Friday, June 9
Naida Wins a Wild One at Winston Motor Speedway
The American Sprint Car Series Sprints on Dirt made their way to Winston Motor Speedway Friday, June 9th. A packed house witnessed great racing and some violent wrecks. Hot tempers tuned out to be the other leading story of the night.
In the ASCS Sprints on Dirt Dain Naida survived to win Friday’s 25-lap Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt main event. Naida avoided an eight-car pile-up at the start that moved him from 13th starting spot up to the pole position. Naida took the lead from Joe Bares and then held off a late race surge from Brett Mann to capture the victory.
Defending ASCS Sprints on Dirt champion and last season’s winner at Winston, Tim Norman, and Bares were on the front row for the initial start. Norman spun in front of the field on the start in turn two and collected eight other cars. The red flag was displayed to clean up the crash. All of the drivers involved were able to restart.
Naida moved up to the pole for the second start, but it was Bares who took the lead going into turn one. While heading down the backstretch to complete the second lap, Tom Miller spun in turns three and four. A former winner at Winston and O’Reilly ASCS National Tour driver Dustin Daggett did not see the caution, rode over Gary Fast’s right rear wheel, and flipped end for end in turn three. Daggett was uninjured, but his racing at Winston was ended abruptly.
Late in the race Brett Mann was on the move passing Bares for the second spot. Mann also caught a break when Gregg Dalman clipped a marker tire coming off the fourth corner, broke the front end on his sprinter and crashed hard into the inside wall down the front stretch. Dalman was uninjured, but had to retire from the event due to significant front-end damage.
Mann was on Naida's back bumper for the restart, but Naida was up for the challenge. Naida pulled away from Mann on the restart and held on over the last ten laps to win the feature. Mann, Kevin Atkins, Bares, and Fast rounded out the top five. Norman, Bares and Atkins won heat races.
In Michigan Modified action Rich Neiser finally ended a run of three feature wins in a row for Mike Wilburn. Four cautions started the race. The last one was the most costly as front runners Scott Presley and Fast Car Dash winner Tim Tuttle tangled on the front stretch with both of them ending up against the front stretch wall. Neiser grabbed the point on the restart and stayed there. Wilburn made his way to second and did everything in his power to get to the front. A caution with one lap to go gave Wilburn one last opportunity to get by Neiser. On the start Wilburn chose the middle grove while Neiser stayed on the bottom line. Wilburn’s last ditch opportunity to get to the front backfired as John McCaul aggressively made his way inside of Wilburn in turn one to move to second. Neiser maintained his lead and went on to win his second Main event of the season at Winston. McCaul held off Wilburn for second. Nate Bostrom and Derek Poland rounded out the top five. Heats were won by Harry Wilson and McCaul. Wilburn was the fastest Modified in Qualifying.
Sportsman drivers continue to chase the #88 of Greg Smith in the Point Standings. Even a poor qualifying effort did not hurt the four-time Sportsman track champion. Fast Qualifier Bud Steinman’s inversion draw saw Smith placed on the front row for the main event. Smith was nothing less than smooth and fast hitting all of his marks winning by fifteen car lengths. The second place position was garnered by Denny Lynn Jr. The third place position was entertaining to watch as it changed hands many times during the event. Ultimately Mike Welch held off Chad Weinrick and Mike Lynn. In Heat race action Ken Fitzgibbon and Smith were winners. Weinrick took Dash honors.
The Bomber drivers looked like they were running for the Sprint Car payoff as nobody was giving an inch. The tone of the race was set from start as front row starter and Dash event winner Jerry Fairchild was put in the wall resulting in an eighteenth place finish. In a division where cautions have been few, tonight made up for the first seven weeks of racing. It should be an interesting lead into for the Bomber Championship in two weeks. Before the end of the Feature four out of the top five drivers in points were in the pits with damaged cars. After the entire melee it was Points Leader and the nights Fast Qualifier Mike Epplett as the last one standing in the top five of the standings. Epplett’s aggressive move at the start of the race put him on the point where he was untouchable. Fourteen-year old fan favorite Sadie Klien survived the carnage with composure beyond her years to finish second. Tony Weinrick had his best finish of the season with a strong third place. Roger Brooks and Kyle Borgman rounded out the top five. Heats were won by Stan Dodds and Angie Gilmore.
