Rebecca Eisele Photo
The final feature of Empire State Challenge Weekend at Weedsport Speedway on Sunday evening featured the DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds and it was Erick Rudolph running away with the win to collect $3,000 and his sixth career Modified victory at Weedsport, presented by Mohawk Northeast and Monroe Mechanical Services.
Will Shields and Rudolph started the night’s 40-lap main event from the front row with Rudolph eventually snagging the race lead following an early caution. Larry Wight and Jimmy Phelps were early movers, pressing into the top three, but as the race wore on neither had anything for Rudolph as he checked out in the lead.
With Rudolph cruising out front to more than a 2-second lead, eyes shifted further back in the field as Mike Mahaney and Matt Sheppard began to advance. Eventually, each was able to surpass Phelps, to charge into the front five spots.
At race’s end it was Rudolph as the clear victor ahead of Wight, Mahaney, Sheppard and Phelps in the top five. Finishing the top ten were Anthony Perrego, Dave Marcuccilli, Shields, Matt Stangle and Chad Phelps.
Heat race winners on the evening were Mahaney, Jimmy Phelps and Rudolph.
The Modified will return to action at Weedsport on Sunday, August 17 for the opener of SummerFAST, featuring the Super DIRTcar Series.
Empire State Challenge Modified Main (40-laps): 1. 25 – ERICK RUDOLPH, 2. 99L – Larry Wight, 3. 35 – Mike Mahaney, 4. 9S – Matt Sheppard, 5. 98H – Jimmy Phelps, 6. 4 – Anthony Perrego, 7. m1 – Dave Marcuccilli, 8. 24 – Will Shields, 9. 6 – Matt Stangle, 10. X – Chad Phelps, 11. 6X – Brian Swartzlander, 12. 7Z – Zach Payne, 13. 30 – Nicholas Root, 14. 5H – Amy Holland, 15. 160 – Max Hill, 16. 6 – Bill Rose, 17. 15 – Justin Stone, 18. 32R – Ronnie Davis III, 19. 44H – Chris Hulsizer