Michigan Domination In The Buckeye State; Brian Campbell & Terry Senneker Win 7-Up Twin 100s
Cars on Their Lids, Near Track Records, and More
By Matt Prieur, Twitter: @mattprieur
In one of the more unique race events seen anywhere in the United States, the ARCA/CRA Super Series and ARCA Allegiant Air Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models Series co-headlined the 7-Up Twin 100s at the famed half-mile high-banked paved oval of Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio. Both Template Bodied and Outlaw Bodied Super Late Models were the main events of a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Northern Ohio in one of the rare times that both classes of cars are together in one show.
A packed house on hand was treated to a Michigan domination - more specifically West Michigan - in the form of Brian Campbell in the ARCA/CRA Super Series and Terry Senneker in the ARCA Allegiant Air Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models Series as both drivers, from the suburbs of Grand Rapids in Wyoming, MI and Wayland, MI respectively, took their machines to victory lane. Both races were dominated by drivers from the Western Michigan area. A whopping seven positions within the top five in each event were occupied by Wolverine State drivers from over on the west side of the state.
ARCA/CRA Super Series – 7-Up 100
In the ARCA/CRA Super Series portion of the 7-Up Twin 100s, Campbell and fellow westsider, two-time Series Champion Johnny VanDoorn (Coopersville, MI) were the class of the field throughout the afternoon before Campbell would eventually pull away to score the win. VanDoorn finished third while another West Michigan pilot, Alec Carll (Grand Rapids, MI) came home in fourth giving West Michigan three of the top four finishing positions.
“The car was good all day long and especially on long runs, but we had some trouble on the restarts,” Explained Campbell after climbing from his #20 K.B.R. Development Ford. “That was a lot of run racing with Johnny (VanDoorn). We rubbed a little from time to time, but that’s just hard-nosed racing and I had a lot of fun today.”
Earlier in the afternoon, the 33-year-old broke VanDoorn’s three-year-old Track Record in EDCO Welding Qualifying.
Terry Fisher Jr., and Eddie VanMeter brought the 28-car field down to Chief Starter, Brian Duncan’s green flag and it would be Fisher Jr., grabbing the lead early on before VanMeter regrouped and surged past the fellow Hoosier State driver to take the lead on lap five. VanMeter brought VanDoorn and Campbell, who started fifth, with him. On lap eight, both drove by VanMeter to take over first and second spots. On lap 13, Campbell made the pass for the top spot with VanDoorn settling in behind him.
For the next 50+ laps Campbell followed VanDoorn’s tire tracks all around the half-mile. On lap 63, Campbell reclaimed the lead forcing VanDoorn to chase. The most serious of the nine cautions that waved throughout the afternoon came on lap 89 when Kenzie Ruston and Nate Caruth got together coming out of turn four on a restart forcing the field to take evasive action. Chad Finley, a regular in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by GM Performance Parts, slowed to avoid the wreck in front of him when several cars slammed into the back end of his machine, and in turn, sent Finley’s machine over on its roof on the front stretch.
Everyone was ok after the incident and in all total, six cars were done for the day. The ensuing restart allowed VanDoorn to make a run at the leader and they touched several times when two green-white-checkered restarts slowed things down. On the final restart, Campbell was able to get away cleanly leaving VanDoorn to battle with 2011 Winchester 400 Champion, Boris Jurkovic. As Campbell crossed the stripe first, Jurkovic was able to slip by VanDoorn to take the runner-up spot.
“We had a good car today, but I didn’t have anything for those guys up front,” The 42-year-old Jurkovic, who started 12th, stated as he stood next to his #53 Reliable Recovery Service Chevrolet. “If it wasn’t for those last two restarts, I wouldn’t have had a shot at Johnny (VanDoorn). But it was a good day, the car is in good shape and we’ll take it.”
“That was a lot of fun, some good old fashioned beating and banging,” VanDoorn said after climbing out of his #61 JEGS.com Chevrolet . “That was some good hard racing. We didn’t get a flat with a few laps to go like the last race, the fenders are all on the car and I couldn’t be happier. We’ll go to Berlin in a couple of weeks and hopefully Brian (Campbell) and I will battle again in front of the hometown fans.”
