Snowflake 100 Success Could Lead to a Snowball Sweep for Mike Garvey

51 Sports / Snowball Derby PR


2012 Five Flags Speedway (FL) Allen Turner Pro Late Model series champion Mike Garvey has had an impressive season in the division. He won four of the five PLM events at the half-mile track in Pensacola, Florida and finished second in the other.

That success makes Garvey, a short track and NASCAR racing veteran, the odds-on favorite for victory in the Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 on Saturday, December 1st as part of the 45th Annual Snowball Derby weekend at Five Flags.

“The Pro (Late Model) car has been really good,” said Garvey, who also scored a victory in the Five Flags Blizzard Series Super Late Model events this season. “Ever since we switched and went to Phil Harper motors, it’s really helped out a bunch. The motor runs really good and the car has been good and I wish we could have the same success with the Super (Late Model). We’ve been close but not as good as the Pro, I don’t really know what the difference is but we need to get them both running that good.”

With several big race wins and track and series championships under his belt, Garvey knows that there are two strategies to the Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model event. Like the other PLM races at Five Flags this season, the Snowflake is 100 laps. That leads to two differing potential strategies for the race.

Will Garvey play the conservation game until a late sprint to the finish or go hard for all 100 laps to try and set the pace to the checkers?

“That’s the problem, you don’t know which way is the best,” said Garvey. “If you’re going to sit around and wait, which really isn’t my style anyway, you’re depending on a caution at the end, which we generally get. But if you don’t get that caution, like two races from the end there, we had three quarters of a lap lead with five laps to go and there was a caution. But luckily the car was good enough to go, but those guys had to have been going, ‘Man we screwed up, there’s no caution,’ and then, ‘Bam!’ there’s a caution. I would rather just go.

“I don’t like sitting around and waiting, that’s not me. You know, you’ve still got to slow yourself down the whole time anyways. You’re still racing but you’ve got to make sure you’ve got tires left at the end. But it’s not me to ride around for 50 laps in eighth or ninth and then try to come to the front. I don’t like that kind of racing and that’s just not me.”

When strategizing for the Allen Turner Snowflake 100, Garvey appreciates the event’s four-tire rule, but knows there are still many more decisions to make that could win or lose the race.

“It’s two totally different animals and there’s a lot of strategy both ways,” said Garvey. “You know, when you were changing tires you had to make sure you picked the right time to put them on or you’re going to ruin yourself. And now with 100 laps of straight green-flag racing you have to make sure you have something left at the end. And I’m telling you, at Pensacola that’s hard to do. If you’re riding around there at half speed you’re still hurting your tires. So it’s a balance of when to go, when not to go and how hard you can go. We’ve won two races this year that at the end of I was flat out of tires, they were done. We were lucky we had enough both times to just hang on.”

When comparing the Allen Turner Snowflake 100 to the 45th Annual Snowball Derby, Garvey says a win is a win, but if he could only have one it would be the Derby.

“I just break them down into different days,” said Garvey. “I want to win the Snowflake as bad as I want to win the Derby. Saturday that’s our focus, we’re going to do everything we can to win the Snowflake. But like you said, the real focus is Sunday. You could win 100 Snowflakes and you would give that all up for one Derby, so the Derby’s the big one. It’s the big one to Tracy (Goodson, car owner). It’s really important and special to him so we want to win them both, but if we had to take one it would definitely be the Derby.

When it comes to Snowball Derby strategy, tires, pacing yourself and staying out of trouble are major players but the biggest one is luck, which Garvey knows a thing or two about.

“Well if you watch the Derby, luck is as big of a part of it as anything,” said Garvey. “Two years ago we led 100 and something laps and were good. Then the last set of tires we put on were junk, we just couldn’t go. Johanna and I were the only ones with new tires with about 10 laps to go, so it should have been between us. Our tires wouldn’t go and we ended up getting in a wreck in the middle of the back straightaway and Johanna won it. I think we finished 10th or 11th and then last year we didn’t qualify well, and then we were running second at lap 90 and the power steering went out. So I mean, what do you do? You try to get yourself prepared and get the car prepared the best you can and luck still plays a big part in it.”

