Charlie Donk Tops Canandaigua DIRTcar Modified Main As Paine Breaks

Canandaigua, NY – May 5, 2022 – By Gary M. Spaid, Canandaigua Speedway PR

Macedon’s Charlie Donk held on to claim the 35-lap DIRTcar Big-Block Modified feature on Saturday at Canandaigua Speedway. Steve Paine, who took the lead on lap 18, suffered a broken magneto on lap 26 giving Donk back the lead and victory, his seventh career Modified win at the Ontario County Fairgrounds.

“I feel sorry for Steve (Paine),” commented Donk in victory lane. “We really did not have anything for him once he took the lead. I was not as good as he was tonight, but luck was on our side.”

In DIRTcar Sportsman action, Scott Schrader held off divisional points leader Todd Henderson to take his first win of the year. Blane Smith (UMP/DIRTcar Street Stock) and Mike Dandino (PureStox) both won full fender events.

The 35-lap main opened with pole-sitter Derrick Podsiadlo grabbing the lead over Donk at the drop of Dave Farney’s green flag. On lap four the yellow flag flew when Greg Monica coasted to a stop in the pit entrance off turn three. On the ensuing restart saw Donk passed Podsiadlo for the lead and Steve Paine moved from third into second. Donk and Paine then battled side-by-side.

Caution lights flashed for a second time on lap 12 when Butch Tittle slowed in the third turn. Donk maintained his lead on the restart over Paine. On lap 18 Paine moved to the high line around the track and passed Donk using an outside move through the third and fourth turns. Coming up through the field was Alan Johnson, who leads in feature wins with 115 career wins at “The Land of Legends.”

Paine’s car started to sound a bit sour as the laps continued to click off. On lap 26 he turned to the high side of the fourth turn and coasted to a stop, allowing Donk to regain the lead. Chuck Bower, who was holding off Johnson, moved into second.

Donk looked to have the race in the bag when on lap 34 two of the lapped cars spun in the first turn. This set up a one lap dash to the checkers with Donk leading across the stripe Bower, Johnson, Kevin Bates and Podsiadlo.“I knew if I could lead then through turns three and four I would have this one won,” added Donk. “I had to fire a bit early to pull that one off.” Johnson was able to get by Bower for second followed by with Bates and Podsiadlo rounding out the top-five.

Eric VanSkiver was able to hold off Rob Bussey for just two laps at the start of the Sportsman 25-lap main before Bussey took the lead. Scott Schrader was the driver putting pressure on Bussey and st times there were a number of cars running three wide down the front chute. Finally, on lap 13 Schrader was able to pass Bussey down the back stretch with a strong exit out of the second turn.

The lone yellow flag of the race proved to be serious when Nick Guererri showed sparks on the front stretch. By the time he exited the second turn heavy smoke was billowing from his car which was slowing along the outside wall. The car suddenly jerked and spun into the center of the back stretch. Guererri exited his car and was taken by ambulance after suffering second and third degree burns.

Up front Schrader now had his hands full with Todd Henderson. Opening night winner Henderson was able to pull alongside of Schrader just one, lap 17 yet the leader was able to maintain his lead and claim the feature $400 winner’s share. He was running a standard engine and was not able to add the $100 crate bonus to his winnings. Henderson, Bussey, Dan Wiesner and Paul Guererri rounded out the top-five finishers. “This track was just perfect,” said an elated Schrader. “I could get it to stick anywhere around this track. We just could go wherever we wanted to tonight.”

The 15-lap Street Stock main the first yellow flag flew just as the green was given to start when Adam DePuy and Mike Schultz spun and slowed in the first turn. This set up a complete restart with Scott Smith taking the lead over Nathan Peckham and Mike Welch on the second try.

The first yellow flew on lap five when Peckham spun out with a flat tire in the third turn while running second. Schultz also looped at the same time in the fourth turn.

