Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Cherry Raceway Results for Sunday September 2nd, 2012
Cherry Raceway Results for Sunday September 2nd, 2012
Fife Lake, Michigan (Sunday September 2nd, 2012): The United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) sanctioned Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modified tour made the trip to Cherry Raceway in Fife Lake, Michigan just southeast of Traverse City, Michigan on Sunday for a special Labor Day event which was a make-up due to the original date being rained out. The UMP Super Late models were also in competition for their final time in 2012, as well as the Street Stocks, Cruiser Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors and Four-Cylinder Compacts. Starting things off it was the Cruiser Bomber division competing in a 20-lap feature event. Current point leader Jimmy Hiller took the lead early, and there would be several cautions that would try to cause problems, but when it was all said and done, Hiller was the winner when the checkered flag was thrown.
Similar to Friday night Hiller the 14-year old Kalkaska, Michigan native picked up his ninth win of 2012 in the Forest Area Car Company / Chevrolet. 2010 track champion Roger McQueen finished second, Caleb Kill, Josh Grabe, and Mark Farber finished off the top five. Dennis Bringedahl, and Farber were the heat winners.
The Street Stocks were next in their 25-lap main event. Kevin Borgen and Mike Sparks were in the front row and the green flag went in the air. Borgen would take the early advantage, and would hold on to that spot until with under ten laps remaining, Tim Tabaczka who started towards the rear of the field powered his way to the front went home as the victor.
The Manistee, Michigan driver took his #45t Parkville Auto / Chevrolet to the winners circle for the fifith time this season. Sparks would be the runner up finisher, Borgen, Bob Green, and T.J. Erickson rounded out the top five. Borgen and Dan Hersey took the heat wins.
The Four-Cylinder Compacts made their way out for a 15-lap feature. The current points leader Chris Casey did happen to take the early lead, but he would see mechanical issues get the better of him, and the lead would then find itself going to Dalton Bouscher, he went on to take the checkered flag as the winner.
This was the first win for the rookie driver from Traverse City, Michigan in the #42 Van’s Auto Sales / Porsche. Defending track champion Autumn Beeman finished second, Dylan Roush took third, Frank Smith III, and Ryan Andras were in the top five. Andras won the heat race. The Four-Cylinder Warriors went head to head in their 15-lap A-Main. Bob Craycraft would take the top spot early, but Chad Tomczka would have something to say about that as he worked towards the front of the field and was able to take the lead, and go un challenged for the win.
The Casnovia, Michigan driver picked up his first win at Cherry Raceway this year in his #1t High Rail Solutions / Honda getting the win over, Mark Nienhouse who took second, Shawn Alwarden, Andrew Austin, and John Edingfield made up the top five. Tomczka also won the lone heat race.2012 Merritt Raceway Champion Eric Spangler and Rich Neiser lead the high-powered UMP Super Late Models out for what would be a thrilling 20-lap feature. However Brandon Thirlby would take the lead on lap one, but Spangler would answer right back by getting around Thirlby for the lead, and there would be a hard battle but there was no stopping the Lake City, Michigan driver as he went on to pick up the win.
The #27 Spangler heating and cooling / Mastersbilt racecar was in victory lane for the first and only time this year. Thirlby was forced to take second, Neiser was third, Alex Beeman, and C.J. Heskett rounded out the top five. The heats were taken by Greg Gokey, and Spangler
The main event of the evening was the 30-lap feature courtesy of the Allstar performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modifieds presented by Lane Automotive. 2011 UMP DIRTcar racing series modified state of Michigan champion Jacob Poel was the driver to jump out front early. Things would stay that way until with ten laps remaining, the current state of Michigan points leader David Mielke would get around Poel and go on to get the big victory.
Mielke took his #87 Fennimore Group / Rocket Chassis to victory lane as the winner. Poel would settle for second, 2012 I-96 Speedway Champion Zack Olger was third, John McCaul, and Colin Thirlby completed the top five. Mielke, Poel, Brian Brindley, and Olger got the heat victories. There were also to B-Mains those were won by Stan Dodds, and McCaul.
This Saturday will be the final date on the racing schedule for the 2012 racing season at the Cherry Raceway. The night will be headlined by the second and final visit from the wingless Lane Automotive Michigan Traditional Sprint Series. Joining the sprints will be a Street Stock Special worth $1000.00 to win and $100.00 just to start the main event. The Cruiser Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Four-Cylinder Compacts will also be on hand for their season ending races.
Ticket Prices for Saturday September 8th are: Adults (13-59): $15.00 – Seniors (60 and Over): $12.00 – Children (6-12): $5.00 – Kids (5 and Under): FREE – Pit Passes: $25.00.
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 approximately 7:15p.m.
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
Fife Lake, Michigan (Sunday September 2nd, 2012): The United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) sanctioned Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modified tour made the trip to Cherry Raceway in Fife Lake, Michigan just southeast of Traverse City, Michigan on Sunday for a special Labor Day event which was a make-up due to the original date being rained out. The UMP Super Late models were also in competition for their final time in 2012, as well as the Street Stocks, Cruiser Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors and Four-Cylinder Compacts. Starting things off it was the Cruiser Bomber division competing in a 20-lap feature event. Current point leader Jimmy Hiller took the lead early, and there would be several cautions that would try to cause problems, but when it was all said and done, Hiller was the winner when the checkered flag was thrown.
