Cautions, Close Calls and First-Time Winners Highlight Wild Week Two at Laird Raceway

Posted On: July 3, 2026
Posted By: Saultsports
Comments: 0

The excitement continued at Laird Raceway on Thursday, July 2, as more than 50 race cars filled the pit area for week two of the 2026 Thursday Night Thunder season. After an exciting season opener just one week earlier, fans were treated to one of the wildest nights of racing the speedway has seen in years.

With action taking place across five divisions, the evening featured countless lead changes, hard-fought battles, dramatic crashes, and an unusually high number of caution flags. In fact, week two produced the most cautions during a full race program at Laird Raceway in more than 15 years, as several drivers tangled with one another while others found themselves sliding off the racing surface and into the trees between turns one and two on the fast one-third mile oval.

Despite the chaotic racing, drivers continued to put on an entertaining show for the fans in attendance.

In the Super Late Model feature driving the No. 77 was Steel City Outlaw George Wilson picking up his first feature in years after climbing behind the wheel of the familiar machine of his son Chase’s No. 77. Wilson held off a strong challenge from Dustin Jackson, who capped off an impressive stretch of racing that saw him compete at four different race tracks over a seven-day span. Jeremy Van Hoek completed the podium with a third-place finish in the No. 51 machine.

The Modified division saw another dominant performance from J.P. Delpaggio, who drove the No. 22 to his second consecutive feature victory to begin the 2026 season. Jackson continued his strong evening by finishing second once again, while veteran Jerry Ross rounded out the top three aboard the No. 01.

One of the biggest stories of the night came in the Factory Stock division, where 17-year-old Xavier Carter of Sault Ste. Marie earned the first feature victory of his racing career. Carter drove the No. 29 to an impressive win ahead of Andrew Givens in the No. 15G and Dave King in the No. 13, giving the young driver a memorable milestone in just the second week of the season.

The Factory Four feature belonged to Lucas Crosato, who piloted the No. 22X to victory after another competitive race. Will Siddal crossed the finish line second in the No. 07, while Taryn McCoy earned a podium finish with third place in the No. 71.

The evening concluded with the always entertaining Enduro Feature, where Eric Sylvestre drove the No. 44 to victory. Lucas Fabbricino finished second in the No. 95, while Dayne Lorenzo completed the podium in third driving the No. 19.

The action returns to Laird Raceway on Thursday, July 9, for week three of the Thursday Night Thunder season. Fans will also have an opportunity to become part of the show with the return of Spectator Drags before intermission.

Whether you drive a daily commuter, muscle car, sports car, pickup truck, or just about anything with four wheels, everyone is invited to experience what it’s like to race down the Laird Raceway front stretch. Participants simply need to bring a helmet, register here and prepare for a memorable night on the track.

Grandstand admission is just $25 for adults, while children and youth 17 and under are admitted FREE, along with seniors aged 75 and over. Pit admission is $35 for all ages, offering fans an up-close look at the drivers, teams, and race-day atmosphere.

Following one of the most unpredictable race nights in recent memory, all signs point toward another thrilling evening of Thursday Night Thunder as the 2026 season continues on July 9 at Laird Raceway.

Full week two results from July 2nd week of racing, here.

Week Two Thunder Night Thunder Results (Unofficial Results)

Super Late Model Feature