FULTON, N.Y. — One could not have scripted a better start to the DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series Fall Championship going into NAPA Super DIRT Week.
Matt Janczuk, after starting from the 19th position Saturday night at Fulton Speedway, made a last-lap, three-wide pass on Chris Mackey and Zach Sobotka to capture the 50-lap, $2,500-to-win Industrial Tire of CNY DIRTcar Sportsman Modified Series victory.
All 50 laps were action-packed with three- and four-wide racing throughout the field so it was only fitting the Feature was won in stunning fashion.
After taking the white flag, it was Janczuk on the bottom lane with Mackey, who led the most laps, in the middle, and hot shoe Sobotka on top entering turn one. Janczuk and Mackey made contact in the tight space and that sent Mackey up into Sobotka who fell to fifth as a result. Janczuk held on for the win.
Janczuk didn’t exactly start out the weekend running on all cylinders.
“Our TEO Pro Car was good and it was solid all night,” Janczuk said. “But (Friday) we unloaded off the trailer bad, which set us back in qualifying. We knew it was good for tonight, but we knew we had to survive the early cautions and get towards the front. We were kind of like a ping pong ball early.”
After starting 19th in the feature by virtue of qualifying through one of Friday night’s consolation races, Janczuk steadily made his way through the pack. His fateful pass on the final lap led to a mixed reaction from the Fulton crowd.
“The bottom was open and I got under Chris [Mackey] off Turn Four,” Janzcuk said. “I knew that was his weak point. I knew if I could beat him off four and into one we’d be OK. He was really struggling going into three and four. That’s where I made up the most ground on him.
“I don’t know what it looked like from the stands but I didn’t get into Chris. He actually drove over my right front. It sent him up into Sobotka. Based on the fans’ reaction it must have looked different, but Chris even acknowledged in Victory Lane that it was close racing. This is huge for our team going into Super DIRT Week.”
The finish:
Feature (50 laps): 1. Matt Janczuk 2. Chris Mackey 3. Brandon Carvey 4. Ryan Dolbear 5. Zach Sobotka 6. Alan Fink 7. Willy Decker Jr. 8. Zach Payne 9. Quinn Wallis 10. Rick Miller 11. Ben Wheeler 12. Robert Bublack 13. Amy Holland 14. Jimmy Moyer 15. Tyler Corcoran 16. Wade Chrisman 17. Kyle Devendorf 18. Cody Wolfe 19. Joe Kline 20. Tyler Murray 21. Brent Joy 22. Robert Gage 23. Cody Manitta 24. Richard Murtaugh 25. Ryan Shanahan. 26. Shawn Frost 27. Mike Fowler 28. Andrew Buff 29. Tim Devendorf 30. AJ Miller 31. Mike Austin 32. Austin Germinio