OSWEGO, N.Y. — Within the first Tremendous DIRT Week with the brand new Emil Lloyd “Buzzie” Reutimann trophy on the road, Mat Williamson cemented his place on the high of Huge Block Modified historical past at Oswego Speedway.
The St. Catharines, Ontario, driver led 185 laps Saturday and held off a cost from Justin Haers to win his fourth Billy Whittaker Automobiles 200.
Williamson joins Brett Hearn, Stewart Friesen, Billy Decker and Gary Balough as the one 5 drivers to win 4 200s at Tremendous DIRT Week, a feat he’s completed in 4 of his final six begins.
Together with incomes $53,000, he additionally swept the weekend at Oswego for the second time, after successful the DIRTcar 358 Modified Salute to the Troops 150 on Friday.
“That was superior,” Williamson mentioned. “I labored actually laborious to return down right here and construct a automotive that will be quick on large straightaways. Hats off to all the blokes. It’s a 2025 Bicknell, and it ran fairly good tonight.”
After incomes the SRI Efficiency and Inventory Automotive Metal Pole Award on Thursday, Mat Williamson led the sector to the inexperienced within the 200-lap Characteristic, besting Alex Payne into Turns 1 and a couple of. That lead didn’t final lengthy, although, as Kolby Schroder introduced on the warning in Flip 3 with injury to his proper entrance tire.
When the race resumed, Williamson took off down the backstretch, gaining a full straightaway lead over Payne by means of the primary 10 laps. However because the defending Tremendous DIRTcar Sequence champion caught the tail of the sector, it allowed the No. 70a to shut on the chief.
It wasn’t for much longer earlier than Payne had his first shot to catch the No. 88 in site visitors. Payne’s momentum on the within lane carried him previous Williamson, who was within the center on Lap 25, however Payne didn’t have sufficient to carry him off as they entered Flip 3.
After nearly shedding the lead, Williamson obtained separation from Payne over the subsequent 10 laps, making an attempt to remain forward of the remainder of the sector. Nonetheless, as Williamson appeared to be on cruise management, the warning got here out for Matt Stangle, who slowed on Lap 44.
Payne obtained his subsequent alternative to wrestle the lead away from Williamson on the following restart, an opportunity he didn’t let go to waste. Utilizing the skin lane, Payne carried his momentum across the observe and cleared Williamson by the point they reached the beginning/end line on Lap 51.
Whereas Payne was out entrance main, all eyes have been on Larry Wight, who drove from forty first to seventeenth by Lap 52. The Phoenix, N.Y., driver rolled the skin, storming previous vehicles on each lap, reaching the highest 10 by Lap 56.
As Wight was charging ahead, Payne hit lap site visitors on Lap 67, permitting Williamson a chance to reclaim the highest spot. Like Payne, Williamson didn’t miss his probability, powering by Payne on the within lane to wrestle the lead again on Lap 67.
With Williamson again out entrance, Wight continued his cost ahead. After a restart on Lap 73, “Lightning Larry” thundered previous Jimmy Phelps for fifth on Lap 77. Then, two laps later, he used the identical transfer to go Alex Yankowski for fourth. Wight wasn’t performed there both. By lap 80, he handed Payne for a podium place and set his sights on Justin Haers, who moved into second.
One other warning on Lap 83 gave Wight an opportunity to earn extra positions with a double-file restart. Regardless of beginning on the underside, he rapidly returned to the highest and regained his momentum, driving round Haers for second on Lap 86.
Wight began catching Williamson, however a yellow flag on Lap 99 flew simply because the No. 99L caught the chief. That yellow additionally signaled the race’s five-minute competitors warning, the place groups can be allowed to take gas and modify.
When the race resumed on Lap 101, Williamson once more gained management of the 41-car subject, pulling away from his competitors as they raced down the backstretch. Nonetheless, it wasn’t Wight who Williamson would cope with over the subsequent 100 laps.
Haers stayed with Wight for the subsequent 12 laps, earlier than the Phelps, NY driver discovered momentum on the within lane on Lap 113. As Haers and Wight entered Flip 1, Hears caught to the underside of the observe and drove by Wight to take over second, aiming for his finest profession Oswego end.
Simply because the go was made for second, Williamson reached lap site visitors once more. And like Payne early within the race, Haers rapidly closed on the again of the Buzz Chew Chevrolet No. 88, on the lookout for a lane to sneak by. Despite the fact that he obtained shut underneath inexperienced flag situations, a warning on Lap 135 gave him his finest shot at a Billy Whittaker Automobiles 200 win.
As Williamson held his line by means of the underside of Turns 1 and a couple of, Haers tried going to the highest of the observe, constructing momentum as the 2 drivers exited Flip 2. The Phelps Cement Merchandise No. 3 pulled even with Williamson down the backstretch. Then, he carried his momentum by means of Turns 3 and 4, nosing forward of Williamson as they accomplished Lap 140.