Similar to Friday night Hiller the 14-year old Kalkaska, Michigan native picked up his ninth win of 2012 in the Forest Area Car Company / Chevrolet. 2010 track champion Roger McQueen finished second, Caleb Kill, Josh Grabe, and Mark Farber finished off the top five. Dennis Bringedahl, and Farber were the heat winners.
The Street Stocks were next in their 25-lap main event. Kevin Borgen and Mike Sparks were in the front row and the green flag went in the air. Borgen would take the early advantage, and would hold on to that spot until with under ten laps remaining, Tim Tabaczka who started towards the rear of the field powered his way to the front went home as the victor.
The Manistee, Michigan driver took his #45t Parkville Auto / Chevrolet to the winners circle for the fifith time this season. Sparks would be the runner up finisher, Borgen, Bob Green, and T.J. Erickson rounded out the top five. Borgen and Dan Hersey took the heat wins.
The Four-Cylinder Compacts made their way out for a 15-lap feature. The current points leader Chris Casey did happen to take the early lead, but he would see mechanical issues get the better of him, and the lead would then find itself going to Dalton Bouscher, he went on to take the checkered flag as the winner.
This was the first win for the rookie driver from Traverse City, Michigan in the #42 Van’s Auto Sales / Porsche. Defending track champion Autumn Beeman finished second, Dylan Roush took third, Frank Smith III, and Ryan Andras were in the top five. Andras won the heat race. The Four-Cylinder Warriors went head to head in their 15-lap A-Main. Bob Craycraft would take the top spot early, but Chad Tomczka would have something to say about that as he worked towards the front of the field and was able to take the lead, and go un challenged for the win.
The Casnovia, Michigan driver picked up his first win at Cherry Raceway this year in his #1t High Rail Solutions / Honda getting the win over, Mark Nienhouse who took second, Shawn Alwarden, Andrew Austin, and John Edingfield made up the top five. Tomczka also won the lone heat race.2012 Merritt Raceway Champion Eric Spangler and Rich Neiser lead the high-powered UMP Super Late Models out for what would be a thrilling 20-lap feature. However Brandon Thirlby would take the lead on lap one, but Spangler would answer right back by getting around Thirlby for the lead, and there would be a hard battle but there was no stopping the Lake City, Michigan driver as he went on to pick up the win.
The #27 Spangler heating and cooling / Mastersbilt racecar was in victory lane for the first and only time this year. Thirlby was forced to take second, Neiser was third, Alex Beeman, and C.J. Heskett rounded out the top five. The heats were taken by Greg Gokey, and Spangler
The main event of the evening was the 30-lap feature courtesy of the Allstar performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modifieds presented by Lane Automotive. 2011 UMP DIRTcar racing series modified state of Michigan champion Jacob Poel was the driver to jump out front early. Things would stay that way until with ten laps remaining, the current state of Michigan points leader David Mielke would get around Poel and go on to get the big victory.
Mielke took his #87 Fennimore Group / Rocket Chassis to victory lane as the winner. Poel would settle for second, 2012 I-96 Speedway Champion Zack Olger was third, John McCaul, and Colin Thirlby completed the top five. Mielke, Poel, Brian Brindley, and Olger got the heat victories. There were also to B-Mains those were won by Stan Dodds, and McCaul.
This Saturday will be the final date on the racing schedule for the 2012 racing season at the Cherry Raceway. The night will be headlined by the second and final visit from the wingless Lane Automotive Michigan Traditional Sprint Series. Joining the sprints will be a Street Stock Special worth $1000.00 to win and $100.00 just to start the main event. The Cruiser Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Four-Cylinder Compacts will also be on hand for their season ending races.
Ticket Prices for Saturday September 8th are: Adults (13-59): $15.00 – Seniors (60 and Over): $12.00 – Children (6-12): $5.00 – Kids (5 and Under): FREE – Pit Passes: $25.00.
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 approximately 7:15p.m.
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
Brian Campbell Clean Sweeps JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Competition At Owosso Speedway
The Big "O" Classic 100 Presented by JEGS.com highlighted the Labor Day Holiday Weekend at the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile high-banked paved oval of Owosso Speedway located northeast of Lansing in Ovid, Michigan as the pivotal 12th race of the 2012 racing season for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance answered a few questions moving forward for the remainder of the 2012 campaign.
At the end of the 100-Lap main at the historic Central Michigan speed plant, Wyoming, Michigan veteran, Brian Campbell emerged victorious as he swept everything involving race day at the historic Central Michigan speed plant. The 33-year-old started the day by sweeping both Practice Sessions. Then after winning his first Boyne Machine Fast Qualifier Award, the two-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Winner in 2012 took the lead on lap 38 and went on to score the victory in the Big "O" Classic 100 Presented by JEGS.com.
