By Marty Czekala
The A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints return to “The Home of Heroes” this Sunday, heading to Utica-Rome Speedway for round two of the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge.
CRSA visits Utica-Rome for the 22nd time. Last year, Zach Sobotka earned his first series win here, the first of five leading to his 2025 championship.
Here’s a look at the top stories entering the weekend.
Last Week: CRSA hosted its first doubleheader of the season at Ransomville Speedway and Land of Legends Raceway to kick off the DisBatch Brewing Company/Stirling Lubricants Challenge.
Friday at “The Big R,” Spencer Burley passed for the win with 11 laps left, taking his second career series victory on the track where his father, Todd, won four 358 Modified championships in the 2000s.
“This feels good,” Burley said. “I grew up watching him race here and we know a lot of old sponsors here, just family and friends. It’s nice to be able to get it done in front of all of them.”
Saturday in Canandaigua, Zach Sobotka started on pole, lost the lead to Darryl Ruggles early, but reclaimed it on lap seven and pulled away for his first win of the CRSA season.
“Darryl showed me the line for the rest of the race,” said Sobotka. “He was running the top and I was trying not to get any of his air and just diamond off and take the bottom.”
Point Standings: Through four races in the season, Tyler Graves leads the overall points, expanding his margin to 23 over Nick Webb.
Dalton Herrick, involved in a caution Saturday, is now 37 points back but remains third.
A strong weekend keeps Paul Colagiovanni Sr. fourth in points, 51 behind the leader.
Timmy Lotz sits fifth, 84 points out.
Rest of the top 12: Maverick Coffey sixth (-99), Zach Sobotka seventh (-121), Jeff Trombley eighth (-144), Dillon Paddock ninth (-145), Jerry Sehn Jr. 10th (-171), Tomy Moreau 11th (-173), Johnny Scarborough 12th (-184).
In the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge, Trombley and Herrick are tied for the lead. Moreau, Dave Axton, and Lotz are all within 10 points after strong Fonda runs two weeks ago.
New Contenders: Due to some of the top drivers participating in fewer races this year compared to previous seasons, several new drivers have emerged near the top of the standings—a place they had not occupied before now.
Tyler Graves leads the points. His worst finish is sixth, best is fifth at Ransomville. Consistency suggests a potential first CRSA win.
Utica-Rome is familiar to him; in 2024, Graves’ No. 25G finished a career-best second there.
Nick Webb, in his first 305 season, has four top 10s in four starts. Moving from crate sprints at Can-Am Speedway, Webb recorded a win at “The Nasty Track of the North.”
Paul Colagiovanni Sr. is enjoying his best points position yet, running fourth. After a tough start, he posted consecutive top-10 finishes last week. His son Paulie, noted for success in 360s and occasionally a 410, also assists as crew and driver.
Finally, sixth in points is Maverick Coffey in the No. 31C Chris Graves Racing ride. It is the first season in a 305 for Coffey, who comes from a background in 600 Microsprints, having success at Limerock Speedway as a track champion in 2024. Through four races in a 305, Coffey’s best finish is a 12th at Fonda this season.
The Zach Sobotka Experience: The day before this race will be the anniversary of Zach Sobotka’s first career sprint car victory, which occurred at Utica-Rome Speedway. That win marked a turning point in Sobotka’s career.
Sobotka has six career wins, two Empire Super Sprints wins and a World of Outlaws top 10—all momentum begun at Utica-Rome.
At Utica-Rome, Sobotka has finished first twice in a sprint car. However, the car was light on the scales after the Sep. 2024 race.
Sobotka set the CRSA record last year for most top fives in a season (19) and, dating back to last year, is on a 13-straight top-five streak, the longest since Trombley in 2021.
The Show Stopper Due Up?: Dillon Paddock has been in a new ride early in the season, running Jay Greenfield’s No. 27G while using his own 305 engine.
Through three features, Paddock has two top-five finishes, with his best finish second last week at Land of Legends.
No question, Paddock will be a winner in 2026 and could come as soon as Sunday. Utica-Rome is a track that he has yet to win. Last year, Paddock finished second to Sobotka and in 2024, ran up near the front before a spin ended his chances of a win.
By The Numbers: There have been 18 different drivers who have found their way to victory lane at “The Home of Heroes.” Danny Varin and Jeff Trombley each have two wins here. 49 different drivers have finished in the top five, with Trombley and Jeff VanSteenburg each leading in top fives with 6. Darryl Ruggles has a win and four top fives at Utica-Rome.
Tune In: Watch live action on FloRacing Sunday with Marty Czekala on the call. For $5.99/month, track live timing, entries, fantasy, and results on MyRacePass app or at www.myracepass.com.
From the Frontman: “Now we’re gaining some momentum into the season and it’s great to see four different winners in four races. We hope those that show up early to watch the free makeup of the big block modified race are convinced to stay for the second portion of the card and buy a ticket to catch some high flying winged sprints alongside!” ~ Mike Emhof
Next Week: CRSA gets set for another I-90 Pit Stop Challenge race, this time for a return to Fulton Speedway June 20.
Standings
25G Tyler Graves, 626 pts
27W Nick Webb -23
29 Dalton Herrick -37
10SR Paul Colagiovanni St. -51
18 Timmy Lotz -84
31C Maverick Coffey -99
38 Zach Sobotka -121
3A Jeff Trombley -144
27G Dillon Paddock -145
410 Jerry Sehn Jr. -171
2 Tomy Moreau -173
61 Johnny Scarborough -184