Podsiadlo Earns First-Ever DIRTcar Big-Block Feature Win At Canandaigua

Canandaigua, NY – July 7, 2022 – By Gary M. Spaid, Canandaigua Speedway PR

Derrick Podsiadlo has worked his way up through the ranks of the different sub divisions of local racing. Last Saturday he earned his first DIRTcar Big-Block Modified feature victory of his young career at Canandaigua Speedway.

“I can’t believe I finally did it,” screamed Podsiadlo in victory lane. “The difference was in how much confidence I’ve gained and how I’ve finally been able to practice handling lap traffic.”

In DIRTcar Sportsman Modified racing, Kevin Ridley picked up his second feature win of the 2022 season at Canandaigua Speedway. Ridley’s victory came as many of the leaders dropped by the wayside. “I’ll take a win anyway I can get it,” commented Ridley in victory lane.

In full-fender action, both Scott Smith and Karl Wilkins took their first feature wins of the year. Smith’s win came in the 20-lap UMP Ferris Mowers Street Stock main while Wilkins earned the 10-lap PureStox feature win.

The 35-lap DIRTcar Modified feature began with Pete Taylor taking the lead using the high line around the speedway. Taylor built up enough momentum to stretch out an advantage of five car-lengths over Eldon Payne Jr. On lap two the yellow flew when Mike Bowman slowed on the back stretch with a flat tire.

On the ensuing restart Taylor remained the leader beating out Derrick Podsiadlo. On lap 11, Taylor drifted extremely high in the fourth turn trying to negotiate a lapped car. This allowed Podsiadlo to take the lead. Lap cars would remain a nemesis to Taylor and Payne Jr. As they both tried to pass one lap car up high and another down low, they bumped tires and came together in the first turn to bring out a yellow flag on lap 15.

Podsiadlo now found multi-time track champion Steve Paine next to him on the restart. Even with the “master” next to him, Podsiadlo proved up to the task, remaining as the leader. Paine would attempt to run down Derrick over the closing laps of the race. Lap traffic proved a challenge to the two leaders. With just three laps remaining Podsiadlo was able to put two lapped cars between himself and Paine to seal the victory. Charlie Donk, Chuck Bower and Russ Hefti rounded out the top-five finishers.

The 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman feature looked to be all Scott Schrader after he started on the outside pole and blasted out to a firm lead over Eric Giguere and Mark Chiddy. During the opening laps the yellow was displayed for Tom Jansch’s car which had slowed on the track in the second turn.

Giguere caught Schrader and passed him for the lead, edging ahead by inches at the line on lap nine. He could not hold that lead, allowing Schrader to move ahead again. As the field came out of the fourth turn on lap 20, Schrader pulled to the infield with mechanical woes. This left Giguere in the lead with Kevin Ridley charging, trying to pass Giguere. For the second time in the race fate took it’s toll as Giguere went charging off the track and into the infield with just one lap remaining.

This put Ridley out front with the white flag flying. Ridley took the win followed by Dan Wiesner, Mark Chiddy, Paul Guererri and Rob Bussey to make up the top five. “I want to dedicate this win to a very special person, Steve Johnson,” added Ridley. Steve was a great sponsor and we all hated to see him leave us.”

The 20-lap Street Stock race turned out to be a fantastic event. An early race caution on lap two flew when Tom Shoemaker III and Blane Smith both slowed on the track.

Up front Scott Smith was able to pass Steve Faulkner for the lead on lap six and then pull away from the rest of the field. Fans were treated to a fantastic race for positions second back. Cars would run three wide and then spread out in the turns. This made for numerous position changes and extremely close racing. At the finish line it was be Scott Smith picking up his first win of the season followed by points leader Mike Welch, Steve Faulkner, Phil Marsden and Andy Fisk.

“We’ve been working, working and working to get this win,” explained Smith. “The top was best for me and that is were Mike (Welch) and Adam (DePuy) run, so I had a chance to take their lines away from them instead of just staying on the bottom of the track.”