"We just had a great car all day long, we didn't really change much at all and we just waited for everyone to sort themselves out," Campbell explained in his post-race winners circle interview. "This was a great way to kick off the month of September. We've got a busy schedule the rest of the season and I'm very happy that we can start it off with a win at one of my favorite race tracks."
The 24-car field was brought down to the green flag by Johnny Belott and 19-year-old Rookie Brandon Hermiller and right from the get-go, the field behind the front row began jockeying for position while Belott and Hermiller held their lines for the first lap. On lap two, Hermiller got a right rear tire off the backstretch which allowed the field to freight train him on the inside.
The biggest benefactors would be both of the home track favorites in the field, Chad Finley from near-by DeWitt, Michigan and Reigning JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Champion, 16-year-old Erik Jones who was making his first appearance of the season on his home track after spending the majority of the year running in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards for Venturini Motorsports.
Both drivers climbed up to second and third from their fourth and seventh starting positions respectively and on lap four, both drivers slipped by Belott, a former winner in the ARCA/CRA Super Series back in the 2005 season at Toledo Speedway and ironically making his JEGS/CRA debut filling in for Joe Johnson. Finley took the lead only to lose it a lap later to Jones as the near capacity crowd on hand were already on their feet cheering on the two home track favorite.
Both drivers would swap the lead twice more for a total of four lead changed between laps four through seven before Jones took over again and kept Finley behind him who now had the remainder of the field from third back to 13th to deal with. Campbell, who started sixth, methodically worked his way up to the second spot and quickly reeled in Jones and placed himself on the teenagers back bumper.
On Lap 38, Campbell made his move for the lead and took over the top spot. Jones gave a valiant effort but slowly began fading due to a slowly deflating tire. He would later be involved in a mid race caution and would be done for the night. From there, Campbell was a man on a mission as he slowly but surely pulled away from the rest of the pack and as the laps continued to click off, would put lapped traffic between him and the rest of the field.
The last of five cautions flew on lap 65 setting up a 35-lap sprint to the finish, however it would be all Campbell as the driver of the #20 K.B.R. Development / Ford would set sail the rest of the way to win his first JEGS/CRA victory of the 2012 season and second career win in the series as Campbell was the winner of the Inaugural JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour event at Toledo Speedway back on April 23rd, 2011.
"I had to get a win in this series pretty quick. I've been getting razzed for a month now after (Car Owner) Mike (Bursley) won at Berlin about how I can't win anymore in the JEGS/CRA Series," Laughed the Western Michigan standout. "But I do have to thank Mike & Kathy (Bursley) for giving me a great car and a great team and a huge thanks to my Dad (Fred Campbell) too, he's on the ball with the tire program."
Finishing second at his home track would be Finley as the driver of the #42 AutoParts2020.com / Ford led twice early in the race after a thrilling battle with Jones. "We had a really good for most of the race, but it got really tight there towards the end." The 20-year-old driver explained. "I wasn't expecting to be battling that hard that early in the race with Erik (Jones) but everyone behind us was going like it was the last lap so we had to go. It was way too early to do that. But we got a good finish out of it." Finley added.
Earning the Five Star Racecar Bodies & Racing Electronics Hard-Charger Awards for his impressive 18th to third place run was Dave Gentile Jr., who was making only his second start of the year in the series. "This is a great run for this team. It feels like a win running against the cars that was here tonight," The Elwood, Illinois driver stated as he stood next to his #6 W.M.C. Incorporated / Chevrolet. "I wish we had the sponsorship to run the full schedule in 2013. Hopefully we showed a few people here how good this entire team really is." The 33-year-old regular at Grundy County Speedway and Illiana Motor Speedway remarked.
Current Points Leader & Seven-Time Event Winner, Daniel Hemric finished fourth over Robbie Johnson who completed the top five with his second straight fifth place finish in two races. Wes Griffith Jr., finished sixth after starting 16th while 14-year-old Anderson Bowen Unofficially clinched the 2012 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Presented by Howe Racing Enterprises Award with his 19th to seventh place effort. Dan Leeck was eighth with Josh Nelms and 16-year-old Kyle Crump finished off the top 10 after starting 21st.
Earlier in the afternoon in Boyne Machine Qualifying, Campbell won his first Boyne Machine Fast Qualifier Award of the season as he toured the historic Central Michigan oval at a 15.571 which measures out to 86.700mph as he had swept everything JEGS/CRA related up to that point. The JEGS/CRA Track Record in Ovid, Michigan was set back on September 3rd, 2011 when Jones turned a 15.531.
The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance will now take a mini vacation before finishing out the 2012 racing season beginning with a return trip to Lucas Oil Raceway in Clermont, Indiana on Saturday-Sunday, September 29-30th as the JEGS/CRA teams will race in the Lucas Oil 100 Presented by JEGS.com which is part of the CRA Fall Brawl Weekend.
Then the Season Finale, for points, will see the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Champion and Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Presented by Howe Racing Enterprises be crowned on Friday, October 12th at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana as the JEGS/CRA Season Championship race will kick off the prestigious 41st annual Winchester 400 Weekend which runs from October 12-14th.
