WEEDSPORT - No one could have hand picked a better winner as the Cayuga County Fair Speedway rang in its 50th anniversary Sunday evening. At the conclusion of the 50-lap Lakeland Equipment big-block feature, Genoa's Pat Ward stood in victory lane.

Ward has competed weekly at the Weedsport 3/8-mile oval for the last 30 years. His father, Bud Ward, began competing at the speedway in 1958.

In honor of the 50th anniversary, Chet Ward, Pat's uncle and the 1969 Weedsport Speedway track champion, was also in attendance.

Ron Narducci, the inaugural winner at Weedsport's first race held 50 years ago to the day, looked on as Ward held off the red-hot Tim Fuller for the win to fittingly cap the night's festivities.

"You always know at the end of a race that No. m1 car (Fuller) is gonna be around," Ward said. "He's the best car on the circuit right now, bar none. It was a tough track to pass on near the end of the race, and we were lucky enough to hold him off."

Donnie Wetmore Jr. assumed the early race lead from the outside pole position. He led until a lap-15 restart, when Ryan "Rocket" Phelps motored by in the Big Red's Towing No. 99.

Ward steadily moved through the field from his ninth starting spot, settling into third on the restart then claiming second spot on lap 18. Ward then stalked Phelps through traffic before making the pass for the lead on lap 30.

Once in front, Ward hugged the bottom lane of the speedway, utilizing a tremendous forward bite off the bottom of turn two. Meanwhile, Fuller was making his way on the top side of the track, placing his right rear tire against the outside retaining wall in the corners.

Fuller got by Phelps for second on lap 36 and chased Ward fruitlessly over the last 16 circuits.

"Ward had the preferred lane," Fuller said. "The top would be good for a few laps but then the tires would get too hot."

Fuller's second-place finish was his only "blemish" on an otherwise perfect weekend, having scored victories at both the Brewerton and Fulton tracks the previous two nights.

Jimmy Phelps overtook his younger cousin Ryan Phelps with only two circuits remaining to garner third place. Ryan Phelps settled for fourth after running a very smooth race. Matt Sheppard completed the top five.

Stewart Friesen was sixth, followed by Justin Haers in seventh. Gary Tomkins rebounded from a flat tire to finish eighth, with Phil Vigneri and Billy Dunn completing the top 10.

Ward was the seventh different winner in nine races at CCFS this season. The $3,000 victory was the 14th of his career at the Weedsport high banks in a big-block modified.

Russ Hefti stormed to his fourth CCFS win of the season in the 20-lap sportsman main, beating Greg Doust to the checkered flag. Rob Bellinger was third, with Kevin Bates and Mike Conrow rounding out the top-five finishers.

Street Stock point leader Adam Depuy strengthened his lead with his fourth triumph of the year in the 12-lap main. Wayne Ellison was second, trailed by Steve Faulkner in third. Mike Rasbeck and Mike Minutlo were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Kelly Smith won the four-cylinder enduro race over Bill Werner and Karl Werner.