Another Apple fest Win For Mat Williamson (2nd October 2025 BLOG )
Even though we moved into fall this past weekend , things ain’t slowing down just yet.
There’s still a lot of quality racing going on in the North East and last weekend race fans had three big events to choose from.
In New York state and only about one hours drive apart from each other, the Utica-Rome and Fonda Speedways had opposing shows. So, drivers and fans had to make the choice.
I didn’t have to make that choice, as here in Ontario , we had are own annual classic taking place. Once again it was APPLEFEST time at the Brighton Speedway.
This event began 20 years ago in 2005, when Kyle Dingwall was the inaugral winner.
I was at the first one , which has been running annually ever since, except 2020 during the COVID 19 epidemic
As usual it was a weekend event , starting on Friday and then the headline races for Modifieds and Sportsman taking place on the Saturday.
Friday’s show consisted mainly of divisions I have little interest in, so decided to go just for Saturday only. There was no point in paying the cost of a hotel to attend both nights.
I left Cornwall at 9-30 am and after a few stops along the way, I was pulling into the tracks parking just before 2-00pm.
It was a lovely day so sat beside the car in my lawn chair chatting to the race fans in the truck next to me.
They were none other than my old friends Randy Snr and Randy Jr Revelle from Gannaoque.
Randy Snr is the father of the late Craig Revelle , the original ‘web master ‘ of rickattheraces.
I then bumped into my buddy Ron Morin from Cornwall who was camping there for the weekend. He kindly gave me a ride to the middle with my camera equipment on his golf kart.
Once that was done he drove me around the pits to check things out.
I then went to the outside of turn four to take Hot Lap pics.
Once the racing began I moved to the middle with track photographer, Rod Henderson.
Joining the headline Modifieds and Sportsman , were the Mini Stocks (they call them Comp4) , Street Stocks (they call them Thunderstocks) , Canadian Modifieds, Crate Late Models
There were 22 Modifieds in attendance , which was quite good considering all the other quality events taking place this weekend.
There was quite a good number of Sportsman too, and enough to warrant a Consi.
Once the heat races were all in the books, the redraw and intermission took place .
Track prep took a bit longer than I expected, but the end result was worth it.
For the feature races we had a track that was perfect for side by side racing and plenty of options for passing lanes.
The first of the features was for the Mini Stocks.
This was won by Brandon Gregory .
The Sportsman were up next , and oh boy, what a great race that turned out to be.
Early leader was Fire Swamp who held on until Dylan Kirkland edged past.
Then Cody Mcpherson who’d been chasing Kirkland also made the pass.
McPherson started challenging Kirkland and got the front.
Meanwhile Bobby Herrington was moving up , and he too passed Swamp.
As the race came to the closing stages, Kirkland wasn’t going to settle for second place , and after several challenges, he retook the lead.
As the checkers came out he was still there, and as they crossed the line, McPherson was following with Herrington on his back bumper.
A great race and nice to see Dylan get the big win. Anyone who can beat Cody McPherson in the Sportsman division, deserves it .
The UMP /Canadian Modifieds were up next. These are similar cars to the IMCA type Modifieds seen all over North America.
These had a 35 lapper , which I must admit worried me a bit. In my experience , I’ve found they have a reputation for spinning out a lot and causing multiple cautions.
I had no need for concern , they ran a great race, obviously helped by the excellent track surface.
Shawn Gregory took the checkers
It was now time for the big race of the weekend, the 75 lap APPLEFEST ShootOut for the 358 Modifieds.
The Sportsman feature was going to be hard to beat, but this also provided some good close racing.
Early leader was invader , and first time visitor , Lucas Fuller from Edwards New York. He’s got a good racing pedigree, being the nephew of Tim Fuller, the veteran dirt racer who has countless wins to his resume.
Fuller battled with Brad Rouse until relinquishing the lead.
Mat Williamson and Gary Lindberg were chasing the two of them and it wasn’t long before they also got passed Fuller.
Williamson was soon catching Rouse , and on lap 16, made the pass and took control of the race .
Soon after that, Lindberg was up there too , and a race long duel between him and Mat began , that lasted right up to the checkers.
Meanwhile Rouse had dropped back and Fuller had regained his third spot, while the hard charging Kyle Dingwall was on his tail. When the checkers dropped , it was Williamson, ahead of Lindberg , Fuller and Dingwall.
The race finished just after 9-30 pm, so after getting my Victory Lane pictures , I was out of the gate and heading for the parking lot.
I decided to miss the remaining two features (Crate Late Models and Thunderstocks) in favor of getting home earlier.
In my absence the winners were Charli Sandercock (Late Models) and Brock Gregory (Thunderstocks)
I pulled into my driveway in Cornwall at 1-00 am .
On Sunday the Airborne Park Speedway at Plattsburgh were having their season finale .
There were no Modifieds on the program but there were Pro Stocks and a big money purse for Sportsman on their final points night.
There was a three way battle for the championship and it could go to any one of three drivers, Donovan Lussier, Travis Bruno or Nick Heyward.
So after lunch I set off solo from my place .
I normally travel to Airborne with my buddy , Don Simpson , but he chose the Fonda Speedway for his Saturday racing, and was already in the US.
He planned to drop into Plattsburgh on his drive back to Canada.
It was an earlier than usual start time and I got to the track at 3-30 just as the drivers meeting was beginning .
I took my hot lap pics on the outside of turn four with my Airborne ‘tog buddy Kyle Coryea. Kyle took the Picture .
I t was a busy schedule with a lot of divisions on the card.
Joining the headlining divisions of Sportsman and Pro Stocks, were the Rengades, Crown Vics , 500cc Mini Sprints and the Mini Stocks.
The track was in good shape and the show whistled along quickly .
The first feature was for the Mini Sprints .
This was won by Scott Bachand .
The Crown Vics were next and it was Richie Turner who took this one
Then it was the Rengades where Billy Thwaits won their big race,
Tyler Terry was then crowned the season championship .
It was then the turn of the Prostocks.
Only six cars took part and Marc Lalonde was the winner. .
The premier race of the night, the Sportsman feature was the last one on the program (so, there was no escaping before the end on this occasion)
It was a 50 lapper with five grand up for grabs for the winner .
As you’d expect as the race got nearer to the end the cream rose to the top .
Championship contenders Lussier and Bruno were up at the front with Vermonts Michael Wright joining in the battle.
Meanwhile Nick Heyward’s hopes faded after coming into contact with another car.
As the leaders raced to the checkers , it could of been anyone of the three front runners, but when it mattered, Lussier was leading.
Bruno was right behind him, with Wright in third.
It was all over , Dominic Lussier was then presented with the race win and 2025 Sportsman Championship.
It was still quite early, so I hung around for a few minutes afterwards to say goodbye to some friends .
Long time flagman Ken Marshall told me earlier he was retiring and hanging up his flags after the nights final race.
He’s been a familiar face flagging at various tracks in the North East over the past 50 years.
Good Luck Ken and happy retirement.
I also said good bye to promotors Mike and Alayne Bruno before heading for home.
So that was it , we all went away thinking the 2025 Sportsman Championship was all done and dusted.
Apparently Not .
Following the post race tech, On Monday the following announcement was made by the track.
We now await the outcome of the DIRTCAR appeal hearing