After the points are tabulated and everything is official, there is one more JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance event in 2012; A non-points race at the 4/10s (0.400) mile semi-banked paved oval of Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Georgia on Friday-Saturday, October 26-27th as the JEGS/CRA teams will be a part of the Fall Speedfest as the 100-Lap main will pay $3,000 to the winner. The ARCA/CRA Southern Six-Pack Series will also be racing in a 100-Lapper as well.
For more information about the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance, please visit: www.craracing.net and for more information about Lucas Oil Raceway and Winchester Speedway, go to each track website located at: www.lucasoilraceway.com and www.winchesterspeedway.com.
At the end of the 100-Lap main at the historic Central Michigan speed plant, Wyoming, Michigan veteran, Brian Campbell emerged victorious as he swept everything involving race day at the historic Central Michigan speed plant. The 33-year-old started the day by sweeping both Practice Sessions. Then after winning his first Boyne Machine Fast Qualifier Award, the two-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Winner in 2012 took the lead on lap 38 and went on to score the victory in the Big "O" Classic 100 Presented by JEGS.com.
"We just had a great car all day long, we didn't really change much at all and we just waited for everyone to sort themselves out," Campbell explained in his post-race winners circle interview. "This was a great way to kick off the month of September. We've got a busy schedule the rest of the season and I'm very happy that we can start it off with a win at one of my favorite race tracks."
The 24-car field was brought down to the green flag by Johnny Belott and 19-year-old Rookie Brandon Hermiller and right from the get-go, the field behind the front row began jockeying for position while Belott and Hermiller held their lines for the first lap. On lap two, Hermiller got a right rear tire off the backstretch which allowed the field to freight train him on the inside.
The biggest benefactors would be both of the home track favorites in the field, Chad Finley from near-by DeWitt, Michigan and Reigning JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Champion, 16-year-old Erik Jones who was making his first appearance of the season on his home track after spending the majority of the year running in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards for Venturini Motorsports.
Both drivers climbed up to second and third from their fourth and seventh starting positions respectively and on lap four, both drivers slipped by Belott, a former winner in the ARCA/CRA Super Series back in the 2005 season at Toledo Speedway and ironically making his JEGS/CRA debut filling in for Joe Johnson. Finley took the lead only to lose it a lap later to Jones as the near capacity crowd on hand were already on their feet cheering on the two home track favorite.
Both drivers would swap the lead twice more for a total of four lead changed between laps four through seven before Jones took over again and kept Finley behind him who now had the remainder of the field from third back to 13th to deal with. Campbell, who started sixth, methodically worked his way up to the second spot and quickly reeled in Jones and placed himself on the teenagers back bumper.
On Lap 38, Campbell made his move for the lead and took over the top spot. Jones gave a valiant effort but slowly began fading due to a slowly deflating tire. He would later be involved in a mid race caution and would be done for the night. From there, Campbell was a man on a mission as he slowly but surely pulled away from the rest of the pack and as the laps continued to click off, would put lapped traffic between him and the rest of the field.
The last of five cautions flew on lap 65 setting up a 35-lap sprint to the finish, however it would be all Campbell as the driver of the #20 K.B.R. Development / Ford would set sail the rest of the way to win his first JEGS/CRA victory of the 2012 season and second career win in the series as Campbell was the winner of the Inaugural JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour event at Toledo Speedway back on April 23rd, 2011.
"I had to get a win in this series pretty quick. I've been getting razzed for a month now after (Car Owner) Mike (Bursley) won at Berlin about how I can't win anymore in the JEGS/CRA Series," Laughed the Western Michigan standout. "But I do have to thank Mike & Kathy (Bursley) for giving me a great car and a great team and a huge thanks to my Dad (Fred Campbell) too, he's on the ball with the tire program."
Finishing second at his home track would be Finley as the driver of the #42 AutoParts2020.com / Ford led twice early in the race after a thrilling battle with Jones. "We had a really good for most of the race, but it got really tight there towards the end." The 20-year-old driver explained. "I wasn't expecting to be battling that hard that early in the race with Erik (Jones) but everyone behind us was going like it was the last lap so we had to go. It was way too early to do that. But we got a good finish out of it." Finley added.
Earning the Five Star Racecar Bodies & Racing Electronics Hard-Charger Awards for his impressive 18th to third place run was Dave Gentile Jr., who was making only his second start of the year in the series. "This is a great run for this team. It feels like a win running against the cars that was here tonight," The Elwood, Illinois driver stated as he stood next to his #6 W.M.C. Incorporated / Chevrolet. "I wish we had the sponsorship to run the full schedule in 2013. Hopefully we showed a few people here how good this entire team really is." The 33-year-old regular at Grundy County Speedway and Illiana Motor Speedway remarked.
Current Points Leader & Seven-Time Event Winner, Daniel Hemric finished fourth over Robbie Johnson who completed the top five with his second straight fifth place finish in two races. Wes Griffith Jr., finished sixth after starting 16th while 14-year-old Anderson Bowen Unofficially clinched the 2012 Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Presented by Howe Racing Enterprises Award with his 19th to seventh place effort. Dan Leeck was eighth with Josh Nelms and 16-year-old Kyle Crump finished off the top 10 after starting 21st.
