Father Knows Best" at Winston Motor Speedway

Friday, August 25
"Father Knows Best" at Winston Motor Speedway

Winston Motor Speedway Champions were decided Friday August 25th.
It was the last night of points racing for all divisions. The Late Models and Bomber Season Championship races were the highlight events of the night. A father/son race team put on a show in the Late Model division that had the fans on their feet the entire event. The son was racing for the bragging rights and a trophy while the father was trying to secure his first championship at Winston. In the Bomber division all of the seasons front-runners had problems. The winner trailed by over 300 points entering the evening. Non-the less his Trophy will look good on the mantle.

Eight-teen Late Models were the main focus of the night as they raced their final regular season program. Kevin Nelson was on the pole based upon his top spot in the standings. Last weeks winner Rich Neiser flanked him to the right. Unfortunately a mishap earlier in the evening while packing the track took away the handle of Neiser’s car and quickly made him a non-factor for the main event. Nelson set the pace early in the event running the low line of the track. Matt Pickard was glued to Nelson’s bumper with Kevin Nelson Jr on his outside. Pickard and Nelson Jr waged the early war until lap ten when Nelson Jr finally gained the advantage and the runner-up position. At the half way mark the father and son began to race side by side. It continued until the checkered flag waved. Nelson Sr. who is renowned for running the high groove of area tracks was stuck on the bottom and his son held the topside. As laps wound down it became a guessing game of who was going to lead at the flag stand each lap. To say it was entertaining to the fans would be an understatement. When the white flag came out there was not a fan still in their seats. Nelson Jr’s attempt to drive it in deep into turn three caused him to push and ultimately gave his father the advantage at the finish line. Fans showed their appreciation for both drivers with a standing ovation. Kevin Nelson’s win was his ninth of the season. Nelson’s win put an exclamation point on his title as the 2006 Winston Motor Speedway Late Model Champion. Nelson Jr settled for second over Pickard, Tom Dusen and Rob Taylor. Heat Races were won by Darren Kane and Kevin Nelson. Nelson Jr was the Dash event winner. Sam Eddie was the fastest in Time Trials.

The Bomber Championship race could not have played out any better for winner Stan Dodds. The first five starters in the race suffered through accidents, spinouts, black flags and mechanical breakdowns. Dodds combined his Fast Qualyfing effort; his sixth place starting position and their bad luck to take the lead on lap eight and never look back. Dodds win was his third of the season. Bill Delong’s charge from the last row starting spot to second was an impressive one. Delong edged Robert Erickson, Jamie Lorenz, and Devin Vanderstelt in the running order. Heats were won by Delong and Sadie Klien. Nathon Walton won the Dash. Mike Epplett’s tenth place finish in a borrowed car helped his claim the 2006 Bomber Season Championship in a close battle with points runner-up Jerry Fairchild.

For sixteen of the twenty lap Michigan Modified main event Scott Presley held the lead. Fans were delighted to see the 30+ year racing veteran up front. Presley held an advantage by as much as ten car lengths during the event. As laps wound down Mike Wilbern was closing the gap on the high groove. Presley’s effort came up short. With four laps to go Wilbern gained the top spot on the backstretch and went on to win his ninth Feature of the season. The win helped Wilbern earn the Michigan Modified Association and Winston Motor Speedway Track Championship Titles for this season. Andy Sprague edged Presley for the runner-up spot on the last lap. Rich Neiser and John McCaul rounded out the top five. Julie Taylor won the first Heat Race. Sprague swept the fast Heat race, Dash, and Time Trial events.

The Sportsman Feature event came down to the final turn. Entering turn three on the last lap leader Bud Steinman came up on lap traffic. A slight hesitation by Steinman trying to clear a lapped car gave veteran Dan Borgman room to get underneath Steinman coming out of turn four. Steinman led 19 laps but it was Borgman who led the most important one. Borgman’s win was his first of the season in only his second night of racing this season. Greg Smith, Mike Anderson, and Mike Lynn completed the top five. Borgman and Smith were Heat Race winners. Mike Anderson won the Dash event. Mike Welch was the quick qualifier. Greg Smith’s third place finish on the night helped him wrap up his fifth consecutive Sportsman Track Championship at Winston.

In the Mini Stock division Zak Rounds won the battle and Carl McCann won the war. Rounds paced the field for the entire main event to pick up the win over Carl McCann, Mark Farber, Rob Carmean and Brad Bates. McCann’s runner-up finish secured his position as the 2006 Mini Stock Track Champion. Mark Farber won the Heat race. Rounds won the Dash. McCann was the fastest in Time Trials.

Mini Stock driver Blake Meyering continued his season dominance with his thirteenth Feature win. Meyering’s feature win total led all divisions at Winston Motor Speedway. Andrew Bartozsek, Chris Rice, Glen Parker and Jordon Praay. Rice won the Dash and Heat Race. Meyering took Fast Time honors.

Winston Motor Speedway continues their race schedule with the Sprints on Dirt Series making their way to start the Labor Day weekend Friday September 1st. The Late Models will have the night off but five other classes of exciting racing will be on hand. For the Best in Family entertainment make your way to Winston Motor Speedway.