Jurkovic and VanDoorn joined Campbell up on the podium in second and third while Alec Carll was impressive in finishing fourth as Rebecca Kasten, who finished third in the 15-lap Last Chance Race to transfer into the show, started 25th and earned the events’ Hard-Charger Award by finishing fifth. Pole-Sitter Fisher finished sixth with three-time Series Champion, Scott Hantz, seventh. Nick Gullatta, Steve Dorer, and Brent Jack finished off the top 10.
ARCA Allegiant Air Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models Series – 7-Up 100
Terry Senneker put on a dominating display of driving in the Outlaw Super Late Models portion of the 7-Up Twin 100s as he checked out on the field once he took the lead on lap 32. From there, it was all Senneker as he proceeded to run away with the race, lapping cars at a rapid rate and in the end, only the top five were safe from Senneker putting them a lap behind.
Four of the top five finishers were all from the West Michigan area as Steve Needles (Berrien Springs, MI) and Mike Root (Grand Rapids, MI) finished second and third for a clean sweep of the podium. Dakota Carlson (Cedar Springs, MI) finished fourth while J.R. Roahrig (Plymouth, IN) was the only non-West Michigan based driver in the top five.
“We had a great car today and I just kept running my race and staying clean the whole time,” Stated the 32-year-old nephew of former ASA Legend, Bob Senneker. “I think if anyone would’ve challenged, I might’ve had a little something to fall back on, but fortunately we didn’t need too press anything today. Great start to the year that’s for sure.” He ended.
Two weeks prior, Senneker’s #37 Senneker Performance Chevrolet was in victory lane at his home track of Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan in the tracks Ice Breaker 100.
Marcus Malcuit was scheduled to start on the pole of the 100-lap main for the Outlaw Super Late Models portion of the 7-Up Twin 100s but the Strasburg, Ohio driver’s car wouldn’t fire when the field was sent out onto the track at the conclusion of the ARCA/CRA Super Series race. The revised front row would be a couple of Toledo Speedway veterans, four-time and defending Series Champion, Dennis Strickland and five-time Toledo Speedway Sportsman Track Champion, Ron Allen.
As the green flag waved, Allen and Scott Hantz, one of three drivers pulling double-duty in both races, collided and spun in the infield sending the field scattering. Amazingly, all 22 starters were able to continue. On the restart, Strickland jumped out to the early lead while the rest of the field jockeyed for position behind the Carelton, MI veteran. Strickland paced the field for the first 17 laps until Mike Luberda, Jr., who started fifth and had been methodically passing cars and reeling in Strickland, took the lead away on lap 18.
Luberda brought some stout drivers with him in the form of Terry Senneker who started seventh, Fast Qualifier, J.R. Roahrig, and Toledo favorite, Harold Fair Jr. The quartet pulled away from the rest of the pack, setting a torrid pace in the process. Senneker searched high and low looking for a way around Luberda and would make the eventual race winning pass on lap 32. In the meantime, Steve Needles, who started 12th, had passed Strickland to get into the top five for the first time in the race and was closing in on the top four.
On lap 55, while running in second, Luberda lost a motor coming out of turn two and collected the third place car of Fair, who had gotten around Roahrig for the final podium position. On the next restart, Fair pulled into the pits with too much damage to continue leaving Needles to fight with Roahrig, who had a clearly ailing motor as the car had a very distinctive sound coming from the #16 and would shut off and then turn back on every few laps. This allowed Needles to get by for second with 20 laps to go.
But by this time, Senneker had built up another huge lead and it would be smooth sailing the rest of the way. As the checkered flag waved, he would walk away with his second big Outlaw Super Late Model victory in two starts to begin his 2012 racing season. Needles, the winner of the Intimidator 100 at Kalamazoo Speedway in Kalamazoo, MI the previous weekend, would cross the stripe three seconds back of his former teammate.
“We had a good car, I just missed it big time in Qualifying,” The 27-year-old Needles explained after climbing from his #14 T.A. Gentry Supply Chevrolet. “We started right in the middle of the field and it took us a while to get up to the front. Even if we had something left for Terry (Senneker), I’m not real sure if we could’ve done anything with him. He was pretty quick all day long.”
