Williamson Dominates For Seventh Big-Block Modified Feature Win At LOLR
2025 points chase wraps up in August with five season champions crowned next Saturday
Canandaigua, NY – August 23, 2025 – Tom Skibinski, Land of Legends Raceway PR
A mid-afternoon shower did little to dampen the drive of Mat Williamson as the Canadian standout from St. Catharines, Ont. dominated the Pepsi Big-Block Modified feature for his seventh win of the 2025 season on Ryan Phelps Auto Sales Night at Land Of Legends Raceway.
Richard Murtaugh III was just as successful scoring his third Stirling Lubricants Sportsman victory while Jimmy Grant triumphed for the fourth time in six Auto Value Parts Stores Street Stock starts. Closing out the weekend showdown in truly ‘Saturday Spectacular’ fashion, talented teenager Cameron Moss captured his first career MighTea Boba 305 Sprint Car A-Main, full-fender veteran Jared Hill claimed his first-ever Lloyd's Contracting Hobby Stock victory at the Ontario Co. Fairgrounds and Shaun Toland made his maiden voyage to the LOLR winner’s circle following the Hutchinson Property Preservation New Legends Sportsman season-finale.
It was also Bedsheet Banner Night while the Rochester Spinal Association was named the evening’s 50/50 beneficiary. Following the playing of the national anthems and before the first qualifier, those in attendance Saturday on both sides of the fence observed a moment of silence in tribute to a pair of speedway notables. Karen Montgomery, wife of the late LOLR P.A. Announcer Gary Montgomery, passed away yesterday (Aug. 22) while long-time Canandaigua victory lane ceremony coordinator Jack Speno perished the Wednesday (Aug. 20) prior.
‘Money Mat’ had his no. 6 S&W Service Centre-Marin Drywall-Becker Bros.Trucking/Bicknell mount dialed in from the start, tracking down second-generation wheelman Zach Payne just past the halfway mark en route to a convincing half-straightaway victory in the 30-lap Big-Block headliner.
Pole-sitter Justin Wright held off Payne for the first 10 laps with division rookie Nick Root settling into third in the early stages. Payne found the needed traction underneath Wright exiting turn two to grab the lead on lap 11, although sixth-place starter Williamson was even quicker riding both lines around Canandaigua’s hallowed half-miler.
Williamson disposed of Root with an inside move on lap 12 then darted past runner-up Wright the next time around before gripping the high lane to overtake Payne and forge the final lead change on lap 16.
Chief starter Scott Hixson unfurled the lone yellow flag on lap 25 when James Sweeting slowed off the pace rounding turn two to end his night pitside. Williamson ran the last five laps uncontested with Justin Haers slipping past Payne on the final circuit to secure second. Matt Sheppard and Peter Britten completed the top-five.
Williamson’s 11th career triumph locked up his second straight season championship in Canandaigia with only next week’s final points show left to determine the exact margin. Heading into the Aug. 30 event his current 13-race points total stands at 743, followed by Alex Payne and Matt Sheppard, each with 647, while past champion Justin Haers (643) and Britten (626) rank next.
Buckled into his red #33 180 Flood Drive Properties-Predator Race Cars-VP Racing Fuels/Bicknell entry after suffering engine woes a week earlier, Murtaugh made quick work of the 20-car field to score a convincing win in the 25-lap Sportsman feature.
Front row partners Tim Lafler and Timmy Borden Jr. kicked off the final race ahead of the pack while Murtaugh blasted from eighth on the grid to fourth after only two circuits. The Fulton driver charged past Borden into third, then outran runner-up Tim Baker with just five laps scored. Moving low down the back chute, Murtaugh left Lafler in his dust on lap eight, taking a lead he would not relinquish in the fast-paced affair interupted by just one caution period.
Solid top-five contender Nick Cooper slowed rounding turn two to require a yellow flag yet Murtaugh was up to the challenge on the lap 22 restart. Each looking to return to victory lane, Karl Comfort and Kevin Ridley traded paint over the final half-dozen laps with Comfort securing second five car-lengths back at the line.
Points leader Tyler Corcoran edged last week’s winner Matt Guererri in the front-5.
Among the tightest battles for short-track supremacy, Corcoran now leads Comfort by just three markers, 605-602, with Guererri (595) and Murtaugh (594) close behind. Both Comfort (1999-2000) and Guererri (2020-2021) own two track titles back-to-back while Corcoran and Murtaugh are yet to earn the coveted year-end prize.
