VERNON, N.Y. — There is no denying that Matt Janczuk was a favorite going into tonight’s DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series Central Region kickoff at Utica-Rome Speedway.
Janczuk has been a master of the half-mile oval with the 2019 track champion to his credit.
The 32-car field was jammed with the premier DIRTcar Sportsman Modified drivers of the Northeast, all vying to make history as the winner of the first Series race of the 2020 season. Janczuk redrew the eighth starting position looking uphill at Kyle Inman, defending Series champion Kevin Root, Zach Sobotka, Chris Mackey, and more.
The 30-lap feature was nearly non-stop with just a single caution slowing the action.
Janczuk used speed, multiple lines, and a little luck to work his way by the best in the business. The defending track champion reeled in leader Kyle Inman in the closing stages and on the final lap and in the final corner, Janczuk muscled his no. 33x machine ahead of Inman at the line.
“We’ve won four in a row with tonight,” said Janczcuk. “Things have just been really good thanks to this Bicknell, DIG and Fastline Performance.”
Janczuk now has a guaranteed starting position in the World Short Track Championship Invitational Feature at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
A late-race triumph for one driver can only mean heartbreak for another. Kyle Inman led most of the 30-lap feature but unfortunately, he crossed the line second on the lap the records books count.
On the fateful final lap, Inman tried to fend off Janczuk and both cars came out of turn 4 wheel-to-wheel, clean and green. Janczuk had momentum on the outside which propelled him down the long Utica-Rome front stretch ahead of the no. 20x for the win.
Inman worked his Turnbull Incorporated-sponsored Troyer hard all race but came up just short.
“It was tough. We were racing really hard there at the beginning. I had to run lines that I really shouldn’t have run,” said Inman. “I worked the tires a little too much going through the middle. I probably used up a little too much car early on. I’ll take a second place.”
Third-place finisher Chris Mackey showed a lot of speed and race craft to capture his podium finish.
“We made some changes after the last two races out and it seemed to help tonight but we are still lacking a little bit. We started losing ground in lapped traffic. I knew Inman was right there. I got him on the restart and kept the lead for a while,” said Mackey.
The finish:
1) Matt Janczuk 2) Kyle Inman 3) Chris Mackey 4) Kevin Root 5) Zach Sobotka 6) Payton Talbot 7) Alan Fink 8) A.J. Miller 9) Will Shields 10) Willy Decker Jr. 11) Dalton Rombough 12) Mike Fowler 13) Addison Bowman 14) Dylan Zacharias 15) Brent Joy 16) Dave Moyer 17) Alex Payne 18) Tyler Corcoran 19) Mike Button 20) Charlie Tibbitts 21) Mark Yorker 22) A.J. Digsby 23) Rocco Leone 24) Bailey Groves 25) Kyle Rood 26) Mike Grover 27) Tim Falter 28) Mark Effner 29) Ernie Staelens 30) Ryan Dolbear 31) Matt Richardson 32) Ed Lukas