8/21/2017
Tri-City Motor Speedway
8/18/2017 Race Results
08/18/2017 Dolney RV Center Battle By The Bay Part 1 Night
Melling Select Late Models Presented by Euclid Automotive : #9 Isaac Wolfgang
Main Street Seed & Supply IMCA Modifieds Presented by K&C Transport: #20w AJ Ward
Walker Ideal Trophies Mini Wedges: #7 Dakota Vennix
Elgin Pro Stocks: #28 Jared Rizer
Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #50 Jake Thompson
Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #7 Johnny Staszak
Wolfgang, Ward, and Vennix Win Battle By the Bay at Tri-City Motor Speedway
08/18/2017 (Auburn, MI) With the 2017 Point season complete, the post season fun began last Friday night at Tri-City Motor Speedway with part one of the 7th annual Battle By the Bay. Dolney RV Center was the sponsor of the nights activities that included specials for the Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini Wedge, K&C Transport IMCA modified, and Euclid Automotive Late Model drivers. A brief rain shower prior to opening ceremonies helped make the track lightning fast for the 95 drivers on hand to capture feature wins in their respective race divisions.
Number 7 Dakota Vennix had captured his first ever track championship last Friday night and was looking to show the field of eight that he was the man to beat in the Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini Wedges. #3 Mason Clements was able to take home the checkered flag in the preliminary heat race to place him as one of the favorites for the 12-lap feature. Unfortunately, he would have mechanical issues that forced him to retire from the main event before the checkered flag flew. Last week’s winner #36 Jennifer Young would lead a pair of opening laps before #15 Cole Doty took his turn at the point. He and Vennix would put on quite battle in the second half of the event before Vennix was able to pull away after maneuvering his way though lapped traffic. Vennix would be the first to cross the finish line picking up a six foot winner’s trophy. Doty, Young, #0x Zayden Olger, and #04 Sonja Driesens completed the top five.
The biggest field of drivers came from the Euclid Automotive sponsored Late Models. 25 drivers from all over the state where on hand for a chance to win the 35-lap feature. #3 Kyle Roberts, #21 Logan Arntz, and #87 Josh Knoll won their respective qualifying heats. #2 Travis Stemler had to win the Last Chance Qualifier in order to stamp his ticket into the 20-car feature field. Roberts would take full advantage of his front row start to pace the field for the first dozen laps as he battled with #4 Kevin Reeve. However, as the race went on, the top groove started to become slick. This helped the rest of the field catch up to Reeve and Roberts. #9 Isaac Wolfgang was the first driver to find better grip on the bottom groove and quickly reeled in the two leaders. By the halfway point, Wolfgang was the new leader. With less than ten to go, Wolfgang would find himself trying to work his way through heavy lapped traffic that slowed his torrid pace. This allowed ninth place starter and former track champion #0x Zack Olger to catch Wolfgang. At one point, Olger was able to make the pass on Wolfgang, but he found himself trapped behind slower traffic which allowed Wolfgang to take back the lead. That would be as close as Olger would get as Wolfgang would take home his first ever late model feature win. He was followed by Olger, 2017 Champion #4t Andrew Terrill, Stemler, and Arntz.
Number 28 Jared Rizer has seemed to have gotten all of the bad luck out of his system in the second half of the 2017 season. Since the beginning of July, he has captured more wins in the Elgin Pro Stock division than any other driver including his victory the previous week to capture the point championship. He would start 9th in the 15 car field for the 20-lap feature. Ohio driver #J3 Tim Murphy took control of the main event for a number of laps before clipping a track tire in turn two and bringing out the caution flag. This put Murphy to the rear of the field and giving #69 Nate Murphy the lead. #50 Chad Bennett would also be within striking distance of Murphy to challenge for the top spot. Rizer, however, found that his car worked in any groove on the race track and was able to run down and pass both Bennett and Murphy within seven laps to go. Rizer would go on to take another TCMS win. Bennett would finish second with #57 TJ Gilbert, N. Murphy, and T. Murphy rounding out the top five at the finish. N. Murphy and Bennett captured heat gold.
With the Thornton Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stock track Champion Nick Putman racing a street stock on Friday night; it opened up the opportunity to have a different winner at the end of the 15 lap main event. Heat race winner #03 Josh Charbonneau would lead the field of four to the green flag, but that lead would only last until turn two when 2016 Mini Wedge Champion #7 Johnny Staszak would make the winning move. He would dominate the rest of the way to an easy victory over Charbonneau, #66 Bryan Dinsmore, and #18 Mercedes Kosha.
The K&C Transport sponsored IMCA Modified division is no longer running for track points, however, they are still completing to collect state, regional, and national points. 24 drivers made the haul to TCMS to not only collect those important points, but to also take home the win. 2017 Champion #19JR Kody Johnson started on the pole for the 25-lap feature and led the first couple of laps before the 2015 and 2016 Champion AJ Ward would catch and challenge Johnson for the lead. Both battled hard until Ward was able to clear Johnson and move to the bottom groove. Once Ward found the speed on the bottom of the track, he was able to check out from the rest of the field. Lapped traffic didn’t slow Ward down as he cruised to an impressive victory over Johnson, #98 Austin Wonch, #71 Brenten DeYoung, and #187 Gavin Hunyady. #10 Gary Vandermark won the Last Chance Qualifier. Wonch, Ward, and #74 John Wozniak captured qualifier heat race wins.
Twenty Suspension MAXX Street Stocks took the green flag for the start of the 20-lap main event. #23 Rick Spencer, who had won an earlier heat race, jumped out from the field to lead the opening laps. However, as we have seen all season long, #50 Jake Thompson and track Champion #x5 Eric Lake quickly became the class of the field. The two would have an exhilarating battle until a hose blew on Lake’s machine with three laps remaining. Lake would finish 15th. On the restart, it was evident that no one had anything for Thompson as he would easily take home another win. He was followed by #69m Barry Vance, #19 Mike Kosha, Spencer, and #260 Ron Pope. Thompson also won his heat race.
Next week is the second half of the 7th annual Battle By the Bay at TCMS and sponsored by the Midland Nazarene. Michigan’s best drivers will again compete against the TCMS regulars next Friday night. Five race classes will be in action on the 25th with increased purses for the Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, and Bomber Stocks. We will also hold our first Back to School Bash!! Bring out the kids along with a pedal bike and helmet as the 6-14 year olds will get the opportunity to race on the clay oval!! Also, be sure to mark your calendar for our final event of the season will be September 1st with the Racing Extravaganza with Great Lakes Super Sprints and Outlaw Late Models!! Why stand in a long line to purchase your tickets when you can buy them online?! Purchase your tickets today at www.tricityracetrack.com!! We hope to see you at least one more time for our #fillthestandsFridays! The grandstand gates open at 5:30pm with practice beginning at 6:30. Family Fun Friday action begins at 7:55pm with our preliminary races. Check out our website for more details of this and our other remaining shows for 2017.
Article Credit: Roger Williams
Submitted By: Erika Puvalowski
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