By Marty Czekala
The biggest event in the history of the A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints is around the corner.
“The Future Stars of Sprint Cars” are set for the return of the two-night New York 305 Nationals presented by Dandy at Woodhull Raceway, Friday and Saturday night.
It is the first New York Nationals for CRSA since 2019 at Land of Legends Raceway. It is also the first of two nationals the series will host in 2025, with the latter at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee next month.
In a near $29000 purse over the two-day period, the winner Saturday will take home $4000 to win, making it the richest purse in CRSA history and the largest lion’s share the series has offered for winning.
It is the third time the series has run at Woodhull in 2025. CRSA’s top two drivers in points this season, Zach Sobotka and Dillon Paddock, each have taken a checkered flag at “New York’s Toughest Bullring.”
“The weekend we’ve been looking forward to is finally here!” said Mike Emhof, owner of CRSA Sprints. “We can’t thank Nikki and Terry Brewer, plus Terry Pierce, enough for hosting one of two Nationals events this year. Our drivers have put on two incredible shows at Woodhull this year and we’re excited to see how it turns out with $4000 on the line.”
“This is going to be one of the biggest weekends Woodhull Raceway has ever hosted,” said Nikki and Terry Brewer, per Woodhull’s press release. “From the state’s best sprint car drivers battling for glory, to the memorial races, live music and the return of old-school Powder Puff action, fans will get it all in one unforgettable weekend.”
Here’s a look at the top stories plus the format for the weekend.
Last Time Out: CRSA headed out West to Ransomville Speedway for their second trip ever to “The Big R.”
Dillon Paddock started on pole, lost the lead on the opening lap, but regained it on lap four to take his fourth win of 2025 and his second win of the year at Ransomville.
With the win, Paddock becomes the first driver in over a decade to sweep races at a single track that hosted multiple races in a season. Danny Varin was the last to do it at Albany-Saratoga in 2014.
Paddock was able to cut his gap behind Sobotka in the overall championship to 29, meaning a 13th or better by Sobotka at Weedsport would clinch the championship for the No. 38 in his rookie season.
The race at Weedsport was scheduled for last Saturday, but was postponed again due to rain. A makeup date is in the works.
Format: This weekend’s format will be different from a regular CRSA race night.
Friday night, like a regular race, an open draw will lineup eight-lap heat races. Passing points (as explained in the CRSA rulebook) will set the starting lineup. However, passing points will set the starting lineup for a pair of 20-lap A-Mains presented by Mike Emhof Motorsports. Odd-numbered positions in passing points will lineup in race one and even-numbered will lineup in race two.
The winners of each of the Twin 20s will lock into the dash for Saturday.
For Saturday (based on 50 teams), time trials will take place following hot laps, two laps within a group-only format to set the lineups for heat races.
For heats, the top four in the starting lineup will invert before the green flag. Heats are 10 laps, where the top four lock into the A-Main. The winner and fastest qualifier in the top four will go to the dash draw.
A C-Main will be 12 laps, featuring drivers 36th-50th in heat qualifying finishes, lining up based on finish. The top five will transfer to the back of the B-Main.
Between the C and B-Mains will be a pair of six-lap dashes, featuring the heat winners plus fastest qualifiers from those heats. The two lock-ins from the Friday twin 20s will also be in either by qualifying or can take 11th and 12th if no time trial. Odd pill draws will head to dash one, while even pill draws will head to dash two. Dash one sets the inside of rows one through six, while dash two sets the outside.
The B-Main is 15 laps, featuring drivers 21st through 35th in heats. The lineup is based on heat finish position. However, drivers that finished fifth place in heats will draw for positions one through five, sixth place will draw for six through 10, seventh will draw for positions 11 through 15, then the top five from the C-Main will lineup heads up, 16 through 20. The top two will transfer to the feature.
The feature is 30 laps with 24 starters. Top 12 determined by pole dash finish, spots 13-22 determined by heat finish draw of highest finisher not 13th through 17th and the last heat qualifier 18th through 22nd. Spots 23 and 24 are the B-Main qualifiers. Winner takes home $4000 and is proclaimed New York 305 Nationals champion.
Fun Events Planned: Woodhull Raceway has added to the festivities for the weekend.
Once the checkers wave Friday, the fun keeps rolling with a live concert by Be Damned and a massive bonfire to keep the energy late into the night.
Those interested in camping can bring their RVs or tents for free.
The CRSA Sprints’ merchandise trailer will be open throughout both days. T-shirts, hats, hoodies, stickers and more will be available, plus limited edition 20th Anniversary apparel, while supplies last.
Who to Watch For: Each having won the last four races, Zach Sobotka and Dillon Paddock will be drivers to keep an eye on.
Sobotka won at Woodhull last August and has four wins in 2025. In addition, the driver of the No. 38 has had opportunities in bigger shows with the 360 Empire Super Sprints, winning at Brewerton and the 410 World of Outlaws Sprint Cars, finishing ninth in his debut. This season, every race except one, Sobotka has finished in the top five and is a race away from tying the season record.
