KANIA CAPTURES NEW EGYPT SPEEDWAY’S MR. CRATE CLASSIC

KANIA CAPTURES NEW EGYPT SPEEDWAY’S MR. CRATE CLASSIC

Story By: Mike Wisniewski/New Egypt Speedway

Photos By: Ace Lane & Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com

New Egypt, NJ (June 25, 2017) – On a spectacular summer night in Ocean County, NJ, Kyle Kania captured New Egypt Speedway’s Mr. Crate Classic for the Crate Modifieds. The Hammer Sportsman feature was won by Will Dupree. Lou Cicconi scored the victory in the Northeast Wingless Sprint Car main event. Along with taking top honors in the final event for the Lyons Construction/Metal Fab Rookie Sportsman, David Burns was crowned the champion. Bill Liedtka was victorious in the Street Stock feature.

As the 30-lap Mr. Crate Classic got underway, JD Cranstoun bolted to the top with Johnny Bangs and John Aumick next in line. After a couple of caution periods and restarts, Aumick became the new leader with five tours completed and dropping Cranstoun to second. On lap six, Dakota Kessler briefly moved into the runner-up position before Cranstoun returned to second place one lap later. After the waving of two more yellow flags, Aumick was still in command on lap eleven with Cranstoun, Kessler, Kyle Kania and Jason Bittner in tow. Kania, who started sixth, motored by Kessler to take third on the twelfth revolution. On the next circuit, Bittner passed Kessler to advance into fourth place. Just one lap following the halfway point of the extra distance event, Cranstoun scooted past Aumick to regain the lead. With thirteen laps remaining, Kania sent Aumick back another position as he moved into second place. On the next circuit, Aumick dropped two additional spots as Bittner and Ryan Simmons moved into third and fourth place respectively. As the race entered the final third, it appeared the strong running Cranstoun would take the checkered flag. However with eight laps to go, Cranstoun slowed on the race track and Kania sped to the front with Bittner, Simmons, and Aumick following him. Bittner was in hot pursuit and tracking down Kania when the final caution of the race took place with four laps remaining. Following the restart, Kania held off Bittner and Simmons in the last tours to collect his second career win. Bittner’s strong run earned him a second place finish. Simmons, who started the race in seventeenth and is the current point leader, came home in third. Eric Palmer was fourth and Aumick held on for fifth. John Aumick, Dakota Kessler and Kyle Kania won the Crate Modified heats.

Will Dupree celebrated his birthday in grand fashion by leading every step of the way to claim his first career feature win in the 20-lap Hammer Sportsman race. Steve Davis, a competitor in the 358 Modified division this season at New Egypt Speedway, drove a Pat Wall owned car to a second place finish after starting the race in thirteenth. Third place went to JR Fulper with Wall taking fourth. After developing mechanical issues with his normal ride during hot laps, Billy Osmun, III steered Marty Resnick’s car and took fifth place. The victors in the qualifying races for the Hammer Sportsman were Pat Wall and Will Dupree.

In the very entertaining 20-lap main event for the Northeast Wingless Sprint Cars, Lou Cicconi outbattled Ryan Godown to capture his first checkered flag of the season. Cicconi took the lead at the start with Godown grabbing second place on the fourth lap. Throughout the second half of the race, Cicconi and Godown had a spirited duel for the top spot with Godown edging to the front on lap fourteen. Two circuits later, Cicconi reverted back to the lead. During the final tours, Cicconi and Godown remained in close quarters with Cicconi barely holding off Godown following contact as the checkered flag waved. With Godown in second, Rich Mellor, Brian Spencer and Larry McVay filled out the top five. Lou Cicconi won the Northeast Wingless Sprint Car heat race.

In the 12-lap finale for the Lyons Construction/Metal Fab Rookie Sportsman, David Burns clinched the 2017 championship and won his seventh feature of the year. Burns took the lead from Rob Mancini on the third circuit and paced the field for the remainder of the event. Second spot was taken by Joseph Brown. Walt McIntyre, Rick Wegner, Sr. and Mancini rounded out the field.

Bill Liedtka led from start to finish to claim the checkered flag in the 15-lap Street Stock contest. John Meyer challenged Liedtka several times for the lead and finished in second place. Dennis Seeley completed the event in third.

The Garden State Gunfight takes place on Tuesday, June 27 at New Egypt Speedway featuring a 60-lap battle for Big Block and Small Block Modifieds with $6,000 going to the winner. A 25-lap feature showcasing the Crate Modifieds vs. the Open Sportsman will honor the victor with a $1,000 payday. Fans are welcome and encouraged to go all out tailgating in the speedway parking lot prior to Tuesday night’s race. Prizes that include New Egypt Speedway tickets, apparel and more will be given to the top three tailgate parties. Special guests will be doing the judging around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. In addition, a pre-race meet and greet with several drivers will be held in the grandstands near turn four starting at 4:30 p.m. The pit gates unlock at 3:00 p.m. while the grandstand gates open at 4:00 p.m. Warm-ups get underway at 6:00 p.m. and racing starts at 7:00 p.m. Admission to the grandstand is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors 65 and older, $15 for teens 12-15, $15 for military personal and their spouses with ID, and kids 11 & under are FREE. Pit Admission is $35 with any track license and $40 without.