With veterans all around, second-year driver Moss led the distance to garner his first A-Main victory in the 20-lap 305 thriller. The 16 year-old upstart from Cohocton staved off every bid from still winless John Smith from the opening green flag before out-distancing seasoned wingman Bobby Parrow by a dozen car-lengths under the checkers.
The scheduled 16-car field raced to the opening green flag with none quicker than pole winner Moss aboard his potent no. 25 Dirt Track Digest TV-Cohocton American Legion-Wilkins RV/XXX machine. Red lights flashed almost immediately when turn one contact between Dan Bennett and Randy Years sent Bennett’s ‘X’ car rolling over, leaving Alysha Bay no room to avoid the mishap up ahead as she joined Bennett pitside for the remainder without a single lap complete.
Back under green, Moss’ front row foe Smith never left his side, sliding high lap after lap while Moss found the low lane most favorable much of the way. Returning from a heat race mishap that barely kept him on all fours, Lance Dusett slowed down the front chute to incur the only yellow flag on lap 13.
Moss was up to the task when green lights reappeared, pulling ahead of the pack while leaving Smith and Parrow to dice for second. Five-time winner Parrow got the upper hand on lap 19, dropping Smith to third for his seventh top-five tally of the ‘25 campaign as Moss became the third straight first-time winner in LOLR’s sprint car class. Ethan Gray crossed the line next with Spencer Burley rallying from last to overtake David Ferguson on the final circuit and claim another front-five finish, once again steering Steve Glover’s back-up gold #121x car.
Parrow’s runner-up finish secured his second successive season championship, now holding a 694-566 advantage over Dusett and ahead of Gray (547), Smith (544) and Dan Craun (520) on the updated points chart heading into Saturday’s show.
Although not in contention for a fourth Street Stock title, Grant has made the most of his six feature race starts, tacking on win number four to improve his career total to 33 which ranks third all-time in Canandaigua.
Filing in sixth on the starting grid, Grant bided his time early in the 20-lap main running behind leader C.J. Guererri, his front row partner Marc Minutolo and row two starters Rick Crego and Mike Welch. Continued mechanical issues left Minutolo coasting into the pits halfway through and bunching the field for a lap 11 restart.
Grant was fast on the gas aboard his #36 Fratto Curbing-Washburn Excavating-J.E. Marine Maintenance Chevrolet Camaro, bolting into third back under green then stealing second from Crego on lap 12. Moving in to shadow Guererri over the next handful of laps, the Penn Yan pilot filled the hole when the leader slid high rounding turn four with still three to go.
From there Grant built up a half-dozen car-length lead over Guererri as the lead duo race to the checkered flag. All-time LOLR Street Stock winner Welch took third ahead of Willy Easling in a rare visit while Crego faded in fifth near the end.
The elusive division points title remains up for grabs as Guererri leads Crego 672-646 heading down the stretch. Welch (640), Minutolo (608) and Patrick Hobbs (542) follow suit in Canandaigua’s top full-fender class.
A full-time stock car campaigner in Canandaigua since Covid hampered the motorsports world in 2020, Hill found a remedy in his sixth season at the fairgrounds finally parking his red no. 93 Creekside Heating & AC-Campbell Collision & Repair Chevrolet Camaro in the elusive DAV Victory Lane for the first time.
Opening ‘25 matching Minutolo doing double-duty competing in both Street Stock and Hobby Stock divisions, Hill reduced his Saturday schedule to concentrate solely on Hobby competition and the decision paid dividends for the Dundee driver.
Hill emerged as the fourth leader in the initial four circuits of the 15-lap Hobby feature, following in the tire tracks of pole winner Craig Dingy, his front row companion Kevin Schrader and Hill’s own row two adversary Tyler Burnell. Once out front, Hill had to survive a trio of cautions, the last coming with four laps to go and Nate Peckham and Frank Burnell Jr. looking to regain their winning ways.
Burnell grabbed second on lap 12 yet fell two car-lengths shy of Hill at the line, a finish still good enough to overtake Minutolo for the lead with one points-paying race to go. While misfortune first sidelined Minutolo in the Street Stock main, even harder luck struck the second-generation driver as a broken shock and shredded tire parked him pitside just five laps into the Hobby showdown.
