By Paul Harkenrider (Vernon, NY) | Jason Barney joined Stewart Friesen as the only two-time winner of the ‘Cole Cup’ as the A-Verdi Storage Containers Patriot Sprint Tour sanctioned the seventh edition of this Crown Jewel sprint car event.
Barney used a late race restart in a caution-filled 30-lap affair to slide by Jonathan Preston and take the $5,000 victory.
“The money doesn’t mean anything. Cole Cup wins and wins at Utica-Rome make this one special,” proclaimed an emotional Barney in Victory Lane.
Jonathan Preston and Matt Farnham brought the 25-car field to the green flag, with Preston taking command early and pulling away from the rest of the field early.
As Preston would be out front, Jason Barney and Matt Farnham would battle for the second-place position.
A red flag caution involving Mike Kiser on lap six would restack the field with Preston leading over Farnham, Jason Barney, Shawn Donath, and Tommy Wickham. Denny Peebles and Matt Tanner would also need to be towed back to the pits from a mechanical failure.
Davie Franek and Jordan Thomas both entered the top five as laps would click on, with Preston still having a comfortable lead but would begin to encounter lap traffic.
Then on lap 11, Larry Wight would clip the front stretch wall off corner four to bring out the second caution. Preston would restart the field over Farnham, Barney, Franek, and Shawn Donath.
Another restart on lap 18 allowed Barney to get by Farnham, and he would start to track down the leader in Preston.
Barney was all over Preston by lap 21, and it appeared Barney was going to get by Preston for the lead before another caution came out.
After an open red to refuel, Barney would not be denied on the following restart getting by Preston off-turn four down the front stretch.
Barney would lead the rest of the way over Jonathan Preston, Matt Farnham, Danny Varin, and Shawn Donath, the top five.
The win for Barney was his 15th Career A-Main Win with the Patriots, which ties him with Rick Wilson and 2004 Series champion George Suprick.
Next will be the PST Points Finale, held during Dutch Hoag weekend at Outlaw Speedway. It is another $3,000 to win and $300 to start the A-Main event. There will also be a made-up Outlaw Fall Nationals event that will be made up from last season.
Be sure to connect with patriotsprinttour.com and to follow Patriot Sprint Tour on all social media outlets.
A-Verdi Storage Containers Patriot Sprint Tour 360 Sprint Car ‘Cole Cup’ Results: JASON BARNEY, Jonathan Preston, Matt Farnham, Danny Varin, Shawn Donath, Jordan Thomas, Davie Franek, Parker Evans, Larry Wight, Steve Glover, Tyler Trump, Chad Miller, Dave Axton, Dalton Rombough, Chase Moran, Paulie Colagiovanni, Joe Trenca, Jordan Poirier, Tommy Wickham, Adam Carberry, Jordan Hutton, Mike Kiser, Matt Tanner, Denny Peebles.