Fife Lake, Michigan (Friday, May 18th, 2012): The 2012 Racing Season roared to life at the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile high-banked dirt oval of Cherry Raceway, located southeast of Traverse City in Fife Lake, Michigan as it was Opening Night 2012 / Best Looking Car(s) Contest as the 2012 campaign kicked off with s Huge Six in One show to jump start the new season up in the “Great White North.”
The first Feature of the night would be for the Four-Cylinder Compacts as it would be 13-year-old Chris Casey and 14-year-old Rheanna Doberstein leading the field to the green. However it would be 14-year-old Ryan Andras who would lead the first lap before Casey regrouped and overtook Andras on lap five and from there, the Williamsburg, Michigan driver in his Wilson Plumbing Mercury would score his first career Feature triumph.
Doberstein finished second as 16-year-old Cara Nevereth and Andras rounded out the field. Casey would also win the lone Heat Race as Doberstein took the honors of Best Appearing Car for Opening Night 2012.
The Street Stocks rolled out next for their Feature as it would be Dan Klinglesmith and Rookie Jason Halcomb starting on the front row. Klinglesmith would lead the first three laps before Bob Green took over the point and from there the Fife Lake, Michigan veteran in his Olson’s Auto Body Chevrolet would fight off a hard-charging Tim Tabaczka to score the Feature Win to add to winning the Best Appearing Car Award he won earlier in the evening.
Tabaczka finished second but was disqualified in post-race tech, giving the runner-up spot to 17-year-old rookie James Clem. Mark Phillips inherited third while Klinglesmith and 17-year-old Andy Nickerson III would finish off the top five. Clem and Green would pick up the Heat Race triumphs.
The Four-Cylinders Warriors were up next and the front row consisted of Mark Nienhouse and Rookie Andrew Austin sitting on the front row. Nienhouse would make short work of the field as the Traverse City, Michigan driver in his Brickyard Towing Dodge would walk away with the Feature victory in convincing fashion.
16-year-old John Edingfield, who earlier in the night won the Best Appearing Car Award finished second with Rookie Jim Durga third. 15-year-old Nick Olds was fourth while Austin rounded out the top five. Nienhouse would also win the Heat Race.
Up next would be the Cruiser Bombers and it would be Rookie David Harrington and Josh Hutchinson bringing the field to the green. Hutchinson grabbed the early lead only to lose it on lap seven to 14-year-old Jimmy Hiller. From there it was all Hiller as the 14-year-old from Kalkaska, Michigan in his Forest Area Car Company Chevrolet would fight off the advances of Defending Track Champion Emery Smith to win his first career Feature.
Smith finished second while Rookie Alicia Roszczewski was third over Hutchinson and Harrington finished off the top five. Hiller and Roszczewski would collect the Heat Race Wins.
The premier division within the UMP DIRTcar Racing Series, the UMP Super Late Models would find Rookie Alex Beeman and Veteran Butch Strait leading the field to Chief Starter Tim Beebe’s green flag. Beeman led for the first lap until Jeremy Tulick got by on lap two. A caution the next lap took Tulick and Strait out of competition giving the lead back to Beeman. However on the restart, Brandon Thirlby, who earlier in the night won the Best Appearing Car Award, shot around the freshman to take over the top spot.
After that it was all Thirlby as the Traverse City, Michigan driver in his Thirlby Automotive / Mastersbilt Racecars entry would bring home the Feature Win on his home track over Greg Gokey who finished second. Defending Track Champion Ben Hidy was third while Beeman and Steve Nieuwenhuis wrapped up the top five. Thirlby and former Seven-Time Track Champion Eric Spangler won the Heat Races.
The final Feature of the night would be for the UMP Modifieds as Veteran John McCaul and Defending Track Champion Joe Rokos sat on the front row. McCaul grabbed the early lead while Rokos was busy fending off the advances of a hard-charging Collin Thirlby who came into the weekend seventh in the Nation in the UMP DIRTcar Racing Series points chase.
While Rokos and Thirlby were battling, McCaul would slowly pull away and in the end, the Montague, Michigan veteran in his Stuberg Construction / Xtreme Racecars machine would score the Feature Win. Rokos finished second over Best Appearing Car Award Winner Thirlby. Tony Gokey was fourth as Paul Johnson would wrap up the top five. McCaul and Rokos won the Heat Races.
This Friday, May 25th, kick off the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend celebration at Cherry Raceway with the first of four appearances by the Mid-Michigan Mini Sprints. They’ll be joined by the UMP Modifieds, Street Stocks, Cruiser Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Four-Cylinder Compacts. The UMP Super Late Models will have the night of.
Ticket Prices for Friday, May 25th are: Adults (13-59): $12.00 – Seniors (60 and Over): $9.00 – Children (6-12) $6.00 – Kids (5 and Under): FREE – Pit Passes: $25.00. On Friday nights throughout the 2012 racing season, the Pit Gates Open at 5:00p.m. Grandstand Gates Open at 6:00p.m. Practice also Starts at 6:00p.m., and then after Pre-Race Ceremonies / Invocation / National Anthem(s), Racing Begins at 7:15p.m.
Coming up on a special Saturday night, June 2nd, the hi-flying Engine Pro ASCS Sprints On Dirt Presented by ARP will come to town for a rare Saturday night event in Fife Lake, Michigan. The Street Stocks, Cruiser Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Four-Cylinder Compacts will also be a part of this very special event.
Cherry Raceway is located at: 8649 East M-113 in Fife Lake, Michigan. For more information, please call: 1 (231) 468-1477. Don’t forget to check out the track website at: www.cherryraceway.com You can also follow us on Facebook by going to: www.facebook.com/cherryraceway and clicking on the “Like” button as well as on Twitter by going to: www.twitter.com/cherryraceway
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