Rock Springs checkers are sweet for Ungaro

Feature, Modified, Northern SportMod, Sport Compact

Brian Ungaro was the $1,000 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified winner at Sweetwater Speedway. He was joined in victory lane by daughter Davon and grandsons Weston and Oakley. (Photo Courtesy of Sweetwater Speedway)

By Ben Deatherage

ROCK SPRINGS, Wy. (Aug. 16, 2024) – The Friday night checkers were sweet for Brian Ungaro, as the Green River racer outran Wyatt Howard in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified sprint to the finish at Sweetwater Speedway.

Ungaro had a sensational night in the All-Star Modified Special presented by Pitt Stop Motorsports earning $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility for that win.

Starting from the pole, Ungaro took off and ran away with the lead at the drop of the green flag.  As things settled down, with Ungaro pacing the field and Braxton Yeager in tow, the race for third was intense between Casey Delp and Tucker Hislop.

Delp secured the position just before the first caution of the feature came out. He then captured second after Yeager tried to challenge for the lead.

Ungaro constructed a big advantage that was eliminated when second-running Delp had mechanical problems on lap 15. Yeager inherited second, putting Howard among the potential podium finishers in third.

Unfortunately, Yeager had problems himself, which ended his night. Just when that happened, the driver who moved into third, Jason Donnelly, made significant contact with the wall in turn two, ending his efforts and setting up a four-lap shootout.

It was business as usual on the final restart, with Ungaro driving away from any challenges. However, on the final set of corners on the concluding circuit, he received a claymaker from Wyatt Howard, a move he counterattacked with a crossover off the final corner to the checkers.

Howard was a close second, while Bryson Yeager made some late moves to finish third.

Two other Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly classes were in attendance at the famed 3/8-mile oval, including the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. William Valdez was victorious in the Northern SportMods. Lane Owens got the job done in the Sport Compacts.

The event was broadcast on IMCA TV. Night two was canceled due to inclement weather.

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