Cherry Speedway News

3rd annual Battle of the Bullring THIS Tuesday, July 3rd; $3,000 to Win / $300 to Start for UMP Modifieds
Current Points Leader John McCaul Victorious In Cherry Raceway’s Battle of the Bullring Tune-Up

Fife Lake, Michigan (Monday, July 2nd, 2012): One of the biggest races of the season is set for a special Tuesday Night, July 3rd as the UMP Modifieds will headline the 3rd annual Battle of the Bullring Presented by Weller Auto & Truck Parts as the best open-wheeled drivers in the Midwest will make the trip up to the “Great White North” and battle in a 30-Lap Feature paying a whopping $3,000 to Win and $300 just to start! There is a $30.00 Entry Fee for this event for UMP Modifieds.

Also on the card will be Street Stocks, Cruiser Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Four-Cylinder Compacts. Special Ticket Prices for Tuesday, July 3rd will be: Adults (13-59): $15.00 – Seniors (60 and Over): $12.00 – Children (6-12) $5.00 – Kids (5 and Under): FREE – Pit Passes: $30.00.

For this special Tuesday Night of Racing, the Pit Gates will Open an hour earlier than a normal night at 4:00p.m., while the Grandstand Gates Open an hour earlier as well at 5:00p.m. Practice Starts at 6:00p.m., and then after Pre-Race Ceremonies / Invocation / National Anthem(s), Racing Begins at approximately 7:15p.m.

This past Friday night, June 29th the 20-Lap Feature for the UMP Modifieds served as the final tune-up for the 3rd annual Battle of the Bullring. Defending Track Champion Joe Rokos and Current Points Leader John McCaul led the 18-car field to the green flag and it would be McCaul beating Rokos to the first corner to take the early lead.

Throughout the course of the event, McCaul would feel constant pressure from Rokos as well as Defending UMP DIRTcar Racing Series Michigan State Champion Jacob Poel who was making his first appearance of the season in the “Great White North”. McCaul kept both competitors behind him leaving both drivers to battle amongst themselves. With two laps to go and while under caution, contact between Poel and Rokos ended both of their nights leaving Collin Thirlby to challenge McCaul.

McCaul wasn’t to be denied as the Montague, Michigan veteran in his #27 Stuberg Construction / Xtreme Racecars machine would hang on for his fourth Feature Win of the 2012 racing season. Thirlby finished in second with Mike Wilbern from 17th, Paul Johnson, and 18-year-old Nick Kurtz completing the top five. Poel and Thirlby won the Heat Races.

Also on the card would be the second of three appearances by the Mid-Michigan Mini Sprints Series as well as the Final Tune-Up for the 3rd Annual Battle of the Bullring for the UMP Modifieds highlighted a very hot Friday evening both on and off the track as temperatures at race time reached nearly 100 degrees. The sweltering heat didn’t diminish the spirits of the great crowd on hand who were treated to a very exciting night of racing action on the 3/8s (0.375) mile high-banked dirt oval.

The Four-Cylinders Sport Compacts rolled out onto the speedway for their Feature event. 13-year-old Autumn Beeman, the Defending Track Champion and last Friday’s Feature Winner would lead the field to the green flag. Throughout the event, Beeman was under consistent pressure from Current Points Leader, fellow 13-year-old Chris Casey, but throughout the event, Beeman was up to the challenge as the Buckley, Michigan teenager in her #016 Beeman’s Towing / Ford would collect her second straight Feature Win.

Casey settled for second while a pair of 15-year-olds; Rheanna Doberstein and Ryan Andras were next as 16-year-old Frank Smith would complete the top five. Beeman would start the night off by winning the lone Heat Race.

The UMP Street Stocks would roll out next as 17-year-old Rookie James Clem and Dan Klinglesmith led the field to the green. Clem would grab the lead while Tim Tabaczka would work his way up to second and challenge Clem for the top spot. Soon he was joined by Rookie Points Leader 19-year-old Allen Oyer and the trio would pull away to battle.

Clem was up to the task however as the Kalkaska, Michigan native in his #1c Clem Welding / Chevrolet would lead all 15 laps to score his first career Feature Win! Tabaczka finished second ahead of Oyer while Kevin Borgen and 16-year-old Andy Nickerson III finished off the top five. Tabaczka and Current Points Leader Bob Green picked up the Heat Race triumphs.

The Four-Cylinders Warriors made their way out onto the 3/8ths mile for their Feature. Ron Doberstein Jr., and 16-year-old John Edingfield lead the field to green. Edingfield would lead lap one, but Jim Durga would not be denied the lead on lap two with a power move on the outside. After an early race caution, the 16-year-old John Edingfield would retake the lead on lap eight and from there the Traverse City, Michigan driver in his #j18 Gene’s Auto Parts / Acura would go on to win his first Feature of the season.

Durga settled for second while 15-year-old Nick Olds was third ahead of Doberstein Jr., and Andrew Austin wrapped up the top five. Edingfield would also sweep the entire evening as he would also pick up the Heat Race win.

The Cruiser Bombers 15-Lap Feature was up next as Defending Track Champion and last Friday nights Feature Winner Emery Smith along-with Charlie Woebbeking started on the front row. Woebbeking would lead the first lap before 14-year-old Jimmy Hiller drove by to take over the top spot. For the second week in a row, Hiller dropped out while leading giving the top spot to Dan Wilson.

The Fife Lake, Michigan native made no mistake the rest of the way as the driver of the #43 Joe’s Grinding / Oldsmobile drove away with his second Feature Win of the season in two starts. Jeremiah Woebbeking was second while Richard Cebula Jr., 2010 Track Champion Roger McQueen, and Smith were the final top five. Hiller and Wilson won the Heat Races.

The traveling stars of the Mid-Michigan Mini Sprints Series were up next for their 20-lap A Main and it was Randy Plamondon and Mack Erickson leading the field to Chief Starter Tim Beebe’s green flag. Erickson paced the field for the first five laps until Bruce Dezelski drove by and took over the top spot and began pulling away from the rest of the pack.

It was all Dezelski for the remainder of the race as the Traverse City, Michigan veteran in his #6 Hiram’s Motorsports / Suzuki would walk away with the Feature Win over Rusty Reyelts who won the series’ first appearance back over the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend. Justin Ward was third as Plamondon and Rick Irwin were the top five. Dezelski and Ward were the Heat Race victors.

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