Press Release By: Marty Czekala - May 22, 2024 - Photo By: Evan Canfield
The A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints powered by SuperGen Products are set to participate in the greatest day in racing at Weedsport Speedway Sunday.
“The Future Stars of Sprint Cars” will kick off their I-90 Pit Stop Challenge, a seven-race series traveling to tracks just off the New York State Thruway. For the fourth time, the event is a part of Heroes Remembered weekend in the undercard to the Super DIRTcar Series. Last year, Billy VanInwegen took the checkered flag at Weedsport for the second time and expects to be a pivotal contender to win.
Here's a look at the news and notes entering race day.
Tune In: Action can be seen live on DIRTVision with Marty Czekala on the call. Expand your race night experience at the track or online through the MyRacePass app or at www.myracepass.com for $5.99 a month, featuring live timing, entry list, fantasy and results.
Last Week: CRSA traveled to Canandaigua at Land of Legends Raceway to begin the DisBatch Brewing Company Challenge. Matt Rotz took the checkered flag in his fourth year of sprint car racing, holding off a hard-charging Bobby Parrow by a tenth of a second. Parrow would get low and take the lead on a restart with two to go, but before BP80 could take the white, a red flag flew, putting Rotz back in front. Rotz would race defensively in the final laps and edge out Parrow to win his first career CRSA feature.
"It feels like I've been working toward this all my life. I finally achieved it," said Rotz. "Before the last caution, I saw him get under me. I was like, 'Oh crap, I got to change something up.' After that restart, I went low where he would go and it just worked."
Alysha Bay finished third, Jeff Trombley fourth and Tomy Moreau rounded out the top five.
38 drivers checked in, a series record beating the record held by Weedsport in 2022 and 2023 with 33.
Could it be broken again? With record numbers of drivers checking in at tracks to begin the season and a high interest of drivers wanting to be a part of CRSA action, there could be a chance CRSA could break the highest car count now set by Land of Legends Raceway.
Double the thrill: For the first time, Weedsport will host the CRSA Sprints twice in 2024. “The Future Stars of Sprint Cars” will also be on the Weedsport ledger Sept. 7 as a part of Cavalcade weekend.
At The Port: Four CRSA events have been held in the past. Darryl Ruggles took the inaugural showing May 27, 2019. After COVID-19 canceled the 2020 show, the 305 Sprints returned May 30, 2021, with Bobby Parrow taking the checkers. In the last two editions of CRSA action at Weedsport, Billy VanInwegen has stood tall, taking the VanDusen Racing No. 56 to Victory Hill.
Chance to Three-Peat: Will Billy VanInwegen having won the last two races at Weedsport, he has a chance to tie a CRSA record that five men are a part of in consecutive track wins. Jeremy Quick first did it at Five Mile Point from 2009-10; Danny Varin won three straight at Fonda from 2012-13 then accomplished it at Albany-Saratoga from 2013-14; Scott Goodrich won went back-to-back-to-back at Afton from 2015-16; Darryl Ruggles won three in a row at Land of Legends in 2018; Dalton Herrick was the last to accomplish three straight at Thunder Mountain in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
By The Numbers: The average car count at Weedsport is just over 27. Ten different drivers have a top five in four events. 2020 series champion Darryl Ruggles is the only driver to record a top-five in each race at Weedsport. Billy VanInwegen and Bobby Parrow each have three. Three drivers have two, while four have one.
From the Frontman: “This is an important weekend. Not only as we expect a high car count again to contend for a win at a crown jewel track, but also racing for those who sacrificed their lives so we can be free on this Memorial Day weekend.” ~ Mike Emhof
From the Track GM: “CRSA has done a really good job. They’ve put on a professional show. They are very conscientious of our time in trying to keep our show in a manageable time. You don’t have a whole lot of issues with yellows, which is what we look for when we build up the schedule." ~ Jimmy Phelps
Up next: CRSA has its first 2-in-2 weekend, with events Friday, May 31, at Afton and Saturday, June 1, at Fonda as part of the Joe's Garage Southern Tier Series and I-90 Pit Stop Challenge, respectively.
Standings
- 21B Blake Warner 308 pts
- 22 Tomy Moreau -6
- 66 Jordan Hutton -12
- 28 Ron Greek -15
- 3A Jeff Trombley -16
- 410 Jerry Sehn Jr. -17
- 9K Kyle Pierce -17
- 29 Dalton Herrick -26
- 10 Nathan Pierce -32
- D9 Dustin Sehn -33
Previous Winners @ Weedsport
- Billy VanInwegen (2) 2023, 2024
- Darryl Ruggles (1) 2019
- Bobby Parrow (1) 2021
Feature Winners
- 66 Jordan Hutton 1
- 77 Matt Rotz 1
Feature Polesitters
- D9 Dustin Sehn 1
- 48A Alysha Bay 1
Heat Winners
- 56 Billy VanInwegen Jr. 1
- 3a Jeff Trombley 1
- 88c Chad Miller 1
- 23 John Smith 1
- 25G Tyler Graves 1
- 18c Dan Craun 1
- 66 Jordan Hutton 1
Top 5s
- 66 Jordan Hutton 1
- 56V Billy VanInwegen Jr. 1
- 410 Jerry Sehn Jr. 1
- 29 Dalton Herrick 1
- 9K Kyle Pierce 1
- 77 Matt Rotz 1
- 80 Bobby Parrow 1
- 48A Alysha Bay 1
- 3a Jeff Trombley 1
- 22 Tomy Moreau 1
Top 5 Hard Chargers By +/-
- 410 Jerry Sehn Jr. +20
- 18 Timmy Lotz +12
- 21Z Zach Sobotka +12
- 8 Dillon Paddock +12
- 1q Thomas Radivoy +11
Fastest Lap
- 56V Billy VanInwegen 1 (15.085s @ Thunder Mountain)
- 77 Matt Rotz 1 (16.838s @ Land of Legends)
Lap Leaders
- 77 Matt Rotz 20
- 66 Jordan Hutton 19
- 56V Billy VanInwegen 5
- 4s Johnny Smith 1
The A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints are powered by Super Gen Products. Associate sponsors for 2024 include Pit Stop Convenience Stores, DisBatch Brewing Company, Dandy, Joe's Garage, Westward Painting Company, the Maguire Family of Dealerships, Powdertech Powdercoating, PJC Sprayfoam, Profab Enterprises, Magsarus Ignitions, Hoosier Racing Tire, Insinger Performance with their Stinger Race Fuel, My Race Pass and is owned and operated by Mike Emhof Motorsports.
For more information on the series, results and points, please visit our website, www.crsa.myracepass.com.
- Marty Czekala on May 22, 2024
- Article Date: 5/22/2024 by Marty Czekala