WALL TOWNSHIP – Defending champion Elliot Wohl won a thrilling 25-lap Factory Stock feature race at Wall Stadium Speedway on Aug. 22 with a late race pass for the win.
The victory was the second straight for the Beachwood resident and puts him in contention for a second straight driving crown behind points leader Bryan O’Shea of Neptune City, according to a press release.
Nick Catone of Brick Township led the early laps as Manchester’s Scott Riggleman and Wohl broke into the top five on lap five.
Riggleman then took the lead near the halfway point as Howell’s John Carpenter and a few others moved into contention. At times the top four raced in a tight pack before Carpenter took the lead with three laps remaining.
Moments later Carpenter and Wohl battled side-by-side for the lead before Wohl inched into the lead and went on to the win. Carpenter and Riggleman were second and third, with Rahway’s Billy Both and Catone wrapping up the top five.
“This Factory Stock division is just so good this year,” Wohl said after the victory. “You have to have a great car and fight for every spot you can get. There is a lot of talent and fast cars here this season.”
Jackson’s Carsten DiGiantomasso jumped to the lead early and raced to victory in the Sportsman 25-lapper.
Kevin Davison of Howell, who took advantage of the fact that his Modified division had the night of to race in his old Sportsman car, moved to second by Tomas Stainionis of Freehold just past halfway and challenged the winner to the end.
Manahawkin’s Jake Nelke, Neil Rutt III of Edison and Kevin Eyres of Colts Neck wrapped up the top five.
Ryan Maher of Neptune City earned his second win of the year in the 25-lapper for the 4-Cylinder Stocks, taking the lead near halfway and never looking back. Sal Liguori of Hazlet, Alonzo Morales of Burlington, Wall Township’s T.J. Graves and Brick Township’s Cole Mullen were second through fifth.
Former champ Bryan Gardella of Brick Township won his second Legend Cars 25-lapper of the season over Quinn Trimmer of Waldwick, who recovered from a jarring qualifying race accident.
Eric Green of Red Bank, Joe Przybylinski of Fairfield and Steven Woytysiak of Roslyn Heights, N.Y., completed the top five.
Jerick Johnson of Mooresville, N.C., made his annual trip to New Jersey memorable by winning his first Limited Late Model 25-lap feature race. Buddy Miller, Hazlet’s Chris Silvestri, Ricky Giannino and Stephen Puglisi wrapped up the top five.
The 2020 Saturday night season will continue on Aug. 29 with the Modifieds, Sportsman cars, Factory Stocks, 4-Cylinder Stocks and Limited Late Models all seeing action in “Cone Race” main events.
The pit area will open at 1 p.m. Grandstands will open at 4:30 p.m., qualifying starts at 5:30 p.m. and main event action starts at 7 p.m., according to the press release.
Wall Stadium is on Route 34 in Wall Township. The hotline number is 732-681-6400 and the website is wallspeedwayracing.com