VERNON, N.Y. – For the ninth time this season, Matt Sheppard invaded victory lane at Utica-Rome Speedway with the Sunoco Modifieds.
Sheppard raced from his 12th starting spot to take the lead away on the fourth circuit of the 30-lap main, leading the remaining 26 laps for a dominant victory and the $2,400 top prize.
“The seas don’t always part like that but when they do, we’ll definitely take it,” Sheppard said of his rapid charge to the lead.
“We were able to get out front and I don’t think there were any more cautions, things definitely went our way tonight.”
Justin Wright and Nick Heywood led the field to the green flag for the 30-lap main event. Wright quickly raced out to the top spot, while Heywood was under fire from Pat Ward for the runner-up spot.
Ward slid by Heywood just prior to the completion of lap two before a yellow flag fell for Richie Price, who had spun in the first and second corner.
Sheppard used the opening two laps to dice through the field, working his way into the fifth position before the caution came out. Sheppard used the inside line race by the likes of Billy Decker, Alex Yankowski, and Alan Barker to crack the top five just prior to the caution.
The ensuing restart, Sheppard found the bottom lane again forcing a three-wide fight for second down the backstretch with Ward and Darren Smith.
Sheppard would muscle the spot away going into the third corner and set his sights on the leader Justin Wright.
Wright led the third lap, but that was the only challenge he could muster up. Sheppard raced to the bottom of the first turn and darted underneath Wright, taking the lead away when the field exited the second turn.
A yellow flew again on the sixth lap, as Brian Murphy was spun in the wrong direction over the third turn banking.
Sheppard, however, was too strong, quickly pulling out in front and driving away from the rest of the field.
Sheppard dominated the remainder of the feature, claiming the win by over seven-and-a-half seconds.
Billy Decker raced into the runner-up spot aboard the Jeremy Smith Racing No. 91 machine. At one point it appeared as though Decker might have something to offer Sheppard for the win, but Decker was never able to get close enough to challenge the eventual victor.
Rocky Warner continued his recent hot streak with a third-place finish in his Jason Simmons Racing No. 98. The podium run was Warner’s third consecutive finish inside the top three at Utica-Rome Speedway.
Stewart Friesen battled in the back half of the top-10 for much of the 30-lap feature before a late race charge rewarded him with a fourth-place finish.
Darren Smith, Decker’s teammate, rounded out the top five piloting his Jeremy Smith-owned No. 12 machine.
Danny Varin remained perfect in 360 Sprint Car competition at Utica-Rome Speedway in 2022, claiming the 25-lap Lucas Oil Empire Sprint Series (ESS) A-Main.
Matt Janczuk continues his domination of the Worthington Industries Crate 602 Sportsman, claiming his seventh consecutive victory worth $1,000.
Josh Coonradt claimed his second consecutive Next Generation Graphix Pro Stocks victory, the second time this season Coonradt has gone back-to-back.
The Fonda Fair Four Cylinders saw two first-time winners in 2022 on Friday night. David DeNova (DOHC) started on the front row and led all 12-laps to claim the victory.
T.J. Marlitt outdueled Wayne Russell Jr. for the Single Cam win.
Keyword: Sheppard Romps To Ninth Utica-Rome Feature