5/20/2018
Tri-City Motor Speedway
5/18/2018 Race Results
05/18/2018 Sell Your Swag/Suspension MAXX Street Stock Special Night
- Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modifieds: #79 Nate Jones
- Mueller’s Performance Engines Pro Stock: #27 Rob Westergard
- Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #50 Jake Thompson
- Melling Performance Late Models: #6m Dona Marcoullier
- Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #9 Ethan Robarts
- Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini-Wedge 6-9 Yr Olds: #54 Addison Clink
- Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini-Wedge 10-14 Yr Olds: #36 Jeniffer Young
Thompson Stays Undefeated By Winning in Grand Fashion at Tri-City Motor Speedway
05/18/2018 (Auburn, MI) The hottest ticket in racing continued Friday night at the Auburn 3/8 Mile dirt circle at Tri-City Motor Speedway. A regular season record of 129 cars and competitors poured into the pits in hopes of ending their night in victory lane. There was an added incentive for the Suspension MAXX Street Stock division as over $1,000 was awaiting the driver that led the 33rd and final lap in the main event. In addition, teams had the opportunity to sell their swag in the midway of the grandstand area.
Thirty-Two Suspension MAXX Street Stocks registered earlier in the evening for an opportunity to be one of the 24 that would start the 33-lap special main event. Qualifying heat races were won by #02 Will Stanley, #19 Justin Kuhl, #M65 Rick Spencer, and point leader #50 Jake Thompson. The B-Main that would fill in the remaining 4 spots at the rear of the feature lineup was captured by 2017 Champion #X5 Eric Lake. Stanley, #7k Dan Krause Jr, and #84 Eric Watz would lead the twenty-four car field, lined up three wide, to the green flag. The three would battle for the top spot until Thompson, from the 5th starting position, would take the lead within the first 6 laps. Thompson, who won the first two feature races of the season, was once again untouchable as he would pull a safe distance from the rest of the field. Numerous cautions and restarts were not enough for those hoping to challenge Thompson as he would easily grab his third feature in a row and collect the big payday. #18 Andy Kaake (Started 8th) would finish a distant runner-up and was closely followed by Spencer (10th), Lake (21st), and former Champion #96 Shane Wright (20th). The remainder of the top ten included Stanley, #00 Cameron Farley, #7r Kevin Newcomb, #3 Mitch Clements, #152 Robert Cunningham.
The Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini Wedge division for 6-14 year old aspiring drivers also had a special night of racing with the top three finishers in each age group taking home five foot tall special trophies. The youngsters put on a great show for the fans with #54 Addison Clink sweeping her heat race and the 10-lap feature. She would finish ahead of #0x Zayden Olger (8th), #5 Brennan DeShano (4th), #28 Kyron DeShano (6th), and #2e Easton Murray (3rd) in the 6-9 yr old division. #36 Jeniffer Young would barely outlast #15 Cole Doty to take home the checkered flag in the 10-14 year old division.
A stout Thirty-One Melling Performance Late Model teams fought for the twenty positions available for the 30-lap main feature. Early favorites that won their respective qualifying heat races included #75 Rod Laney, #6r Carl Ries, point leader #2 Travis Stemler, and #9 Isaac Wolfgang. #24 Alex Hupert had to survive an impressive field in the B-Main to gain his ticket to the main event. Laney and Ries would get the two best stating spots in the feature as they led the all-star field to the initial green flag of the money race. Ries, who loves a slick track, flexed early muscle as he paced the field for the first twelve laps. However, Marcoullier, who rarely loses when he makes the trip to Auburn, mastered the tricky track conditions threading through the competition to take the lead away from Ries at lap thirteen. Once he took the top spot, he was gone from the rest of the field as he would cross the finish line as winner. He bested Stemler (7th), Rookie #87 David Mielke (6th), Ries, and Defending two-time Champion #4t Andrew Terrill (10th).
One of the most entertaining features of the evening was the Mueller’s Performance Engines Pro Stock 20-lap main event. Pole Sitter #99 Rick Beauchamp would lead the opening pair of laps before 6th place starter and defending Champion #28 Jared Rizer would take over the lead. It looked as if he was going to run away from the field, but #27 Rob Westergard was able to stay with Rizer before taking his turn at the front on lap six. He would lead until lap ten when Rizer would come back to steal the top spot. The two would race side by side and swap the lead position every other lap until Westergard was able to take it for good on lap 16. He would take home his first feature win of 2018 ahead of Rizer (6th), #77m Chris Malek (11th), #9 Marc Super (8th), and #K11 Kendall Morrison (10th). Westergard and #36 Jeremy Spencer took home the preliminary heat races.
Twenty-Two Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA modified drivers took the green flag for their 20 lap main event with #D42 Don Sautter leading the opening laps. It would only take IMCA rookie and former Pro Stock Champion #79 Nate Jones three laps to go from 10th to the lead. Once there, he checked out from the field as everyone else would fight for second place. A late caution would bunch the field for once last shot for hard-charging #615 Chad Wernette to snatch away the lead and possibly the win. However, Wernette’s bid would fall short as Jones would pick up his second win in a row by two car lengths over Wernette. #42 Craig Vance would have a stellar run marching from 13th to finish third. #4s Toby Steele (2nd) and opening night winner #27 Matt Szecsodi (11th) rounded out the top five. #511 Chaz Prey, Jones, and Szecsodi took home heat race wins.
The Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks front-wheel drive saw its third winner in as many nights as #9 Ethan Robarts would take the lead away from #03 Josh Charbonneau on lap three and lead the remaining seventeen laps for his first win of 2018. 2018 feature winners #7 John Staszak (7th) and #60 Mike Schnettler (10th) would finish in the top three. Charbonneau and #21 Alex Keit (8th) rounded out the top five finishers. Schnettler and Charbonneau drew first blood by winning their heat races.
TCMS kicks off the Memorial Day weekend with the first of three visits from the Great Lakes Super Sprint Series. The winged sprint cars will bring their speed to the Auburn speed plant along with the Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, IMCA Modified, Bomber Stock, and Mini Wedge class. Get your tickets early and avoid waiting in line by purchasing them online at www.tricityracetrack.com. We look forward to having you and your family join us for the best dirt racing Michigan has to offer!!
Article Credit: Roger Williams
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