Justin Pope
Justin Pope

Justin Pope
Rome, NY

Late Race Pass Puts Lance Willix in Can-Am Victory Lane Again
1996
6/22/2024

6/22/2024

Can-Am Speedway


Late Race Pass Puts Lance Willix in Can-Am Victory Lane Again

It was a special evening of racing at the Can-Am Speedway during the Golden Jubilee season. It was Armed Forces Tribute night and our brave men and women and all the fans were treated to some exciting racing action, which saw a few new faces in victory lane and others making a return to the winners circle after a long dry spell.

Genavieve Bartlett had finished second a number of times in the Donath Motor Worx Limited Sportsman, but on this night, she used the outside lane on the start to grab the lead over Gage Howard and Camdin Cook. Bartlett held a steady 6 car length lead as Brady Howard and Logan Brown would make their way to second and third in an effort to run down the leader. Over the final laps Bartlett started to enter lapped traffic, which allowed Howard and Brown to close in. Brown got by for second and made up ground on the leader at the white flag lap. However Genavieve Bartlett was not to be denied as she worked past the slower traffic and would march on for her first career win. Brown finished second with Brady Howard, Camdin Cook and Gage Howard competing the top 5.

Jared Gilson would lead the way early in the 15 lap Sundance Leisure Thundercar feature with Anthony St. Mary Jr. and Damien Bechler right there to challenge. It wasn’t long before St. Mary would make his move to the lead, taking the top spot away on lap 4. Behind him the driver on the move was Justin Pope, who like St. Mary, was also looking for his second win of the season. Pope would grab the runner up spot from Jared Gilson and ran down the race leader with 5 laps to go. A great battle took place between St. Mary and Pope with both drivers not backing down from one another. Pope made a move for the lead coming to the white flag but slid too high off turn four. That was all Anthony St. Mary Jr. needed as he would pull away on the final lap, end his string of bad luck and score his second career win. Justin Pope settled for second with Corey Valade, Jared Gilson and Damien Bechler completing the top 5.

The 25 lap Whitesboro Plow Shop DIRTCar 358 Modified feature saw RJ Tressider once again jump out to the lead with Andy Howard and Franklin Mackin on the charge early on. In previous weeks Tressider had led laps only to be passed late in the going or have bad luck come his way. On this night he had a fast car and pulled away easily while other drivers behind him were making some big moves early on. Lance Willix was on the move from his 8th starting spot as he got to third by lap 9 and was in pursuit of Howard for the runner up spot. By lap 10 RJ Tressider had built up a big lead and many were wondering if it was going to finally be his night. Willix would charge by Howard to get to second, but had nearly a straight away to make up as the laps began to click off in a hurry. By lap 17 Willix had narrowed the gap to three car lengths as Tressider continued his strong run, but another driver had made his way forward, that being Tim Fuller. The points leader would get to third on lap 18, while in front of him Lance Willix had caught RJ Tressider for the lead. With 5 to go Willix used the inside lane to grab the lead and begin to pull away. Over the final laps RJ Tressider tried to hold back Tim Fuller but the veteran would get by for second and then tried to run down the leader, but time was running out. In the end time ran out as Lance Willix proved to be too strong for the field as he scored his second win of the season. Fuller crossed in second ahead of RJ Tressider, Shaun Shaw and Jordan McCreadie.

Greg Brinklow was the early leader of the 20 lap Bob Johnson Auto Group DIRTCar Sportsman feature with Paul DeRuyter and fellow Kingston native Xavier Andrews right there with him to challenge. DeRuyter was able to get by Brinklow on lap 6 bringing Andrews with him to the runner up spot and a great battle would take place between the two drivers. On lap 8 it was Xavier Andrews taking his turn at the head of the class as he began to pull away from DeRuyter and four time track champion Tyler Corcoran. As Andrews pulled away, Corcoran was making his way to the runner up spot and a new contender was emerging, with Jessica Power making a move to the number three spot, as she tried to catch the top two drivers. A pair of quick yellows bunched up the field on lap 13, which was what Corcoran and Power needed. On the restart Corcoran would make the move for the lead as Power took over the runner up spot and tried to catch the leader. Over the final laps Tyler Corcoran seemed to get faster and he was fast enough on this night to score his second win of the year and become the first repeat winner of 2024. Power finished a season best second with Xavier Andrews third, Eric Nier made a charge from 10th in the final 8 laps to grab fourth with the ever-consistent Gavin Eisele completing the top 5.

