7/10/2015
Cherry Raceway
Rich Neiser takes over American Ethanol Point Lead with Victory at Cherry Raceway
Beautiful blue skies greeted the competitors of the American Ethanol Late Model Tour as they made their 5th scheduled stop of the season at Cherry Raceway this past Friday night. Tour regulars and Cherry Raceway regulars combined to compose a field of 23 of the best Late Model drivers in the state. The first action of the night would feature the Late Models in qualifying and when all was said and done it was Cherry Raceway regular Andy Nickerson III at the top of the charts with a lap of 13.342. Adam Erickson, Dona Marcoullier, Bill Bray and Rusty Schlenk rounded out the top 5.
Late Model heat race action would see Brandon Thirlby score the win in heat #1 over Ryan Vanderveen and Jason Playter Jr. with Rusty Schlenk making a trip to victory lane in the second heat race followed by Eric Spangler and Curtis Roberts. In the third and final heat, Rich Neiser carried the checkers over Greg Gokey and Dona Marcoullier. Eight drivers would start the 15 lap “B” Main with Nick Kurtz picking up the win followed by Andy Nickerson III, JT Anderson, Jacques Julin and Butch Strait making the transfer spots to the main event.
Greg Gokey and Rich Neiser would lead the 21 car field to the green flag in the 40 lap feature event. Neiser would get the jump on Gokey from his outside front row starting position and lead the first 5 laps as the rest of the stellar field battled for position behind them. On lap 6, Gokey edged Neiser at the line but his lead was short lived as the caution flew on lap #7 and Rich regained control on the ensuing restart. Rusty Schlenk and Eric Spangler also took advantage of the restart getting past Gokey to take over 2nd and 3rd respectfully. At the midway point, Eric Spangler had made his way to the runner spot behind Neiser with Rusty Schlenk, Dona Marcoullier and Curtis Roberts now rounding out the top 5. On lap #29, Ryan Vanderveen worked lapped traffic to his advantage and pulled to within inches of the leader but pulled off and headed to the pits 2 laps later ending his bid for the lead. The final restart on lap #33 would prove costly for Eric Spangler as he started on the outside of row two. Spangler charged up along-side Neiser down the front stretch, slipped off the cushion and blew it off turn one falling to the back of the pack. Rich Neiser would wheel his way the remaining laps to score the win and take over the American Ethanol Late Model Tour points lead. Dona Marcoullier finished in the runner up position from 9th followed by Brandon Thirlby and Curtis Roberts. Rusty Schlenk rallied back to 5th after a mid-race cation put him at the back of the pack. Herb Reich finished 6th with Adam Erickson, Josh Knoll, Nick Kurtz and Jason Playter Jr. rounding out the top 10. The American Ethanol tour’s next stop will be at the Manistee County Fairgrounds on August 8th.
Stock Car action would see Brian Abernethy carry the checkers in heat #1 over Joe Fisher and Peni LaLonde while Jeremiah Woebbeking pulled into victory lane for the second heat finishing ahead of Derrick Beard and Allen Oyer. In the feature event, Tracy Skaggs took the early lead but surrendered to the hard charging Joe Fisher on lap #2. On lap #8 while leading, Fisher looped the car bringing out the yellow and sending him to the tail for the restart. Brian Abernethy and TJ Erickson would battle back and forth the remaining laps with Erickson coming out on top and scoring the win. Abernethy would hold on to finish 2nd followed by Joe Fisher, Chris Casey, Jeremiah Woebbeking, Derrick Beard, Thomas Poley, Peni LaLonde, Allen Oyer and Kim Wagener.
Arlie Cooper Jr. carried the checkers in the Warrior heat race followed by Jeremy Tulick and Jackson White. In the main event, Jackson White took the lead from Russ Carrier on lap #2 with Arlie Copper Jr. glued to his bumper. On Lap #9, Copper put the slide job on White coming out of turn 4 and drove on to sweep the night’s events with the win. Russ Carrier finished in the runner up spot followed by Jim Luhtanen, Jackson White and Jeremy Tulick.
In the Young Guns action, Autumn Beeman scored the heat race win over Hunter Hamilton and Dylan Roush. In the feature event, Dalton Bouschor took the lead at the drop of the green flag and drove on to lead flag to flag for his 4th feature race win of the year. Autumn Beeman drove to the runner up position from the tail of the field with Hunter Hamilton, Dylan Roush and Amber Beeman rounding out the top 5.
Coming this Friday to Cherry Raceway is the Pizza Hut Kids Night. Kids 11 and under get in FREE in the grandstands, and a Bike Giveaway courtesy of Pizza Hut.
See ya at the track
Article Credit: Alan Lardie
Submitted By: Michelle Stieg
