Rudolph Runs During Weedsport Dirt Week Kick Off

Rudolph: In Charge at Weedsport Speedway

Story By: Robby Knowles/DIRTcar

Photos By: Mark Ranalletta/RacersGuide.com

WEEDSPORT, NY – October 3, 2018 – Erick Rudolph scored his ninth career series victory in the NAPA Super DIRT Week Kickoff Party presented by Ferris St. Lawrence Radiology 358-Modified 100-lap main event at Weedsport Speedway Wednesday night. Tim Sears Jr. and Pat Ward rounded out the podium with strong finishes. With all the moisture put down in the last 48 hours, the track was fast and tricky as the cushion built up throughout the night.

Pat Ward led the 31-car field to the green flag and held the advantage until he worked into lapped traffic on lap 13. Ward maintained a narrow lead until lap 15, when Rudolph carefully picked his spot to slide underneath the no. 42 off of the fourth turn.

Rudolph was tested on lap 43 when Todd Root looked outside and slammed the cushion putting his machine up on two wheels. Root’s car was not the same after the contact and he slowly faded in the running order and pulled off the track.

Three yellow flags in the final 25 laps tested Rudolph on restarts, but the Ransomville pilot aced all three on his way to victory.
“We put together a brand-new car for this week and were really happy with it,” Rudolph explained. “The bottom was the preferred line tonight, so we really had to work hard in lapped traffic to make the outside work.”

Tim Sears Jr., who was impressive in his heat race, driving from sixth to first, finished second in the main event. Sears Jr. won the 358 Modified Southern Region and continues to find consistent success behind the wheel of the no. 83.

Pat Ward, Ronnie Davis Jr. and Larry Wight completed positions three through five.

The DIRTcar 358-Modified Series returns to action on Thursday, October 4 for the twenty-seveneth annual Hurricane 100 at Brewerton Speedway.

358-Modified St. Lawrence Radiology 100 (100 laps): (Erick Rudolph, Tim Sears Jr., Pat Ward, Ronnie Davis Jr., Larry Wight, Chad Brachmann, Bobby Varin, Robbie Bellinger, Roy Bresnahan, Steve Bernier, Lance Willix II, Steve Bernard, Ryan Arbuthnot, Marc Johnson, Dan Creeden, Glenn Forward, Mario Clair, James Sweeting, Ryan Susice, Billy Whittaker, Jessey Mueller, Rocky Warner, Todd Root, Tyler Trump, Brett Hearn, Tyler Meeks, Carey Terrance, Louie Jackson Jr., Matt Sheppard, Mike Maresca, Danny O’Brien)

358-Modified Time Trial Group 1: (Billy Whittaker 15.593, Pat Ward 15.698, Bobby Varin 15.709, Danny O’Brien 15.751, Ryan Susice 15.807, Louie Jackson Jr. 15.862, Mike Maresca 15.886, Ryan Bartlett 15.937, Donnie Elliot 16.513)

358-Modified Time Trial Group 2: (Todd Root 15.592, Rocky Warner 15.742, Roy Bresnahan 15.792, Randy Shantel 15.857, Carey Terrance 15.875, James Sweeting 15.904, Corey Wheeler 15.997, Michael Parent 16.023, Ronnie Davis 16.657, Bill Shantel Jr. DNS)

358-Modified Time Trial Group 3: (Jessey Mueller 15.890, Steve Bernier 15.910, Tyler Meeks 15.913, Mario Clair 15.933, Greg Martin 16.005, Tim Sears Jr. 16.017, John Smith 16.113, Randy Chantel 16.301, Michael Sabia 16.441)

358-Modifed Time Trial Group 4: (Chad Brachmann 15.554, Larry Wight 15.582, Tyler Trump 15.887, Glen Forward 15.971, Marc Johnson 15.977, Robbie Bellinger 15.998, Matt Sheppard 16.071, Matt Farnham 16.122, Steve Barber 16.239)

358-Modified Time Trial Group 5: (Erick Rudolph 15.719, Steve Bernard 15.765, Lance Willix II 15.848, Dan Creeden 15.938, Brett Hearn 15.954, Ryan Arbuthnot 16.007, Alan Johnson 16.051, Randy Green 16.059, Alex Therrien 16.142, Tom Neale 16.438)

358-Modified Heat 1 (8 laps): (Pat Ward, Billy Whittaker, Bobby Varin, Ryan Susice, Danny O’Brien, Mike Maresca, Louie Jackson Jr., Donnie Elliot, Ryan Bartlett)

358-Modified Heat 2 (8 laps): (Todd Root, Rocky Warner, Ronnie Davis Jr., Roy Bresnahan, Carey Terrance, James Sweeting, Michael Parent, Corey Wheeler, Ronnie Davis, Billy Shantel Jr.)

358-Modified Heat 3 (8 laps): (Tim Sears Jr., Mario Clair, Steve Bernier, Greg Martin, Tyler Meeks, Jessey Mueller, John Smith, Randy Shantel, Michael Sabia)

358-Modified Heat 4 (8 laps): (Larry Wight, Chad Brachmann, Marc Johnson, Tyler Trump, Matt Sheppard, Robbie Bellinger, Glenn Forward, Steve Barber, Matt Farnham)

358-Modified Heat 5 (8 laps): (Erick Rudolph, Lance Willix II, Steve Bernard, Ryan Arbuthnot, Dan Creeden, Brett Hearn, Randy Green, Tom Neale, Alan Johnson, Alex Therrien)

358-Modified Last Chance Showdown 1 (10 laps): (Dan Creeden, Danny O’Brien, Mario Clair, James Sweeting, Robbie Bellinger, Louie Jackson Jr., Alan Johnson, John Smith, Randy Green, Corey Wheeler, Randy Shantel, Steve Barber, Ryan Bartlett)

358-Modified Last Chance Showdown 2 (10 laps): (Matt Sheppard, Carey Terrance, Brett Hearn, Mike Maresca, Glenn Forward, Michael Parent, Greg Martin, Donnie Elliot, Matt Farnham, Billy Shantel Jr., Alex Therrien, Tom Neale, Michael Sabia)