The third West Michigan representative to stand on the podium next to Senneker and Needles was former ARCA Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models Series Champion, Mike Root, who steered his #9 Universal Graphic Solutions Chevrolet to a third place finish after starting next to Senneker on the outside of the fourth row.
“We’re pretty happy to finish strong here,” said Root. “This place is tough and the competition today was pretty darn good.”
Roahrig brought his ailing machine home in fourth just ahead of Dakota Carlson who finished off the top five. Strickland was the first car one lap down in sixth while Barry Hartwell, Claude Plante, Jr., Jack Varney, Jr., and Brent Jack would complete the top 10. For Jack, it was his second consecutive 10th place finish of the day as he also finished 10th in the ARCA/CRA Super Series race from earlier in the day.
News & Notes
Track Record Falls in One Series While Another Was Only 0.097 Seconds Off
Earlier in the afternoon, Campbell out-qualified the 35-car ARCA/CRA Super Series field in EDCO Welding Qualifying by breaking the track record with a 15.370 which measures out to 117.111mph. The previous record was held by VanDoorn who turned a 15.437 back in August 2009. Jeff Lane won the Last Chance Race over, Andrew Morrissey, Kasten, Billy Leslie, Nate Caruth and Ed Szelagowski, Jr., who all transferred into the show.
In Fastime Racing Engines & Parts Qualifying for the ARCA Allegiant Air Glass City Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models held earlier in the afternoon, Roahrig toured around the fast half-mile high-banks at an impressive 14.815 which equals out to a fast 121.498mph over the 25-car field that was on hand. Roahrig broke the track record during the 2011 Glass City 200 on October 1st with a 14.718-second lap. Three cars who were on the grounds did not answer the call for the 100-lap race; Malcuit, Chad Guinn, and Paul Pelletier.
Double-Duty Drivers Turn In Mixed Results
Three Drivers pulled double-duty by running in both 100-lap mains with the most high-profile of those being three-time ARCA/CRA Super Series Champion, Scott Hantz as well as 2011 ASA Midwest Tour Champion, Andrew Morrissey. However, it was the third double-duty driver who had the most successful day of the three as Stroh, Indiana veteran, Brent Jack left Toledo, Ohio with a pair of 10th place finishes. Both of his #41 Brent’s Automotive machines left the Buckeye State speed plant with little to no damage.
Hantz was perhaps the most high-profile of the three double-duty drivers as the Angola, Indiana veteran has visited victory lane on numerous occasions at Toledo. After finishing seventh in the ARCA/CRA Super Series portion of the day, he then climbed behind the wheel of his #72 Top Speed Fabrication Outlaw bodied machine. As the field took the green flag, he and Ron Allen collided sending both spinning into the infield. After going a lap down on lap 30, he soon pulled off and was shown 17th in the final results.
As for Morrissey, he had an adventurous time in the ARCA/CRA Super Series race as the DeForest, Wisconsin driver was involved in a couple of mid race cautions in his #139 B&B Racing Engines entry before ended his afternoon early after being involved in Chad Finley’s rollover accident on lap 89. He then went on to make his Outlaw Bodied Super Late Model debut behind the wheel of Dave Klein’s #41 Badger Diversified Metals ride. After battling an ill-handling racecar for the first quarter of the race, he would pull off and was credited with a 19th place finish in his maiden Outlaw voyage.
Chad Finley’s Second Ride On His Roof In Eight Months
A regular in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by GM Performance Parts, DeWitt, Michigan driver, Chad Finley made only his second career ARCA/CRA Super Series appearance and first since he was just 15-years-old in 2008 at Berlin Raceway. After qualifying an impressive second fastest out of the 35 teams on the grounds, Finley ran in the top five with the leaders for most of the afternoon until a collision knocked a wheel out of balance just past halfway. After pitting for repairs, he came back out and got back into the top 10 before a wild ride he won’t soon forget.
Coming out of turn four on a restart, Nate Caruth made contact with Kenzie Ruston, which sent Ruston around. Finley checked up to avoid the sideways Ruston when several cars piled into the back end of Finley’s #42 autoparts2020.com ride. The momentum from the wave of cars slamming into the back end of the 20-year-old’s machine sent his machine over on its side and eventually on its roof in a lazy roll before coming to rest on the start / finish line. This was the maiden voyage for Finley’s brand new Howe Racing Enterprises machine the team bought only two months earlier.