The Snowflake 100 will be filled with talented Pro Late Model drivers like Bubba Pollard, Augie Grill, Johanna Long, Brandon McReynolds, Chase Elliott, Brandon Odom, Kyle Benjamin, Korey Ruble, Anderson Bowen and many others.

The 45th Annual Snowball Derby kicks off on Wednesday, November 28th with the Green Flag Party. As the teams unload and begin the tech process, fans from 5pm to 9pm CT can meet the drivers and see the cars that will compete during Snowball Derby weekend. The first on-track activity comes on Thursday, as practice for the Super and Pro Late Models commences. Later that evening, qualifying and feature action for the Five Flags Speedway Bomber and Sportsmen divisions will take place.

On Friday, November 30th, it’s WXBM Pole Night, as the top 30 in Snowball Derby qualifying will be locked into Sunday’s 300-lap feature. More practice for the Snowball Derby and Snowflake 100 cars will take place, as well as a full card of Super Stock and Modified action.

Then on Saturday, December 1st, it’s the Allen Turner Snowflake 100 time trials, a qualifying race and the 100-lap feature, plus final practice for the Snowball Derby cars and a 50-lap last-chance qualifying race for the Snowball Derby.

Finally, the 45th Annual Snowball Derby will then go green on Sunday, December 2nd at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL.

Tickets and reserved camping spots are still available, but are going fast. To order tickets or to reserve a camping spot, call the Five Flags Speedway box office at (850) 944-8400.

For more information about Five Flags Speedway and the 45th Annual Snowball Derby weekend, please visit www.5flagsspeedway.com, www.snowballderby.com or contact the track by calling (850) 944-8400.

Inaugural Midwest Indoor Racing Series Event A Rousing Success

Inaugural Midwest Indoor Racing Series Event A Rousing Success

Matt Foos Scores Two Feature Wins on Opening Night

Flint, Michigan (Saturday, November 3rd, 2012): The Inaugural Midwest Indoor Racing Series event became a reality on November 3rd at Perani Arena & Events Center in Flint, Michigan. In just six short weeks, MGM Motorsports, based in Eaton Rapids, Michigan brought the great fans of Michigan and surrounding Midwestern States quality and affordable Indoors Racing to the great race fans throughout the region.

The Winged Mini Sprints and John Belott & Sons Auto Purchasing Non-Winged Mini Sprints highlighted the historic night and they were joined by Arena / Mini Cup Cars, four divisions of Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts and three classes of Lawn Mowers for an action packed night highlighted by 10 separate Feature events. 78 teams answered the call for the maiden race weekend.

Fremont, Ohio invader, Matt Foos was the big winner of the historic night as the 21-year-old Buckeye State driver would be the only competitor to pick up Two Feature Wins! The first Feature victory came in the Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts Open division. Earlier in the evening, Foos set the all-time Perani Arena & Events Center Track Record with an impressive 6.751 second lap around the 1/7 (0.143) mile flat concrete oval. Average speed equaled out to 76.255mph. Aaron Morrison won the Heat Race in the Open Division.

Foos, in his #90 Weaver Performance machine, then went out and picked up the impressive Feature Win in the Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts 360 Flat Head class as well! Rick Dukes set Fast Time in Qualifying with a 7.162 while Alleca Kerker picked up the Heat Race triumph.

The co-premier divisions in the Midwest Indoor Racing Series; the Winged Mini Sprints and the Non-Winged Mini Sprints featured an impressive 19-car field in each division! In the headlining 50-Lap Winged Mini Sprints Feature, Jackson, Michigan driver Tim Neal in his #19 Michigan Cat / Hyper Chassis ride scored the win in what was the final race of the evening. Larry Sroufe won the Fast Qualifier Award with a 6.872 as 13-year-old Chase Ridenour won the Dash while 17-year-old Clay Sanders and Jim Sipe won the Heat Races.

In the John Belott & Sons Auto Purchasing Non-Winged Mini Sprints portion of the program, Sroufe would make the trip from Larwill, Indiana worthwhile as he would bring home the 40-Lap Feature Win in his #211 Sroufe Garage / Sroufe Chassis ride. Jason Ormsby was the Fast Qualifier with a lap measured at 6.937. Neal won the Dash while Sanders and Ridenour collected the Heat Race Wins.

