Champion Speedway
344 East River Drive
Owego, New York 13827
Omar Lightner Cup
Champion Speedway July 27, 2024
By Jason Bonsignore
Photos by Kelly Klees
Portararo Wins 3rd Omar Lightner Cup at Champion!
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 then Caleb Stewart and Jonny Oakden both had 6. Rounding out the remaining semifinal qualifiers were Adam Mittl, Levi Harris and Dave Oakden with 4 a piece.
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 onto win. Mittl moved up into 2nd 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.
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 3rd Omar Lightner Cup Championship!
In Division 2 veteran flat tracker, Kenny Dahlin rode his Robinson bros Racing sponsored Jawa to victory over youngster phenom Cody Pierce, who was last weeks feature winner!
Champion Speedway returns Saturday August 10th with the Larry and Kathy McBride Memorial!
1. Spencer Portararo
2. Casey Donholt
3. Caleb Stewart
4. Adam Mittl
5. Jonny Oakden
Last Chance
1. Jonny Oakden
2. Dave Oakden
3. Levi Harris
4. Lenny McBride
Division 2
Kenny Dahlin
Cody Pierce
Hunter Wagner
Scott Vargo
Alex Heath DNF
Austin Carlsson DNS
Division 3
Dominic Matias
Chris Hulbert
Jack Miehoff
Kayden Vargo
Luke Helton
Gage Renfer DNS
Junior Division 1 Handicap
Jake Kilmer
Cody Pierce
Macoley Saunders
Kabriel Howard
Joel Farwell
Junior Division 1 Scratch
Cody Pierce
Joel Farwell
Jake Kilmer
Macoley Saunders
Kabriel Howard
Junior Division 2
Jacob Tomchick
Jaden Slate
Mikki Card
Jenson Pierce
| 