Entering the night topping the standings by eight points, Minutolo now trails ‘Bubba’ Burnell by 16 markers, 666-650, while Peckham (617) and Tyler Burnell (594) are the next closest pursuers with the final weekend of racing in August on tap.
Not to be out-done by first-time winners Moss and Hill, loyal Lima racer Toland waited until the New Legends season-finale to make his long-awaited climb atop the podium.
Toland out-dragged Mitchell Hyde to begin the 12-lap curtain-closer and the lead pair never looked back despite three yellow flags over the first three laps slowing their early face-off to become a first-time winner. Behind the wheel of his self-sponsored #57 Teo Pro Car, Toland went on to match his qualifying heat race win with a decisive eight car-length victory in the feature go, with his third front-five finish in 10 starts easily his best.
Hyde held off four-time winner and eighth starting Kyle Ridley by a bumper at the stripe, followed by A.J. Mitchell and top female finishers Sydney Wetherbee and Brianna Murtaugh to close out the program run non-stop due to the threat of rain.
LEGEND LEDGER
Prouty’s Bar & Grill presents Season Championship Night for the Pepsi Big-Block Modified, Stirling Lubricants Sportsman, MighTea Boba 305 Sprint Car, Auto Value Parts Stores Street Stock and Lloyd's Contracting Hobby Stock divisions to close out the final regular weekend of racing at the fairgrounds on Aug. 30. The last ‘Saturday Spectacular’ of the month recognizes the Honor Flights For Veterans as the evening's 50/50 drawing beneficiary.
While Williamson has successfully defended his Big-Block points title, Corcoran is on the verge of capturing his first career Sportsman crown at the fairgrounds. Like Williamson, veteran wingman Parrow also copped his second straight trophy in the Sprints and mirroring Corcoran, Guererri hopes to head home with his first-ever Street Stock championship locked up. A ‘three-peat’ for Minutolo would give him six Hobby championships while weekly rival Burnell is in search of a third career full-fender crown in Canandaigua.
Hot lap sessions kick off the championship program at 5:30pm and heat race qualifiers go green at 6:30pm. Pit gates open at 3:30pm and spectators gain admittance into the Ontario Co. Fairgrounds main grandstands at 5 o'clock.
SKIDMARKS
Once more commanded by award-winning executive producer Art Rorick, the talent-laden LOLR TV broadcast team boasting production assistants Makenna Hansen & C.J. Miller, graphics coordinator Mark Rore, camera operators Mike Yawney, Jim & Michelle Mullen, and veteran voices Steve Ovens (PA announcer) and Doug Elkins (pit reporter) maintains its presence on-site to provide LIVE video coverage of every event through Land of Legends TV, with LIVE streaming continuing to be offered FREE in 2025. On-line registration at https://landoflegendstv.com for a free account is the only step to take.
Also available for download is the LOLR mobile app found at Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodbarber.landoflegends or
App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/land-of-legends/id1508128970?uo=4 to secure your raceday pass today.
In addition to LOLR's weekly racing being simulcast on Land of Legends Raceway TV, each show will also be broadcast live on DIRTVision and highlighted by the mighty DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds. To watch, sign up for an annual Platinum FAST PASS with DIRTVision and experience every event either online or through the DIRTVision App.
SPECIAL PRICE DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE FOR BUNDLES & PIT PASSES
General Admission Ticket and Pit Pass bundles continue to be offered to LOLR fans and race teams while providing a great opportunity to save money in the process. G.A. packs of 20 ($220) or 50 ($475) and Pit bundles of 20 ($700) or 50 ($1,700) must be pre-ordered to be used during the upcoming season.
Regular weekly G.A. ticket prices continue at $15 Adults and $13 Seniors (65 yrs. and older) while Kids 16 yrs. and under (must be accompanied by an adult) remain FREE. Pit passes are $40. For those youngsters needing pit access, a Child Season Pit Pass is $50 for tykes under 2 yrs. and $150 each for kids 2-13. All children must be accompanied by a legal guardian while competitors are not eligible for kids season passes.
Camping is FREE in outer parking areas and for inside parking, modest charges of $15 for cars and $25 for motorhomes/campers are standard fairground fares.
*Individual tickets carry a $15 value and are valid for any regular Saturday Spectacular event. For special events, ticket holders may use one bundle ticket (worth $15) towards the price of admission and pay the difference at the gate
To purchase ticket and pit pass bundles or discuss marketing opportunities available at the track in 2025, please contact LOLR Director of Marketing & Operations Tana Robinson via e-mail tana@landoflegendsraceway.com or cell 716-799-5669.