The Arena / Mini Cups 25-Lap Feature would see Scott Quaal in his #1q K-R Metal Engineering / Chevrolet make the most of his debut in an Arena Car as the Bridgeport, Michigan driver would bring home the Feature Win! 14-year-old Steven Nichols set Fast Time with an 8.701 while Todd Cowan scored the Heat Race victory.

15-year-old Sierra Lantz will go down in history as the first ever Feature Winner in Midwest Indoor Racing Series history as the Kent City, Michigan teenager in her #89 Enterprise Iron & Metal entry scored the win in the Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts Gold Plate division. She also scored the Heat Race Win while 12-year-old Joshua Spindelman set fast time for the class with a 9.085 lap in Qualifying.

In the Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts Purple Plate division, the youngest winner of the night would be 10-year-old Victorya Truemner as the Imlay City, Michigan youngster in her #10 Romeo Ford machine would score the Feature Win in dominating fashion as she lapped the entire field! She was also the Fast Qualifier for the series’ beginners division with an 8.182 lap. 12-year-old Hunter Doutre won the Heat Race.

The Lawn Mowers brought three classes to Perani Arena & Events Center and in the premier Super Modifieds division, Matt Kusowski from near-by Millington, Michigan made the hometown fans happy with the Feature victory in his #3x Mid-States Bolt & Screw mower. He also picked up the win in the Heat Race while Jayson Mikula set fast time for the high performance Lawn Mowers with a 7.917.

In the Lawn Mowers Modifieds Feature, 16-year-old Kelsey VanEpps swept the entire night in her #96 VanEpps Racing lawn mower as the Potterville, Michigan teenager started the day off by going a 9.162 in Qualifying. Then later in the evening she won the Heat and capped up the night by lapping the entire field en route to the Feature Win.

Finally in the Lawn Mowers Stock division, Belle River, Ontario / Canada driver, Wade Myers made the trip across the border worthwhile as he steered his #40 Myers Family Racing lawn mower into victory lane after winning the Feature. He also scored the Heat Race win as well while Jayson Mikula set fast time for the second time over the course of race day as he went a 9.588 in Qualifying.

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The second event of the 2012/2013 season is slated for Saturday, December 22nd, 2012 at the Birch Run Expo Center in Birch Run, Michigan as the Winged Mini Sprints and John Belott & Sons Auto Purchasing Non-Winged Mini Sprints will once again headline the race weekend. They’ll be joined by the Arena / Mini Cups, Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts divisions, and Lawn Mowers classes.

In addition, the Legends Cars and Outlaw Shock Company Quarter Midgets will join in on the action as well for an action packed night of racing leading into the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Both divisions were not a part of the inaugural race in Flint, Michigan due to both classes various Regular Season Awards Banquets scheduled for the same day as the event at Perani Arena & Events Center.

The Legends cars are 5/8-scale replicas of American Cars from the 1930s and 1940s, powered by a Yamaha Motorcycle engines. The machines are considered a “spec” series, meaning all cars are mechanically identical and available with 10 types of body styles. The Outlaw Shock Company Quarter Midgets feature a wide range of classes including Junior Honda, Senior Honda, Heavy Honda, Lite 160, and Heavy 160 divisions.

There will also be a Practice Day and Parking for the teams on Friday, December 21st as the Pit Gates Open at 2:00p.m., and Practice for all divisions on a rotating basis will run throughout the afternoon and into the evening from 5:00-9:00p.m.

The Birch Run Expo Center is located right off Exit 136 on I-75 at 11660 North Beyer Road in Birch Run, Michigan. Tickets for the second race of the 2012 / 2013 Winter Racing Season for the Midwest Indoor Racing Series will be Available soon.

As for the remainder of the schedule, one more date has been added on Saturday, January 12th, 2013 at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan. Three to Four more events are in the works at several different venues throughout Midwest. As soon as those dates are finalized, completing the 2012 / 2013 Winter Racing Season Schedule, they will be announced.