Mini Stock drivers who were not around when Luke Near was the most dominating Mini Stock Driver in West Michigan from 2001-2003 are quickly realizing that even though Luke races part-time these days, your better bring your “A” game to beat him when he shows up. For the second time in two weeks Near was the class of the field. Near made his way to the front quickly and pulled away from the field. Brian Bussing won the race for second over Carl McCann, Zak Rounds, and Mark Farber. Near won the Dash event. Farber garnered Heat Race honors. McCann was the fastest in Time Trials.
The last lap for Blake Meyering last week was painful to watch. After leading the entire event of his Mid-Season Championship race his dreams literally went up in smoke. A mechanical failure resulted with his car catching on fire with one lap to go. To say there was redemption on his mind would be and understatement. Meyering eased last week’s disappointment by winning three out the four Young Gun events including the Feature, Dash, and Qualifying. Jordon Praay was the only one to put a nick in Meyering’s armor with a Heat Race win. Following Meyering to the line for the feature event was Praay, Adam Spencer, Andrew Bartoszek, and Kiley Kennedy.
Friday June 16th the Late Models and Mini Stock drivers take center stage for their Mid-Season Championships. The Question on many people’s minds is there anyone who can beat Kevin Nelson at Winston. Nelson’s currently has five feature wins. Front runners Tom Dusen, Rich Nesier, and Eddie Reyes all hope they are the drivers to put a stop to the “Kevin Nelson Show”. It should make for a great night of racing. For the Best in Family Entertainment along the Lakeshore make your way to Winston Motor Speedway.
Naida Wins a Wild One at Winston Motor Speedway
The American Sprint Car Series Sprints on Dirt made their way to Winston Motor Speedway Friday, June 9th. A packed house witnessed great racing and some violent wrecks. Hot tempers tuned out to be the other leading story of the night.
In the ASCS Sprints on Dirt Dain Naida survived to win Friday’s 25-lap Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt main event. Naida avoided an eight-car pile-up at the start that moved him from 13th starting spot up to the pole position. Naida took the lead from Joe Bares and then held off a late race surge from Brett Mann to capture the victory.
Defending ASCS Sprints on Dirt champion and last season’s winner at Winston, Tim Norman, and Bares were on the front row for the initial start. Norman spun in front of the field on the start in turn two and collected eight other cars. The red flag was displayed to clean up the crash. All of the drivers involved were able to restart.
Naida moved up to the pole for the second start, but it was Bares who took the lead going into turn one. While heading down the backstretch to complete the second lap, Tom Miller spun in turns three and four. A former winner at Winston and O’Reilly ASCS National Tour driver Dustin Daggett did not see the caution, rode over Gary Fast’s right rear wheel, and flipped end for end in turn three. Daggett was uninjured, but his racing at Winston was ended abruptly.
Late in the race Brett Mann was on the move passing Bares for the second spot. Mann also caught a break when Gregg Dalman clipped a marker tire coming off the fourth corner, broke the front end on his sprinter and crashed hard into the inside wall down the front stretch. Dalman was uninjured, but had to retire from the event due to significant front-end damage.
Mann was on Naida's back bumper for the restart, but Naida was up for the challenge. Naida pulled away from Mann on the restart and held on over the last ten laps to win the feature. Mann, Kevin Atkins, Bares, and Fast rounded out the top five. Norman, Bares and Atkins won heat races.
