Sites prevails at NY-Penn’s Billy Ward Memorial

Feature, Modified

Eddie Sites dueled with Rich Michael Jr. before pulling away to the $1,504 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified checkers, in Saturday’s Billy Ward Memorial show at Afton Motorsports Park. (Photo by M & J Photos)

By Michael Benjamin

AFTON, N.Y. (May 13, 2023) – Eddie Sites had another race to remember on a night Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers remembered one of their own.

Sites took the lead early in Saturday’s Billy Ward Memorial at Afton Motorsports Park and never looked back, motoring to the $1,504 checkers in the inaugural NY-Penn Series event for the late long-time IMCA competitor.

Rick Watt and Jeff Cardinale started on the front row in the second race of the third annual tour, with Cardinale dropping to the back while dealing with an ill car and moving Shawn Bruce up to the outside pole. 

All chaos broke loose with the field nearing the end of the first lap, with the first caution flying for an incident collecting Jake Maynard, heat two and dash for cash winner Brad Sites, newcomer J.T. Roe, Tyler Belcher and Lance Conley.

Watt and Bruce brought the field to the green for the restart. The 5s of Eddie Sites and the 17x of Rich Michael Jr. started on the second row and made quick work of the front two cars.

Sites took the lead and didn’t look back. Even with a few cautions throughout the event after the lap one melee, Sites held off every charge made by Michael as he tried to find any way possible around the leader.

Already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, Sites took the checkered flag and scored the $1,504 payday ahead of Michael. Brad Sites bounced back after that lap one accident to finish third. Tyler Stoddard and Jacob McConnell rounded out the top 5 five.

Ward’s son William scored the Force Flow Pressure Services hard charger award in his no. 4 machine, finishing sixth.

The tour win was Eddie Sites’ career seventh. He’d won six times, at four different venues, last year.

Next up for the NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series is the Saturday, May 20 show at Woodhull Raceway.

Related Articles

Results

Morgan breaks through for NY-Penn victory

By Evan Canfield SUSQUEHANNA, Pa. (Aug. 15) – In a season filled with highs and lows, Rodney Morgan finally found some redemption at Penn Can Speedway. After destroying his car in the season opener at the same facility, he was able to come back to the Susquehanna oval and capture his first NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series victory on Sunday, earning $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star qualifying eligibility. Aaron Benjamin and J.W. Lamphere set the pace for the 25-lap feature but the start was anything but smooth. A single car spin, a stack-up at the rear of the field and a multi-car pileup set the tone for the opening laps, with three consecutive cautions keeping the race from getting underway.  Once under the green flag, Benjamin jumped out to an early lead. While trying to hold control of the race, multiple yellow flags would hurt his momentum. He led up to a lap 13 restart, where a bobble in the opening corners opened the door for Morgan to slip by and take the top spot.  Benjamin [Read More]

Modified

Kenny Schrader Coming to PA to Race IMCA Modifieds

MILL HALL, Pa. (April 25, 2023) – Kenny Schrader will be in competition at two Pennsylvania race tracks this fall. Clinton County Speedway promoter Jason McCahan and Penn Can Speedway promoter Keith Beach are pleased to announce the NASCAR legend will be coming to their respective speedways on Friday, Sept. 15 and Saturday, Sept. 16 to compete with the Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series presented by M.R. Grafix. A native of Fenton, Mo., Schrader’s’ passion for motorsports has been well documented through a career that now spans more than 40 years. Schrader competed in the NASCAR Cup Series for 29 seasons, where he secured four victories and 184 top 10 finishes. Schrader also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Truck Series.   Starting his racing career just after he turned 16 years of age, Shrader has made it a lifelong goal to race as often as possible and in as many different types of race cars as possible. He has become a great ambassador for motorsports at all levels.   Schrader is the 1982 USAC Silver Crown [Read More]

Feature

Stremme captures NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series checkers at Clinton County

By Paul Szmal FORT HILL, Pa. (Sept. 15, 2023) – A 20-car field made the trip to Clinton County Speedway on Friday night to contest the next round of the NY-Penn MCA Modified Series presented by Close Racing Supply and presented by M. R. Graphix. Ken Schrader and David Stremme were part of the field looking for the winner’s payday and it was Stremme who would ultimately earn that $1,000 check plus Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Eddie Sites looked to maintain his point lead going into the first race of a doubleheader weekend for touring Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Jake Maynard and Rodney Morgan brought the field to the green flag, with Morgan grabbing the early lead. Stremme and Rich Michael Jr. started 10th and 12th, respectively, with Stremme breaking out first, moving to third by lap five and pressuring Maynard for second.  Michael cracked the top five on lap six and battled with Keith Jack Lamphere and George Dixon as the first caution flew for debris on lap seven. Under the caution, Dixon pulled up in turn four [Read More]

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply