Spring Lake driver one of the nation's best when it comes to UMP Modified racing

Spring Lake driver one of the nation's best when it comes to UMP Modified racing

Saturday, May 05, 2012, Steve Kaminski Skaminsk@mlive.com

LAKE ODESSA – Jacob Poel was well aware that the target on the back of his firesuit was a big one prior to the start of I-96 Speedway’s season opener Saturday night.
Photo courtesy of Randy Ellen PhotographyJacob Poel won 21 A main feature races a year ago, which was third in the nation in Modified racing. Fortunately for the Spring Lake Modified driver, he is a moving target, and a pretty fast one at that.
Jacob Poel
Poel got off to a fast start in the 7th annual Ice Breaker on the Lake Odessa-based three-eighths mile dirt oval, taking top honors in a 10-lap Michigan Dirt Cup heat race, leading from start-to-finish. He then finished second in the 40-lap main to Aaron Morey of West Olive after Morey passed him with a lap to go while the two battled through lapped traffic.

Poel is coming off a dream season in which he won 21 A feature races, two B mains and about 30 heat races. When the checkered flag fell on the 2011 season for the second-generation driver, Poel had won I-96’s track championship as well as the Dirt Cup title. In addition, he finished fourth in the national UMP Modified point standings.

But Poel said he expects the competition to be even tougher this year.
“Last year, I felt like we were on the fore-running curve of suspension technology with these Modifieds, but a lot of drivers over the wintertime have stepped up their programs,” Poel said. “We can’t ever expect the cars to get any slower. The competition is only getting stiffer.

“It just forces us to be on our A game every single night and do the best thing that we can do for our car. Our crew has been working great with each other. We have been clicking really well.”

Poel headed into Saturday’s I-96 opener with two wins this season, with both of them coming at Winston Speedway in Rothbury. Winston competes on Friday nights. A year ago, Poel’s 21 feature wins were third in the nation in dirt Modified racing. He trailed only Michael Long (25) of Quincy, Ill., and Mike Harrison (24) of Highland, Ill.

While Poel said he does feel like a marked man this year, he added that he is embracing the pressure.

“It is semi-stressful, but I try not to look at the past,” Poel said. “I do have a target on my back, but it’s actually kind of nice because now I have other drivers coming up to me asking questions, and I enjoy trying to help other people out instead of just worrying about our own program.”

Look for Poel to race at I-96 and Winston once again this season, and he wants to defend his Michigan Dirt Cup title, too. He also plans to expand his program throughout the Midwest.

“Starting June 13, the Summer National Hell Tour starts with 28 races in 30 days,” Poel said. “They are all down in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and some of the Southern states. We are going to go to some tracks that we have never been to, but I think that’s the only way we are going to get better, to go against tougher and better competition. I hope to hit as many as 20 of those races. We won the Hell Tour race here last season, so I have to defend my home turf.”

In all, 119 cars participated in Saturday’s opener, which included Late Models, Sport Compact and Street Stock divisions. I-96 will return to action with AMA Flat Track Motorcycle competition on Saturday.