Earlier in the afternoon in Boyne Machine Qualifying, Campbell won his first Boyne Machine Fast Qualifier Award of the season as he toured the historic Central Michigan oval at a 15.571 which measures out to 86.700mph as he had swept everything JEGS/CRA related up to that point. The JEGS/CRA Track Record in Ovid, Michigan was set back on September 3rd, 2011 when Jones turned a 15.531.
The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance will now take a mini vacation before finishing out the 2012 racing season beginning with a return trip to Lucas Oil Raceway in Clermont, Indiana on Saturday-Sunday, September 29-30th as the JEGS/CRA teams will race in the Lucas Oil 100 Presented by JEGS.com which is part of the CRA Fall Brawl Weekend.
Then the Season Finale, for points, will see the 2012 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance Champion and Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year Presented by Howe Racing Enterprises be crowned on Friday, October 12th at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana as the JEGS/CRA Season Championship race will kick off the prestigious 41st annual Winchester 400 Weekend which runs from October 12-14th.
After the points are tabulated and everything is official, there is one more JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance event in 2012; A non-points race at the 4/10s (0.400) mile semi-banked paved oval of Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Georgia on Friday-Saturday, October 26-27th as the JEGS/CRA teams will be a part of the Fall Speedfest as the 100-Lap main will pay $3,000 to the winner. The ARCA/CRA Southern Six-Pack Series will also be racing in a 100-Lapper as well.
For more information about the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance, please visit: www.craracing.net and for more information about Lucas Oil Raceway and Winchester Speedway, go to each track website located at: www.lucasoilraceway.com and www.winchesterspeedway.com.
Veteran driver looking to put past disappointments behind him with first Berlin Raceway track championship
Veteran driver looking to put past disappointments behind him with first Berlin Raceway track championship
MARNE – Billy Shotko can now laugh about what happened on the last lap of the final race in 2001 when the West Olive stock car driver was running in Berlin Raceway’s Sportsman division.
It still hurts just a little bit, though.
“In 2001, I led (the point standings) from the season-opening race to the final lap of the last race,” Shotko said. “I was leading the race when I was taken out coming out of turn four. I stopped about 10 to 15 feet short of the start-finish line, and there I sat while everybody went by. Cort Corwin ended up winning the championship by a couple of points.
“You do (get over it), but you don’t. You get past it, but it never leaves the back of your head.”
Berlin is hosting The Chet Championship Weekend, a three-day program that opens with Thursday’s practice, continues with Friday’s qualifying and heat races and wraps up with Saturday’s feature races.
Shotko, who now races in Berlin's Modified class, once again finds himself on the verge of a track championship, which would be the first in his nearly two-decade long racing career. Shotko is 67 points up on second-place Adam Chase, while Kevin DeGood is third overall, 71 markers back.
It appears that Shotko is in ideal position to wrap up the title, but don’t look for any celebrations on his part until the checkered flag drops on Saturday’s program, which begins at 7 p.m.
“We have been trying a long time to get back into the position that we are right now,” Shotko said. “We just work hard every week, trying to finish the best we can in every race.
“This will mean a lot. We have finished second in Late Models, and we have been second in Modifieds the last two years. It has been a long time coming. I have been racing out here for 18 years.”
What a day Saturday could be for Shotko and his family. His son, Evan Shotko, 9, races go-karts at the Ravenna Motor Park, and Evan is one point out of the lead in his class entering Ravenna’s season finale Saturday. “It’s possible that it could happen,” Shotko said. “Even if he finishes second, though, I will be so proud of him. He does an awesome job.”
Shotko said that a track title would be bittersweet because his father-in-law, Brian Slade, died this past July 1. Slade owned Duratech Racing Engines of Coopersville, which supplies a number of area drivers with engines. Slade, 59, died of a burst aorta.
“The hardest thing about winning the championship is going to be that my father-in-law, who passed away, won’t be able to see it,” Shotko said. “Before every race, I say a little prayer, asking to make this motor last one more race. Just one more race is all we need.”
Practice will run 4-8 p.m. Thursday. Action begins at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Friday also is $1 beer and $1 hotdog night.
Here's how the points races are shaping up in each division heading into this weekend’s action.
Super Late ModelsTerry VanHaitsma leads Chris Anthony by 11 points, with Tom Thomas third, 26 outs.
Outlaw Late ModelsThe field will be chasing Ross Meeuwsen, who leads Terry Senneker by 32 points.
Super StocksJustin Ryan is leading the way by 57 points over Will Olmsted.
SportsmanTony Davis and Brian Tillema are engaged in the track’s tightest battle. Davis enters the finale seven points up on Tillema.
4 CylindersHolland’s Mike Speet can take Saturday off. Speet, who leads Charlie DeJong by 198 points, has already locked up the title.
VROAThe traveling Vintage Racing Organization of America will decide its title this weekend as well, and Terry Byrne has a 15-point lead over Don Deyman.
MARNE – Billy Shotko can now laugh about what happened on the last lap of the final race in 2001 when the West Olive stock car driver was running in Berlin Raceway’s Sportsman division.