MGM Motorsports LLC, is a new venture based out of Eaton Rapids, Michigan and features MIRS sanctioned short track racing inside sports arenas throughout the Midwest with a minimum of five events, all the way up to possibly an eight race schedule for the 2012/2013 Winter Racing Season.

For more information about MIRS and to become a sponsor within the series for the entire 2012/2013 Winter Racing Season, please call Jack Gritter at: 1 (616) 813-5965 or Scott Menlen at: 1 (586) 201-0378.

The new website is up and running and new content is being added on a daily basis. Please go to: www.midwestindoorracingseries.com today to learn more. You can also learn more about MIRS and the inaugural 2012/2013 Winter Racing Season, by going to the series’ Facebook Fan Page located at: www.facebook.com/midwestindoorracing

Midwest Indoor Racing Series’ Inaugural Event; This Saturday, November 3rd

Midwest Indoor Racing Series’ Inaugural Event; This Saturday, November 3rd
Perani Arena & Events Center in Flint, Michigan to serve as hosts

Eaton Rapids, Michigan (Wednesday, October 31st, 2012): All the preparations have been made the ground work has been laid down and the waiting is almost over for the Inaugural Midwest Indoor Racing Series event this Saturday, November 3rd at Perani Arena & Events Center in Flint, Michigan. The Winged Mini Sprints will highlight the historic evening as they’ll be joined by the John Belott & Sons Auto Purchasing Non-Winged Mini Sprints, Legends Cars, Arena / Mini Cup Cars, Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts and Lawn Mowers. 

There will also be a Practice Day and Parking for the teams on Friday, November 2nd as Pit Passes on November 2nd will be $10.00 per car. General Admission is absolutely Free to watch Practice as the Pit Gates Open at 2:00p.m., and Practice for all divisions on a rotating basis will run throughout the afternoon and into the evening from 5:00-9:00p.m. 

Hooter’s Restaurant of Flint has come on board as the Official Restaurant of the Midwest Indoor Racing Series’ first race. Located on 3415 Miller Road in Flint, Michigan, Hooter’s of Flint is the Official before and after the races place for food and drinks throughout the weekend. In addition, J.S.K. Promotions out of Davison, Michigan with Photographer, Skip Konkle has signed on as the Official Photographer for the Inaugural event at Perani Arena & Events Center. 

Perani Arena & Event Center is located right off of I-69 on Exit 139 at 3501 Lapeer Road in Flint, Michigan. Tickets are still on sale at the Perani Arena & Events Center Box Office and through all Ticketmaster Outlets everywhere as General Admission (13 years old and Over) Tickets are $12.00 while Veterans get in for $10.00 and Kids (12 years old and Under) get in for $6.00. Pit Passes (Not Available through the Perani Arena & Events Center Box Office or Ticketmaster Outlets) will be $25.00 on race day. 

On Saturday, November 3rd; the Pit Gates Open and Pit Pass Sales begin at 8:30a.m., Practice runs from 10:30a.m.-2:30p.m. Grandstand Gates Open and Qualifying Starts at 3:00p.m., with the Heat Races rolling out at 4:00pm. The Autograph Session will take place from 6:00-6:45p.m., with Pre-Race Ceremonies / Invocation / National Anthems starting at 7:00p.m., All Features will start at 7:15p.m.  

Hampton Inn & Suites, located on 6060 Rashelle Drive in Flint, Michigan is the Official Lodging of MIRS for this historic event. Mention “Midwest Indoor Racing Series” when booking your reservation and get the MIRS set rate of $96.00. Normal costs for the rooms start at $149.00 for a savings of $53.00 just by mentioning the series.

Located just 10 minutes from Perani Arena & Events Center, there are some rooms still available. The Reservation deadline has been extended to Friday, November 2nd to get the MIRS Discounted rate. A Free Hot Breakfast is included as well as access to the Heated Indoor Pool and Whirlpool. For those traveling a long distance, Bishop International Airport is conveniently located just a couple of minutes away from the hotel. For more information, please call: 1 (810) 234-8400 today. Race Teams who book their Hotel Reservations at the Hampton Inn & Suites get FREE Admission into the Friday Practice. 

