Cody Manitta picked up the first DIRTcar Sportsman Series victory of his career Friday night, holding off a late challenge from points leader Hunter Hollenbeck at Brewerton Speedway.
Manitta, a 22-year-old driver from Cato, won the Central Region feature after taking the lead from pole sitter Tucker Halliday, who led the first nine laps.
Hollenbeck moved from fifth to third before the halfway point and later passed Halliday for second, putting Manitta in his sights. A series of late restarts kept the two locked in a battle for the lead until the checkered flag.
Quinn Wallis moved past Hollenbeck on the race's final restart to finish second. Hollenbeck, of Fulton, finished third and retained the DIRTcar Sportsman Series Central Region points lead by eight points over Tony Finch II, who finished fourth.
Richard Murtaugh rounded out the top five.
The series is scheduled to return to action Wednesday, July 1, at Can-Am Speedway in a Central Region and North Region combined event.
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