Gypsum Racing.com

VERNON, NY- When Larry Wight pulled into Utica-Rome Speedway this past Sunday, August 27, he had no plans on racing. He came in to fill in as crew chief for teammate Pat Ward, but after borrowing a fire suit and Ward’s backup car, Wight found himself in victory lane on Excell Motorsports night. Wight’s win ended Matt Sheppard’s six race win streak at the Vernon oval. 13-year-old Charlie Tibbitts took home his first-ever Broedel Energy Sportsman checkered flag while AJ Walters continued the youth movement by winner the DIRTcar Pro Stock main event. Travis Billington scored the Rookie Sportsman win in his first visit to the speedway.

A skirmish at the drop of the green flag in the Gates-Cole Auto Insurance Modifieds saw point leader Matt Sheppard, Tim Fuller, Bobby Varin, and Brandon Walters head pit-side with damage with only Varin and Sheppard able to return to action. On the second attempt to start the 30-lap main event, Mike Maresca roared out to the front to lead the opening 11 circuits. Danny Varin and Larry Wight made some early moves to get into the second and third respectively, with Wight getting by Varin for second on lap nine.

Wight closed in on Maresca on lap 11, and a circuit later Wight slipped by Maresca to complete his charge to the front. On lap 15, Varin was able to go around the outside of Maresca to grab second and he went off after Wight. On lap 20, Varin went to the outside of Wight and nosed ahead of Wight as the pair raced off turn two. With lapped traffic in the bottom lane, Wight drove into turn three hard, slipping ahead of Varin to regain the lead and go around the slower cars. After discovering the faster top lane, Wight sped away from Varin to lead the rest of the way to take his second win of the season. Varin held on to second over Maresca, Pat Ward, and Sheppard. Bobby Varin, Marc Johnson, Mike Mahaney, Randy Shantel, and Steve Way.

EXCELL MOTORSPORTS RACE SUMMARY

GATES-COLE AUTO INSURANCE MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH (30 LAPS)-LARRY WIGHT, Danny Varin, Mike Maresca, Pat Ward, Matt Sheppard, Bobby Varin, Marc Johnson, Mike Mahaney, Randy Shantel, Steve Way, Darwin Greene, Claude Hutchings Jr., Joel Thomas, Jack Miller, Bandon Walters, and Tim Fuller.