Six Feature Winners Celebrate To Start Memorial Day Weekend

Six Feature Winners Celebrate To Start Memorial Day Weekend

Fife Lake, Michigan (Friday May 23rd, 2014): The race fans of northwest Michigan flocked to the fast 3/8ths (0.375) mile high-banked dirt oval of the Cherry Raceway located just southeast of Traverse City on M-113. The 2014 race season was kicked off with a big 6-In-1 show. The program featured action from the high powered UMP DIRTcar Late Models, Stock Cars, Factory Stocks, Lightning Sprints, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Four Cylinder Compacts.

The Factory Stocks were out first for their 15-lap feature event. 2011 track champion Emery Smith and Rusty Headly were on the front row when things started. Smith wasted no time in taking the advantage in the early going. He would prove he was the car to beat as he went all the way from green to checker to best the field and pick up the win.

This was the first win of the season for the 42-year old from Fife Lake, Michigan native behind the wheel of his Pro Build / Chevrolet. Second place went to Dan Wireman. Richard Cebula Jr., Peni LaLonde, and Rusty Headley completed the top five. Cebula Jr. was the winner of the lone heat race.

The Crossroads Chevrolet compacts made their way out next for a 15-lap affair led out by the front row of 16-year old Calvin Ingleston and 16-year old Rheanna Doberstein. Ingleston took the lead in the early going. However on lap 3 2012 track champion Chris Casey powered his way to the front of the field and would not look back from there as he went on to take home the checkered flag.

The 15-year old native of Williamsburg, Michigan picked up the win in his Wilson Plumbing / Mercury XR7 Cougar. 16-year old Jacob Flickinger finished second. Ingleston, 12-year old Andrea Taghon, and 14-year old Dalton Bouschor capped off the top five. The lone heat race also went to Casey.

The Cherry Raceway Stock Cars were the next class out for a 15-lap A-Main. Tracy Skaggs and two time and defending track champion Allen Oyer made up the front row. Once the green flagged waved the lead fell to Joe Fisher who would remain there until on lap 7 when Kevin Newberry would fight his way to the front and take over the top spot. However on lap 11 Newberry would suffer mechanical issues and be forced to pull off. This surrendered the lead back to Fisher who continued on to victory.

Fisher, a 45-year old Kingsley, Michigan native scored his first win of the year in his Great Lakes Ford / Chevrolet. Oyer wound up finishing second. Newberry, Jim Durga, and J.J. Arbour rounded out the top five finishing positions. Newberry was the winner of the lone heat race.

The Four-Cylinder Warriors were next as Bob Craycraft and Jeremy Tulick led the field out for the 15-lap feature event. It would be Tulick taking the early lead as everyone else fought for position behind him. Tulick managed to the lead the entire event, however on coming out of the turn 4 on the final lap Arlie Cooper managed to weave his way to the front of the field and edge out Tulick for the win.

The 29-year old from Honor, Michigan picked up his first win of the season in his Fleese Enterprise Full Service Auto / Saturn. Tulick was forced to settle for second. Defending track champion Andrew Austin, Craycraft, and Jim Luhtanen finished off the top five. The heat race was won by Austin.

It was then time for the 20-lap feature event for the Lightning Sprints. The front row consisted of Jamie Fisher and Paul Erickson. Fisher took the early lead, but would then see Justin Ward take the lead on lap 2. Then on lap 6 it would be Mack Erickson finding his way to top spot holding the position until lap 12 where Tom Hunt powered forward to take over the lead. However he would lose momentum on 16 and had to watch Ward return to the front of the field and go on from there to pick up the win.

Ward a native of Benzonia, Michigan scored win number one of the year in his Geno’s Sport’s Bar & Grill sponsored machine. Hunt finished in the runner up position. Josh Ward, Chuck Erickson, and Fisher rounded out the top five. Ward and Hunt picked up the heat wins.

Finally, the UMP DIRTcar Late Models made their way out for their 20-lap main event. 18-year old Andy Nickerson III and Steve Nieuwenhuis led the field down to chief starter Steve Sherwood Jr’s green flag. After a slew of cautions in the early stages it was five-time track champion Eric Spangler jumping out to the lead. Despite what the other competitor tried to do Spangler went from green to checker.

This was the first win of the year for the 44-year old Spangler driving out of Lake City, Michigan in his Spangler Heating & Cooling / Mastersbilt racecar. He finished just ahead of Scott Phillips who took second. Nieuwenhuis, Phil Lalonde, and Butch Straight made up the top five. Lalonde and Phillips won the heats.

This Friday May 30th Cherry Raceway will be taking the week off. The season will resume in two weeks’ time on Friday June 6th for Brandon Thirlby fan appreciation night. The show will be headlined again by the high-powered UMP DIRTcar Late Models along with the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds. Plus action from the Stock Cars, Factory Stocks, Lightning Sprints, Four-Cylinder Warrriors, and Four-Cylinder Compacts.

Ticket Prices for Friday June 6th are: Adults (13-59): $12.00 – Seniors (60 and Over): $9.00 – 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 6:00pm. Then after Pre-Race Ceremonies / Invocation / National Anthem(s), Racing Begins approximately at 7:30pm.

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