The Outlaw Shock Company Quarter Midgets were originally on the schedule for the Inaugural MIRS event in Flint, however there are several Outdoor Awards Banquet for the various Quarter Midget groups that plan on racing with MIRS during the 2012/2013 Winter Racing Season, so the classes will not race on November 3rd. They will however make their initial appearance at the Birch Run Expo Center in Birch Run, Michigan on Saturday, December 22nd. The Outlaw Shock Company Quarter Midgets feature a wide range of classes including Junior Honda, Senior Honda, Heavy Honda, Lite 160, and Heavy 160 divisions. 

Three of the classes feature a multi-division format as the Lawn Mowers will have three separate classes and they are: Super Modifieds as well as Modifieds, and Stock divisions while the Great Lakes Tire Go-Karts consists of several classes including the top class of “Open”. There’s also the Purple, Gold, Clone, Animal and 360 Flat Head divisions that will be racing as well. 

The second event of the 2012/2013 season is slated for Saturday, December 22nd, 2012 at the Birch Run Expo Center in Birch Run, Michigan. As for the remainder of the 2012/2013 schedule, several more events are in the works at several different venues throughout Midwest. As soon as those dates are finalized, completing the six to eight race schedule, they will be announced.  

MGM Motorsports LLC, is a new venture based out of Eaton Rapids, Michigan and will feature MIRS sanctioned short track racing inside sports arenas throughout the Midwest with a six to eight race schedule for the 2012/2013 Winter Racing Season. For more information and to become a sponsor within the series for the entire 2012/2013 Winter Racing Season, please call Jack Gritter at: 1 (616) 813-5965 or Scott Menlen at: 1 (586) 201-0378. 

The new website is up and running and content is being added every day. To check out the new MIRS website, go to: www.midwestindoorracingseries.com You can also learn more about MIRS and the inaugural 2012/2013 Winter Racing Season, by going to the series’ Facebook Fan Page located at: www.facebook.com/midwestindoorracing 

Mike Garvey Holds Off Johanna Long for Whataburger 100 Win at Five Flags

Five Flags Speedway: Mike Garvey holds off Pensacola's Johanna Long for win

Photo Courtesy of Speed51.com

Five Flags Speedway: Mike Garvey holds off Pensacola's Johanna Long for win

Written by Chuck Corder News Journal correspondent

Mike Garvey came to Five Flags Speedway with the Pro Late Model track championship already locked up. He could’ve cruised around the famed half-mile, asphalt oval on the Whataburger Night of Champions, finished dead last and still won the crown. But that’s not Mike Garvey. The veteran driver with the NASCAR resume took control of the final Allen Turner Pro Late Model 100 on Lap 33 and dominated the final 67 laps.

It was Garvey’s fourth win of the five PLM 100 lappers this season, but it was a fight as he had to hold off a hard-charging Johanna Long down the stretch. “I tell you what I got out front too early and I used too much,” Garvey said. “It’s a great way to end season. We’ve had a great series in pro car.”

Long’s trip home was certainly well worth it. The NASCAR Nationwide Series rookie won the pole (17.082 seconds) in the Tommy Rollins-owned No. 11 and the way she closed certainly reminded folks of her run to her 2010 Snowball Derby win. “I have to thank Tommy Rollins for giving me the opportunity to come out in front of al these fans,” Long said. “It was awesome. Between my dad, family and the whole crew, they all worked really hard on this car.”

Long had a realistic shot to win the 100 lapper in the closing laps. She started 10th after the invert, but climbed through the field and was fourth for most of the race. Long shoved her way past Chris Davidson for second by Lap 90 and was smothering the Garvey’s bumper the rest of the way. She just couldn’t seem to time her move underneath Garvey correctly and that was what ultimately cost her.

“I have to thank Johanna for running me clean because I was loose, loose, loose,” Garvey said. What a way for the regular season to end at Five Flags.

Now, the track will undergo some quick renovations before the 45th annual Snowball Derby gets here beginning the last week of November and first weekend in December.

Long already has her eyes on exacting some revenge and giving her adoring public another reason to cheer. “This was the best car I’ve had since the (2010) Derby,” she said. “I hope we hit on something and can be strong at the Derby once again.”