Blane Smith then found himself running second to his cousin Scott, soon making quick work and taking the lead using a pass on the low side through the fourth turn. Blane then began to pull away from the rest of the field with Welch in second. At the checkers it was Blane Smith with the win followed by Welch, Scott Smith, DePuy and Leroy Lewis. “Scott was just driving the heck out of his car,” stated Blane in victory lane. “I just had to get a run underneath him and the chance finally came.”

In PureStox action it was Mike Dandino leading all 10-laps of the feature. The only yellow came on the initial green flag lap when Rod Comfort Jr. and George LaVare Jr..tangled. Les Excell, Corey Hunt, Karl Wilkins and Ryan DePuy rounded out the top-five finishers behind Dandino.

This Saturday will be “Queen for a Night” when all unescorted ladies will be admitted free into the speedway until 6:30 p.m. The Four Star show will be on the track featuring the mighty DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds, UMP/DIRTcar Street Stocks and PureStoxs.

Race time is at 7 p.m. sharp with pit gates opening at 4 p.m.  For more information contact the Canandaigua Speedway website at canandaiguaspeedway.com. Canandaigua Speedway is located at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, along County Road 10, just east of the village of Canandaigua.

CINQO De MAYO 5-5-5-5 NIGHT SUMMARY

PURE STOX

HEAT: M. Dandino, C. Hunt, C. Guererri, M. Minutolo, R. Crego, K. Wilkins, G. LaVare Jr.

FEATURE (10-laps): MIKE DANDINO, Les Excell, Corey Hunt, Karl Wilkins, Ryan DePuy, Chris Guererri, Marc Minutolo, Rod Comfort Jr., Rick Crego, George LaVare Jr., DNS-Eric Chapman

FERRIS MOWERS UMP/DIRTcar STREET STOCK

HEAT 1: L. Lewis, M. Welch, B. Smith, P. Marsden, M. Schultz.

HEAT 2: S. Smith, N. Peckham, C. Fisher, A. DePuy, C. Jacobs.

FEATURE (15-laps): BLANE SMITH, Mike Welch, Scott Smith, Adam DePuy, Leroy Lewis, Phil Marsden, Nathan Peckham, Mike Schultz, Steve Faulkner, Chris Fisher, Doug Smith, Rob Ingraham, DNS-Chris Jacobs, Nick Dandino, Mike Rasbeck, George LaVare Sr.

DIRTcar SPORTSMAN MODIFIED

HEAT 1: D. Wiesner, R. Bussey, T. Henderson, P. Guererri, P. LaVare, D. Hilkert.

HEAT 2: E. VanSkiver, M. Chiddy, G. Hixson, D. Rohr, L. Lincoln, N. Guererri.

HEAT 3: K. Ridley, S. Schrader, B. Coleman, T. Currier, E. Giguere, E. Heffernan.

FEATURE (25-laps): SCOTT SCHRADER, Todd Henderson, Rob Bussey, Dan Wiesner, Paul Guererri, Eric VanSkiver, Eric Giguere, Loren Lincoln, Kevin Ridley, Mark Chiddy, Tim Currier, Phil LaVare, David Allen, Bill Coleman, Darryl Hilkert, Doug Rohr, Eric Heffernan, John Robinson, Nick Joy, Greg Hixson, Nick Guererri, Jim Hull, Bruce DeWick.

DIRTcar BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED

HEAT 1: C. Donk, S. Paine, D. Podsiadlo, K. Bates, R. Hefti, C. Homan, P. Taylor.

HEAT 2: A. Johnson, C. Bower, B. Tittle, G. Monica, M. Johnson, M. Bowman, E. Payne Jr.

FEATURE (35-laps): CHARLIE DONK, Alan Johnson, Chuck Bower, Kevin Bates, Derrick Podsiadlo, Russ Hefti, Dave Rauscher, Chad Homan, Pete Taylor, Eldon Payne Jr., Greg Monica, Mike Bowman, Butch Tittle, Mike Johnson, Mike Ward, Ed Monroe, Paul Habeck, Steve Paine, Don Slover.

The DIRTcar Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., F.X. Caprara Car Companies and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Miller Electric Manufacturing Company and Wrisco Industries.