LOCAL TRACKS: Fox returns triumphantly to Factory Stock
Randy Fox made a triumphant return to the Factory Stock ranks. The 33-year-old from Pleasant Mount won the annual Tommy Boy 25 at Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna.
Fox’s 4-year-old son Connor pulled the No. 1 starting spot on the redraw and Fox led every lap to take the checkered flag.
For many years, Fox competed in Factory Stock with much success. He won the division title at Penn Can in 2017 and claimed back-to-back crowns at Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, New York, in 2019 and 2020.
He decided to move up in class, competing in Sportsman and Modified. As a result, he sold his Factory Stock car three years ago.
Last August, he received an offer to buy back it back, which he did. He raced it once last year at Five Mile Point and finished fourth. In the season opener at Penn Can on April 26, he won his heat race, started 11th and finished fourth.
So he wasn’t totally surprised that he was able to get a win so quickly in his return to the class.
“The previous guys pretty much had it set up the same as when I last raced it,” Fox said. “So I knew the car could do it. Just relying on the driver to remember what he was doing.
“It’s kind of weird to say, but it seems like you can talk to the car and it listens. The car’s got a lot of wins and a lot of money behind it.”
Open Can
Penn Can Speedway is two weeks into its season with Dan Creeden from Wurtsboro, New York, having won each of the first two Modified features.
On Friday, the track is back in action with Modifieds, Crate Sportsman, 600cc Modifieds, Factory Stocks, Four-Cylinders and Open-Wheel Modifieds on the card. Hot laps start at 6:30 p.m. with racing beginning at 7 p.m. It is a Mother’s Day Special with all moms receiving $7 general admission.
Fast tracks
Hamlin Speedway also has its season under way, although the track is idle Saturday. Racing resumes May 18. ... Alex Yankowski from Covington Twp. finished fourth in the Short Track Super Series Diamond State 50 on Wednesday night at Delaware International Speedway. ... Over the weekend, Yankowski also placed second in the Lou Lazzaro Memorial 34-lap Modified feature that is part of the “Thunder on the Thruway Series” at Fonda Speedway in New York. Susquehanna’s Darwin Greene finished 10th in the race. ... At Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, Eddie Strada from South Canaan was third in the “Thaw Brawl” Modified makeup feature from April 19 and Doug Smith Jr. of Mount Cobb was 12th. In the regularly scheduled feature, Strada finished ninth and Smith 17th.
Results May 3
PENN CAN SPEEDWAY
May 3 results
MODIFIEDS — Danny Creeden, Tanner VanDoren, Kevin Hartnett, Marshall Hurd, Darwin Greene Sr., John Michael Phillips, Brian Malcolm, Brad Szulewski, Alan Rudalavage, Brian Puckett, Nick Mady, Alex Stanton, Tyler Yeagle, Bobby Puckett, Brad Shaffer, Hunter Metzger, Brad Weaver, Paul Rooney, Lenny Miller, Brian Franko, Jamie Bedford, Doug Polhamus, Dan Burman, PJ Goodwin. DNS: Jeremy Hamilton, Brandon Fritsch
TOMMY BOY 25 FACTORY STOCKS — Randy Fox, Buck Mills Jr., Kyle Spoor, Justin Slezak, Tommy Groover, Brandon Conklin, Adam Gilbert, Mahlon Shoemaker, Darren Davies, Charlie Gilbert, Kevin MacDonald, Buck Mills Sr., Rich Sharpsteen, Anthony Possemato, Jordan Towner, Jerry Lobdell Jr., Max Mosier Jr., Charlie Towner. DNS: Bryant Beach
602 CRATE SPORTSMAN — Alex Konopka, Mike Nagel Jr., Mike Schane, Ray Leonard, Marty Goodwin, Jon Carpenter, Mike Loney, Joe Buchanan, Derrick Shaffer, Kolyn Schane, Eddie Kudrako, Ned Fitch, Brett Wooster, Justin Miller, Trevor Houghton, Eric Brigham, Brandon Oleski, Todd Titus, Joe Novak, Nick Cortazar, Magda Malcolm, Billy Shoemaker, Travis Rooney.
600cc MODIFIEDS — Brenton Payne, Brett Gray, Doug Newbigging, Marty Goodwin, Harold Oliver, Larry Furman, Nate Oropallo, George Higley, Jake Higley, Jeff Baldwin, Jeff Martin, Tori Straway, Nolan Smith, Madyson Beach, Darwin Greene Jr., Joey Oropallo, TJ Smith, John Dinniny, Kyle Percy, Talon Oliver, David Brown, Max Oliver, Kevin Sidlecky
FOUR-CYLINDER — Collin Mills, Jeff Sterling, Jeremy Warren, Phil Burns, Scott Beach, Brian Salmini, Tim Vandemark, Andy Bolles, Rich Wagner, Joe Zedanovich, Dakota Fuller, Nash Ford, Mike Girjatowicz, Ethan Fuller, Justin Girjatowicz, Dave Simms, Mike Ferris, Mike Jenks
OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS — Randall Paxton, Tyler Stoddard, Tyler Belcher, Gary Roberts, Jakub Ingham, Brad Delameter, Mike Wilcox
SCOTT WALSH covers motor sports for The Times-Tribune. Contact him at swalsh@scrantontimes.com; 570-209-8327; and follow him @swalshTT on X.
