7/10/2017
Tri-City Motor Speedway
7/7/2017 Race Results
06/30/2017 Make Up Features
Melling Select Performance Late Models: #2 Travis Stemler
Elgin Pro Stock: #36 Jeremy Spencer
Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #50 Jake Thompson
Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #7 Johnny Staszak
Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified: #7d Myron DeYoung
07/07/2017 Midland Steel Feature Winners
Midland Steel Late Model Special: #2 Travis Stemler
Elgin Pro Stock: #K11 Kendall Morrison
Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #M65 Rick Spencer
Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #18 Nick Putman
Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified: #71 Timmy Near
Stemler Collects Big Win at Tri-City Motor Speedway
07/07/2017 (Auburn, MI) Weather has been the major newsmaker at Tri-City Motor Speedway over the past few weeks. The June 23rd show was forced to be cancelled due to heavy rain and flooding at the Auburn speed plant. The following week, the kick off to the July 4th weekend, was postponed after more than half the events had been completed. The postponed feature events would be the first races to be run last Friday night in addition to the regularly scheduled show. The makeup features would be captured by #2 Travis Stemler in the Melling Performance Late Models, #7d Myron DeYoung in the Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modifieds, #36 Jeremy Spencer in the Elgin Pro Stocks, #50 Jake Thompson in the Suspension MAXX Street Stocks, and #7 Johnny Staszak in the Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks. Midland Steel was the Entertainment Sponsor of the evening and was the title sponsor of the Midland Steel Late Model Special which would pay the winner $3,077 to win the 51-lap feature. In addition, a lucky fan would win $200 in the TCMS version of power ball if they held the tennis ball with the winning car’s number written on it.
Thirty Melling Select Performance Late Models were on hand in hopes that they would be part of the 21 car field for the 51-lap Midland Steel Special. Fan Favorite #6m Dona Marcoullier, #21s Steven Hilliker, and #9 Curtis Roberts won qualifying heats and guaranteed starting spots in the main event. #19 Derrick Hilliker would win the last chance qualifier to gain his opportunity to run the high paying main event. The crowd was highly amped as the field would make its way onto the track and roared in approval as the cars came by four wide with each car carrying a large American Flag to honor America. Makeup feature winner #2 Travis Stemler would draw the first starting spot and led the field, along with defending champion #4t Andrew Terrill, to the green flag. The Ionia native, Stemler, would jump out to a lead that would be more than a straightaway at times. With Stemler well out in front of the field, the race was intense for top five positions. Terrill would battle with Roberts, Marcoullier, #3 Kyle Roberts, and S. Hilliker. Eventually, Marcoullier would make his way to the second spot and was on his way to catching Stemler. However, without the aid of a caution, Marcoullier would run out of laps as Stemler would wheel his car to his second feature win of the night. Marcoullier would finish second and was followed by C. Roberts, Terrill, and S. Hilliker. The remainder of the top 10 was Kyle Roberts, #24 Alex Hupert, #11x Ryan Lanphierd, #21d David Hilliker, and #4x Kevin Reeve.
Number 71 Brenten DeYoung had a tough first feature in the Main Street Supply IMCA makeup feature and had an opportunity to redeem himself as he would start on the pole in the second feature. Starting alongside rookie #23 Preston Deshano, they would take the field of 21 to the green flag. DeYoung would spin in turn three forcing him to restart the event at the tail of the field. He would rebound to finish in the eighth position. It would be #27 Matt Szecsodi who would take a commanding lead. Szecsodi, who had finished in the runner up position in the Greased Pig event in mid June, looked to be on his way to his first win of 2017. However, rookie #71 Timmy Near, from his fifteenth starting position, would search the track and run a higher line than Szecsodi. Near, who repaired his machine from an incident in the first feature, would use this high line to make the winning move in turn two to pick up the win. Szecsodi would have to settle for another runner up finish. Greased Pig winner #511 Chaz Pray, rookie #16 Chad May, and #187 Gavin Hunyadi completed the top five. #22 Mike Mosier would pick up a heat race win along with DeYoung and Szecsodi.
Makeup feature winner #50 Jake Thompson would end up starting in the twelfth position in the second feature race of the Suspension MAXX Street Stock division. The opening laps would see #21 Kelvin Caspers and #72 Bobby Kosha would swap the lead a number of times before multi-time champion #M65 Rick Spencer would bring his station wagon to the front. #9m Jim Miller Jr., in his first visit of 2017, would come from row six, along with Thompson, to challenge for the win. However, Spencer proved to be too strong and held them off for his first visit to victory lane in 2017 at TCMS. Thompson, Miller, #7r Kevin Newcomb, and Kosha took home top five finishes. Veteran #91 Gary Shank saw himself in victory lane winning his last chance qualifier. Thompson, Spencer, and #17k Andy Kaake enjoyed heat race wins.
Attrition was a problem in the Elgin Pro Stock makeup feature that was won by #36 Jeremy Spencer. The top three in the point standing, #K11 Kendall Morrison, #57 TJ Gilbert, and #69 Nate Murphy all retired early out of the event and were forced to make repairs in order to compete in the nights regularly scheduled events. This tightened the battle of the 2017 Elgin Pro Stock Championship and made the second feature an important opportunity for these drivers to regain confidence with a good finish. #25 Adam Friend and #77B Rob Brillhart would lead the twenty drivers to the start of the 20-lap feature. Both drivers would end up with mechanical issues forcing them out of the race early. Point leader Morrison made some bold moves to wrestle his way to the front of the field. #28 Jared Rizer, winner of two features, and #14 TJ Gilbert, who had blown his motor in the opening feature and jumper behind the wheel of defending track champion #14 Nate Jones machine, were not able to catch the K-Dog Morrison as he would take his second feature of the year. Rizer, Gilbert, #93 John Robbins, and #10 Brent Riel completed the top five at the finish. Friend, Rizer, and Morrison had captured heat race gold.
The Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stock division saw a depleted field after a number of cars broke in the first feature event that was won by #7 Johnny Staszak. #21 Andy Koczenasz held the early lead in the second feature before point leader, #18 Nick Putman would make the pass for the lead on the low side of turn two. Koczenasz would crash at mid race ending his night with a fifth place finish. Once Putman got out front, he was untouched and cruised to an easy victory over Staszak, #03 Josh Charbonneau, and #88 Mike Schnettler.
Join TCMS next Friday night for another full night of family friendly stock car racing entertainment as the Faster Pastor Race is back! Last year, nearly $20,000 was raised to help local churches and their charities! Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks and Mini Wedges will also be on hand to compete!!! We will also add the rained-out firework display from June 30th and the popular Suspension MAXX truck drags!! Make sure you get to the track early to get the best seats!!! Remember there is no need to stand in line on race days anymore! Purchase your tickets online at www.tricityracetrack.com today!! Come on out for #fillthestandsFridays! The grandstand gates open at 5:30pm with practice beginning at 6:45. Family Fun Friday action begins at 7:55 with our preliminary races. For more details of this and other shows for 2017, visit our website today!!
Article Credit: Roger Williams
Submitted By: Erika Puvalowski
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