By Marty Czekala
The battle for the top spot in the A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints’ overall points standings has been off the charts in 2025.
Zach Sobotka and Dillon Paddock have been the dominant two all season, each holding the points lead at times throughout the season. Sobotka holds a 36-point lead headed into a doubleheader at Ransomville Speedway Friday and Weedsport Speedway Saturday.
It is a critical weekend for the point standings, as this is the final weekend when full points will pay out. After this, three events will count as show-up points only toward the overall championship.
At Ransomville, it is the second-ever 305 Sprint Car event at “The Big R.” July 4, Dillon Paddock scored the victory with fellow Papa’s Place Racing driver Timmy Lotz in second.
For Weedsport, this is the feature makeup from the July 26 feature that was rained out and is now the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge finale. Last May, the series completed a show with Bobby Parrow ending his winless streak. Saturday’s race will feature only hot laps and the main event, as the preliminary races were completed last July. Scott Landers and Timmy Lotz will bring the field to green.
Here’s a look at the top storylines headed into the weekend.
Tune In: Action can be seen live on Dirt Track Digest TV Friday at Ransomville, then on DIRTVision Saturday at Weedsport with Marty Czekala on the call. For $5.99 a month, you can expand your race night experience at the track or online through the MyRacePass app or at www.myracepass.com, which features live timing, entry lists, fantasy and results.
Last Time Out: CRSA traveled to Brewerton Speedway for another edition of the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge.
Adding on to his experience at Brewerton in a Sportsman modified, from many wins to a track championship, Sobotka checked off a sprint car victory Aug. 22 with his fourth win of the season and took away the points with two full points races left.
“It was an exciting 25 laps,” said Sobotka. “Lost the lead [to Johnny Smith] and retook the lead. I was set up to roll around the bottom, but didn’t expect it to be on the top.”
The ending of the race didn’t come without company as Jordan Hutton battled Sobotka in lapped traffic with the top two trading the lead from time to time, but Sobotka was scored as the leader across the line. In the end, Sobotka held off “J-Hutt” by a half second.
The championship swing took a topsy-turvy turn for Dillon Paddock as, with around 10 to go, Paddock rode the top and caught too much of the wall, cartwheeled his No. 8 and ended up on his roof, walking away.
Advantage on the line: Because of Paddock’s flip, Sobotka now leads the points standings by 36, the biggest margin he has had since his victory at Utica-Rome last June.
From first through 26th in the feature, the points range from 150 to 98, a 52-point difference, adding on to a maximum of 12 points in a heat race.
With that, should the gap stay 36 after heats, Sobotka wins the A-main Friday and Paddock finishes 15th or worse, Sobotka would have the points lead out of the weekend.
Sobotka wouldn’t be crowned champion yet, as three show-up points only events remain towards the overall title, giving drivers 75 points each. As long as the points leader out of the weekend shows up for those three races, he’ll be crowned champion.
Sobotka isn’t coming off not one but two wins at Brewerton. In addition to his CRSA win, Sobotka won his first 360 Sprint feature with the Empire Super Sprints last Friday.
At Ransomville, Sobotka finished third, while at Weedsport, the No. 38 finished fifth.
Despite being back 36 points, Paddock may be the better man at both tracks, not only with his win at Ransomville July 4, but also with a pair of runner-up finishes in his career at The Port, including last May to Bobby Parrow.
Rest of Standings: With Jordan Hutton’s second-place run at Brewerton, the No. 66 is 37 points ahead of Dalton Herrick in fourth.
In the battle for fifth, Scott Landers is 25 ahead of Timmy Lotz.
The closest battle in the top 10 in points is Alysha Bay up 12 markers on Spencer Burley for seventh.
The rest of the top 12 have Darryl Ruggles in ninth, 314 points behind Sobotka, Vince Chicklets in 10th, 387 points back, Bailey Boyd in 11th, 420 points behind the leader and Steve Glover in 12th, 524 points back.
Look Back at July 26: Preliminary action wrapped up before Mother Nature wiped out the feature to Saturday.
Aaron Shelton won his first heat race of the year, narrowly beating Mikey Smith. Timmy Lotz, Johnny Smith and Scott Landers all won heats two through four, respectively. The Elab Smokers Boutique Scramble Dash saw Mikey Smith win the $100 bonus and start ninth.
The redraw saw Scott Landers take the pole, followed by Timmy Lotz starting second. Dillon Paddock will start fifth and Zach Sobotka starts seventh. For the full lineup, head to the bottom of the story or head to the MyRacePass app.
Loyalty Giveaways: Our fifth giveaway of the season is Friday. Drivers who entered the Independence Day Triple Play and enter Friday night will be eligible to win a Winter’s rear end, driveshaft, u-joint, torque tube, torque ball and housing. The package has an estimated value of $4500. 20 drivers are eligible.
It is one of many giveaways we are awarding this season. The drawing will be done immediately after the feature.
Spencer Burley won the first giveaway, a Sweet Manufacturing steering package. Darryl Ruggles won the second giveaway, a Saldana and Kinsler fuel package. Dillon Paddock won the third giveaway, an FK Shock and Smith Ti brake package and Ron Greek won the fourth giveaway, a Triple X chassis. They will be ineligible to win Friday.
By the Numbers: In the inaugural feature at Ransomville, 24 drivers checked in with only one yellow. There were three different leaders in the feature.
Entering Weedsport, 25 drivers will start the feature. Of the four past winners, three will take the green. 11 of the 24 drivers in the feature have finished in the top five at “The Port.”
From the Frontman: “We may be working with three weekends in September, but a busy September is ahead for us. From the doubleheader this weekend, to the two-night New York Nationals at Woodhull to Land of Legends at the end of the month, we’re looking forward to crowning the rest of our miniseries champions this month.” ~ Mike Emhof
Up Next: CRSA has its first two-night New York 305 Nationals presented by Dandy next weekend at Woodhull Raceway.
Standings
1. 38 Zach Sobotka, 2284 pts
2. 8 Dillon Paddock -36
3. 66 Jordan Hutton -148
4. 29 Dalton Herrick -185
5. 33 Scott Landers -226
6. 18 Timmy Lotz -201
7. 48A Alysha Bay -284
8. 121X Spencer Burley -296
9. 48JR Darryl Ruggles -314
10. 10VC Vince Chicklets -387
11. 3 Bailey Boyd -420
12. 121 Steve Glover -524