It still hurts just a little bit, though.
“In 2001, I led (the point standings) from the season-opening race to the final lap of the last race,” Shotko said. “I was leading the race when I was taken out coming out of turn four. I stopped about 10 to 15 feet short of the start-finish line, and there I sat while everybody went by. Cort Corwin ended up winning the championship by a couple of points.
“You do (get over it), but you don’t. You get past it, but it never leaves the back of your head.”
Berlin is hosting The Chet Championship Weekend, a three-day program that opens with Thursday’s practice, continues with Friday’s qualifying and heat races and wraps up with Saturday’s feature races.
Shotko, who now races in Berlin's Modified class, once again finds himself on the verge of a track championship, which would be the first in his nearly two-decade long racing career. Shotko is 67 points up on second-place Adam Chase, while Kevin DeGood is third overall, 71 markers back.
It appears that Shotko is in ideal position to wrap up the title, but don’t look for any celebrations on his part until the checkered flag drops on Saturday’s program, which begins at 7 p.m.
“We have been trying a long time to get back into the position that we are right now,” Shotko said. “We just work hard every week, trying to finish the best we can in every race.
“This will mean a lot. We have finished second in Late Models, and we have been second in Modifieds the last two years. It has been a long time coming. I have been racing out here for 18 years.”
What a day Saturday could be for Shotko and his family. His son, Evan Shotko, 9, races go-karts at the Ravenna Motor Park, and Evan is one point out of the lead in his class entering Ravenna’s season finale Saturday. “It’s possible that it could happen,” Shotko said. “Even if he finishes second, though, I will be so proud of him. He does an awesome job.”
Shotko said that a track title would be bittersweet because his father-in-law, Brian Slade, died this past July 1. Slade owned Duratech Racing Engines of Coopersville, which supplies a number of area drivers with engines. Slade, 59, died of a burst aorta.
“The hardest thing about winning the championship is going to be that my father-in-law, who passed away, won’t be able to see it,” Shotko said. “Before every race, I say a little prayer, asking to make this motor last one more race. Just one more race is all we need.”
Practice will run 4-8 p.m. Thursday. Action begins at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Friday also is $1 beer and $1 hotdog night.
Here's how the points races are shaping up in each division heading into this weekend’s action.
Super Late ModelsTerry VanHaitsma leads Chris Anthony by 11 points, with Tom Thomas third, 26 outs.
Outlaw Late ModelsThe field will be chasing Ross Meeuwsen, who leads Terry Senneker by 32 points.
Super StocksJustin Ryan is leading the way by 57 points over Will Olmsted.
SportsmanTony Davis and Brian Tillema are engaged in the track’s tightest battle. Davis enters the finale seven points up on Tillema.
4 CylindersHolland’s Mike Speet can take Saturday off. Speet, who leads Charlie DeJong by 198 points, has already locked up the title.
VROAThe traveling Vintage Racing Organization of America will decide its title this weekend as well, and Terry Byrne has a 15-point lead over Don Deyman.
Garvey Best On Wild Day in Montgomery
Garvey Best On Wild Day in Montgomery
First Montgomery SLM race in Two Years Defined by Attrition
By Tim Quievryn, Speed51.com Correspondent - Twitter: @TheThirdTurn
Not much seems to be getting in the way of Mike Garvey these days.
Sunday at Montgomery Motor Speedway (AL) Garvey experienced two wrecks, a flat tire, and an incredibly tight racecar. He still left the track with the winner’s trophy and a cool $6,000 after capturing the victory in the Montgomery 150, the first Super Late Model race held at Montgomery in nearly two years.
The victory marked Garvey’s ninth this season and third consecutive victory after sweeping a pair of Pro Late Model races on the Gulf Coast last weekend.
It didn’t come easy to Garvey Sunday, but honestly nothing really came easy to any driver in the field. All 14 cars that started the race experienced some sort of major mechanical issue or crash damage with 13 cautions marring the distance. But the real fireworks came when Bubba Pollard and Augie Grill got together racing for the win in the closing laps, opening the door for Garvey.
“We had a fourth-place car,” Garvey said in Victory Lane. “It really wasn’t the best, we just kept working at it. When Bubba got into Augie there at the end and turned him around, we had worked on the car enough that we were as fast as they were. We changed our line too and were finally able to get away from everybody and win the race.
“I think we’re in real good shape heading into the end of the year. The difference this year is that Tracy [Goodson, car owner] made a real commitment and this is what we do now. We were trying to work on different things during the week and then race during the weekends. I think we’ve got a real good package for the big races coming up and the [season-ending Snowball] Derby. I’d rather not win a race all year long if we could win the Derby.”
Garvey had run around most of the race in the fourth to sixth position before a restart came at the lap-121 mark. Going into turn one, Garvey’s car failed to turn with a flat tire, collecting most of the top runners. Garvey drove away from the incident with relatively minimal damage. The team threw scuffs on the car and he was quickly able to make his way back up to third.
