Andy Jankowiak Wins Sportsman Summer Days 50 at Lancaster
LANCASTER, NY (July 22, 2021) …Tonawanda, NY’s Andy Jankowiak won the $2,000 to win Sportsman Summer Days 50 on Thursday night at New York International Raceway Park at Lancaster Speedway & Dragway (NYIRP at Lancaster). The win for Jankowiak is his third of the season at Lancaster, and second in the Sportsman division. Mark Hoch from West Seneca, NY won the 25-lap feature for the Street Stocks. Andy Nye from Lancaster, NY won the Jerry Gradl Motors NYPA TQ Midget feature. Dave Brunka from Cheektowaga, NY won the 4 Cylinder feature for the second consecutive race.
Mike Fiebelkorn Jr and John Barber brought the 29-car Sportsman field to the green flag for the Summer Days 50 and it was Fiebelkorn showing the way. Jimmy Zacharias would battle with Barber for second, as Fiebelkorn started to stretch his lead. Andy Jankowiak started tenth on the grid and was challenging Zacharias for third by lap five. Zacharias would take second away on lap seven, as Jankowiak was challenging Barber for third place. As the leaders hit lap traffic, Zacharias would close the gap on Fiebelkorn. Neal Dietz Jr slowed on the backstretch to bring out the caution on lap 20. On the ensuing restart, a multi-car pileup took place in turn two. All drivers were okay, and all cars were able to continue except Mark Pennell. Andy Jankowiak would move into second on the restart after passing Zacharias on the inside of turns one and two. After a caution on lap 22 for a stopped Bob Reis, in turn, one, Fiebelkorn and Jankowiak would bring the field back to the green flag. The red flag would wave on lap 24 as Kyle Hutchinson and Scott Wylie spun into the turn three foam. Fiebelkorn, Jankowiak, Zacharias, Trevor Catalano, and John Barber were in the top five at the races’ halfway mark. After the halfway mark, Jankowiak would take the lead away from Fiebelkorn. The red flag will fly for the third time on lap 30 for a multi-car wreck on the back straightaway. Jankowiak, Fiebelkorn, Zacharias, Catalano, and Barber would pull away from the field once the field went back under the green flag. Tyler Catalano would move through the field and would close in on John Barber for fifth place. Jankowiak would pull away from the field in the closing laps to remain perfect, winning his second Sportsman feature of the season. Fiebelkorn would hold off Zacharias to complete the podium, with Trevor Catalano and John Barber completing the top five.
Kyle Schosek and Tim Garlock were on the front row for the Street Stocks feature with Schosek showing the way. Max Northem would take the lead away on lap two and Mark Hoch would take over second and would challenge Northem for the lead. Tommy Wentland would take over third on lap six and would go after the leaders. Rich Sharpe would slow to bring out the caution on lap eight. On the restart, Northem and Hoch would pull away from the field as Wentland, Dave Krawczyk, and Nik Welshans raced inside the top five. Hoch would take the lead away from Northem on lap 12. Hoch’s lead over the field was evaporated after a caution on lap 18. Hoch and Northem would battle off the restart and Hoch would clear Northem on lap 20. Nik Welshans would take second place away from Northem on lap 22, as Hoch would stretch the lead. Hoch would go on to score the win over Welshans, Northem, Wentland, and Tim Welshans.
Moose Rutherford and Tony Petrea brought the Jerry Gradl Motors NYPA TQ Midgets to the green for their feature event and it was third place starter Andy Nye taking over the lead. Mark Schulz and Dave Wollaber moved into the top three. Wollaber would take over second following a lap 10 caution and would quickly go after Nye. Nye and Wollaber would battle for the lead for the final ten circuits. Nye would hold off Wollaber to score the win.
Casey Pew and Dan Dressel brought the 4 Cylinders to the green flag and it was Pew showing the way. Dressel would take the lead away at the end of lap one, as Dave Brunka entered the top three. Brunka took the lead on lap six and would quickly pull away. Dressel, Pew, and Charles Palmer battled for second throughout the event. Brunka would pull away from the field and would go on to score the win.
