A night honoring Ransomville Speedway’s history brings the top Big Block Modified stars in the Northeast to Western New York.
The Super DIRTcar Series makes its lone visit to the Ransomville, NY oval on Tuesday, June 23, for the Ron Martin Memorial Summer Nationals, a 60-lap Feature paying $6,000-to-win.
Joining the Beasts of the Northeast will be the Empire Street Stock Series.
Before racing begins on Tuesday, longtime track owner and promoter Stan Friesen will become the second inductee into Ransomville’s Ring of Honor, which celebrates the individuals who made a significant impact in the speedway’s history.
How can you watch the Super DIRTcar Series? Live on DIRTVision.
Here’s a look at what to watch for at Ransomville:
Rocketing to the Top: After his third consecutive top-two Series finish at Lebanon Valley Speedway, Alex Yankowski has moved into the Series points lead for the first time in 2026.
The Covington Township, PA, driver leads three-time and defending Series champion Mat Williamson by 13 points. However, he doesn’t have much experience at Ransomville. “Kid Rocket” has made one stop at the 3/8-mile track in his career, finishing 22nd after a mechanical failure during last year’s Summer Nationals.
Yankowski has yet to finish outside the top 10, so far this year, though – the only Series driver with that stat.
Home Cookin’: Despite having his first Super DIRTcar Series finish outside the top 10 in more than a year, Williamson has a chance to bounce back on Tuesday at one of his home tracks.
“Money Mat” is currently Ransomville’s DIRTcar 358 Modified point leader, earning four victories. He’s also finished in the top five in all six Features at the track this season.
Overall, the St. Catharines, ON driver has 44 wins, 98 top-fives, and 124 top 10s in 149 starts at the track. Three of those wins are Super DIRTcar Series triumphs, which happened in three of the last four years. He’ll be chasing his 40th career win with the Series.
Joining Williamson in defending home turf on Tuesday is his brother-in-law, Gary Lindberg. The Ridgeway, ON driver is the only other competitor to reach Victory Lane in 358 Modified competition this season and finished second to Williamson in last year’s Summer Nationals.
Lindberg has 14 career wins at the “Big R,” along with 47 top fives and 62 top 10s in 71 starts.
The Rise of Smooth Shoe: Joining Yankowski and Williamson in a podium points position after Lebanon Valley is Mike Mahaney, who’s reached the top three for the first time in 2026.
The Elizabethtown, NY driver has a top five and three top 10s in points-paying events this year and brings momentum into Ransomville. Along with his Big Block success, “Smooth Shoe” leads the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series points standings.
At the “Big R,” Mahaney has a top-five and four top-10s in eight starts, including a sixth-place finish in last year’s Series stop. A win by Mahaney at Ransomville would be his fourth career Series victory, and first since 2023 at Autodrome Drummond.
Building Consistency: Following a 27th-place finish at Georgetown Speedway, 10-time Series champion Matt Sheppard has delivered two consecutive top-five finishes.
He’s also climbed to fifth in the Series points standings, six points behind Jack Lehner for fourth, and 14 points behind Mahaney for third.
The Savannah, NY driver has found success at Ransomville in the past, winning on two occasions in 2017 and 2021. He also drove from ninth to third in his last year’s Summer Nationals and finished second in 2024.
A win by Sheppard at the “Big R” would be his 104th Series victory, and first of 2026.
The Friesen Effect: On a night where his grandfather will be inducted into the track’s Ring of Honor, Stewart Friesen is aiming for back-to-back Super DIRTcar Series victories on Tuesday.
The Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON driver, who grew up at the track, is aiming for his third Super DIRTcar Series win at Ransomville, and 13th overall. Tuesday’s event will be his 50th Modified start at the track, where he’s added 35 top fives and 45 top 10s.
A win on Tuesday would be his 55th Super DIRTcar Series win, bringing him within two victories of Alan Johnson for fifth on the Series all-time wins list.
