George Skora, III of Eden, NY, drove from the 9th starting position to the lead in a incredibly competitive Race of Champions Sportsman Modified Series race at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, PA, Saturday to claim victory in the Erie Sports Commission “74”.
It was Skora’s first victory in the Sportsman event.
“We had a great car and it was a competitive event,” stated Skora in victory lane. “But it’s been a tough year losing people. I couldn’t help but think of Norm Frazier (a Skora crew member) and people like Evan Canfield. It’s been a tough year and winning like this takes away some of the sting, but not all of it. It’s a great win for us and I can’t thank my sponsors and family enough for getting us here.”
Skora outran Andy Jankowiak of Tonawanda, NY. Eddie Hawkins of Marion, NY finished third. Jake Chiristman of Walnutport, PA and Mike Leaty of Williamson, NY rounded out the top-five.
Skora posted the fastest-time in the final practice / qualifying session as well as the first qualifying race. Leaty, Jankowiak, Andrew Lewis, Jr., of Ontario, NY, and Kevin Timmerman of Ontario, NY won the other qualifying races. Doug Gavette of Stanley, NY won the B-Main.
Jeremy Haudricourt of Bliss, NY, won a wild Race of Champions Late Model Series race to close out their season. Jacob Gustafson of Webster, NY ended up second with James Barclay of Somerset, PA, finishing third. The Late Model championship battle came down to a tie-breaker between Scott Wylie of Blasdell, NY and Eldon King, III of Freedom, NY. Based on Wylie’s victory earlier in the season, he was crowned the champion in the tiebreaker.
Haudricourt posted the fastest time in the final practice / qualifying session. Wylie, King and defending Series champion Dave Heitzhaus of Strykersville, NY won the qualifying races.
Jake Christman captured the Race of Champions Super Stock Series “National Parts Peddler 40”. Early race leader Joe Mancuso of Buffalo, NY finished second, while Eric Brown of Colden, NY finished third.
Mancuso and Brown won the qualifying races.
Christopher Deyoe, Jr., of East Otto, NY won the Race of Champions FOAR SCORE Four Cylinder Dash Series race on the track but was disqualified in post-race inspection for the use of a non-approved tire and compound. Trisha Connolly of Palmerton, PA, was declared the race winner. Third place finisher, Tommy Hughes of Akron, NY was disqualified for a non-stock throttle body. Nick Robinson of Waverly, NY, finished second after the disqualification and Gene Purvis of Elmira, NY finished third.
Joey VanLane of Williamson, NY, topped the Race of Champions Rocket Performance 602 Sportsman Modified Series event. VanLane held off Jenna Dietz of Holland, NY. John Sippel of Webster, NY finished third and Madison Knapp of Ontario, NY, scored a fourth place finish.
Full results for Friday and Saturday of Race of Champions Weekend at Lake Eire Speedway can be found here; www.rocmodifiedseries.com/schedules/event/516423; www.rocmodifiedseries.com/schedules/event/516423
Sunday’s VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions 250 is set to roll off just after 4:00pm giving attendees plenty of time to return home following the race. On average the race takes just less than 2 hours to complete.
Sunday - September 22; Grandstands; - Day of $35; Day of Senior $33; Child (6-16) $12; Child (5 and under) Free; Pit Pass $70
Where: Lake Erie Speedway, North East, Pa.
When: Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22, 2024
Directions: The track is located just twenty minutes of East Erie, Pa., minutes from Interstate 90 and directly of Interstate 86 at 10700 Delmas Drive, North East, Pa., 16428
What: Race of Champions Weekend featuring the VP Racing Fuels Race of Champions 250
More Information: www.lakeeriespeedway.com (Track Phone: 814.725.3303) / www.rocmodifiedseries.com
The Race of Champions is a sanctioning body presenting Modified and Stock Car racing on asphalt and dirt surfaces throughout the Northeast, with events in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey with primary marketing partners Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Racing America, Airport Collision, Rocket Performance, Waddell Communications, Image X Design, Sherwood Racing Wheels, DirtTrackDigest.com and Speed Sport. The 72nd and 74th annual Race of Champions weekend will take place in 2024 at Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pennsylvania and is the second longest consecutive auto-racing event in North America, second only to the Indianapolis 500.
For more information, contact;
Race of Champions Media at media@rocmodifiedseries.com
Follow us on Twitter; Instagram and Facebook; @RoCModSeries or visit our website: www.rocmodifiedseries.com
- administrator on Oct 09, 2024
- Article Date: 9/22/2024