By Dave Medler
FULTON – ‘Money’ Mat Williamson lived up to his nickname Saturday night at the Fulton Speedway as he rode out of town $20,000 richer after winning his first Outlaw 200, plus becoming the first Canadian to win one of the most prestigious races in the Northeast.
Williamson would make the winning pass on lap 177 getting by Tim Sears Jr. and then would drive away from the field and then a roof top celebration with his car owner, who drove up from Long Island, and his crew.
Williamson, in victory lane, praised his crew, who keep digging in a season that hasn’t been up to their standards.
“We got ourselves deep in the field early on,” said Williamson. “We were good the first 100. I didn’t know what to change,’ at the lap 100 break. “We got a good restart there. I didn’t know if I was going to catch Timmer (Sears) or not, it was going to be a good race either way. Hats off to those guys finishing second. We needed this. We’ve struggled this year. Now is the time to start clicking because there is money is coming up.”
Sears finished second and led a huge portion of the race. At one point he bolted out to a half a track lead that AMB scoring showed the lead at 8 seconds at one point.
“We were really good,” commented Sears. “Mat was just a little better at the end. We just kind of sealed the tire over,” Talking about a late restart. “We weren’t that good when went back to green. We were there.”
Sears finished up by relating in the big picture he’s happy with his Troyer car heading into Super DIRT Week at Oswego Speedway next week.
Matt Sheppard raced near the front the entire race finishing a strong third coming across the line at the checkers inches behind Sears.
“We had a pretty good car tonight, couldn’t steer at all in the first 100 made some adjustments, we were a little better, just not good enough to be parked over there,” victory lane, Sheppard said.
Jimmy Phelps was given the Hoosier Tire Hard Luck. Phelps was impressive starting 40th in the 46-car starting field and would take the lead on a lap 83 restart staying out front to the lap 100 halfway break. On lap 121 and still in contention for the win, a lap car got hard into Phelps exiting turn four. The contact damaged Phelps’ front end. The car wasn’t the same rocket ship he had prior to the incident.
Mat Williamson won the VP Racing Fuels Hard Charger of the race after starting 34th.
Larry Wight had an impressive run finishing fourth after having a flat right rear early in the race restarting 46th. Wight would race for the lead late in the race but settled for a top-five.
Tim Fuller was strong racing the front the entire 200-laps finishing 5th at the checkers.
Rocky Warner, Michael Maresca, Dave Marcuccilli, Chris Hile, and Ryan Susice finished a strong sixth through tenth.
Hats off to Eric Fink and his track crew, as the surface they prepared provided racing and passing on the bottom, middle and top of the speedway.
Lap leaders: Alan Johnson Laps (1-19). Tim Fuller lap (20). Tim Sears Jr. laps (21-83). Jimmy Phelps laps (84-107). Tim Sears Jr. laps (108-176) Mat Williamson (177-200). Four-teen cars finished on the lead lap.
October 2nd Outlaw 200 Results
(35th Annual Outlaw 200) – MAT WILLIAMSON, Tim Sears Jr. Matt Sheppard, Larry Wight, Tim Fuller, Rocky Warner, Michael Maresca, Dave Marcuccilli, Chris Hile, Ryan Susice, Pat Ward, Alan Johnson, Chad Phelps, Willy Decker, Tom Collins, Ryan Jordan, Justin Crisafulli, Jeff Prentice, Colton Wilson, Glenn Forward, Corey Barker, Alex Payne, Jimmy Phelps, Jackson Gill, Joe August Jeff Taylor, Shawn Walker, Todd Root, Tyler Trump, Roy Bresnahan, Jim Witko Jr., Billy Dunn, Danny Johnson, Marshall Hurd, Jordan Kelly, Billy Decker, Eldon Payne, Garett Rushlow, Darren Smith, Nick Nye, Gordy Button, Bob Henry Jr., Mike Mahaney, Kyle Inman, Mike Stanton Jr., JJ Courcy.
Modified Heat Races – 10 Laps – Top 5 Qualify – Top 2 Redraw
(Modified Heat 1) – Tim Fuller, Michael Maresca, Willy Decker, Mike Stanton Jr., Gordy Button, Tyler Trump, Jackson Gill, Bob Henry Jr., Will Shields, Jimmy Phelps, Ben Bushaw.
(Modified Heat 2) – Danny Johnson, JJ Courcy, Chad Phelps, Colton Wilson, Ryan Jordan, Mat Williamson, Erick Rudolph, Dave Marcuccilli, Joe Shields, Preston Forbes, Tim Murphy.
(Modified Heat 3) – Alan Johnson, Tim Sears Jr., Kyle Inman, Todd Root, Jim Witko, Darren Smith, Roy Bresnahan, Marshall Hurd, Tim Harris, Alan Fink.
(Modified Heat 4) – Eldon Payne, Nick Nye, Mike Mahaney, Joe August, Glenn Forward, Jim Walsh, Jordan Kelly, Pat Ward, Dylan Zacharias, Sean Beardsley.
(Modified Heat 5) – Justin Crisafulli, Larry Wight, Matt Sheppard, Chris Hile, Garett Rushlow, Shawn Walker, Tommy Collins, Brett Tonkin, Mike Bruce, Rocky Warner.
(Modified Heat 6) – Jeff Taylor, Alex Payne, Ryan Susice, Jeff Prentice, Billy Decker, Alan Barker, Corey Barker, Billy Dunn, CJ Castelletti, Mike Ward.
Modified Consolations 12 laps – 3 Qualify
Modified Consi 1) – Mat Williamson, Bob Henry Jr., Jimmy Phelps, Erick Rudolph, Tyler Trump, Jackson Gill, Will Shields, Joe Shields, Ben Bushaw, Dave Marcuccilli. DNS Preston Forbes, Tim Murphy.
(Modified Consi 2) – Pat Ward, Roy Bresnahan, Jordan Kelly, Marshall Hurd, Jim Walsh, Darren Smith, Sean Beardsley, Tim Harris, Alan Fink, DNS Dylan Zacharias.
(Modified Consi # 3) – Billy Dunn, Tommy Collins, Shawn Walker, Alan Barker, Brett Tonkin, Mike Bruce, Mike Ward, Rocky Warner. DNS Corey Barker, CJ Castelletti.
(Modified LCQ 15-laps – Winner Qualifies) – Tyler Trump, Erick Rudolph, Marshall Hurd, Will Shields, Alan Barker, Brett Tonkin, Jim Walsh, Tim Harris, Mike Bruce, Jackson Gill, Tim Murphy, Mike Ward, Joe Shields, CJ Castelletti, Alan Fink, DNS Ben Bushaw, Preston Forbes, Dylan Zacharias, Sean Beardsley, Darren Smith.
(Hoosier Tire to the Hard Luck Winner) – Jimmy Phelps.
(Drum of VP Racing Fuel to the Hard Charger of the race) – Mat Williamson
($100 longest tow award from Brian McDied Contracting) – Jim Witko Jr.
($300 to the top finishing Bicknell car) – Mat Williamson.
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