Larry Wight Defends Home Turf with Lucas Oil ESS CNY Speedweek win at Brewerton
BREWERTON, NY – The last time the Central New York (CNY) Speedweek visited the Brewerton Speedway in 2019, big block modified regular Larry Wight took home the checkered flag at his home track. On Friday night, he repeated the task winning the annual Don Gillette Memorial and collecting $2,840 for the victory with the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints (ESS).
The event was #2 on the PJC Spray Foam CNY Speedweek as the night before at Land of Legends fell victim to rain.
Wight took the lead on lap 11 restart from race-long leader Sammy Reakes IV and masterfully maneuvered his way through lapped traffic to pick up the checkered flag, which was ESS career win #7. “The guys gave me a good car, we made some changes as it was a bit too tight early in the night. Then I was just trying to fine the right lines to get to the front.” Wight said, “I got a good restart on Sammy and had good momentum going into one and it worked.”
Wight did put distance between him, Reakes, and Jason Barney in the middle stages. As the final 14 laps went under green lapped traffic figured into the fray, but the #99L wasn’t to be denied. He went on about a win at home, “It always feels good to win in front of friends and family. It helps to run weekly here when you do jump into the sprint. We hope to give it a shot the next two nights at Fulton and Weedsport.”
Matt Tanner slipped by Reakes to take the runner-up position at the podium and for the Stephentown, NY star, it was a second-place filled with relief. “We just never seem to get going good here and tonight we had a real good run, I’m very happy,” Matt said with a smile, “I don’t know if we had a car for Larry but to be here in the podium is good for the whole team.”
For Reakes who can also call Brewerton a home track, a third was also greeted with many smiles. But his podium finish came down to the final few feet at the checkered when Danny Varin tried to take the third-place tally from Reakes at the line. “Wow, that was close! I didn’t want to lose third on the very last lap!” Sammy described the wild finish with Varin, “I saw him coming, we did touch and then it was hang on! Danny did everything to try to avoid the contact, I actually could see him try to steer away. I’m just glad we did get the third.”
Varin’s effort has to be noticed as well as he came from the 20th starting position to claim fourth at the finish and earned the hard charger honors. Dylan Swiernik continues with his very consistent finishes by taking fifth. The next five were made up of Barney, Evans Mills winner Tommy Wickham, Shawn Donath, Davie Franek, and Jonathan Preston.
Nick Fratto, Jeff Cook, Jake Karklin, and Ryan Coniam all found their way onto their wings but all drivers were ok with Cook and Karklin able to continue on during the night.
Heat wins were won by Donath, Wight, and Wickham. Joe Trenca won the dash with Chuck Hebing taking the B-Main checkered.
Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints A-Main – Brewerton Speedway CNY Speedweek – July 2nd, 2021 – Larry Wight ($2840), Matt Tanner ($1535), Sammy Reakes IV ($1280), Danny Varin ($960), Dylan Swiernik ($530), Jason Barney ($470), Tommy Wickham ($455), Shawn Donath ($445), Davie Franek ($410), Jonathan Preston ($475), Scott Holcomb ($385), Kelly Hebing ($320), Billy VanInwegen ($300), Chad Miller ($300), Tyler Cartier ($300), Paulie Colagiovanni ($300), Denny Peebles ($300), Joe Trenca ($400), John Smith ($350), Jake Karklin ($300), Dalton Herrick ($325), Lacey Hanson ($100), Chuck Hebing ($350), Jeff Cook ($325), Nick Fratto ($300).
DNQ – Keith Granholm, Bobby Parrow, Ryan Coniam.
Bonuses:
Don Gillette Memorial Lap Money – Wight ($280), Reakes ($220)
PJC Spray Foam Hard Charger – Danny Varin ($50 – 16 Pos.)
Rifenburg Contracting Halfway – Larry Wight ($50).
Pinnacle Pole Award – Sammy Reakes IV ($50).
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main – C. Hebing ($50)
E&V Energy Heats – Donath, Wight, Wickham ($25)
ESS Media Team Fast Time – Coniam, Cook, Tanner. ($25).
Noftsier Tax Services/Cobra Coaches Dash – Trenca ($100), Preston ($75), Smith ($50), Holcomb ($25), Herrick ($25), Cook ($25).
Ashley Lynn Winery Podium – Wight, Tanner, Reakes IV – $10
Hoosier Tire – Varin ($210)
For more Information on the Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints:
Web: www.empiresupersprints.com
Twitter: @ESSprints
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmpireSuperSprints
The Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints are brought to you by: Lucas Oil, NAPA Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tires, PJC Spray Foam, Fondations 4 Saisons, Ohsweken Speedway/Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, Cobra Coaches, Fondations 55, E&V Energy Pinnacle Employee Services, Rifenburg Contracting, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Lacaillade Masonry, FX Caprara Ford/Chevy, ASI Racewear and many, many associate sponsors!!
Sources: Dean Reynolds/Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints PR