Check out www.landoflegendsraceway.com often as the latest news and season schedule information will be posted right up to raceday.
Land of Legends Raceway is located at the Ontario County Fairgrounds, east of the city on Town Line Road (County Road 10), with easy access off either Exit 43 (Manchester, Route 21 South) or Exit 44 (Farmington, Route 332 South) of the New York State Thruway, just ½-hour southeast of Rochester.
Land of Legends Raceway Event Summary – August 23, 2025
Ryan Phelps Auto Sales presents ‘Saturday Spectacular’
Pepsi Big-Block Modified
*Feature (30 laps): 1. 6-Mat Williamson ($2,000), 2. 3-Justin Haers, 3. 7z-Zach Payne, 4. 9s-Matt Sheppard, 5. 21a-Peter Britten, 6. 70a-Alex Payne, 7. 32c-Kasey Coffey, 8. 19-Tim Fuller, 9. 30-Nick Root, 10. 27j-Danny Johnson, 11. 19w-Justin Wright, 12. 27z-Dylan Zacharias, 13. 12-Brandon Carvey, 14.11j-James Sweeting
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Root, Britten, Williamson, Coffey, Johnson, Sweeting, Zacharias.
#2: Z.Payne, A.Payne, Sheppard, Wright, Haers, Fuller, Carvey.
Stirling Lubricants Sportsman Modified
*Feature (25 laps): 1. 33-Richard Murtaugh III ($750), 2. 10-Karl Comfort, 3. 20x-Kevin Ridley, 4. 64-Tyler Corcoran, 5. 12g-Matt Guererri, 6. 21j-Justin Liechti, 7. 41s-Chase Spoor, 8. 9-Tim Baker, 9. 7g-Tyler Guzzardi, 10. 25n-Evan Nugent, 11. 113jr.-Frank Guererri Jr, 12. 23b-Timmy Borden Jr, 13. 10g-Austin Germino, 14. 54-Tommy Catalano, 15. 31k-Kennedy Payne, 16. 28-Mark Potter, 17. 51-Tim Lafler, 18. 35-Nick Cooper, 19. 714-Chris Darling, 63-Dylan Woodworth(DNS).
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Lafler, Corcoran, Ridley, Baker, Comfort, F.Guererri, Payne, Germinio, Nugent, Woodworth.
#2: Liechti, Murtaugh, Borden, Cooper, Darling, Spoor, Guzzardi, M.Guererri, Catalano, Potter.
MighTea Boba 305 Sprint
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 25-Cameron Moss ($500), 2. 80-Bobby Parrow, 3. 23-John Smith, 4. 17e-Ethan Gray, 5. 121x-Spencer Burley, 6. 45-David Ferguson, 7. 48jr.-Darryl Ruggles, 8. 2-Randy Years, 9. 18c-Dan Craun, 10. 30-Kirsten Dombroski, 11. 81k-Dalton Martin, 12. 14x-Lance Dusett, 13. X-Dan Bennett, 14. 48a-Alysha Bay, 15. 121-Steve Glover, 21b-Blake Warner(DNS)
Heats (8 laps)
#1: Years, Bennett, Ferguson, Ruggles, Craun, Glover, Dusett, Burley(DNS).
#2: Parrow, Smith, Gray, Moss, Bay, Martin, Dombroski, Warner.
Auto Value Parts Stores Street Stock
*Feature (20 laps): 1. 36-Jimmy Grant, 2. cj1-CJ Guererri, 3. 00-Mike Welch, 4. 28-Willy Easling, 5. 5c-Rick Crego, 6. 22-Carl Cleveland, 7. 1rx-Hannah Guererri-Searle, 8. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 9. 57j-Ely Mangiarelli, 10. 00r-Don Reeves, 11. 25j-Justin Eldredge, 12. 3-Patrick Hobbs(DNS).
Heat (6 laps)
#1: CJ Guererri, Crego, Grant, Minutolo, Welch, Easling, Mangiarelli, Reeves, H.Guererri, Hobbs, Eldredge (DNS), Cleveland(DNS).