This is the second time in eight months that Finley has been on his lid. Back in August 2011 in a JEGS/CRA race at Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana, a collision with Eddie Hoffman sent Finley on a wild ride in turn three as he climbed the wall and rolled his machine down the embankment before coming to rest at the bottom the track. Ironically the next race for JEGS/CRA is This Sunday, May 6th on the legendary high banks of Winchester.
Luberda’s Day Ends With A Blown Motor After Leading Early
In the wake of Terry Senneker’s dominance in the ARCA Allegiant Air Glass City Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models Series portion of the 7-Up Twin 100s, Mike Luberda, Jr. may have been the only driver on the grounds who could’ve ran with the eventual winner, even after getting passed by him for the lead on lap 32. The AuGres, Michigan veteran powered by early race leader, four-time and defending Series Champion, Dennis Strickland on lap 18 and brought Senneker with him.
After Senneker went by for the top spot, Luberda’s #40 LeClair Fuels machine tried to keep up with Senneker’s torrid pace while at the same time fighting off the advances of Fast Qualifier, J.R. Roahrig, who later had to deal with electrical issues the second half of the race. Perhaps it was the pace that Senneker set combined with keeping Roahrig’s #16 Bobby Blount Motorsports bullet behind him that was culprit for the dramatics on lap 55 as Luberda lost a motor coming out of turn two ending his afternoon. He was credited with a 13th place finish.
Luberda is looking at a full run at the ARCA Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models Series Championship as well as making select appearances with the Main Event Racing Series during the 2012 racing season. He’ll have time to replace his broken motor as the next races on his calendar won’t come until Memorial Day Holiday Weekend on Saturday, May 26th at Auto City Speedway in Clio, Michigan for a Main Event Racing Series event, then on Sunday, May 27th at Spartan Speedway in Mason, Michigan for the second ARCA Gold Cup race of the season
Ohio Based Drivers Have A Tough Day At Buckeye State Speed Plant
Ironically, with the two 100-lap main events at Toledo Speedway in Toledo, Ohio, representation from the state of Ohio in both segments of the 7-Up Twin 100s was hard to come by. Only three teams in each century-distance race carried the scarlet and grey colors of the Buckeye State. North Canton, Ohio driver, Nick Gullatta, was the most successful of the Ohio-based teams as he finished an impressive eighth in the final rundown for the ARCA/CRA Super Series. Johnny Jenkins (Lancaster, OH) was 12th while the Buckeye State representative with the most success at Toledo, Jason Dietsch (Edgerton, OH) struggled to an 18th place finish after running out of fuel. Among the teams not making the show out of the Last Chance Race, several were from Ohio as Kyle Jones (Germantown, OH), Justin Alsip (Germantown, OH), Jeep Pflum (Cincinnati, OH), and Dave Carter (Grove City, OH) all failed to transfer in.
In the Outlaw Super Late Models portion of the day, Buckeye State drivers were even more rare to come by as Nick Grodi (Oak Harbor, OH) placed the best with a 15th place showing while Toledo native, Mike Young dropped out in 18th and Open-Wheel Modified stand out, Brian Nester (Enon, OH) was the first car out of the race just a lap into the race. Strasburg, Ohio veteran Marcus Malcuit was scheduled to start on the pole of the Outlaws main, but the car wouldn’t fire when the field was sent out onto the track at the conclusion of the ARCA/CRA Super Series race. A disappointed Malcuit was unable to take the green flag after qualifying fourth fastest and drawing the pole position when the top 10 redrew for their feature starting spots.
Final Wrap-Up
Race #3 for the ARCA/CRA Super Series will be held at the fast 7/16s mile progressively banked paved oval of Berlin Raceway, located west of Grand Rapids in Marne, Michigan on Saturday, May 12th for the running of the Berlin 125. This will be the one race-condition opportunity for teams to prepare for the prestigious Rowdy’s 251 on Tuesday, June 19th.
The second race of the season for the ARCA Allegiant Air Gold Cup Outlaw Super Late Models Series will see the teams make their first ever trip to the tight quarter-mile semi-banked paved oval of Spartan Speedway, located south of Lansing in Mason, Michigan on Sunday, May 27th for the Sunday Slugfest 100.