That lead was short-lived, although, as Williamson drove again by Haers on the within of Turns 1 and a couple of to re-take the lead with 60 laps to go. Haers stored tempo with Williamson over the subsequent 40 laps, till Jackson Gill ran out of gas with 17 laps to go to offer him one final shot.
On the restart, Hears tried to make use of the skin to get by Williamson once more. However this time, “Cash Mat” was prepared for him. When Haers tried to make use of the skin lane to take the lead, Williamson slid in entrance of Haers in Flip 4, taking his lane away and holding onto the lead.
From there, Williamson went untouched to attain his fourth Billy Whittaker Automobiles 200 win and thirty fourth Tremendous DIRTcar Sequence victory.
Regardless of his dominance, Williamson mentioned he was anxious on the finish.
“When Alex obtained by me, he form of checked out a bit bit,” Williamson mentioned. “I began getting off the underside in (Flip 3), and caught again as much as him in lap site visitors, and I believe that was most likely the race there. One other large second was when Justin obtained into me going into (Flip) 1.
“I used to be hanging on on the finish. They mentioned his tire was loads higher than mine. My tire’s fairly beat up. So, fortunately, we have been ok to hold on ultimately.”
Together with his win, Williamson prolonged his Tremendous DIRTcar Sequence factors result in 77 factors over Yankowski with 5 races remaining.
Haers crossed the road second, incomes his finest Tremendous DIRT Week end. “T-Bone” mentioned he gave it all the pieces he needed to go Williamson however knew he had a small window to make it occur.
“It’s bittersweet,” Haers mentioned. “I had a shot to go him, and I assumed if I obtained by him, he wouldn’t have the ability to get again by me. I assumed he was good, and that we have been equally nearly as good.
“I may solely run on the market for a few laps, after which I knew I needed to get again down. After we went single file, I used to be most likely the one automotive that was mad as a result of I might’ve favored to have began subsequent to him. However I attempted it a number of instances and tried all kinds of various stuff, and as soon as we obtained right into a sure rhythm, I simply needed to shield my place.”
Yankowski rounded out the rostrum and earned his finest Oswego end driving the Halmar-Friesen Racing No. 84Y. The Covington Township, Pa., driver mentioned he was glad along with his end third, however didn’t have sufficient for Williamson or Haers.
“I’m actually glad that we have been in a position to put this deal collectively,” Yankowski mentioned. “It’s such a tough occasion. All the things’s obtained to go proper. I assumed we made some positive factors all through the week, and I assume we have now to be pleased with a high three.
“This observe is hard. It rubbered up, after which there wasn’t rubber anymore, after which it rubbered up, and also you didn’t know the place to be. We have now to perform a little homework simply to get a bit bit higher.”
Wight crossed the road fourth to earn the Penske Racing Shocks Arduous Charger award, and Payne, the Fratto Curbing Outdoors Pole Award winner, rounded out the highest 5.
The end:
Characteristic (200 Laps): 1. 88-Mat Williamson[1]; 2. 3-Justin Haers[5]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[9]; 4. 99L-Larry Wight[41]; 5. 70A-Alex Payne[2]; 6. 9S-Matt Sheppard[20]; 7. 98H-Jimmy Phelps[7]; 8. 25-Erick Rudolph[37]; 9. 9-Marc Johnson[6]; 10. 2-Jack Lehner[38]; 11. 37S-Gary Lindberg[3]; 12. CRAZ8-Max McLaughlin[15]; 13. 28M-Jordan McCreadie[21]; 14. 12-Darren Smith[29]; 15. 98-Rocky Warner[23]; 16. 26-Ryan Godown[33]; 17. 83X-Tim Sears Jr[8]; 18. 7Z-Zachary Payne[18]; 19. 49-Billy Dunn[19]; 20. 4V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[25]; 21. 5H-Chris Hile[24]; 22. 25P-Michael Dad or mum[28]; 23. 1M-Tyler Murray[22]; 24. 99-Kolby Schroder[4]; 25. 28-Michael Trautschold[27]; 26. 3RS-Dalton Slack[13]; 27. (DNF) 91-Felix Roy[16]; 28. (DNF) 60-Jackson Gill[17]; 29. (DNF) 26R-Corey Cormier[26]; 30. (DNF) 17-Marcus Dinkins[40]; 31. (DNF) 19-Tim Fuller[12]; 32. (DNF) 21A-Peter Britten[14]; 33. (DNF) 15X-Justin Stone[39]; 34. (DNF) 15-Todd Root[32]; 35. (DNF) 9X-Tyler Trump[30]; 36. (DNF) 11-Matt Caprara[34]; 37. (DNF) 21C-Brian Calabrese[36]; 38. (DNF) 35-Mike Mahaney[10]; 39. (DNF) 84-Gary Tomkins[31]; 40. (DNF) 4-Anthony Perrego[11]; 41. (DNF) 6-Matt Stangle[35]