Next up for the stock car program will be on Saturday, July 31 with the inaugural Nu-Way Auto Parts 150 for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Joining the cars and stars of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will be the Sportsman, Street Stocks, and 4 Cylinders. Front gates will open at 1 pm, practice gets underway at 2 pm and racing will begin at 5 pm. Tickets for the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour’s inaugural visit to Lancaster are available online at www.seetheevents.com Tickets will also be available the day of the race. For those who are unable to attend, the racing program will be streamed live on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold and will be shown on NBCSN via tape-delay on Wednesday, August 11th at 2 pm ET.
For more information, check out www.lancastermotorsportspark.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and now on Instagram.
RACE RESULTS – SUMMER DAYS 50 NIGHT SUMMARY
Sportsman: ANDY JANKOWIAK, Mike Fiebelkorn Jr, Jimmy Zacharias, Trevor Catalano, John Barber, Tyler Catalano, Joe Evans, Timmy Lewis, Owen Bednasz, Bob Reis, Tony Carbone, Shawn Nye, Jeff Szafraniec, Bobby Hanel, Chris Ridsdale, Cameron Ruggiero, Bob Weber, Bill Mislin, Rusty Smith, Kirk Totten, Neal Dietz Jr, Leo Becker, Dave Kozlowski, Kyle Hutchinson, Scott Wylie, Tom MacLeod, Mark Pennell Jake Vernon, Todd Lorenzo
Qualifying Heats: Mike Fiebelkorn Jr, Neal Dietz Jr, Trevor Catalano
Street Stocks: MARK HOCH, Nik Welshans, Max Northem, Tommy Wentland, Tim Welshans, Dave Krawczyk, Jerry Kosmowski, Chris Powers, Jim Dauer, John Carlson, Dylan Carbone, Kyle Schosek, Jason Anasiewicz, Al Piasecki, Ken Maltby, Tim Garlock, Scott Soos, Mitch Friend, Garrett Cleversley, Dave Evans, Rich Sharpe, Lou Carbone, Ed Culliton, Frank Prell, Mike Dalfonso, Mike Rodgers, Wesley LaBar, Bob Palmer
Qualifying Heats: Mark Hoch, Max Northem, Frank Prell
Jerry Gradl Motors NYPA TQ Midgets: ANDY NYE, Dave Wollaber, Mark Schulz, Andy Jankowiak, Ronnie Flaim, AJ Hessler, Arik McGruder, Vinnie Christiano III, Moose Rutherford, Kevin Wilson, Brian Schulz, Chet Haywood, Adam Brown, Tony Petrea, Vinnie Christiano Jr
Qualifying Heats: Mark Schulz, AJ Hessler
4 Cylinders: DAVE BRUNKA, Dan Dressel, Charles Palmer, Casey Pew, Andy Danielwicz, Russ Bulger Sr, John Byrd, Mason Offhaus, Kyle Casper, Russ Bulger Jr, Nathan Bryant
Qualifying Heats: Charles Palmer, Dave Brunka
About NYIRP at Lancaster Speedway & Dragway: Founded in 1959, New York International Raceway Park at Lancaster Speedway and Dragway (NYIRP at Lancaster) is a multi-use facility located on 77 acres just outside of metro Buffalo, N.Y. The facility features a 1/8-mile IHRA drag strip, a 1/2-mile oval track and hosts several non-motorsports events such as car shows and concerts. For the latest information on NYIRP at Lancaster, check out our website www.lancastermotorsportspark.com. Additional information for racers and fans can be found on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LancasterMotorsportspark), Twitter (@LancasterSpdwy), and Instagram (@lancasterspeedwaydragway).
Sources: Steven Petty/New York International Raceway Park at Lancaster Speedway and Dragway PR