Josh Verne Jr. has been on a streak that can make anyone frustrated. Verne had finished second four straight weeks in the Panther Frame Worx Crate Sprint Car division and was looking to end that streak with a win on the evening. Verne would let everyone know early that he would be the dominant force, leading the early laps over Tucker Donath and three time feature winner Andrew Hennessy. Verne was on cruise control for the entire 15 lap distance and was never challenged at all during the caution free event. Behind him Tucker Donath was holding second and Andrew Hennessy made every effort to challenge from third, but it would not happen. Josh Verne Jr. would finally end the streak as he marched on to his third win of 2024. Donath and Hennessy would cross second and third with Tiger Chapman and Ken Klinkowski completing the top 5.

Next Friday Can Am Speedway takes a holiday as there will be no racing, with local graduations taking place and also trying to prepare for one of the biggest shows of the season during the Golden Jubilee year. The 29th running of the Pabst Shootout will take place Wednesday July 3rd and with it being part of the DIRTCar 358 Modified Series, some heavy hitters are expected in the line up, which could make for an ultra-competitive field. Billy Dunn won the race last year and will look for his record tying third Pabst Shootout win.

Also on the card with be the first of three appearances of the year for the Empire Super Sprints as Central New York Speedweek will get under way for their season. Also the DIRTCar Sportsman North/Central Regional Series will be on hand with invaders from the North and Central all coming to Can Am and a big field is also expected.

Stay tuned to our Can Am Speedway Facebook page as plenty of Pabst Shootout trivia will take place and fans can win prizes and tickets for the upcoming event and it’s a night you will want to be a part of, to kick off the month of July.

Don’t forget to check out all the latest new on our website at racecanam.com and for instant updates give us a follow on Facebook. Also make us one of your favorites and follow the live timing and scoring at Can Am, on My Race Pass.

WHITESBORO PLOW SHOP DIRTCAR 358 MODIFIED
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 31-Lance Willix[7]; 2. 19-Tim Fuller[12]; 3. 21R-RJ Tresidder[1]; 4. 7S-Shaun Shaw[8]; 5. 28-Jordan McCreadie[10]; 6. 21-Andrew Howard[3]; 7. 3M-Franklin Mackin[5]; 8. 39-Ryan Bartlett[9]; 9. 18W-Scott Webb[4]; 10. 49-Billy Dunn[18]; 11. 36B-Dan Beachard[2]; 12. 45R-Preston Forbes[13]; 13. 9-Tyler Meeks[15]; 14. 66W-Derek Webb[16]; 15. 6-Brian Hudson[14]; 16. 74-Lucas Fuller[6]; 17. 27W-Nick Webb[11]; 18. 63-Adam Roberts[17]; 19. 83D-Dustin Bradley[19]; 20. (DNF) 21JR-Larry Welling[20]; 21. (DNF) 23-Cameron Black[21]; 22. (DNS) 57H-Remington Hamm; 23. (DNS) 55-Dan Reif

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 36B-Dan Beachard[2]; 2. 28-Jordan McCreadie[5]; 3. 18W-Scott Webb[3]; 4. 31-Lance Willix[4]; 5. 45R-Preston Forbes[6]; 6. 66W-Derek Webb[7]; 7. 83D-Dustin Bradley[8]; 8. (DNF) 57H-Remington Hamm[1]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 3M-Franklin Mackin[3]; 2. 7S-Shaun Shaw[4]; 3. 21-Andrew Howard[2]; 4. 27W-Nick Webb[5]; 5. 6-Brian Hudson[7]; 6. 63-Adam Roberts[1]; 7. 21JR-Larry Welling[6]; 8. (DNF) 55-Dan Reif[8]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 21R-RJ Tresidder[1]; 2. 19-Tim Fuller[7]; 3. 39-Ryan Bartlett[4]; 4. 74-Lucas Fuller[3]; 5. 9-Tyler Meeks[5]; 6. 49-Billy Dunn[6]; 7. (DNF) 23-Cameron Black[2]

