By Curtis Berleue
(Fulton, NY) | For the second time in 2024, ‘No Panic’ Davie Franek found himself in victory lane on Saturday night with the Empire Super Sprints. Earning $2,500 for his efforts, the New Jersey native took the lead on lap 5 and never looked back.
Starting on the Pinnacle Pole, Franek fell into second place early behind outside polesitter Shawn Donath. On lap 5, Franek was able to slip by on Donath to take the lead.
While running second, troubles with the ignition on lap 11 resulted in a DNF for the #53 of Donath, which handed over the runner up position to Matt Tanner.
With everyone moving up a position as a result, that meant Billy VanInwegen would take over the final podium position moving into third, where he spent the next handful of laps.
Meanwhile, eventual A-Verdi Storage Containers hard charger award recipient Jason Barney was working his way through the pack. Starting in 25th position after getting upside down in his heat race and more misfortune in the B-Main, Barney passed 22 cars, the final being VanInwegen on lap 23 to slip into third.
Nobody had anything for Franek, however, as he crossed the checkers first with just shy of a 3.5 second advantage on lap 25.
“Restarts were definitely not good for me tonight,” said Franek in victory lane.
“Obviously I got the lead there, but it was tough in the cockpit, the motor stumbled a little bit and really didn’t have the car the way we wanted. Its just great to be standing here.”
Matt Tanner was able to hold on for second, while Jason Barney rounded out the Ashley Lynn Winery podium in third. Billy VanInwegen was fourth, and Johnny Smith completed the top five.
32 cars lined the pits for the 4th night of the 2024 CNY Speedweek, with the field being split into four timed hot lap groups. Rifenburg Contracting fast time awards went to Davie Franek, Johnny Smith, Ryan Coniam and Danny Varin. E&V Energy heat race winners were Matt Tanner, Jordan Poirier, Billy VanInwegen and Shawn Donath. The East Coast Sealcoat dash was won by Jordan Thomas, while Robbie Stillwaggon picked up the Lacaillade Masonry B-Main.
The next scheduled event for the Empire Super Sprints is Sunday, July 7th at the Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, NY. For the latest news, information, and schedule updates regarding the Empire Super Sprints be sure to check the series website (www.EmpireSuperSprints.com) and follow along on Facebook (Empire Super Sprints), Twitter (@ESSprints) and Instagram (@empiresupersprints).
The Empire Super Sprints would like to thank the following series sponsors for their continued support: Rifenburg Contracting Corp, PJC Spray Foam, Hoosier Racing Tire, Cobra Coaches, E&V Energy, A-Verdi Storage Containers, Fondations 4 Saisons, Pinnacle Investments, LLC, Lacaillade Masonry, Inc., FX Caprara, ASI Racewear, Lanes Yamaha, Ashley Lynn Winery, Bicknell Racing Products, DirtTrackDigest.com and LC Design.
