Written by Chris Moore

VERNON, NY – It’s a $5 race week!

This Friday (August 13) Utica-Rome Speedway presents its second $5 grandstand admission at the speedway.

The Sunoco Modified 30-lap feature headlines the night of racing with stars like Matt Sheppard and Stewart Friesen and Pennsylvania native Alex Yankowski making the trip up as well.

Joining the Modifieds as always will be the Worthington Industries Crate 602 Sportsman, Next Generation Graphix Pro Stocks, Fastline Performance Limited Sportsman and the Cool Stuff Antiques Four Cylinders.

Senior Services Insurance All-Star Slingshots and the D&S Landscaping Junior Slingshots will tackle the inner oval.

Savannah, N.Y.’s Matt Sheppard continues to head the Sunoco Modified class, coming off his fifth win of the 2021 season last Friday night. Sheppard’s point lead now sits at 66 points back to Sheffield, Mass., driver Andy Bachetti.

With his home track having off this Friday night, Covington Township, Pa.’s Alex Yankowski plans to make his third appearance at the ‘Home of Heroes’ of the season.

Vernon, N.Y.’s Willy Decker Jr. leads the Worthington Industries Crate 602 Sportsman division for the first time this season. However, Decker Jr.’s lead sits at just one point over now six-time winner Matt Janczuk. Janczuk, the winner this past Friday, jumped from fifth to second in the standings as he eyes to reclaim the top spot.

Schenectady, N.Y.’s Nick Stone returned from a flip two weeks ago to win last Friday night; however, he still sits 28 points behind Grand Gorge, N.Y.’s Beau Ballard. Ballard’s runner-up last Friday was his fifth consecutive second-place finish with the Next Generation Graphix Pro Stocks.

David Hackett Jr., a Baldwinsville, N.Y. native, claimed his second Fastline Performance Limited Sportsman victory of the season, closing the gap on point leader Clayton DuMond. DuMond, of Rotterdam, N.Y. was the runner-up, continuing his consistent 2021 season.

Justin Pope (DOHC) and Wayne Russell Jr. (SOHC) returned to Victory Lane with the Cool Stuff Antiques Four Cylinder division. The win was good enough to move Russell Jr. to the top of the points standings.

Brett Putnam and Corky Warner both picked up their second wins of the season the last time the Slingshots were at Utica-Rome. Both inherited the leads in the Senior Services Insurance All-Star Slingshots (Putnam) and D&S Landscaping (Warner) Junior Slingshot point standings.

For the August 13 program, all gates open at 5 p.m. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with racing beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Grandstand admission is $5 and Kids 11 and under get in FREE.

Pit Admission is $30 for Utica-Rome Speedway members and $35 for non-members.

The event will be streamed live by Dirt Track Digest TV (www.dirttrackdigest.tv) for those unable to attend in-person.

Utica-Rome Speedway is located at 5591 NY-5 (Seneca Turnpike) Vernon, NY 13476. The official website is www.uticaromespeedway.com. Like Utica-Rome Speedway on Facebook or @UR_Speedway.