Hot Laps (3 Laps): 1. 21R-RJ Tresidder, 00:18.851[17]; 2. 28-Jordan McCreadie, 00:18.889[13]; 3. 49-Billy Dunn, 00:18.904[5]; 4. 18W-Scott Webb, 00:18.913[20]; 5. 36B-Dan Beachard, 00:18.950[2]; 6. 45R-Preston Forbes, 00:19.080[6]; 7. 63-Adam Roberts, 00:19.183[15]; 8. 6-Brian Hudson, 00:19.254[11]; 9. 7S-Shaun Shaw, 00:19.272[16]; 10. 83D-Dustin Bradley, 00:19.720[4]; 11. 23-Cameron Black, 00:19.815[3]; 12. 21-Andrew Howard, 00:19.928[10]; 13. 9-Tyler Meeks, 00:20.115[14]; 14. 57H-Remington Hamm, 00:20.369[9]; 15. (DNS) 39-Ryan Bartlett; 16. (DNS) 74-Lucas Fuller; 17. (DNS) 19-Tim Fuller; 18. (DNS) 3M-Franklin Mackin; 19. (DNS) 66W-Derek Webb; 20. (DNS) 27W-Nick Webb; 21. (DNS) 21JR-Larry Welling; 22. (DNS) 31-Lance Willix; 23. (DNS) 55-Dan Reif

BOB JOHNSON DIRTCAR SPORTSMAN
Feature (20 Laps): 1. 64-Tyler Corcoran[7]; 2. 52-Jessica Power[6]; 3. ZERO-Xavier Andrews[5]; 4. 34-Eric Nier[15]; 5. 18-Gavin Eisele[8]; 6. 35B-Brennan Moore[9]; 7. 7O7-Greg Brinklow[3]; 8. 34K-Keegan Nier[4]; 9. 410-Mike Fowler[16]; 10. 1D-Paul DeRuyter[2]; 11. 32RS-Ryan Shanahan[10]; 12. 92-Frank Sibley[14]; 13. 91-Josh Reome[19]; 14. FOX28-Tyler Stevenson[11]; 15. 44-David Rogers[21]; 16. 2-Taylor Doxtater[20]; 17. 7D-Dustin Hutton[13]; 18. 35D-Dylan Moore[23]; 19. 621G-Trevor Gibbons[18]; 20. 5R-Steve Roberts[17]; 21. 114-Jake Granker[24]; 22. 33-Alan McDonald[22]; 23. (DNS) 18G-Justin Gadbaw; 24. (DNS) 33M-Richard Murtaugh; 25. (DNS) 62-Jonathan Murphy

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 1D-Paul DeRuyter[2]; 2. 52-Jessica Power[4]; 3. 18G-Justin Gadbaw[1]; 4. 34K-Keegan Nier[3]; 5. 7D-Dustin Hutton[7]; 6. 410-Mike Fowler[6]; 7. 91-Josh Reome[8]; 8. (DNS) 33-Alan McDonald

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 64-Tyler Corcoran[4]; 2. 32RS-Ryan Shanahan[7]; 3. ZERO-Xavier Andrews[3]; 4. FOX28-Tyler Stevenson[8]; 5. 92-Frank Sibley[5]; 6. 5R-Steve Roberts[1]; 7. 2-Taylor Doxtater[6]; 8. 35D-Dylan Moore[2]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 18-Gavin Eisele[4]; 2. 35B-Brennan Moore[5]; 3. 33M-Richard Murtaugh[9]; 4. 7O7-Greg Brinklow[2]; 5. 34-Eric Nier[3]; 6. (DNF) 621G-Trevor Gibbons[1]; 7. (DNF) 114-Jake Granker[8]; 8. (DNF) 44-David Rogers[6]; 9. (DNF) 62-Jonathan Murphy[7]

Hot Laps (3 Laps): 1. 18-Gavin Eisele, 00:19.558[6]; 2. 410-Mike Fowler, 00:19.903[7]; 3. 1D-Paul DeRuyter, 00:19.936[4]; 4. FOX28-Tyler Stevenson, 00:19.985[22]; 5. 35B-Brennan Moore, 00:20.016[12]; 6. 62-Jonathan Murphy, 00:20.041[14]; 7. 7D-Dustin Hutton, 00:20.069[10]; 8. ZERO-Xavier Andrews, 00:20.091[1]; 9. 52-Jessica Power, 00:20.117[17]; 10. 5R-Steve Roberts, 00:20.156[19]; 11. 44-David Rogers, 00:20.172[20]; 12. 32RS-Ryan Shanahan, 00:20.195[23]; 13. 64-Tyler Corcoran, 00:20.241[3]; 14. 2-Taylor Doxtater, 00:20.269[5]; 15. 34-Eric Nier, 00:20.439[15]; 16. 621G-Trevor Gibbons, 00:20.543[9]; 17. 7O7-Greg Brinklow, 00:20.561[2]; 18. 91-Josh Reome, 00:20.584[18]; 19. 35D-Dylan Moore, 00:20.690[13]; 20. 33-Alan McDonald, 00:21.038[11]; 21. (DNS) 18G-Justin Gadbaw; 22. (DNS) 34K-Keegan Nier; 23. (DNS) 92-Frank Sibley; 24. (DNS) 114-Jake Granker