The 10-lap PureStox finale opened with rookie Brian Faulkner leading the way. On lap six, Karl Wilkins was able to make the pass for the lead down the backstretch. Faulkner tried to come back the very next lap using the same move, but fell short. As he turned onto the front stretch exiting turn four, his car was sent sideways and then head-on into the outside concrete wall. The impact complete tore apart his A-frame assembly and ripped the right front tire off the car.

Wilkins cruised home with the win followed by Ross Lurcock, Marc Minutolo, Chris Guererri and George LaVare Jr.. LaVare Jr. drove a borrowed car to gain his fifth place finish. “I found the bottom of the track was the place to be,” commented Wilkins. “My car worked best down there.”

LEGENDS LEDGER: There were five “Drivers of the Week” chosen last Saturday. Corey Hunt and Tom Shoemaker III won the honors in the PureStox division. Mike Welch was chosen in the Street Stock division. Damon Walker won the honors in the DIRTcar Sportsman division and Paul Habeck was picked in the Big-Block DIRTcar Modified division….A special 50/50 “sell-off” saw Sportsman driver Tim Currier take top honors over Kevin Ridley and Nick Guererri….The night’s finale was a fireworks display.

This coming Saturday, July 14, will be Fox’s Auto night. All Betty and Barneys will be admitted free. Also a special Dr. McDreamy Look-a-like Contest will be staged. On track fans will see the DIRTcar Modifieds, Sportsman Modifieds, Street Stocks and PureStoxs. Race time starts right at 7 p.m. sharp.

FERRIS MOWERS NIGHT SUMMARY

PURESTOX

HEAT: R. Lurcock, B. Faulkner, E. Chapman, C. Hunt, K. Wilkins.

FERRIS MOWERS FEATURE (10-laps): KARL WILKINS, Ross Lurcock, Marc Minutolo, Chris Guererri, George LaVare Jr., Eric Chapman, Corey Hunt, Brian Faulkner, Tom Shoemaker III, Brian Lyons (DNS)

UMP FERRIS MOWERS STREET STOCK

HEAT 1: A. DePuy, A. Fisk, D. Smith, S. Faulkner, P. Marsden, L. Lewis.

HEAT 2: B. Smith, S. Smith, M. Welch, C. Fisher, N. Peckham, C. Jacobs.

FERRIS MOWERS FEATURE (20-laps): SCOTT SMITH, Mike Welch, Steve Faulkner, Phil Marsden, Andy Fisk, Blane Smith, Adam DePuy, Leroy Lewis, Chris Fisher, Doug Smith, Matt Grubbe, Chris Jacobs, Mike Rasbeck, Nathan Peckham.

DIRTcar SPORTSMAN MODIFIED

HEAT 1: P. Guererri, N. Guererri, M. Chiddy, P. LaVare, T. Currier.

HEAT 2: R. Bussey, E. Giguere, D. Wiesner, E. VanSkiver, J. Pontello.

HEAT 3: D. Hilkert, S. Schrader, L. Lincoln, K. Ridley, D. Walker.

FERRIS MOWERS FEATURE (25-laps): KEVIN RIDLEY, Dan Wiesner, Mark Chiddy, Paul Guererri, Rob Bussey, Darryl Hilkert, Loren Lincoln, Eric VanSkiver, Phil LaVare, Nick Guererri, Tim Currier, Greg Mrzywka, Bruce DeWick, Jesse Pontello, Eric Giguere, Damon Walker, Keith Hotchkiss, Daryl Barrett, Scott Schrader, Larry Stell, Tom Jansch, Jim Hull (DNS).

DIRTcar MODIFIED

HEAT 1: S. Paine, P. Vigneri, D. Podsiadlo, E. Payne Jr., P. Taylor, C. Donk, C. Homan.

HEAT 2: C/ Bower, R. Hefti, D. Rauscher, P. Habeck, M. Bowman, T. Juhl, E. Monroe.

FERRIS MOWERS FEATURE (35-laps): DERRICK PODSIADLO, Steve Paine, Charlie Donk, Chuck Bower, Russ Hefti, John Pfeffer, Tom Juhl, Phil Vigneri, Dave Rauscher, Chad Homan, Shannon Whaley, Paul Habeck, Mike Bowman, Mike Johnson, Ed Monroe, Pete Taylor, Eldon Payne Jr., Neal Onderdonk, Don Slover.