Sep. 7—For the first time since 1996, the Krown Undercoating Modifieds have co-champions at Ransomville Speedway. Third-generation driver Erick Rudolph from Ransomville edged 2019 Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified champion Mat Williamson from St. Catharines, Ontario by one place Friday to finish the season tied in points.
Jonathan Reid from Lockport won his first career Krown Undercoating 358 Modified feature in a race that went green to checkered; Brett Senek from Ransomville clinched his third consecutive Investor’s Service Sportsman track title while Newfane’s Scott Kerwin won his sixth feature of the season; Wilson’s “Showtime” Jaren Israel won his 10th KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks feature of the season to clinch the 2021 championship, for his first career track title; Matt Hornquist from Eden won the Sunflowers of Sanborn Mini Stocks; and Brandon Close from Lockport won his first Kevin’s Carpet Cleaning Novice Sportsman feature of the season.
Greg Martin and Reid were on the front row for the 30-lap feature for the Krown Modifieds with Martin showing the way. Williamson wasted no time to take over fourth place. Chad Brachmann would battle and take over the fourth spot, with Rudolph battling as well for a position inside the top five. As Martin continued to lead, Ryan Susice, Williamson, Rudolph and Brachmann battled for positions three through six for several laps.
Brachmann would use the outside of the track to pass both Rudolph and Williamson and would challenge Susice around lap 10 for third place. Meanwhile, Reid would close in on Martin and would take over the lead on lap 11, with Susice, Brachmann, Williamson and Rudolph racing in the top five.
With Reid starting to open up his advantage over the rest of the field, Brachmann would take over second on lap 22, with Williamson and Rudolph trading the third position several times over the last half of the race. Reid would go on to score his first career Modified victory while Brachmann. Rudolph, Williamson and Susice would complete the top five. With Rudolph finishing third and Williamson fourth, the duo tied in points and would be declared co-champions.
Senek and Kerwin were on the front row for the Investor’s Sportsman feature with Senek showing the way over Kerwin, AJ Custodi, Dave DiPietro and Cameron Tuttle early on. Kerwin and Senek pulled away from the field. Tuttle would move into third place on lap five. Jessica Kriegisch and Derrick Borkenhagen got together and spun to bring out the caution on lap six. On the restart, Senek would continue to lead over Kerwin, Custodi, Smith and Tuttle.
Kerwin would look to the outside of Senek and take the lead on lap 10. Derek Wagner would enter the top five for the first time on the night at the race’s halfway mark. Andrew Smith would take over third with 10 laps remaining, with Wagner battling with Custodi for fourth place. Kerwin would hold off Senek to score his sixth feature win of the season. Senek would clinch his third consecutive divisional title.
Anthony Guthrie and Israel led the KiPo Chevrolet Street Stocks to the green flag for their feature event with Israel taking the lead. Brian Monahan Jr. raced his way into the top five early on and was battling with Roger Israel and James Loveland for much of the feature distance. Jaren Israel was on cruise control all night, leading flag-to-flag to pick up his 10th win of the season. Guthrie would finish in second and be followed to the line by Pat Dell, Roger Israel and Loveland. The win for Jaren Israel was his 60th in the Street Stock division and earned him his first track championship.
Hornquist took the lead early in the feature event for the Mini Stocks. Hornquist would lead off the lap one restart, with Chris Miller, Curtis Rung, Nick Tarnowski and Dave Dussault racing in the top five. Tarnowski would pass Miller to take over second on lap three, with Hornquist up front. Hornquist would pull away from the field to score the victory.
Close and Kenny Washburn were on the front row for the Novice Sportsman feature event with Close taking the lead from his pole position. Washburn raced in second and challenged Close for the entire distance, but Close would go on to score the feature win for his first of the season.
Dylan Haniszewski was declared the winner in the Triple T Towing Demolition Derby, earning $1,000 for his efforts. Don Roesch was credited with second place, earning $500 and Austin Susice was credited with a third-place finish, paying $250. Susice also earned the Heavy Hitter Award, paying $500.
In the final Thursday night of the season at the 1/16th-mile Little R, Jeff Anstett won the track title for the Finish Line Auto Detail Senior Heavy; Eric Veihdeffer won the title in the Fisher’s Auto Repair Senior Lites; Anthony Pollow finished first in points in the Fitzgibbon Contracting and Construction Junior 3 division; third-generation driver Jacob Schulz was crowned track champion for the SJE Shocks Junior 2; and Amelia Westlake won the track title for the Slack Kart Junior 1.
