Zimbardi Leads Wire to Wire at Woodhull
By Curtis Berleue (Woodhull, NY) | For the second night in a row, it was a new face in victory lane in 2024 for the Empire Super Sprints, as Braford, PA’s Jared Zimbardi picked up his first win of the season Saturday night at Woodhull. Almost exactly one year from his last ESS victory, it was Zimbardi’s 6th ESS win and 51st career win.
After drawing the number two starting spot, Zimbardi used the high side to his advantage on lap one to take the lead over Pinnacle Pole Award winner Kyle Drum.
With 5 laps complete, it was still Zimbardi out front over Drum, with Jason Barney third, Shawn Donath 4th and Trevor Years fifth. On lap 6, Barney was able to sneak underneath of Drum coming off turn four to take the second position away. With much of the field using the high side of the track, Barney continued to creep the bottom in an attempt to chase down Zimbardi.
Just one caution coming on lap 7 slowed the event, and on the ensuing restart Zimbardi again jumped out to the lead over Barney, with Drum in third.
For the second night in a row, Billy VanInwegen was mounting a charge from deep in the field. Starting 10th, he had moved his way into the top five by lap 8. 5 laps later, he secured the fourth spot, and on lap 18 he slid into a podium spot in third.
While Zimbardi navigated lap traffic, VanInwegen was relentlessly running the bottom in an attempt to catch Barney for second, and with two laps to go he slid by him. It was too little too late, however, as Zimbardi’s half-second lead let him cross the line first.
“It was tough to see coming down the backstretch, I wasn’t sure but I knew he (Barney) was there,” said Zimbardi. “I certainly didn’t want to give him the bottom on that restart. You get a nice launch out of turn four, and if I could get him clear go to the top and if he didn’t get by me off of two I knew I was good.”
“Keeping the momentum was tricky around the top, you just miss it by a little bit and you’re off the racetrack. The last time I won here was in 2016, so we were long overdue.”
Finishing one spot better than the night before, Billy VanInwegen came home second, while Jason Barney rounded out the Ashley Lynn Winery podium.
“I didn’t feel good in the heat race, so we went to work and my guys kept making the car better for me,” said VanInwegen. “These guys just have no quit in them and I’m super thankful.”
In two timed hot lap groups, Jared Zimbardi and Shawn Donath earned Rifenburg Contracting fast time awards, while Jordan Thomas and Trevor Years picked up E&V Energy heat wins. The Cobra Coaches dash presented by Mary Ennis was won by Davie Franek.
The next scheduled event for the Empire Super Sprints is this coming Friday, August 2nd at the Can-Am Speedway in LaFargeville, NY. For the latest news, information, and schedule updates regarding the Empire Super Sprints be sure to check the series website (www.EmpireSuperSprints.com) and follow along on Facebook (Empire Super Sprints), X (formerly Twitter – @ESSprints) and Instagram (@empiresupersprints).
The Empire Super Sprints would like to thank the following series sponsors for their continued support: Rifenburg Contracting Corp, PJC Spray Foam, Hoosier Racing Tire, Cobra Coaches, E&V Energy, A-Verdi Storage Containers, Fondations 4 Saisons, Pinnacle Investments, LLC, Lacaillade Masonry, Inc., FX Caprara, ASI Racewear, Lanes Yamaha, Ashley Lynn Winery, Bicknell Racing Products, DirtTrackDigest.com and LC Design.
The ESS Road Ahead:
Friday, August 2 – Can-Am Speedway – LaFargeville, NY ($2,000 to Win)
Saturday, August 3 – Brockville Ontario Speedway – Brockville, ONT ($2,000 to Win)
Saturday, August 17 – Utica-Rome Speedway – Vernon, NY ($5,000 to Win Cole Cup)
Full Results:
A-Main: 1. 35-Jared Zimbardi[2]; 2. 10V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[11]; 3. 87-Jason Barney[3]; 4. 53-Shawn Donath[5]; 5. 90-Matt Tanner[10]; 6. 28F-Davie Franek[9]; 7. #79-Jordan Thomas[6]; 8. 28-Jordan Poirier[8]; 9. 47-Kyle Drum[1]; 10. 13T-Trevor Years[4]; 11. 10-Kelly Hebing[12]; 12. #41-Dalton Rombough[15]; 13. X-Dan Bennett[14]; 14. 21T-Alex Therrien[7]; 15. #25G-Tyler Graves[16]; 16. 13E-Evan Reynolds[13]
Mary Ennis Dash: 1. 28F-Davie Franek[1]; 2. 90-Matt Tanner[2]; 3. 10V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[3]; 4. 10-Kelly Hebing[4]
E&V Energy Heat 1: 1. #79-Jordan Thomas[1]; 2. 21T-Alex Therrien[2]; 3. 35-Jared Zimbardi[4]; 4. 28-Jordan Poirier[3]; 5. 28F-Davie Franek[5]; 6. 10V-Billy VanInwegen Jr[6]; 7. 13E-Evan Reynolds[7]; 8. #41-Dalton Rombough[8]
E&V Energy Heat 2: 1. 13T-Trevor Years[2]; 2. 53-Shawn Donath[4]; 3. 47-Kyle Drum[1]; 4. 87-Jason Barney[3]; 5. 90-Matt Tanner[5]; 6. 10-Kelly Hebing[7]; 7. X-Dan Bennett[6]; 8. #25G-Tyler Graves[8]
Awards & Contingencies:
Rifenburg Contracting Fast Time ($25 each): #35-Jared Zimbardi; #53-Shawn Donath
E&V Energy Heat Winners ($25 each): #79-Jordan Thomas; #13T-Trevor Years
Cobra Coaches / Mary Ennis Dash Winner ($125): #28F-Davie Franek
Pinnacle Pole Draw Award ($25): #47-Kyle Drum
A-Verdi Storage Containers Hard Charger Award ($50): #10V-Billy VanInwegen (+9)
Pinnacle Investments Last Car Running ($30): #13E-Evan Reynolds
Pinnacle Investments 11th Place (5 gallons fuel): #10-Kelly Hebing
Ashley Lynn Winery Podium Finish (bottle of wine): #35-Jared Zimbardi; #10V-Billy VanInwegen; #87-Jason Barney