The ESS Road Ahead:
Sunday, July 7 – Weedsport Speedway – Weedsport, NY ($2,500 to Win CNY Speedweek)
Thursday, July 11 – Ohsweken Speedway – Ohsweken, ONT ($5,000 to win NASCAR Night – no points)
Friday, July 12 – Ohsweken Speedway – Ohsweken, ONT ($10,000 to win Northern Summer Nationals – no points)
Full Results:
A-Main (25 Laps): 1. 28F-Davie Franek[1]; 2. 90-Matt Tanner[3]; 3. 87-Jason Barney[25]; 4. 10V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[6]; 5. #3Z-John Smith IV[7]; 6. 28-Jordan Poirier[9]; 7. 22-Jonathan Preston[17]; 8. #41-Dalton Rombough[23]; 9. 96X-Chad Phelps[18]; 10. #89-Robbie Stillwaggon[21]; 11. 10-Kelly Hebing[19]; 12. #79-Jordan Thomas[13]; 13. #25G-Tyler Graves[24]; 14. 66-Jordan Hutton[26]; 15. 0-Glenn Styres[12]; 16. 4P-Chase Moran[20]; 17. #5H-Chris Hile[16]; 18. 13T-Trevor Years[22]; 19. 36-Logan Crisafulli[14]; 20. 46-Ryan Coniam[4]; 21. 3-Parker Evans[10]; 22. #99L-Larry Wight[5]; 23. 53-Shawn Donath[2]; 24. #01-Danny Varin[11]; 25. #17-Sammy Reakes IV[8]; 26. 98-Joe Trenca[15]
Lacaillade Masonry B-Main (10 Laps): 1. #89-Robbie Stillwaggon[2]; 2. 13T-Trevor Years[4]; 3. #41-Dalton Rombough[3]; 4. #25G-Tyler Graves[6]; 5. 33-Lacey Hanson[7]; 6. #4-Emily VanInwegen[10]; 7. 13-Keith Granholm[1]; 8. 13E-Evan Reynolds[5]; 9. 66-Jordan Hutton[8]; 10. 29-Dylan Menditto[12]; 11. 23-Eric Cartier[9]; 12. 87-Jason Barney[11]
East Coast Sealcoat Dash 1 (4 Laps): 1. #79-Jordan Thomas[2]; 2. 36-Logan Crisafulli[1]; 3. 98-Joe Trenca[3]; 4. #5H-Chris Hile[4]
E&V Energy Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 90-Matt Tanner[5]; 2. 0-Glenn Styres[1]; 3. 28F-Davie Franek[6]; 4. 36-Logan Crisafulli[3]; 5. 22-Jonathan Preston[4]; 6. 13-Keith Granholm[7]; 7. 13E-Evan Reynolds[2]; 8. 23-Eric Cartier[8]
E&V Energy Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 28-Jordan Poirier[4]; 2. #99L-Larry Wight[2]; 3. #3Z-John Smith IV[6]; 4. #79-Jordan Thomas[3]; 5. 96X-Chad Phelps[7]; 6. #89-Robbie Stillwaggon[5]; 7. #25G-Tyler Graves[1]; 8. #4-Emily VanInwegen[8]
E&V Energy Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 10V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[7]; 2. 46-Ryan Coniam[6]; 3. #17-Sammy Reakes IV[3]; 4. 98-Joe Trenca[1]; 5. 10-Kelly Hebing[2]; 6. #41-Dalton Rombough[5]; 7. 33-Lacey Hanson[8]; 8. 87-Jason Barney[4]
E&V Energy Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. 53-Shawn Donath[3]; 2. 3-Parker Evans[1]; 3. #01-Danny Varin[6]; 4. #5H-Chris Hile[5]; 5. 4P-Chase Moran[4]; 6. 13T-Trevor Years[2]; 7. 66-Jordan Hutton[7]; 8. 29-Dylan Menditto[8]
Awards & Contingencies:
Rifenburg Contracting Fast Time ($25 each): #28F-Davie Franek; #3Z-Johnny Smith; #46-Ryan Coniam; #01-Danny Varin
E&V Energy Heat Winners ($25 each): #90-Matt Tanner; #28-Jordan Poirier; #10v-Billy VanInwegen; #53-Shawn Donath
Cobra Coaches / East Coast Sealcoat Dash Winner ($125): #79-Jordan Thomas
Lacaillade Masonry B Main Winner ($50): #89-Robbie Stillwaggon
PJC Spray Foam First Non-Qualifier ($50): #33-Lacey Hanson
Pinnacle Pole Draw Award ($25): #28F-Davie Franek
A-Verdi Storage Containers Hard Charger Award ($50): #87-Jason Barney (+22)
Pinnacle Investments Last Car Running ($30): #13T-Trevor Years
Pinnacle Investments 11th Place (5 gallons fuel): #10-Kelly Hebing
Ashley Lynn Winery Podium Finish (bottle of wine): #28F-Davie Franek; #90-Matt Tanner; #87-Jason Barney
Hoosier Tire Award (RR Hoosier tire): #36-Logan Crisafulli