Feature winners included Jenson Cook, Laina Stewart and Jayme Just in the Just Signs and Designs Novice; Jayme Stone in the Fisher’s Auto Repair Senior Lites for her second straight feature win; James Strassburg Jr. and Jayden Tomaino in the Slack Karts Junior 1 main events; Jacob Schulz in the SJE Shocks Junior 2 feature; Anthony Pollow won the Fitzgibbon Contracting and Construction Junior 3 feature event; and David Foti in the nightcap, taking home the Finish Line Auto Detail Senior Heavy feature.
The Little R will return to action Sunday for the Awards Banquet and fun race. Gates will open at 9 a.m., racing at 10 and the banquet will begin at noon. Tickets are $15 and are available by contacting the Ransomville Speedway office at 716-791-3602. The awards banquet will be fully catered by Chiavettas.
Racing at the Big R returns Friday as SANY New York presents the visit by the PA Outlaw 358 Modifieds, plus the first Sportsman/Novice shootout and the Mini Stocks. Highlighting the night will be a $750-to-win event for the Street Stocks. Rules for this race have been opened to allow the Street Stock division from Genesee, Freedom, Land of Legends, Outlaw, and Woodhull to compete. The 30-lap feature will be in memory of Matteo Hope, who passed away unexpectedly. The entire racing program will be streamed live on www.dirttrackdigest.tv with pit gates opening at 5 p.m., grandstands at 6 and racing getting underway at 7:15.
FOOTBALL
Cataract Little Loop
The 9U All-Stars ran over Lackawanna on Saturday, 42-0, rushing for over 400 yards behind the offensive line of Joseph Johnson, Aiden Greenawalt, Nyshawn Wells, James Howard and Regis Burton.
Khavon King took the opening kickoff 60 yards for the first of two touchdowns, adding a 11-yard scoring grab. Marquan Myles rushed for 130 yards and two scores, Jeremiah Purdy 113 yards and a score. Ayden Harris and Cameron McDowell added long TD runs of 90 and 76 yards, respectively, while Cydree Harris threw the TD to King and added 84 yards on the ground.
Howard led the defense with five sacks and a safety. Burton added three sacks and Nakeenin Bryant had four tackles.
The All-Stars (2-0) travel to South Buffalo for a game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
GOLF
Gothic Hill GC
Matt Couturier got his first hole-in-one on the always tough No. 9 while playing with Jim Bender.
Lockport Town & CC
Leigh Ann Hildreth and Becky Josefiak combined to win the 2021 Women’s Invitational, which was played Aug. 28-29. They edged out Karin O’Neill and Julie Morrow.
Flight winners were: Daisy — Camille Dalla-Torre and Annette McKay; Tulip — Nanci Riccio and Ann Kist; and Rose — Madeline Angelo and Ursula Taylor.
HORSESHOES
Lockport Horseshoe League
—Smoke Rings made it a clean sweep, clinching the playoff championship with a 21.5-15.5 win over E&M Properties in six games.
Fay Ground went 5-1 and had the high five-game handicap total of 469 to lead the way while Gopher Ground and Randy Ground both went 4-2.
Diane LaRuffa went 5-1 for E&M. Rich Mehls was 4-2 and Dave Kulak was 2-4.
—In the semifinals, E&M beat Ski Lodge, 17-13, behind 4-1 outings from Dave Kulak and Diane LaRuffa.
Smoke Rings took care of Attitudes, 19-11, led by Jess Poodrey’s 5-0 record.
—To reach the semis, Attitudes defeated Niagara Hotel in four games, 16-8. Jerry Page led the way, going 3-0-1.
Ski Lodge edged Pizza Oven, 16.5-13.5. Adrion Dobbs and Jeff Wozniak each went 4-1.
—To cap the regular season, Wayne Leturgey went 5-0 and posted the high five-game handicap total of 429 to lead Niagara Hotel over Pizza Oven, 17-13. Joshua Leturgey and John Klosin both went 3-2 in the win, with Klosin having the high single scratch score (51).
Phil Winter led Pizza Oven at 4-1 while Pedro Page went 3-2.
—Charlie Buttery and Johnny Outwater both went a perfect 5-0 for Ski Lodge in a 26.5-3.5 win over Attitudes. Outwater had the high five-game handicap score of 394.
Joe Lajoie went 2-3 for Attitudes while TJ Stahli had the high single scratch score of 40.
—Amber and Robert Berry each went 3-2 to help E&M Properties edge Smoke Rings, 15.5-14.5. Diane LaRuffa had the high five-game handicap for E&M at 401.
Jess Poodry went 4-1 and Tommy Geiss finished 3-2 in the loss. Smoke Rings’ Randy Ground had the high single scratch score of 63.
—FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Smoke Rings, 168.5-131.5; E&M Properties, 150.5-149.5; Niagara Hotel, 149.5-150.5; Ski Lodge, 146.5-153.5; Pizza Oven, 143.5-156.5; Attitudes, 141.5-158.5.