Lloyd's Contracting Hobby Stock
*Feature (15 laps): 1. 93-Jared Hill, 2. 57b-Frank 'Bubba' Burnell Jr, 3. 90-Nathan Peckham, 4. 55b-Blane Smith, 5. 57jr.-Tyler Burnell, 6. 22c-Craig Dingy, 7. 98-Jack Terrell, 8. 97-Kevin Schrader, 9. 67-James Werner, 10. 24k-Kevin Lloyd, 11. 88-Justin Jacoby, 12. 25j-Justin Eldredge, 13. 25b-Marc Minutolo, 14. 56-Eddie Stevens, 15. 9r-Devin Bush, 16. 21b-William Bradley, 17. 412-Preston Hennigan.
Heats (6 laps)
#1: Minutolo, T.Burnell, Dingy, Smith, Schrader, Terrell, Werner, Bush, Hennigan.
#2: Peckham, F.Burnell, Hill, Jacoby, Stevens, Lloyd, Bradley, Eldredge.
Hutchinson Property Preservation New Legends Sportsman FINALE
*Feature (12 laps): 1. 57-Shaun Toland, 2. 26-MItchell Hyde, 3. 20k-Kyle Ridley, 4. 28-AJ Mitchell, 5. 33z-Sydney Wetherbee, 6. 33b-Brianna Murtaugh, 7. 18-Doug Rohr, 8. 10-Jacob Gurecki, 9. 4-Ethan Olmstead, 10. 88x-Nick Tarnowski, 11. 21b-Jim Rushman, 12. 48-Liam Ridgeway, 13. 94-Mark Sundt, 14. 7x-Angel Sperring, 15. pj54-Troyer Catalano.
Heats (6 laps)
#1: Toland, Catalano, Rohr, Gurecki, Ridley, Rushman, Wetherbee, Sundt.
#2: Murtaugh, Hyde, Mitchell, Sperring, Tarnowski, Olmstead, Ridgeway.
NEXT EVENT: Saturday Spectacular, August 30 @ 6:30pm; Prouty’s Bar & Grill presents Season Championship Night - Big-Block Modified/Sportsman/305 Sprint/Street Stock/Hobby Stock with Honor Flights For Veterans Benefit.
*No Racing Sat., Sept. 6.
Track Instant Info
Website: www.LandOfLegendsRaceway.com
E-Mail: info@LandOfLegendsRaceway.com
Twitter: @LandofLegendsNY
Facebook: @LandofLegendsNY
Instagram: @LandofLegendsNY
Live Stream: https://landoflegendstv.com/
Along with recognizing its weekly 50/50 raffle fund beneficiaries, Land of Legends Raceway is proud to salute several sponsors and corporate partners that continue to help bring its fans the best Saturday night racing show in the Northeast. Listed alphabetically are 2025 division sponsors Auto Value Parts Stores, Hutchinson Property Preservation, Lloyd's Contracting, MighTea Boba, Pepsi Geneva Club Beverage, Stirling Lubricants; event sponsors AMS Enterprises, Auto Value Parts Stores, A-Verdi Storage Containers, Busch Light/Lake Beverage, Disabled American Veterans, Disbatch Brewing Company, Ferris Mowers, Honeoye Auto Parts, Hoselton Auto Mall, iFreeze Storage & Distribution Center, LSI Solutions, Pace Electronics, Pepsi/Geneva Club Beverage, Phelps Cement Products, Prouty's Bar & Grill, Regional Truck & Trailer, Ryan Phelps Auto Sales, Seneca Meadows Landfill, Smith Bros. Drywall, Tradition Automotive Group, VP Racing Fuels, Wilbert's U-Pull It; promotional partners Always Locked Self Storage, American Woman Designs, Auto Wash Car Wash, Baker's Exterminating, Casella Waste Systems, Champion Power Equipment, Close Racing Supply(CRS), Comfort Windows, Elab Smokers Boutique, Emerson Oil Company, Fox Pest Control, Hoosier Racing Tire, Legott's Club 86, Mac's Dairy Bar & Mini Golf, Meyer's Finger Lakes RV, Mike Emhof Motorsports, Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame, Ontario County Fairboard, On The Rocks Bar & Grill, The "Original" Red Osier Landmark Restaurant, Rose City Drive-In, Ruggles World of Auto Body, Schultz Heating & Cooling, Stop DWI NYS, Superior Plumbing, Turn 5 Media, United Rentals, Voodoo Ranger Hard Tea, Wicked Tees.