The defining incident of the race would then come on Lap 136. Augie Grill had led every lap of the race up to that point. Bubba Pollard, having charged back through the field after a broken wheel hub left him deep in the pack at the halfway point, had finally caught the Grill machine. Pollard sized Grill up for a few laps, then began taking a few peeks to the inside to see if he could make a run. Coming off of turn two, Pollard got into Grill’s left-rear quarter panel, sending Grill around. Grill would go to the back of the order for the spin, but Pollard would be sent back there with him for causing the caution.
Garvey, inheriting the lead for the first time all day, then pulled away from closest pursuer Logan Boyett on the ensuing restart and watched Grill and Pollard race each other too hard trying to get back through the field to pressure for the win. Garvey won by half a straight-away over Boyett with Pollard just edging Grill for third.
“Everyone was taking everything they could get today,” Garvey remarked looking upon the attrition factor. “When you’re racing a Super Late Model during the day, it’s just slippery to try to pass someone. You’d slip up, bounce off a guy and you’d have more issues. It’s really hard here to pass in the Supers. You’d get under someone and they’d crowd you. That was a lot more action than I thought would be here for 14 cars. I was worried we weren’t going to have any and, good golly, we had about 20 of them.
“I think a lot of what you saw today was flats. One restart, I went off to one, it wouldn’t turn and I went straight into John Bolen. For some reason, we’re just getting a lot flats here. That’s about our eighth one here this year.”
Boyett was pretty pleased with his day, which was another eventful tale. He ran the last 75 laps with smoke pouring from the rear end of his machine. Despite having track officials black flag the car and getting checked during a number of late caution flags, Boyett was able to stay on the lead lap and, like Garvey, was able to take advantage when the lead duo spun.
“When we went green, we didn’t have a really good car” Boyett admitted. “It was tight at first and I wanted to run it harder than I wanted to for it to work. Then I thought the rear end was going to go, but it turns out we just had a seal going bad in the housing. We made a spring rubber adjustment during the halfway break which was making it better, but the oil getting on the right rear tire killed us going into the corner. Then somehow we had both front tires go flat.”
Perhaps Boyett encapsulated the day best when he added at the end of his post-race interview, “We just trucked on.”
Pollard finished a very disappointing third, spending most of the post-race on the pit wall a ways off from his racecar, alone with his thoughts. Grill was equally disappointed and also feeling poorly after two hours in the heat, spending his post-race cooling off and resting in his hauler.
“We had a real good racecar, just starting the race off by biding our time,” Pollard said after the event. “We actually broke off two studs and only ran with three lugs the rest of the race. We saved our stuff some more and made our way back up. We were better than him [Grill] at the end, but just got into him and spun him around.
“I hate it for Augie. I hate it for my team, because I took both of us out of contention to win. When you’re getting pressure near the end, you’re going to protect the bottom. I tried to get under him there off of turn two, but just nipped him from behind. I thought it was just good, hard racing with 15 to go.”
Grill was fourth. Pole winner Kyle Benjamin finished fifth despite incurring three flat tires, being in three accidents, and finishing the race with a right side door panel.
The next race at Montgomery will be the season finale for all divisions including the PLM Show Me The Money Series as the track holds the Alabama 200 September 15th and 16th.
RESULTS:
1 Mike Garvey
2 Logan Boyett
3 Bubba Pollard
4 Augie Grill
5 Kyle Benjamin
6 Steve Wallace
7 Brandon Odom
8 John Bolen
9 Ken McFarland
10 John Wilkinson, III
11 Hunter Robbins
12 Allen Karnes
13 Chris Serio
14 Spencer Davis
First Montgomery SLM race in Two Years Defined by Attrition
By Tim Quievryn, Speed51.com Correspondent - Twitter: @TheThirdTurn
Not much seems to be getting in the way of Mike Garvey these days.
Sunday at Montgomery Motor Speedway (AL) Garvey experienced two wrecks, a flat tire, and an incredibly tight racecar. He still left the track with the winner’s trophy and a cool $6,000 after capturing the victory in the Montgomery 150, the first Super Late Model race held at Montgomery in nearly two years.
The victory marked Garvey’s ninth this season and third consecutive victory after sweeping a pair of Pro Late Model races on the Gulf Coast last weekend.
It didn’t come easy to Garvey Sunday, but honestly nothing really came easy to any driver in the field. All 14 cars that started the race experienced some sort of major mechanical issue or crash damage with 13 cautions marring the distance. But the real fireworks came when Bubba Pollard and Augie Grill got together racing for the win in the closing laps, opening the door for Garvey.
“We had a fourth-place car,” Garvey said in Victory Lane. “It really wasn’t the best, we just kept working at it. When Bubba got into Augie there at the end and turned him around, we had worked on the car enough that we were as fast as they were. We changed our line too and were finally able to get away from everybody and win the race.
“I think we’re in real good shape heading into the end of the year. The difference this year is that Tracy [Goodson, car owner] made a real commitment and this is what we do now. We were trying to work on different things during the week and then race during the weekends. I think we’ve got a real good package for the big races coming up and the [season-ending Snowball] Derby. I’d rather not win a race all year long if we could win the Derby.”