WHEN AND WHERE
Ransomville Speedway (3/8-mile) in Ransomville, NY, on Tuesday, June 23
TRACK RECORD
Lebanon Valley Speedway: 16.035 seconds by Billy Decker on Aug. 5, 2014
FEATURE WINNERS: (4 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-3
- Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-2
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-2
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1HEAT RACE WINNERS (20 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-7
- Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-3
- Stewart Friesen, Niagara-On-the-Lake, ON-2
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-2
Alex Yankowski- Covington Township, PA-2
Matt Sheppard, Savannah, NY-2
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-2
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-2 - Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Matt Caprara, Clayton, NY-1
Darren Smith, Binghamton, NY-1
Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-1
Justin Stone, Middlebury, VT-1
Louden Reimert, Oley, PA-1
Tim Sears Jr., Hastings, NY-1
Matt Delorenzo, Cropseyville, NY-1
Demetrios Drellos, Queensbury, NY-1
Michael Parent, Granby, QC-1
Brett Haas, Pittsfield, MA-1
Marc Johnson, Guilderland, NY-1
LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (13 Drivers)
Rank- Driver- Hometown-Wins
- Rex King Jr., Bristolville, OH-3
- Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-2
- Eddie Strada, Lake Ariel, PA-1
Matt Caprara, Clayton, NY-1
Jack Lehner, Saratoga Springs, NY-1
Matt Stangle, Neshanic Station, NJ-1
Tanner Van Doren, Schnecksville, PA-1
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-1
J. Bunting, Milford, DE-1
Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-1
Jackson Gill, Plessis, NY-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Chris Curtis, East Canaan, CT-1
PODIUM FINISHES (11 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Podiums
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-5
Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-5 - Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-3\
- Alex Payne, Hopewell, NY-2
Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-2
Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-2 - Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Jack Lehner, Saratoga Springs, NY-1
Matt Delorenzo, Cropseyville, NY-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-1
HARD CHARGER (7 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C.
- Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-2
- Matt Sheppard, Savannah, NY-1
Erick Rudolph, Ransomville, NY-1
Justin Haers, Phelps, NY-1
Jack Lehner, Saratoga Springs, NY-1
Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ-1
Tyler Dippel, Walkill, NY-1
BILLY WHITAKER CARS AND TRUX QUICK TIMES (7 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-2
- Duane Howard, Oley, PA-1
Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, NY-1
Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-1
Tim Sears Jr., Hastings, NY-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1
Mike Mahaney, Elizabethtown, NY-1
JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award (8 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QT
- Stewart Friesen, Niagara-On-the-Lake, ON-1
Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-1
Justin Stone, Middlebury, VT-1
Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-1
Jack Lehner, Saratoga Springs, NY-1
Tanner Van Doren, Schnecksville, PA-1
Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-1
Andy Bachetti, Sheffield, MA-1
Super DIRTcar Series Lap Leaders (10 Drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps Led
- Alex Yankowski, Covington Township, PA-145
- Mat Williamson, St. Catharines, ON-75
- Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON-45
- Larry Wight, Phoenix, NY-38
- Matt Delorenzo, Cropseyville, NY-29
- Peter Britten, Brisbane, QLD-25
- Felix Roy, Napierville, QC-20
- Marc Johnson, Guilderland, NY-19
- Justin Stone, Middlebury, VT-17
- Matt Sheppard, Savannah, NY-12
- Bobby Varin, Johnstown, NY-4
2026 Super DIRTcar Series Schedule and Winners
- Wednesday, Feb. 11/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Stewart Friesen*
- Thursday, Feb. 12/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Mat Williamson*
- Friday, Feb. 13/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Mat Williamson (2)*
- Saturday, Feb. 14/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL/Larry Wight*
- Friday, April 17/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY/Mat Williamson (3)
- Wednesday, May 13/Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, DE/Alex Yankowski
- Sunday, May 17/Cornwall Motor Speedway/Long Sault, ON/Alex Yankowski (2)
- Tuesday, June 16/Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon, NY/Stewart Friesen (2)
*: Denotes Non-Points Paying Victory
This article was republished with permission by Super DIRTcar Series. The original article can be found here: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/what-to-watch-for-thrilling-points-battle-ring-of-honor-induction-highlights-ron-martin-summer-nationals-at-ransomville/
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