Champion Speedway
344 East River Drive
Owego, New York 13827
Omar Lightner Cup
Champion Speedway July 22, 2023
From Jason Bonsignore
Photo of Casey Donholt with bonus winners check from Dickson City Hyundai
and with Omar Lightners family by Kelly Klees
Donholt wins Omar Lightner Cup!
Things keep getting better and better at Champion Speedway this season and the Omar Lightner Cup, which celebrates the memory of former track worker, Vestal Police officer and friend to many in the sport, was an excellent example!
The second largest crowd of the season was on hand to see another well-run program that concluded by 10pm for the 4th week in a row and featured some of the best races for a regular night in 10 years possibly!
The field was deep for the all-scratch event and 5-time track Champion, Adam "The Missile" Mittl was on the program for the first time this summer which added to it in a big way! Casey Donholt and Mittl were a step above the rest as Donholt went undefeated in the heat rounds and Mittl's only loss came when he blew his engine while leading.
Donholt would take the first semifinal over another 5-time track camp, the legend Lenny McBride, who ran a superb race with youngster Caleb Stewart for four laps shoulder to shoulder with McBride taking the direct transfer to the Main.
Mittl would handily win his semifinal on his JOE V's Auto Repair/TANKS AUTO SALES/Justice Bros Car Care Products/Scotts Headers JAWA,over former track champ, Mikey Buman, who held off a challenge from current East Coast Points Champion, "Sideways" Spencer Portararo.
Two time feature winner this season, "Flyin" Brian Hollenbeck, would make no mistakes in the last chance qualifier to grab the last spot in the evenings big money race by winning over Stewart, Portararo and Mike Cortese in that order.
For the Dickson City Hyundai Sponsored Omar Lightner Main Event, Donholt had gate one, Buman two, McBride three, Mittl four and Hollenbeck five.
On the first attempt Donholt got off the line first and took the lead going into turn one but Mittl blasted around the outside of him coming off turn two and appeared to be headed to the win until a 3 rider crash happened just behind them bringing out a red flag stoppage! McBride was deemed the cause and put back 10 yards for the re-start. Donholt would again make a strong gate and despite Mittl getting in just behind him from the start and pressing hard for all 4 laps he could not over take him and Donholt piloted his Scotts Headers/Justice Bros/JBR Jawa to another Lightner Cup Title and went home with the cash from Dickson City Hyundai and a very cool big check sign made by ESJ Graphics!
Champion Speedway races again on August 5, for the Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial at 7pm! Be sure to catch the awesome action!
Dickson City Hyundai Omar Lightner Cup
1. Casey Donholt
2. Adam Mittl
3. Brian Hollenbeck
4. Mikey Buman
5. Lenny McBride (10 yard penalty)
Last Chance
1. Brian Hollenbeck
2. Caleb Stewart
3. Spencer Portararo
4. Mike Cortese
Division 2
1. Albert Smith 50
2. Alex Heath 50
3. Chloe Schnurr 20
4. Brian McManamon 40
5. Scott Vargo 10
6. Brian Bailey 0
Division 3
1. Hunter Wagner
2. Cody Pierce
3. Austin Carlsson
4. Adam Mittl JR
Junior Division 1
1. Joel Farwell
2. Lilly Cornell
3. Macoley Saunders
4. Cody Pierce
Junior Division 2
1. Jenson Pierce
2. Gracie Bailey
3. Dakota Pierce
4. Kabriel Howard
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