5/30/2016
Tri-City Motor Speedway
Race Results from 5/27/2016
05/27/16 Memorial Day Weekend Kick Off Winners
Melling Select Late Models: #21 Logan Arntz
Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #57 TJ Gilbert
Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified: #615 Chad Wernette
Elgin Pro Stocks: #K11 Kendall Morrison
Thornton Brothers Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #27 Mercedes Kosha
Figure Eight- #x5 Eric Lake
Gilbert Defends Street Stock Special Title. Morrison and Kosha Claim First TCMS Wins
05/27/2016 (Auburn MI) Hot, steamy, and unsettled weather surrounded Tri City Motor Speedway on Friday night. With rain coming down as late as 6:30, owner Steve Puvalowski and his team completely reworked the track to prepare it for racing on this Friday night. The efforts were rewarded with a great field over 105 cars and a packed grandstand full of spectators that were ready to start their holiday weekend. The first of three Figure Eight races of the season as well as a 33-lap Street Stock feature that would see the field of 24 starting three wide were the highlights of the evening schedule.
With other area racing facilities pulling the plug on their Friday show due to weather, the Suspension MAXX Street Stock had a stout field of 34 entered to earn the 24 starting positions available for the 33-lap feature. Heat races were tricky for the drivers as they had slick wet conditions to conquer in order to lock into the feature. Winners of those hotly contested races were #19 Mike Kosha, #85 Al Spiekerman, point leader #96 Shane Wright, and #67 Ryan Fitzgerald. Last Chance races won by last week’s feature winner #34f Jacob Flickinger and #a71 Anthony Jurek set the remainder of the expanded feature field. With eight rows of three starting the event, #16 Steve Doty, #23 Henry Ritter, and #18d David Lester would lead the field to the green flag for the 33-lap affair. Lester would lead the first 17 laps before 19th place starter #57 TJ Gilbert would take over. Gilbert, who was doing triple duty by running the Street Stock, Pro Stock and Figure Eight, would bob and weave his way through traffic to claim this special feature for his second time in a row. In victory lane, a visibly exhausted Gilbert would admit that he spent $600 on a claimer motor for the race and the win would pay for that investment. Clare driver #81 Dustin Barlow would finish runner-up in his first appearance at TCMS. He was followed by #11 Jimmy Jaenicke, Flickinger, and #18 Fred Dow Sr. Kosha, Ritter, #31 Bob Robinson, Fitzgerald, and Spiekerman would round out the top ten. Mechanical issues for Lester would leave him with a 17th place finish.
The Thornton Brothers Septic Service Bomber Stock Division provided a very entertaining feature event with the seven that took the green flag. Front row starter and opening night winner, #21 Any Koczenasz shot out to the lead for over half the event. #27 Mercedes Kosha patiently worked her way to the back bumper of Koczenasz and by lap nine found herself leading the field. The high school student from Vassar and 2015 Silver Bullet Speedway champion would extend her lead over the field and was the first to cross the start/finish line on lap twelve to claim her first victory of the season. Koczenasz held on for second ahead of heat race winner #13 Preston DeShano, pole sitter #77 Stacie Staszak, and last week’s winner Nick Putman.
Melling Select Late models saw a tough field of twenty tackle the perfect track conditions for the 25 laps of their feature event. Midland driver #14n Tyler Norton would take full advantage of his pole position start and dominate the initial eleven laps. #11x Ryan Lanphierd would make the pass on the low side of the track and looked to be well on his way to getting that first feature win. However, #21 Logan Arntz was methodically moving through traffic finding speed in a lower groove and caught up with Lanphierd by lap 22. Arntz would lead lap 23 before Lanphierd would take it back. On the final lap, Lanphierd slipped up in turn two and Arntz, another high school student, was able to slip by down low to lead the checkered flag lap and winning is first TCMS late model feature. 12th place starter, #4t Andrew Terrill would also benefit from the Lanphierd error to finish runner up. Lanphierd would recover to finish third. Norton and #50 Scott Phillips secured spots within the top five. 2015 champ #21d David Hilliker, his son #19 Derrick Hilliker, #3 Kyle Roberts, #21s Steven Hilliker, and Point leader #0p Kris Patterson Jr. wrapped up the top ten. Heat gold went to Norton and #16 Mike Staszak.
After last week’s attrition in the Elgin Pro Stock feature, all eyes were on this class to see if any emotions from that night would spill over to this week. Heat races were captured by #K11 Kendall Morrison and #57 TJ Gilbert. After crashing out of the previous week’s feature, Morrison would get to start on the pole for the 20-lap feature with rookie of the year candidate #9s Marc Super. Morrison would jump out to a large lead that he would never relinquish during the relatively calm race as he would go on to lead all twenty laps and grab his first ever Pro Stock feature win. The high school student was grateful to his father and the entire crew that helped rebuild his machine throughout the week to get him ready for Friday’s racing. #71 Timmy Near, point leader #14 Nate Jones, #69 Nate Murphy, and Gilbert completed the top five., The top ten included #21d Darren Mularz, #01 Randy Radabaugh, #M65 Rick Spencer, #28 Jared Rizer, and #@73 Don Colbath III.
Point Leader #20w AJ Ward has so far shut out everyone else from victory lane in 2016 in the Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified division. Weather would have him make the tough decision to race closer to his home in Ionia on this Friday night. This opened the door for a new feature winner in 2016. With 24 modified drivers entered, it was important to lock into the main event through the preliminary qualifying events. #187 Gavin Hunyady, #61 Frank Evans III, and #19jr Kody Johnson would win their heats to secure starting positions in the 20-lap modified finale. #511 Chaz Pray would win the last-chance B-Main to earn his ticket to the main event. Midland’s #36 Rich Young would start alongside Clio’s #8 Aaron Spearling on the front row for the money race. Young would lead the initial four laps before 40-year veteran #19 Joe Fowler would take the point. He would lead the next nine laps before Sheridan’s #615 Chad Wernette would pull alongside and challenge for the top spot. From 11th spot, Wernette would finally pass Fowler and cruise to his first victory of 2016 at TCMS. Fowler would have to settle for second and was closely followed by Johnson, #776k Ken Zeigler and #4s Toby Steele.
The 18-lap Figure Eight feature would wrap up the night’s racing program with 11 competitors taking to the challenging and unique track in hopes of a big payday and avoiding any intersection mishaps. #28 Andrew Francis would bring the field to the green flag as all the drivers would master turning right AND left along with adapting to some wet conditions. #57 TJ Gilbert, in his third feature of the night, looked strong early as he led the beginning eight laps. However, mechanical issues would slowly plague Gilbert and eventually sending him to the pits before the end of the race. This handed the lead over to the 2015 Figure Eight Champion #x5 Eric Lake. Lake would stretch his lead to over a half lap by the time the checkered flag flew declaring him the winner. #07 Randy Radabaugh would finish a distant second ahead of #80 Aaron Mieske, #23 Henry Ritter, and #R0 Ray Derminer.
Join us this Friday June 3rd as we add an exciting twist of excitement to the race night with the introduction of Driver Bingo!!! It’s a whole new way to watch the races and root on your favorite drivers! You’ll have to come on out to find out all the fun and free details. Late Models, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, IMCA Modified, Bomber Stocks, and the return of the youngsters in the new Mini Wedge division will be part of the Family Fun Friday Night Show. Bone & Bailey Insurance Agency will be the entertainment sponsor for the evening! Admission is just $14 per adult, 55yrs and better $13, 7-15 yrs old $5 and 6 and under FREE! Free rustic camping is also available!!! Check out www.tricityracetrack.com for more details!
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