Warner Gives Utica-Rome National Recognition
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division II-V Update
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Long-time race fans in Rome, New York, and throughout the country often think of two drivers when Utica-Rome Speedway is mentioned in conversations.
NASCAR Hall of Famers Richie Evans and Jerry Cook called Rome home and became legends racing in modifieds, and now there’s another driver trying to get his name in the national championship picture in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.
COMPLETE STANDINGS: DIVISION II | DIVISION III | DIVISION IV | DIVISION V
In this week’s Division II national standings Rocky Warner, who just won the track championship in the Sportsman 602 division at Utica-Rome last week, now is in the hunt to bring another title home to speedway. Warner has moved into a tie for the Division II points lead with Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway’s Kyle Purvis at 483 apiece. Although the NASCAR season is complete at his home track, Warner is happy just to be in the hunt for the title.
“Winning a track title at Utica-Rome Speedway is such a huge accomplishment and we are really happy we’re able to celebrate winning this year,” Warner said. “We have a star-studded field of drivers from that area that can get it done on the race track and to be able to beat drivers like Matthew (Janczuk) for a championship – that really means something to me.”
Warner finished the season with eight wins at the historic half-mile track and won this past weekend to edge Matthew Janczuk for his first title in the division. Janczuk is currently fourth in the national standings to give the track two drivers in the top five.
The Gloversville, New York, native Warner has won more than 20 races this season at other tracks and non-NASCAR sanctioned events and says a dedicated group of guys have been there all the way this season to help him out each week.
“I just want to thank Keith, Frank, Jeremy, Bill, Mike, Gary, Rusty, Mark and Joe who all helped me throughout the year on my crew,” Warner said. “I race a lot throughout the year and these guys volunteer and I really appreciate their help.”
Warner also appreciates the history that his home track holds and thanks Evans and Cook for helping put the track on the racing map. Being able to add his name to the list of drivers who have won there is meaningful.
“To be able to have two NASCAR Hall of Famers who raced here and also be able to say you’ve won a track title at Rome is something special,” Warner said.
The track decides it’s starting lineup by heat races and they also handicap the driver by setting the lineup based on their most three recent finishes, and if a driver had won or ran up front they would have to work their way up through the field. Warner added that also made the title and the eight wins that much more impressive.
“I usually had to start around 12th or 15th most of the season and to be able to come up through the field each week and we also had a short season,” Warner said. “To be able to finish the season in the top five in the national standings is something to be proud of in my career.”
Warner credits car owners Jake and Nancy Spraker for making his championship season possible along with many great sponsors such as Catalytic Recovery, Fastline Performance, Fox Shocks, Dunham’s Spring Shop and Wendy’s.
“I’m so lucky to have those sponsors and many others that make this possible for me to race so much,” Warner added. “I’m very fortunate to have the supportive car owners I have in Jake and Nancy. They give us the resources to be successful.”
Just behind Warner and Purvis in third is fellow Columbus driver Shane Shirk. Brett Kressley of Pennsylvania’s historic Grandview Speedway follows Janczuk to complete the top five in the Division II standings.
In other Whelen All-American Series standings:
DIVISION III: Brent Kane, who races in Minnesota at Elko Speedway, leads the division with Adams County (Iowa) Speedway and Junction Motor Speedway in Nebraska competitor Ryan Jenkins just two points behind in second place (478-476). Grandview’s Chuck Schutz Jr. is third with Stafford (Connecticut) Motor Speedway drivers DJ Burnham and Stephen Kopcik rounding out the top five.
DIVISION IV: Grant Brown (Elko) remains in first place with Glenn Forward (Utica-Rome) six points back in second (478-472). Ryan Smith and Ryan Tamburro (Columbus) are currently third and fourth, respectively. Defending division champion AJ Saunders Jr. (North Carolina’s Bowman Gray Stadium and Caraway Speedway) is fifth.
DIVISION V: Jack Kirby remains atop the standings again this week with Aaron Van Fleet who races at Pennsylvania’s Motordrome Speedway 24 points behind in second. Elko driver Justin Schelitzche is third with Ohio’s Lake County Speedway driver Hunter Combs fourth. Elko’s Ashley Bell completes the top five.
NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Division II-V drivers are ranked by their best 14 NASCAR point finishes in series-sanctioned events. Drivers receive two points for every car they finish ahead of – up to 18 cars – and three points for a win, with an additional two points if the driver starts 10th or lower.
Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. In all, 58 paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada participate.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars across North America are among the many showcases for Whelen products.
Sources: Tim Southers/NASCAR PR