Paddock, this season’s Joe’s Garage Southern Tier Series champion, won at Woodhull last May and also has four wins on the season. The man they call “The Show Stopper” has had highlight reel moments, from ripping the top around tracks to using lines no one else goes to, gaining numerous spots on restarts. The No. 8 had a seven-race streak in top-three finishes from July 3 to Aug. 22.
Jordan Hutton is the last driver to win a CRSA feature not named Sobotka or Paddock. Hutton, this season’s Dandy Miniseries champion and 2023 series champion, is a past winner at Woodhull in 2023. “J-Hutt” finished second and fourth in both CRSA appearances at the track. The No. 66 has five top fives in the last six races.
Dalton Herrick scored a sixth and a seventh at Woodhull this season. Herrick, 2022 series champion, has consistently put his No. 29 in the top 10 and has a best finish of fourth at Outlaw Speedway Aug. 8.
Billy VanInwegen has made occasional appearances with CRSA this season, but when he enters, he is a threat. “Billy V” has recorded top-five finishes in all eight starts with the series, with three seconds on the year. The big races he has been known to shine in the Mike VanDusen Racing-owned No. 56V and Saturday night could be that moment.
The preliminary entry list is below. Teams with 305 Sprint Cars can still register for $100 with your name, car number and address to http://venmo.com/woodhullraceway. Anyone who doesn’t have Venmo can send a cash or check payment of $100 to Nikki Brewer at 3842 Upper Swale Road Cameron, NY 14819.
Technical rules are in the CRSA rulebook. Pre-tech will happen at the scales. Teams will be given a sticker for the weekend that they will need on their cars to race. Teams should bring their hard cards with them, regardless of the series they compete in full-time.
Entry List (As of Sept. 7)
X Dan Bennett
2 Dave Axton
3 Bailey Boyd
3A Jeff Trombley
4 Johnny Smith
4ST Mikey Smith
D9 Dustin Sehn
10 Nathan Pierce
10X Vince Chicklets
17 Owen Dimm
18 Timmy Lotz
21B Blake Warner
23 John Smith
25G Tyler Graves
28 Ron Greek
29 Dalton Herrick
33 Scott Landers
33C Cody Higbie
38 Zach Sobotka
47 Kyle Drum
48A Alysha Bay
48JR Darryl Ruggles
56V Billy VanInwegen
66 Jordan Hutton
77 Matt Rotz
81K Dalton Martin
121 Steve Glover
121X Spencer Burley
410 Jerry Sehn Jr.
Bonuses: Besides the $4000 to win, extra bonuses are up for grabs.
CRSA, which has led the nation with driver giveaways, has expanded its giveaway program for this weekend. At the drivers’ meeting Sept. 13, two complete sets of Smith Ti 305 legal front and rear brake kits will be given away in two separate drawings.
Drawing one will be for drivers who have competed four or fewer times in 2025 before the Sept. 12 show. Draw two will be for drivers who have competed five or more times going into the weekend. The only requirement to be eligible for the Saturday drawings is that you have to bring your car into the pits, register to race, draw a pill and attend the drivers’ meeting.
In addition, the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA), which sponsored a series race at Woodhull Raceway last August, will be giving out $50 to the highest finishing NYSSCA member in each of the Friday night Twin 20s.
Saturday night, they will award $100 and $75 to the two highest member finishers and $50 to a wild card member.
Representatives will be there both nights if anyone would like to join.
Sponsors: A big thanks to the following partners, who, without their support, wouldn’t make this race possible.
Dandy
PJC Motorsports
Mike Emhof Motorsports
Lowery Family Farms
Superior Plus Propane
MSP Automotive Carquest
Southern Tier Customs
Up Next: CRSA takes the weekend of Sept. 19 off, then returns Sept. 27 at Land of Legends Raceway in Canandaigua to conclude the DisBatch Brewing Company Challenge.
Standings (Show-up Points Race)
1. 38 Zach Sobotka, 2448 pts
2. 8 Dillon Paddock -29
3. 66 Jordan Hutton -153
4. 29 Dalton Herrick -213
5. 33 Scott Landers -222
6. 18 Timmy Lotz -242
7. 48A Alysha Bay -293
8. 121X Spencer Burley -300
9. 48JR Darryl Ruggles -316
10. 10VC Vince Chicklets -398
11. 3 Bailey Boyd -416
12. 121 Steve Glover -547
Previous Winners @ Woodhull
1. Dylan Swiernik (1) 2009
2. Matt Tanner (1) 2010
3. Jeff Taylor (1) 2011
4. Tyler Boniface (1) 2017
5. Jeff Trombley (1) 2018
6. Jordan Hutton (1) 2023
7. Tyler Chartrand (1) 2024
8. Dillon Paddock (1) 2025
9. Zach Sobotka (1) 2025