By Paul Harkenrider
(Vernon, NY) The highest paying sprint car race on the 2022 Patriot Sprint schedule has finally arrived as the best 360 Sprint Car drivers in the Northeast will converge Tuesday night at Utica Rome Speedway, streaming live on Flo Racing, produced by Dirt Track Digest.
The 2022 edition of the Cole Cup will pay $5,000 to the winner, with $300 to start and $100 for tow.
If there are three heats, the Top six finishers from each eight lap heat qualify directly into the A-Main. Passing Points will be tallied, and the top eight plus any Heat Winner not in the top eight in Passing Points will draw for the Bonnell’s Rod Shop Six Lap Dash setting the top four rows of the A-Main. Passing Points will set rows five on back. The 12 Lap B Main will line up by Passing Points. The Top 6 finishers will line up in the A Main, receiving their Passing Points back.
If there are four heats, the top five finishers from each eight Lap Heat Qualify directly into the A-Main. Passing Points will be tallied, and the Top 8 plus any Heat Winner not in the Top 8 in Passing Points will draw for the Bonnell’s Rod Shop 6 Lap Dash setting the top 4 Rows of the A-Main. Passing Points will set Rows 5 on back. The 12 Lap B Main will line up by Passing Points. The Top 4 finishers will line up in the A Main, receiving their Passing Points back.
After nearly an eight-year hiatus, the Patriots returned to racing at Utica Rome last season. Paulie Colagiovanni won over Chuck Hebing and Danny Varin at the one appearance in 2021. This season, the Patriot Sprint Tour visited Utica Rome early in the season, and it was Danny Varin scoring the victory over Jordan Poirier and Shawn Donath.
Varin will be a favorite come Tuesday as he is undefeated in sprint car competition at Utica Rome this season, winning in both Patriot Sprint Tour and Empire Super Sprint competition on three separate occasions.
Several drivers are also hitting their strides as we approach the end of the season, one being Paulie Colagiovanni, who recently won the Outlaw Fall Nationals over Jonathan Preston and Jordan Thomas. All three will be vying for the $5,000 payday on Tuesday night. However, Davie Franek, who won the Cole Cup in 2019, will also be looking to get back in the win column for the first time since May in PST competition.
Drivers from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Ontario and Quebec, Canada, are expected to visit the Brett Deyo promoted facility this Tuesday night.
Fans unable to make it can catch the race on Flo Racing, produced by Dirt Track Digest.
For more information, fans are encouraged to tune in to PST Social Media outlets and visit www.patriotsprinttour.com.
2022 Cole Cup Full Purse:
1 $5,000.00, 2 $3,000.00, 3 $1,500.00, 4 $800.00, 5 $700.00, 6 $650.00, 7 $600.00,
8 $575.00, 9 $550.00, 10 $525.00, 11 $500.00, 12 $450.00, 13 $425.00, 14 $400.00,
15 $375.00, 16 $350.00, 17 $325.00, 18 $300.00, 19 $300.00, 20 $300.00, 21 $300.00
22 $300.00, 23 $300.00, 24 $300.00
Dash Money 1 $100.00, 2 $75.00, 3 $50,
4 $25.00 5 $25.00 6 $25.00 7 $25.00 8 $25.00
Tow Money for all Non-Qualifiers $100.00