VERNON, NY- This Sunday, July 17, Wilber-Duck Chevrolet and Joe’s Jerky present another night of fast paced family entertainment which features the inaugural visit of Brett Deyo’s Short Track Super Series for the Open Sportsman plus a weekly show of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing with the Gates-Cole Insurance Modifieds, SUNY Canton 602 Sportsman, and the G&I Homes of Vernon Pro Stocks.   

The first ever visit for the Short Track Super Series for the Open Sportsman, plus the added purse, should bring a host of invading teams as they look to chase the $1,000 to win payday.  The back of the field will see an increase this Sunday as well as the event will pay a minimum of $125 to qualified drivers.  Currently, Shane Jablonka is the series point leader over Brian White, Kevin Jordan, Charlie Hendrickson, Chris Jordan, Jimmy Wells, Bobby Trapper Jr., Greg McCloskey, Alyssa Cody, and Utica-Rome regular Tom Tophoven.  For an invader to take home the top prize, they will have to deal with the tough field of Utica-Rome Speedway Broedel Energy Open Sportsman regulars such as Steve Way, Claude Hutchings Jr., Jack Miller, Randy Shantel, Jeremy Vunk, Mark Effner, Craig Pope, Lucas Heintz, Heath Carney, and Tophoven. For more information on the Short Track Super Series, visit www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com.  This event will pay show up points only towards the track championship.

The Gates-Cole Insurance Modifieds will also be in action with Matt Sheppard showing the way in the standings over a talented field of drivers.  After his win this past Sunday, Larry Wight has narrowed the gap on Sheppard to just six points while teammate Pat Ward sitting in the third spot.  Danny Varin and Mike Mahaney make up the remainder of the top five while Marc Johnson, Vic Coffey, Rob Bellinger, Alan Johnson, and Tim Fuller round out the top 10.  Sheppard finds himself back on top in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series New York State standings while Wight and Varin are third and fourth.  Other UR regulars in the top 20 include Ward in eighth, Marc Johnson in 10^th, Coffey in 14^th, Bellinger in 16^th, and Alan Johnson in 18^th.  Sheppard has netted four wins so far this season while Wight has two, and Ward, Varin, and Bellinger have one victory each. 

With his win this past Sunday, Rocky Warner not only collected his division leading fourth win in the SUNY Canton 602 Sportsman, but he cut into point leader Matt Janczuk’s lead.  Warner now sits just six points behind Janczuk with Glenn Forward, Kyle Kiehn, Rocco Leone, Chris Mackey, JaMike Sowle, Brent Joy, Beth Bellinger, and David Schilling filling out the top 10.  Janczuk, Jason Rood, Todd Root, and Brad Rouse have also found Victory Lane this season at the Vernon oval. 

Pete Stefanski is the current point leader in the G&I Homes of Vernon Pro Stocks over last Sunday’s winner Mike Welch.  With the win, Welch closed the gap on the leader to just 12 points with third place point man Luke Horning another 16 points behind Welch.  Rounding out the top five is Jim Normoyle and Chris Carr ahead of Bill Knapp, Gus Hollner, Frank Hyatt, and Jerry Streeter.  Stefanski also leads in the win category with three wins while Welch and Horning have two wins and Jim Normoyle has one win. 

Gates open for this week’s exciting show at 3:30 p.m. with racing at 6 p.m.  Kids 16 and under are FREE this Sunday while adult admission is $16. 

For more information, please log on to www.uticaromespeedway.com or call the speedway office at (315)829-4557.  We can also be found on social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.