Connor Cleveland Battles Zach Sobotka to Earn Second Sportsman Win at Weedsport Speedway

Connor Cleveland Battles Zach Sobotka to Earn Second Sportsman Win at Weedsport Speedway

Story By: Mark Kapuscinski/Weedsport Speedway

Photos By: Mark Ranalletta/RacersGuide.com

WEEDSPORT, NY (August 13, 2018) – The Spano Container Sportsman Shootout Series returned to Weedsport Speedway on Sunday, joining the ESS Legends Reunion with Connor Cleveland showing the way in a tremendous battle with Zach Sobotka, to score his second win of the season at the Port worth $1,000.

Cleveland took advantage of a stout qualifying effort and redraw to start from the outside of the front row with DJ Forbes, darting to the lead from the drop of the green, never looking back.

From there, Cleveland held off Sobotka on a late race restart to claim the win by just .555-seconds.

“I knew if I gave him a run at me on the last restart, he (Sobotka) might get me,” said Cleveland. “The car was awesome all night. We made a lot of adjustments that really worked and the car was on rails. I had good side bite all night and great drive off, so I knew if I stayed on the bottom, then came across to take his line away, he wouldn’t get me.”

Spano Container Sportsman Shootout Series point leader, Dave Marcuccilli, finished in the third spot behind Cleveland and Sobotka with Matt Guererri and Nick Krause finishing the top five.

Kevin Root, Corey Barker, Jackson Gill, Michael Stanton Jr. and Jessica Power completed the top ten runners in the 24-car field.

Forbes and Cleveland led the field to the green on Sunday with Cleveland rocketing to the point in the No. 09 with Nick Krause initially following into the runner-up spot in the No. 24K

The night’s first caution would wave on lap 2 for Henry Desormeau, who spun in turn one. A quick turn around saw the green lights come back on with Cleveland and Krause checking away in the lead, however it was Marcuccilli charging through the pack early from ninth position to take fifth.

Two more quick cautions would slow the field before lap ten with Cleveland now leading Sobotka, Krause, Marcuccilli, Gill, Forbes, Barker, Guererri, Will Shields and Power.

Following a lap eight caution for Austin Germino, the race began to fall into its paces with Cleveland continuing to be in charge at the front. Further back Gill was starting to move forward in the No. 60, sliding by Marcuccilli for fourth on the restart.

As the race pushed on it was clear that Cleveland was the favorite, but Sobotka and Krause were showing signs of improvement as they pulled away from both Gill and Marcuccilli.

With less than ten laps to go Krause was really coming alive, looking to the outside of the race track for a way by Sobotka into second. But, two consecutive cautions on laps 19 and 20 slowed that momentum with a five-lap shootout left for Cleveland, Sobotka, Marcuccilli, Krause, Guererri, Gill, Barker, Root, Power and Stanton.

Seeing his chance at a win, Sobotka hammered the outside of the race track for five consecutive laps looking for a way by the No. 09, but it wasn’t meant to be as Cleveland charged to the win.

Heat race victories went to Root, Forbes and Marcuccilli.

The Spano Container Sportsman Shootout Series will conclude on Wednesday, October 3 with the Super DIRT Week Kick Off Party featuring the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series and the DIRTcar Sportsman Series.

Steve Poirier won the ESS Legends Reunion A-Main over Chuck Hebing and Jason Barney on Sunday.

Poirier took advantage of a faltering Lucas Wolfe, who led in the early going.

From there, Poirier worked through traffic with ease over Hebing, Barney, Billy VanInwegen, Jeff Cook, Danny Varin, Joe Trenca, Paul Kinney, Matt Tanner and Tommy Wickham.

For more information on Weedsport Speedway visit www.weedsportspeedway.com.

ESS Legends Reunion
Presented by Pit Stop Convenience Stores
Weedsport Speedway – Weedsport, NY
Sunday, August 12

Spano Container Sportsman Shootout Series

Feature (25-laps): 1. 09 – CONNOR CLEVELAND, 2. 38 – Zach Sobotka, 3. M1 – Dave Marcuccilli, 4. 12G – Matt Guererri, 5. 24K – Nick Krause, 6. 34 – Kevin Root, 7. 31 – Corey Barker, 8. 60 – Jackson Gill, 9. 3M – Michael Stanton Jr., 10. 52 – Jessica Power, 11. 98T – Tyler Thompson, 12. 22 – Nate Higgins, 13. 1M – Tyler Murray, 14. 82 – Will Shields, 15. A48 – Chris Corbett, 16. 10 – Josh Livingston, 17. 3J – DJ Forbes Jr., 18. 16 – Earl Rudy, 19. 67 – Greg Doust, 20. 10G – Austin Germino, 21. 1JVS – James Spano, 22. 21H – Bob Henry Jr., 23. 111 – Henry Desormeau, 24. 25 – Tom Juno