Garvey had run around most of the race in the fourth to sixth position before a restart came at the lap-121 mark. Going into turn one, Garvey’s car failed to turn with a flat tire, collecting most of the top runners. Garvey drove away from the incident with relatively minimal damage. The team threw scuffs on the car and he was quickly able to make his way back up to third.
The defining incident of the race would then come on Lap 136. Augie Grill had led every lap of the race up to that point. Bubba Pollard, having charged back through the field after a broken wheel hub left him deep in the pack at the halfway point, had finally caught the Grill machine. Pollard sized Grill up for a few laps, then began taking a few peeks to the inside to see if he could make a run. Coming off of turn two, Pollard got into Grill’s left-rear quarter panel, sending Grill around. Grill would go to the back of the order for the spin, but Pollard would be sent back there with him for causing the caution.
Garvey, inheriting the lead for the first time all day, then pulled away from closest pursuer Logan Boyett on the ensuing restart and watched Grill and Pollard race each other too hard trying to get back through the field to pressure for the win. Garvey won by half a straight-away over Boyett with Pollard just edging Grill for third.
“Everyone was taking everything they could get today,” Garvey remarked looking upon the attrition factor. “When you’re racing a Super Late Model during the day, it’s just slippery to try to pass someone. You’d slip up, bounce off a guy and you’d have more issues. It’s really hard here to pass in the Supers. You’d get under someone and they’d crowd you. That was a lot more action than I thought would be here for 14 cars. I was worried we weren’t going to have any and, good golly, we had about 20 of them.
“I think a lot of what you saw today was flats. One restart, I went off to one, it wouldn’t turn and I went straight into John Bolen. For some reason, we’re just getting a lot flats here. That’s about our eighth one here this year.”
Boyett was pretty pleased with his day, which was another eventful tale. He ran the last 75 laps with smoke pouring from the rear end of his machine. Despite having track officials black flag the car and getting checked during a number of late caution flags, Boyett was able to stay on the lead lap and, like Garvey, was able to take advantage when the lead duo spun.
“When we went green, we didn’t have a really good car” Boyett admitted. “It was tight at first and I wanted to run it harder than I wanted to for it to work. Then I thought the rear end was going to go, but it turns out we just had a seal going bad in the housing. We made a spring rubber adjustment during the halfway break which was making it better, but the oil getting on the right rear tire killed us going into the corner. Then somehow we had both front tires go flat.”
Perhaps Boyett encapsulated the day best when he added at the end of his post-race interview, “We just trucked on.”
Pollard finished a very disappointing third, spending most of the post-race on the pit wall a ways off from his racecar, alone with his thoughts. Grill was equally disappointed and also feeling poorly after two hours in the heat, spending his post-race cooling off and resting in his hauler.
“We had a real good racecar, just starting the race off by biding our time,” Pollard said after the event. “We actually broke off two studs and only ran with three lugs the rest of the race. We saved our stuff some more and made our way back up. We were better than him [Grill] at the end, but just got into him and spun him around.
“I hate it for Augie. I hate it for my team, because I took both of us out of contention to win. When you’re getting pressure near the end, you’re going to protect the bottom. I tried to get under him there off of turn two, but just nipped him from behind. I thought it was just good, hard racing with 15 to go.”
Grill was fourth. Pole winner Kyle Benjamin finished fifth despite incurring three flat tires, being in three accidents, and finishing the race with a right side door panel.
The next race at Montgomery will be the season finale for all divisions including the PLM Show Me The Money Series as the track holds the Alabama 200 September 15th and 16th.
RESULTS:
1 Mike Garvey
2 Logan Boyett
3 Bubba Pollard
4 Augie Grill
5 Kyle Benjamin
6 Steve Wallace
7 Brandon Odom
8 John Bolen
9 Ken McFarland
10 John Wilkinson, III
11 Hunter Robbins
12 Allen Karnes
13 Chris Serio
14 Spencer Davis
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Mike Garvey Wins Again
Photo Courtesy of Speed51.comMuskegon's Mike Garvey took home a cool $6,000 today for winning a 150 lap Super Late Model event at Montgomery. Today's win was Garvey's 9th of the summer and 3rd win in a row for the Tracy Goodson owned race team.
Garvey made an interesting move as he fought a bad set of tires after a field pit stop on lap 75. After starting to fade Garvey radioed to put on his first set of tires on the next caution. Garvey raced the next 25 laps just trying to hang on and in sight of the leaders. A caution on lap 100 is what Garvey needed. It turned out to be the right decision as his car came back alive.
As Garvey worked his way through the field Augie Grill and Bubba Pollard were up front racing hard. On lap 135 Pollard turned Grill coming out of turn two. Both drivers were placed to the rear. Garvey inherited the lead and never looked back. The next 15 laps were caution free. Garvey won by 6 car lengths over Logan Bennett.
Finishing Order:
1 Mike Garvey
2 Logan Boyett
3 Bubba Pollad
4 Augie Grill
5 Kyle Benjamin
6 Steve Wallace
7 Brandon Odom
8 John Bolen
9 Ken McFarland
10 John Wilkinson, III
11 Hunter Robbins
12 Allen Karnes
13 Chris Serio
14 Spencerr Davis
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