On Saturday, July 1 at New Egypt Speedway, the Firecracker 40, presented by 48 Barriers.com, will see the 358 Modifieds competing in a 40-lap feature. The Northeast Wingless Sprint Cars, Hammer Sportsman and an amazing fireworks display will be on the docket as well. The grandstand and pit gates open at 4:00 p.m. Warm-ups get underway at 6:00 p.m. and racing starts at 7:00 p.m. Admission to the grandstand is $25, $23 for seniors 65 & older, $15 for teens 12-15, $15 for military personal and their spouses with ID, and kids 11 & under are FREE. Pit admission is $30 with a New Egypt Speedway license and $40 with no license.

New Egypt Speedway is located on Route 539 just minutes from Six Flags Great Adventure and the New Jersey Turnpike. A racy 7/16-mile D-shaped dirt oval, New Egypt Speedway serves Garden State race fans with some of the best competition in the country. New Egypt’s state-of-the-art facilities feature daylight-quality lighting and excellent sightlines from any seat in the house. The grandstands are fully wheelchair accessible with wide, clear, and well-groomed walkways. Concession facilities serve up everything from Jersey Burgers to ice cream treats at family-friendly prices.

For more information, visit online: www.newegyptspeedway.net, “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/newegyptspeedwayofficial, or follow us on Twitter @nesspeedway.

NEW EGYPT SPEEDWAY RESULTS – SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 2017
Crate Modifieds

Heat 1 – 1. John Aumick 2. Jason Bittner 3. John Criscione 4. Frank Dorry, Jr. 5. Connor King

Heat 2 – 1. Dakota Kessler 2. JD Cranstoun 3. Aaron Weaver 4. Jordan Cox 5. Dan Fleming

Heat 3 – 1. Kyle Kania 2. Eric Palmer 3. Johnny Bangs 4. Billy Osmun, III 5. Steve Kemery

CRATE MODIFIEDS – 30 LAPS FEATURE – MR. CRATE CLASSIC

1. KYLE KANIA 2. Jason Bittner 3. Ryan Simmons 4. Eric Palmer 5. John Aumick 6. Tommy Tanner 7. Dakota Kessler 8. Frank Dorry, Jr. 9. David Burns 10. Jordan Cox 11. Billy Osmun, III 12. Steve Kemery 13. Aaron Weaver 14. Dan Fleming 15. Alonzo Morales 16. Tom Princiotta 17. JD Cranstoun 18. Connor King 19. Rob Mancini 20. John Criscione 21. Walt McIntyre 22. George Gareis, Jr. 23. Johnny Bangs

DNS: Jason Dunn

Hammer Sportsman

Heat 1 – 1. Pat Wall 2. JR Fulper 3. Bob Lineman, Jr. 4. Jesse Dill 5. Steve Desmelyk 6. Jimmy Amato 7. Billy Osmun, III

Heat 2 – 1. Will Dupree 2. Steve Davis 3. Cale Ross 4. Mickey Kessler 5. Mike Lyons 6. Jason Kosch 7. Bob Rambone

HAMMER SPORTSMAN – 20 LAPS FEATURE

1. WILL DUPREE 2. Steve Davis 3. JR Fulper 4. Pat Wall 5. Billy Osmun, III 6. Bill Liedtka 7. Mickey Kessler 8. Joe Dill 9. Cale Ross 10. Bob Lineman, Jr. 11. Steve Desmelyk 12. Andy Visinski 13. Bob Rambone 14. Jason Kosch 15. Jimmy Amato 16. Rick Wegner, Sr. 17. Joseph Brown 18. Jesse Dill 19. Mike Lyons

DNS: TJ Lilly, Marty Resnick

Northeast Wingless Sprint Cars

Heat 1 – 1. Lou Cicconi 2. Ryan Godown 3. Jermain Godshall 4. Rich Mellor 5. Lee Nardelli 6. Brian Spencer 7. Larry McVay 8. Larry Drake 9. Heidi Hedin 10. Butch Chiefo

NORTHEAST WINGLESS SPRINT CARS – 20 LAPS FEATURE

1. LOU CICCONI 2. Ryan Godown 3. Rich Mellor 4. Brian Spencer 5. Larry McVay 6. Lee Nardelli 7. Heidi Hedin 8. Jermain Godshall 9. Larry Drake

DNS: Butch Chiefo

LYONS CONSTRUCTION/METAL FAB ROOKIE SPORTSMAN – 12 LAPS FEATURE

1. DAVID BURNS 2. Joseph Brown 3. Walt McIntyre 4. Rick Wegner, Sr. 5. Rob Mancini

2017 LYONS CONSTRUCTION/METAL FAB ROOKIE SPORTSMAN CHAMPION – DAVID BURNS

STREET STOCKS – 15 LAPS FEATURE

1. BILL LIEDTKA 2. John Meyer 3. Dennis Seeley