Heat #1: 1. 34 – Kevin Root, 2. 60 – Jackson Gill, 3. 38 – Zach Sobotka, 4. 52 – Jessica Power, 5. 22 – Nate Higgins, 6. 98T – Tyler Thompson, 7. 1JVS – James Spano, 8. 111 – Henry Desmoreau

Heat #2: 1. 3J – DJ Forbes, 2. 09 – Connor Cleveland, 3. 31 – Corey Barker, 4. 12G – Matt Guererri, 5. A48 – Chris Corbett, 6. 67 – Greg Doust, 7. 1M – Tyler Murray, 8. 25 – Tom Juno

Heat #3: 1. M1 – Dave Marcuccilli, 2. 24K – Nick Krause, 3. 82 – Will Shields, 4. 3M – Michael Stanton Jr., 5. 21 – Bob Henry Jr., 6. 16 – Earl Rudy, 7. 10G – Austin Germino, 8. 10 – Josh Livingston

Empire Super Sprints

ESS A-Main (25-laps): 1. 28P – STEVE POIRIER, 2. 45 – Chuck Hebing, 3. 87 – Jason Barney, 4. 56V – Billy VanInwegen, 5. 10 – Jeff Cook, 6. 00 – Danny Varin, 7. 98 – Joe Trenca, 8. 19K – Paul Kinney, 9. 90 – Matt Tanner, 10. 75 – Tommy Wickham, 11. 33 – Mike Mahaney, 12. 14 – Coleman Gulick, 13. 88C – Chad Miller, 14. 3 – Denny Peebles, 15. 10 – Kelly Hebing, 16. 17 – Sammy Reakes IV, 17. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 18. 48J – Darryl Ruggles, 19. 9 – Josh Pieniazek, 20. 48A – Alysha Bay, 21. 36 – Matt Billings, 22. 53 – Shawn Donath, 23. 22 – Jonathan Preston, 24. 14B – Brett Wright

Heat #1: 1. 19K – Paul Kinney, 2. 98 – Joe Trenca, 3. 56V – Billy VanInwegen, 4. 14 – Coleman Gulick, 5. 48J – Darryl Ruggles, 6. 48A – Alysha Bay, 7. 13 – Keith Granholm, 8. 19 – Emily VanInwegen, 9. 18 – Ryan Susice

Heat #2: 1. 53 – Shawn Donath, 2. 22 – Jonathan Preston, 3. 9 – Josh Pieniazek, 4. 3 – Denny Peebles, 5. 14B – Brett Wright, 6. 10 – Kelly Hebing, 7. 2 – Dave Axton, 8. 9C – Kevin Carlson, 9. 56 – Vince Vitale

Heat #3: 1. 45 – Chuck Hebing, 2. 28P – Steve Poirier, 3. 87 – Jason Barney, 4. 90 – Matt Tanner, 5. 75 – Tommy Wickham, 6. 36 – Matt Billings, 7. 41J – Josh Flint, 8. 66 – Erik Karlsen

Heat #4: 1. 88C – Chad Miller, 2. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 3. 10 – Jeff Cook, 4. 33 – Mike Mahaney, 5. 00 – Danny Varin, 6. 17 – Sammy Reakes IV, 7. 91 – Scott Holcomb, 8. 1 – Cory Sparks

Dash: 1. 14 – Coleman Gulick, 2. 33 – Mike Mahaney, 3. 3 – Denny Peebles, 4. 90 – Matt Tanner

B-Main: 1. 10 – Kelly Hebing, 2. 36 – Matt Billings, 3. 48A – Alysha Bay, 4. 17 – Sammy Reakes IV, 5. 2 – Dave Axton, 6. 91 – Scott Holcomb, 7. 18 – Ryan Susice, 8. 13 – Keith Granholm, 9. 41J – Josh Flint, 10. 19 – Emily VanInwegen, 11. 56 – Vince Vitale, 12. 66 – Erik Karlsen, 13. 9 – Kevin Carlson

About Weedsport Speedway: Purchased in 2013 by Al Heinke, Weedsport Speedway has returned to a real racers track, providing a complete venue for racers, their families and friends, and for the fans looking for motorsports entertainment. Officially opened for the first time on July 24, 1955 – the Weedsport Speedway 3/8 mile dirt oval has produced a legendary list of drivers and champions including Will Cagle, Danny Johnson, Bob McCreadie, Alan Johnson, Jack Johnson, and Dave Lape to name a few. Today the facility welcomes the best of the best in dirt short track racing from the Craftsman World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series to the Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds along with the DIRTcar 358-Modifieds, Sportsman, Pro Stocks, and more. While racing entertainment is the focal point, Weedsport Speedway has gone the extra mile in welcoming Weedsport Productions, which brings the facility full circle with a dedicated digital entertainment team for web, television, and on site screen usage.