Friday, May 23
McCaul Claims “Integra Racing Shocks & Springs” Invitational Title
The Integra Racing Shocks & Springs UMP Modified Invitational highlighted a great night of racing on Friday, May 25th at Winston Speedway. A couple of former Michigan Modified track and state champions proved that they are still the drivers to beat in this open wheeled division on the 3/8ths clay oval of Winston. 2006 champion Mike Wilbern and 2005 champion John McCaul had the fans on their feet with their efforts to take home the $750 winners share from Integra. It was thirty laps of white knuckle racing as these two drivers put on a great show.
Modified driver Derek Poland earned the right to draw for the inversion after being the fastest in qualifying. Poland’s lap of 16.81 seconds also earned him a contingency award for a new set of racing springs from Integra. Poland’s inversion draw put Wilbern on the pole and himself on the outside of the front row. At the start it looked as Wilbern was going to run away from the field as he gained a ten-car advantage over Poland by lap four. A caution for a spinning car on lap five tightened the field. On the restart all eyes were drawn to John McCaul who had his car hooked up and flying on the outside groove. By lap eight McCaul had cleared Poland and was running side by side with Wilbern as they passed the flagstand. For the next three laps McCaul and Wilbern raced side by side. McCaul led for the first time on lap eleven by a foot. At the half way point McCaul started working his way through lapped traffic. With just three laps to go McCaul was running three abreast with lapped cars when a caution was waved for Andy Sprague spinning off the backstretch. Starting single file from the second position Mike Wilbern made great move on the restart getting under McCaul to take the apparent lead. Wilbern’s pass was nullified as Jeremy Holman and Steve McCleese tangled in turn three before a lap was completed. Wilbern had showed his hand and McCaul was not going to let it happen again. McCaul moved down from the high side groove and hugged the inside of the track for the last three laps to take the win. In Wilbern’s efforts to get by McCaul he jumped to the high side losing a spot to runner-up Rich Neiser who was waiting in the wings for McCaul or Wilbern to make a mistake. Greg Smith and Poland completed the top five. Dave Baker, Steve Hilliker, Tim Tuttle, Jeremy Holman and Eddie Reyes made up the rest of the top ten. Dan Dykman and Julie Taylor earned the transfer spot from the Consolation feature. Randy Whitten was credited with the Consolation Feature win. Heat Race winners were won by Taylor, Ricky Whipple, and Tuttle. The Dash event was won by Poland.
In the Integra Racing Shocks & Springs Late Model Division Kevin Nelson Jr picked up his second feature win of the season. Starting in the third spot Nelson Jr made his way by pole sitter Jim Fairbanks on lap four and never looked back. By lap seven Nelson Jr was putting on a clinic of how to get through lapped traffic. Nelson Jr was able to put his car in the high and low grooves as he maneuvered his way through the 21-car field. Nelson’s final two laps were the toughest. Nelson could not breath a sigh of relief until the checkered flag was waved. Hard charging Points leader Tom Sprague made his way to his bumper and drove it as hard as he could on the last lap but came up three foot short to finish in second place. Fairbanks, Matt Pickard, and Kevin Nelson completed the top five. Heat Race honors went to Bob Findlay and Fairbanks. Nelson won the Time Trial and Dash Events.
The Sternberg brothers continue to share the winner’s circle in the Port City Racing Sportsman division. This week it was Rob Sternberg. Not only did Rob Sternberg win the Dash and Heat Race, he came from his eighth place starting position in the main event to take the win. Rob Sternberg win was hard earned as he and Chad Weinrick raced each other hard and clean lap after lap door to door before Rob Sternberg edged his way to the lead. The win was Rob Sternberg’s third main event win of the season. Weinrick held onto second over Ralph Sternberg, Kyle Borgman and Mike Anderson. Borgman was the other Heat race winner.
Port City Racing Factory Stock driver Tim Epplett has found victory lane to his liking. After picking up his first feature win in 31 years of racing last week Epplett retuned to victory circle this week. For most of the race Points leader Robert Erickson looked like he had things well under control pacing the field. It was not until the white flag lap that Erickson realized Epplett was to his outside and determined not to finish second. As they crossed the finish line Epplett held the advantage by less than two feet. Jamie Lorenze, Devin Vanderstelt, and Tony Weinrick made up the rest of the top five. Bill Delonge and Erickson garnered heat race wins. Weinrick too Dash event honors.
Nathon Walton made the best of his return visit in the Sprague’s Auto Parts Mini Stock division. Walton has taken his talents to the asphalt of Berlin recently but could not pass up the opportunity to drive the 2006 Track Championship car of Carl McCann. Walton showed his diversity as he led every lap taking the win in this four-cylinder division. Hard charger Mark Farber finished second followed by Don Keech, Adam Spencer, and Hullett. Farber won the Dash and Heat race events earlier in the evening.
Young Gun Driver Eric Harrald led the way in the main event and heat race leading every lap to take the wins. In the Main event Andrew Bartoszek was second followed by Seth Moody, Moorman and Glen Parker. Moody took Dash honors.
Next Friday night Winston Speedway returns with six classes of racing. The weather is getting hot and so is the racing action at Winston. For the best in Family entertainment along the Lakeshore make your way to Winston Speedway.