PANTHER FRAMEWORX 602 CRATE SPRINT CARS
Feature (15 Laps): 1. 1V-Josh Verne Jr[1]; 2. Z28-Tucker Donath[2]; 3. 87-Andrew Hennessy[4]; 4. 271-Tiger Chapman[3]; 5. 30-Ken Klinkowsky[5]; 6. 89X-Josh Vanbrocklin[6]; 7. (DNS) 25-George Sanford

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 1V-Josh Verne Jr[2]; 2. 87-Andrew Hennessy[6]; 3. Z28-Tucker Donath[4]; 4. 271-Tiger Chapman[5]; 5. 30-Ken Klinkowsky[1]; 6. 89X-Josh Vanbrocklin[7]; 7. (DNS) 25-George Sanford

Hot Laps (3 Laps): 1. 271-Tiger Chapman, 00:17.858[1]; 2. Z28-Tucker Donath, 00:17.862[2]; 3. 1V-Josh Verne Jr, 00:17.864[7]; 4. 30-Ken Klinkowsky, 00:17.934[4]; 5. 89X-Josh Vanbrocklin, 00:18.207[6]; 6. (DNS) 87-Andrew Hennessy; 7. (DNS) 25-George Sanford

SUNDANCE LEISURE THUNDERCAR
Feature (15 Laps): 1. 111J-Anthony St Mary Jr[1]; 2. 27-Justin Pope[3]; 3. 21V-Corey Valade[5]; 4. 22J-Jared Gilson[2]; 5. 26R-Damien Bechler[6]; 6. 94-OJ White[7]; 7. (DNF) 60-Francis White[4]; 8. (DNF) 41-Terry Gardner[9]; 9. (DNF) 22-Tony Frezzo[8]

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 111J-Anthony St Mary Jr[1]; 2. 22J-Jared Gilson[4]; 3. 60-Francis White[7]; 4. 21V-Corey Valade[8]; 5. 27-Justin Pope[9]; 6. 26R-Damien Bechler[6]; 7. 94-OJ White[3]; 8. 22-Tony Frezzo[5]; 9. 41-Terry Gardner[2]

Hot Laps (3 Laps): 1. 111J-Anthony St Mary Jr, 00:26.845[4]; 2. 21V-Corey Valade, 00:26.982[5]; 3. 22J-Jared Gilson, 00:26.986[3]; 4. 41-Terry Gardner, 00:27.765[2]; 5. (DNS) 26R-Damien Bechler; 6. (DNS) 94-OJ White; 7. (DNS) 60-Francis White; 8. (DNS) 22-Tony Frezzo

DONATH MOTOR WORX LIMITED SPORTSMAN
Feature (12 Laps): 1. 11-Genavieve Bartlett[1]; 2. 9-Logan Brown[5]; 3. 54-Brady Howard[3]; 4. 14-Camdin Cook[4]; 5. 21-Gage Howard[2]; 6. 33B-Brianna Murtaugh[7]; 7. 747-Haily Brownell[8]; 8. 114-Rusty Granker[6]

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 11-Genavieve Bartlett[2]; 2. 21-Gage Howard[3]; 3. 54-Brady Howard[4]; 4. 14-Camdin Cook[5]; 5. 9-Logan Brown[6]; 6. 114-Rusty Granker[8]; 7. 33B-Brianna Murtaugh[7]; 8. 747-Haily Brownell[1]

Hot Laps (3 Laps): 1. 14-Camdin Cook, 00:21.269[4]; 2. 54-Brady Howard, 00:21.302[5]; 3. 21-Gage Howard, 00:21.706[7]; 4. 747-Haily Brownell, 00:22.073[3]; 5. 33B-Brianna Murtaugh, 00:22.321[6]; 6. 11-Genavieve Bartlett, 00:27.605[1]; 7. (DNS) 9-Logan Brown; 8. (DNS) 114-Rusty Granker


Article Credit: Tim Baltz

Submitted By: Tyler & Michelle Bartlett

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