![\"Alex](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/italy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AlexYankowskiSummerFAST_Joegrabianowski.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe fifth annual SummerFAST finished exactly how it started, with Stewart Friesen standing in Victory Lane.<\/p>\n
After passing Mat Williamson for the lead on Lap 28, the Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON driver never looked back to win Wednesday\u2019s Super DIRTcar Series stop at Utica-Rome Speedway.<\/p>\n
Friesen\u2019s victory bookends the 2026 edition of SummerFAST, backing up his win in Sunday\u2019s opener at Weedsport Speedway.<\/p>\n
Darren Smith, the SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Pole Award winner, led the opening circuit of the 60-lap Feature, using the inside lane to nose ahead of Mat Williamson at the start\/finish line. That lead didn\u2019t last long, though, as Williamson gained momentum on the outside lane and stormed around the No. 12 to take the lead on Lap 2.<\/p>\n
Behind Williamson, Friesen started inching forward, passing Matt Sheppard and Alex Yankowski on the outside to get to third on Lap 16. He only needed one more lap to take over second, relegating Smith to third with another outside lane pass.<\/p>\n
But just as Friesen set his sights on Williamson, he made a rare mistake, driving off the banking in Turns 3 and 4, dropping him back to fifth on Lap 18.<\/p>\n
Friesen didn\u2019t let that mistake deter him, though, as he drove by all three of them again within four laps, reclaiming second on Lap 23. That\u2019s when he set his sights on Williamson, putting his right rear on Utica-Rome\u2019s cushion, and closing in on every lap.<\/p>\n
While Williamson dealt with traffic, Friesen closed quickly on the Buzz Chew Racing No. 88. But like the three cars behind him, Friesen used the outside lane to get a run on \u201cMoney Mat\u201d in Turns 3 and 4, driving around the three-time Series champ to take the lead for good on Lap 28.<\/p>\n
From there, Friesen went untouched to earn his 58th career Series victory, breaking a tie with Alan Johnson for fifth on the Series all-time wins list.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 44 team is rocking and rolling right now,\u201d Friesen said. \u201cIt was a great track at Utica-Rome tonight; we just made one mistake. Mat (Williamson) was kind of getting held up in lap traffic, and I was like, let\u2019s go up and try that top again in (Turns) 3 and 4. I got a little too far and got in the slime, and it made it interesting, I guess.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a great race car. I can\u2019t thank my supporters enough. It takes so much to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williamson settled for second, earning back-to-back SummerFAST podiums, while Smith crossed the line third.<\/p>\n
Alex Payne, the race\u2019s hard charger, moved up 14 spots to finish fourth.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Yankowski rounded out the top five, earning enough points to win his second SummerFAST title by 19 points over Jimmy Phelps. The Covington Township, PA driver finished in the top five in all four events and said his championship was a testament to how well his team is clicking.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe have really good racecars, and really fast engines,\u201d Yankowski said. \u201cWe\u2019re just kind of building a notebook. We\u2019re going to these places for the second, third, fourth time, which is huge. I think to win something like this, it really shows we have a really good maintenance program, and some really fast racecars.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cKid Rocket\u201d also leaves SummerFAST with an 84-point lead over Williamson, with nine races remaining in the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
UP NEXT: The Super DIRTcar Series returns to Weedsport Speedway for the final time in 2026 for the Cavalcade Cup 100 on Sunday, Sept. 6. Joining the Series will be the DIRTcar Sportsman Championship Series for the Sportsman Classic.<\/p>\n