LATE NIGHT ROCKET: Alex Yankowski Drives to R.D. Hutchinson Memorial Win at Can-Am
Since he won at Volusia Speedway Park in February, a Super DIRTcar Series Feature victory had eluded Alex Yankowski in 2025.
But on Friday night at Can-Am Speedway, “Kid Rocket” finally broke through, holding off Alex Payne to score his first points-paying win of the season in the R.D. Hutchinson Memorial.
“It’s just a never-give-up attitude,” Yankowski said. “We had a really good car tonight. And a really good SY Murray Big Block. The first time we came up here, we ran a crate race and three cars got sent home, and we were the second in line. It’s just so darn cool (to win).”
It’s the Covington Township, PA driver’s first win at the “Nasty Track of the North,” a track that had a fast surface following a lengthy rain delay before the Feature.
Larry Wight, the SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Pole Award Winner, led the opening circuit of the 67-lap Feature. However, that was short-lived when Jimmy Phelps stormed by the No. 99L on the inside lane in Turn 1 to take the lead on Lap 2. Behind Phelps, Yankowski followed on the inside of the track and grabbed second from Wight.
Phelps and Yankowski pulled away from the field, separating themselves from their competitors over the next 10 laps. Yankowski stayed close with Phelps before the race’s first caution fell for Jordan McCreadie, who slowed on Lap 22.
When the race resumed, Phelps and Yankowski entered Turn 1 wheel-to-wheel before Yankowski’s momentum pushed him ahead of the No. 98H down the backstretch. Behind the top two, four-time Can-Am Track Champion Tim Fuller charged ahead, moving from sixth to third in less than two laps.
However, Fuller’s momentum was stopped a lap later. As Phelps and Fuller entered Turn 3 on Lap 26, Phelps’ right rear tire and Fuller’s left front made contact, causing Phelps to slow in Turn 4, and giving Fuller a flat tire. That brought out the race’s second Yellow Flag and moved Wight back to second.
With the green flag back out, Wight worked the outside lane in Turns 1 and 2, wrestling the lead back from Yankowski as they drove down the backstretch. “Lightning Larry” held onto the lead until Lap 40, when he reached the tail of the field.
Racing in traffic gave Yankowski the advantage, waiting for a chance to sneak by Wight and regain the lead. His first chance came on Lap 45. With Wight running the middle, Yankowski drove to the bottom as they entered Turns 1 and 2, pulling even with Wight through the exit of the corner. It wasn’t enough, though, as Wight was too strong on the outside.
Yankowski got another chance five laps later as Wight tried to find a way past Mike Trautschold, a lap car. Yankowski took advantage of his opportunity on Turn 1, driving past Wight in the middle of the corner to take the lead away as they exited Turn 2.
But Wight wouldn’t go away, staying with Yankowski as he continued battling with traffic. On Lap 52, Wight had his best opportunity, as the two split Trautschold to put him a Lap down in Turn 1. The side-by-side battle continued through Turn 2, but as they exited the corner, Wight hopped Yankowski’s right-rear tire, causing him to lose two positions.
“I’m really bummed I got into him there,” Yankowski said. “I definitely didn’t mean to. Me and Larry have never had a problem. I just must’ve not cleared him enough. I hate it to take a guy out of contention like that.
“I got to Jimmy a few times, and I was super patient. And then I got to Larry, and the same thing. And I was just I just had to clear him. Whether I did or not, I don’t know. I’ll have to watch the video.”
From there, it looked like Yankowski could cruise, but he’d still have one more challenge to overcome. In the race’s late stages, Payne gained on Yankowski using the outside lane to inch closer every lap. And with three laps remaining, it was time for Payne to strike. The Hopewell, NY driver stormed to the outside of Yankowski on Lap 65, trying to sneak by him. But as they entered Turn 4, Yankowski slid up in front of Payne to take his momentum away, gaining separation from the No. 70A car.
That was all Yankowski needed, driving to the $7,567 victory and his fourth Super DIRTcar Series triumph.
Payne settled for second, earning his 11th Super DIRTcar Series top five of 2025 after starting 12th. He said he felt he might’ve taken his chance to go for the win too early.
“That was all it had at the end,” Payne said. “I think I showed myself a little bit where I shouldn’t. But when we’re coming to two to go, you got to make a pass when you can get it. And lap traffic hurt me a little bit. But all in all, it was an awesome, awesome, night.”
Along with a podium finish, Payne moved into third in the Super DIRTcar Series standings, 148 points behind Mat Williamson. He jumped ahead of Matt Sheppard in the points standings after the 10-time Series champion finished 25th,
Williamson, the defending Series champion, crossed the line third after starting 15th. The St. Catharines, ON driver said his team rebounded after struggling early in the night.
“We just kind of survived, really,” Williamson said. “We knew we had to be there at the end, and I got a couple of restarts where I was lucky to be in the outside lane. Got racing with some guys, passed some guys under green, and just survived.”
With Yankowski’s win, he cut the deficit between himself and Williamson to 82 points with eight races remaining.
Wight held on for fourth, and Mike Mahaney rounded out the top five.
UP NEXT: The Super DIRTcar Series heads to Weedsport Speedway for the Cavalcade 100 on Saturday, Sept. 6. Joining the Series for the second straight night is the DIRTcar Sportsman Series.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
R.D. Hutchinson Memorial (67 Laps): 1. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[3]; 2. 70A-Alex Payne[12]; 3. 88-Mat Williamson[15]; 4. 99L-Larry Wight[1]; 5. 35-Mike Mahaney[6]; 6. 21A-Peter Britten[9]; 7. 91-Felix Roy[11]; 8. 49-Billy Dunn[10]; 9. 7Z-Zachary Payne[13]; 10. 60-Jackson Gill[4]; 11. 19-Tim Fuller[7]; 12. 12-Darren Smith[16]; 13. 25-Erick Rudolph[19]; 14. 2-Jack Lehner[8]; 15. 4-Anthony Perrego[18]; 16. 18$-Sean Beardsley[22]; 17. 28-Michael Trautschold[23]; 18. 31-Lance Willix[24]; 19. 66-Corbin Millar[25]; 20. (DNF) 6-Matt Stangle[26]; 21. (DNF) 66X-Carey Terrance[14]; 22. (DNF) 11-Matt Caprara[17]; 23. (DNF) 98H-Jimmy Phelps[2]; 24. (DNF) 28M-Jordan McCreadie[20]; 25. (DNF) 9S-Matt Sheppard[5]; 26. (DNS) 83X-Tim Sears Jr