In Michigan Modified action Rich Neiser finally ended a run of three feature wins in a row for Mike Wilburn. Four cautions started the race. The last one was the most costly as front runners Scott Presley and Fast Car Dash winner Tim Tuttle tangled on the front stretch with both of them ending up against the front stretch wall. Neiser grabbed the point on the restart and stayed there. Wilburn made his way to second and did everything in his power to get to the front. A caution with one lap to go gave Wilburn one last opportunity to get by Neiser. On the start Wilburn chose the middle grove while Neiser stayed on the bottom line. Wilburn’s last ditch opportunity to get to the front backfired as John McCaul aggressively made his way inside of Wilburn in turn one to move to second. Neiser maintained his lead and went on to win his second Main event of the season at Winston. McCaul held off Wilburn for second. Nate Bostrom and Derek Poland rounded out the top five. Heats were won by Harry Wilson and McCaul. Wilburn was the fastest Modified in Qualifying.
Sportsman drivers continue to chase the #88 of Greg Smith in the Point Standings. Even a poor qualifying effort did not hurt the four-time Sportsman track champion. Fast Qualifier Bud Steinman’s inversion draw saw Smith placed on the front row for the main event. Smith was nothing less than smooth and fast hitting all of his marks winning by fifteen car lengths. The second place position was garnered by Denny Lynn Jr. The third place position was entertaining to watch as it changed hands many times during the event. Ultimately Mike Welch held off Chad Weinrick and Mike Lynn. In Heat race action Ken Fitzgibbon and Smith were winners. Weinrick took Dash honors.
The Bomber drivers looked like they were running for the Sprint Car payoff as nobody was giving an inch. The tone of the race was set from start as front row starter and Dash event winner Jerry Fairchild was put in the wall resulting in an eighteenth place finish. In a division where cautions have been few, tonight made up for the first seven weeks of racing. It should be an interesting lead into for the Bomber Championship in two weeks. Before the end of the Feature four out of the top five drivers in points were in the pits with damaged cars. After the entire melee it was Points Leader and the nights Fast Qualifier Mike Epplett as the last one standing in the top five of the standings. Epplett’s aggressive move at the start of the race put him on the point where he was untouchable. Fourteen-year old fan favorite Sadie Klien survived the carnage with composure beyond her years to finish second. Tony Weinrick had his best finish of the season with a strong third place. Roger Brooks and Kyle Borgman rounded out the top five. Heats were won by Stan Dodds and Angie Gilmore.
Mini Stock drivers who were not around when Luke Near was the most dominating Mini Stock Driver in West Michigan from 2001-2003 are quickly realizing that even though Luke races part-time these days, your better bring your “A” game to beat him when he shows up. For the second time in two weeks Near was the class of the field. Near made his way to the front quickly and pulled away from the field. Brian Bussing won the race for second over Carl McCann, Zak Rounds, and Mark Farber. Near won the Dash event. Farber garnered Heat Race honors. McCann was the fastest in Time Trials.
The last lap for Blake Meyering last week was painful to watch. After leading the entire event of his Mid-Season Championship race his dreams literally went up in smoke. A mechanical failure resulted with his car catching on fire with one lap to go. To say there was redemption on his mind would be and understatement. Meyering eased last week’s disappointment by winning three out the four Young Gun events including the Feature, Dash, and Qualifying. Jordon Praay was the only one to put a nick in Meyering’s armor with a Heat Race win. Following Meyering to the line for the feature event was Praay, Adam Spencer, Andrew Bartoszek, and Kiley Kennedy.
Friday June 16th the Late Models and Mini Stock drivers take center stage for their Mid-Season Championships. The Question on many people’s minds is there anyone who can beat Kevin Nelson at Winston. Nelson’s currently has five feature wins. Front runners Tom Dusen, Rich Nesier, and Eddie Reyes all hope they are the drivers to put a stop to the “Kevin Nelson Show”. It should make for a great night of racing. For the Best in Family Entertainment along the Lakeshore make your way to Winston Motor Speedway.
