By Jason Bonsignore —
This year marked the 25th season that Champion Speedway has hosted the Omar Lightner Cup Championship to celebrate the life of the former track worker and Vestal Police Officer, who was a friend to many at the track! Each year the event provides some excellent action and this year was more of the same, especially with the Lightner family putting up some extra cash for the Main Event purse!
Through the heat rounds, two 5-time track champions, Casey Donholt and Lenny McBride, were the top scorers with 9 and 8 points. Spencer Portararo was third with 7; Caleb Stewart and Jonny Oakden both had 6.
Rounding out the remaining semi final qualifiers were Adam Mittl, Levi Harris, and Dave Oakden, with 4 apiece.
Donholt used his strong gating skills to take the lead and win over Portararo in semi number one. McBride had a problem with his number one bike as he pulled out for his semi and had to switch to his backup. He gated the field but was getting too much traction and got way wide on the second lap, which opened up the lead for Stewart, who would go on to win.
Mittl moved up into second and secured a position in the final.
Jonny Oakden drew the pole for the last chance, which was the favored starting spot with the track conditions, and he used that to his advantage to take the checkered flag and the last spot in the feature.
Pictured at the podium, from left, is Casey Donholt, Spencer Portararo, and Caleb Stewart. Omar’s wife, Connie, is also pictured along with family and friends. In the front is Champion Speedway Promoter Jason Bonsignore. Photo credit: Kelly Klees.
Portararo made an excellent start from the inside, and was just about even with Donholt off turn two but overpowered him down the back straight into the lead. Donholt pushed hard for the entire race, but Portararo rode the perfect lines each lap on his Justice Brothers car care / Cloud 9 / ODI Grips / Tanks Auto / Joe V’s Auto / Harman Boyz Sponsored GM to take home his third Omar Lightner Cup Championship.
In Division 2, veteran flat tracker Kenny Dahlin rode his Robinson bros Racing sponsored Jawa to victory over Cody Pierce, who was last week’s feature winner.
Champion Speedway returns on Saturday, Aug. 10, with the Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial.
Omar Lightner Cup Results: Spencer Portararo, Casey Donholt, Caleb Stewart, Adam Mittl, Jonny Oakden, Last Chance, Jonny Oakden, Dave Oakden, Levi Harris, Lenny McBride
D-2: Ken Dahlin, Cody Pierce, Truckstop Wagner, Scott Vargo, Alex Heath DNF, Austin Carlsson DNS
D-3: Dominic Matias, Chris Hulbert, Phil McKrackin, Kayden Vargo, Luke Helton, Gage Renfer DNS
JR D-1 Scratch: Cody Pierce, Joel Farwell, Jake Kilmer, Macoley Saunders, Kabriel Howard
Handicap: Jake Kilmer, Cody Pierce, Macoley Saunders, Kabriel Howard, Joel Farwell
JR D-2: Jacob Tomchick, Jaden Slate, Mikki Card, Jenson Pierce
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