EJ-EJ Gallup[27]

Did Not Qualify: Chris Jakubiak; A.J. Digsby; Michael Schane; Nick Zielinski; Andrew MacFadden; Jason Shedd; Dale Welty; Maddy Broedel.

Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. STSS Crate 602 Sportsman North Region Champion: Payton Talbot

American Racer/Lias Tire Bonus (FREE Tire Certificate): Payton Talbot (sixth)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($25): Seth Martin (Redrew 12th)
Fastline Performance Bonuses ($100 Certificates): Blaine Klinger (second) & Carson Rothwell (12th)
Fastline Performance ‘Hot Lap Hero’ ($50): Ed Lukas (19.760 seconds)
Henry’s Exhaust Bonus ($50 Certificate): George Schweigart (11th)

3 Bastards Brewing STSS Modified Quick Timers (Guaranteed Saturday Redraw): Mike Mahaney & Matt Janczuk

CRSA Sprint Car Feature Finish (25 laps): 1. (BF) 38-Zach Sobotka[1]; 2. 25G-Tyler Graves[2]; 3. 9K-Kyle Pierce[3]; 4. 4S-Johnny Smith[8]; 5. 22-Tomy Moreau[6]; 6. 66-Jordan Hutton[22]; 7. 18-Timmy Lotz[5]; 8. 99K-Mike Kiser[13]; 9. 80-Bobby Parrow[20]; 10. 121-Spencer Burley[7]; 11. 21-Dillon Paddock[4]; 12. D9-Dustin Sehn[16]; 13. 28-Ron Greek[21]; 14. J27-John Cunningham[23]; 15. 4-Cliff Pierce[15]; 16. 19EM-Emily VanInwegen[18]; 17. (DNF) 3A-Jeff Trombley[11]; 18. (DNF) 21B-Blake Warner[17]; 19. (DNF) 29-Dalton Herrick[12]; 20. (DNF) 56V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[9]; 21. (DNF) 22M-Aaron Shelton[19]; 22. (DNF) 88C-Chad Miller[14]; 23. (DNF) 12-Tyler Chartrand[10]
Did Not Qualify: Bailey Boyd; Keith Granholm; Adam Depuy; Kirsten Dombroski; Michael Hart.

Next Generation Graphix Pro Stock Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. 22W-AJ Walters[8]; 2. 96-Andy Graves[1]; 3. 25Y-Ken Griffin[3]; 4. 13-George Cushman[12]; 5. 35-Ken Gates[7]; 6. 101-Ed Kotary[10]; 7. 15K-Mike Kazluaskas[5]; 8. 19-Chuck Cushman[9]; 9. 94-Kevin Gates[14]; 10. 28G-Gus Gould[15]; 11. 44R-Ray Richer[13]; 12. 63-Matt Rose[16]; 13. 81-Bret Belden[6]; 14. 74N-Jim Normoyle[2]; 15. 72G-Denis Gauvreau[4]; 16. 17-Ernie Staelens[11]

Online Performance Parts/Stone Motorsports Street Stock Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. 24V-Jason Samrov[1]; 2. 24N-Josh Samrov[4]; 3. 14L-Mark Lester[3]; 4. 91-Matt Mosher[2]; 5. 72-Ray Pierre Jr[5]; 6. 16-Steve Walters[7]; 7. (DNS) 54-Wayne Russell Jr; 8. (DQ) 44-Malcum Warner[6]

Allstar Slingshot Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. 33X-Brody Janczuk[1]; 2. 15-Billy Pauch III[3]; 3. 22-Parker Fowler[2]; 4. 20-Preston Trautschold[4]; 5. 67X-Jaxx Welch[6]; 6. 23-Mark Cioffi[5]

Junior Slingshot Feature Finish (15 laps): 1. 54-Sullivan Dickey[1]; 2. 29-Billy Richardson[3]; 3. 42-Kevin Loveless[2]

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