While most tracks are shut down for the season due to the COVID pandemic, Speedway is thriving at Champion Speedway in Owego, N.Y. with a growing crowd and large rider base. The pits were again full of competitors for the Speedway Joe Cup / USSGP RD 3. The Speedway Joe Cup pays tribute to the late Joe Hodak, a fan who hardly ever missed a race in 35 years. The USSGP is the qualifying system used to determine which riders from The East Coast would gain births in the US Open Championships in September.
The track surface looked gorgeous at 5 p.m. but unfortunately, with a long program of over 60 ATV’s prior to speedway, it became a bit rough and was challenging for the riders in Round One.
Adam Mittl is pictured in the Winner’s Circle with Promoter Jason Bonsignore. Photo credit: Steve Koletar.
Dave “The Shark” Clark got started with a win over “Sideways” Spencer Portararo, “Smokin” Dave Oakden and Dalton Oakden, in that order. In the next heat “Flyin” Brian Hollenbeck rode smoothly to defeat Jesse Diem, who was followed by Jerry “Buefford” Harman and then “GP” Jonny Oakden. In the closing race of the first round it was Adam “The Missile” Mittl looking strong en route to the checkered flag over Mike Cortese, Len McBride, and Mason Higley.
In the Second Round McBride began with a nice win over Dave Oakden, with Higley second and Dalton Oakden third before a scary crash marred the next heat. Clark and Hollenbeck exited turn two nearly even, but Clark hooked up and drove Hollenbeck into the wall in scary fashion. Unfortunately, Hollenbeck would suffer a broken leg.
Portararo would win the re-run, with Clark second and Cortese third. Mittl would then keep Diem behind him for 3 points with Harman and GP Jonny, in that order.
The story of the last series of heats was Mittl looking like the man to beat as he outdistanced Portararo. Clark and Diem would take Victories as well with seconds being awarded to Dave Oakden and McBride.
The top 8 in points would be put into two semifinals. Semi number one saw Portararo back on top with a win over Diem. Clark was third and Cortese fourth, and they would go to the last chance. Semi two had Dave Oakden making a nice start and handing Mittl his first defeat. McBride was third and Harman DNS.
Clark and McBride had a solid race in the last chance but Clark would take the final transfer position to the Speedway Joe A Final.
The 5-time track champion, Mittl, would blast out of the gate 3 spot in the Final to lead it for the duration with Diem chasing him in second. Mittl caught traction on the last corner and got wide but piloted his GM to the finish line first to score his 5th Speedway Joe Cup Title!
Diem earned a well-deserved second but behind him things got scary as Dave Oakden hooked a major wheelie out of the last corner and wheelied all the way down the straight, collecting Portararo in the process and Portararo went down hard, suffering a concussion. Portararo was comforted by finding out he had secured enough points to claim the overall 2020 USSGP Series Championship!
The next event at Champion Speedway is the Aug. 29 Moonbeam and McBride Memorial, which may also serve as the New York State Championship if Action Park East is not able to open by then, and the largest turnout of competitors yet this season is expected.
For more information visit www.eastcoastspeedway.com.
Speedway Joe Cup / WSSGP RD3
A Final: Adam Mittl, Jesse Diem, Dave Oakden, Spencer Portararo, Dave Clark.
Last Chance: Dave Clark, Len McBride, Mike Cortese, Jerry Harman DNS.
D-2: Trenton Lane 20, Battlescar Bradley 0, Andy Kourafas 0, Caleb Stewart 10.
D-3: Neil Miller, Jerry Harman Jr., Billy Warnock, Alexis Heath.
JR: Levi Harris, Cody Pierce, Joel Farwell, Dalton Marsh.
USSGP FINAL STANDINGS: Spencer Portararo 41 Points, Dave Oakden 40, Jesse Diem 39, Len McBride 34, Adam Mittl 31, Brian Hollenbeck 31, Mike Cortese 25, Dave Clark 23, Jerry Harman 23, Corey Brookes 18, Mason Higley 18, Dalton Oakden 18, Casey Donholt 16, Jonny Oakden 14, Alex Heath 11, Russ Cornell 6, Stefan Laessig 1.
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