With just three weeks left this summer the racetracks of Central New York are trying to get in as much as possible before school starts in September. This weekend a traveling 410 Sprint Car series takes center stage on Friday at Utica-Rome Speedway while Oswego Speedway will crown its champions this Saturday.
Tony Stewart brings his All Star Circuit of Champions Series to New York State for three big races this weekend. Like most Sprint Car Series, the All Stars were off last weekend for the Knoxville Nationals in Iowa, but now resume their regular-season schedule with races Friday at Utica-Rome, Saturday at Orange County Fair Speedway and Sunday at Lebanon Valley Speedway.
Joining Stewart and the series regulars will be long-time World of Outlaw drivers Sammy Swindell, Jac Haudenschild and Paul McMahan plus former NASCAR racer Dave Blaney. Texas racer Aaron Reutzel leads the All Star point standings by just four points over California's Carson Macedo and 18 over defending champion Chad Kemenah.
The series has visited Utica-Rome Speedway just twice in the past but this will be the first time under Stewart's leadership. Pennsylvania's Tim Shaffer won the last time the series came to Vernon back in 2012.
Also competing this Friday at Utica-Rome will be local racers Mike Mahaney, Paulie Colagiovanni, Coleman Gulick and Justin Barger. All of these drivers compete mostly in 360 Sprinters and only get to compete against the traveling 410 teams a few times a year.
Oswego Speedway will crown its champions this Saturday and as long as nothing tragic unfolds Otto Sitterly will become the first eight-time champion in the supermodified division. Sitterly, who has been tied with legendary drivers Bentley Warren and Jim Shampine with seven track championships, has not won a title since 2014 and just needs to avoid finishing in last to earn the title.
Sitterly won last week in dramatic fashion, only leading the final 100 yards of the 50-lap feature for his third win of the season. Three-time winner Michael Barnes can make it interesting if he wins his fourth race of the year this Saturday but would have to see Sitterly stumble badly to win the title. Race time in Oswego is 6:45 p.m.
In the small-block super division two-time winner Anthony Losurdo, who did not race at Oswego last season but finished fifth in points back in 2016 and 2015, will look for his first track championship. With a lead of 26 points over Russ Brown a solid top-10 finish should earn Losurdo the title.
Fulton Speedway's Unique eCigs 358 Modified series wraps up with the third and final race of that series. Small-block rookie and 2017 Sportsman champion Ronnie Davis III is tied with Watertown's Jordan McCreadie at the top of the points, but Larry Wight is right there just two points behind. And this race also counts for track points as well, so with just three regular-season races left every one of the 50 laps on Saturday could make or break their season.
Weekend Preview
FRIDAY
Brewerton Speedway
Events: DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, STARS Mod Lites and Four Cylinders.
Schedule: Gates open at 5:30. Racing at 7:30
Can Am Speedway (LaFargeville, N.Y.)
Events: Family Autograph Night with DIRTCar 358 Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, Pro/Street Stocks, Rookie Sportsman, Thunder Stocks plus backpack give away for returning students.
Schedule: Grandstands open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7 p.m.
Utica-Rome Speedway (Vernon, N.Y.)
Events: Tony Stewart's All-Star Circuit of Champions and 358 Modifieds.
Schedule: Pit gates open at 4 p.m. Racing at 7 p.m.
SATURDAY
Fulton Speedway
Events: Race 3 of the Unique eCigs DIRTcar 358 Modified series 50 laps, DIRTcar Sportsman, RUSH Late Models, Novice Sportsman plus Bernard's Beagle Rescue.
Schedule: Grandstands open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7 p.m.
Land of Legends Raceway (Canandaigua, N.Y.)
Events: DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, Street Stocks, New Legends Sportsman plus CRSA Sprints.
Schedule: Gates open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7 p.m.
Oswego Speedway
Events: Championship night with Supermodifieds 50 laps and 30 lap Small Block Supers.
Schedule: Pits open at 3 p.m. Grandstands open at 4:30 p.m. Racing at 6:45 p.m.
SUNDAY
ESTA Safety Park Dragstrip (Cicero, N.Y.)
Events: Summit E.T. Series Event.
Schedule: Gates open at 8 a.m. Eliminations by 2 p.m.
Utica-Rome Speedway (Vernon, N.Y.)
Events: AMA Motocross
Schedule: Gates open at 7 a.m. Racing at 10 a.m.