8/22/2020
Tri-City Motor Speedway
Marcoullier Scores First Hell Tour Win at Tri-City
8/22/2020: (Auburn, MI): The DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour invaded the grounds of the Tri-City Motor Speedway this past Friday night. The event marked the first time in history the Midwest traveling series of UMP DIRTcar Late Model drives had ever competed at an event on the Auburn, Michigan 1/4-mile dirt oval. The feature event for the late models payed a staggering $10,000 to win. The tour also brought the traveling cars and stars of the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals racing for a $1500 to win prize. The Auto Value Pro Stocks, Suspension Maxx Street Stocks, and XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders were all on hand as part of the action-packed show.
The first main event of the night belonged to the Auto Value Pro Stocks. The 20-lap main event payed a special $500 to win. Tim Murphy and Ray Biskener led the field down to the green flag. Murphy jumped out with the lead early. He stayed there until lap 4, when 18-year old Austin Harnick made the pass for the lead. However, on the very next lap a hard charging 19-year old Kendall Morrison took over the top position and never looked back from there as he went on to get the win. This was the third win of the year for Morrison. The 19-year old driver from Bay City, Michigan driving the Cundde Dumpster Rental #K11. Nate Murphy took second. Harnick, Tim Murphy, and Richard Yaroch rounded out the top five. Morrison and 19-year old Danielle Robinson won the preliminary heat races.
The 25-lap $1500 to win Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals feature event rolled out next. 2-time series champion Nick Hoffman and John McClure started things off on the front row. Hoffman pulled away with the lead after the opening circuit. Despite what the rest of the field tried, there was no stopping Hoffman as he would lead the entire event from start to finish to pick up the win. This was the 12th win on the tour for the native of Mooresville, North Carolina driving the Federated Auto Parts #7. Jeff Erickson Jr. finished in second after starting 16th. Curt Spalding, Dave Baker, and Collin Thirlby completed the top five. The heat races were won by Will Krup, Hoffman, and McClure. Erickson won the Last Chance Showdown.
Frank Heckenast Jr. and Travis Stemler led out the $10,000 to win 50-lap feature event for the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour Late Models. Chief starter Mike Schmidt waved the green flag and Heckenast jumped out with the early lead. The battle for position began, and Heckenast would command the top spot all the way until lap 44. This was when Dona Marcoullier powered his way past for the race lead. He would go on to score the win and collect the big payday. The 36-year old driver from Houghton Lake, Michigan won his first Hell Tour victory driving the Dennis Craft Construction #6m. 3-time UMP DIRTcar national champion Rusty Schlenk finished second. Ryan Gustin, Heckenast, and 3-time Summer Nationals champion Brian Shirley finished out the top five. Gustin, Heckenast, Stemler, and Colten Burdette won the heats. The last chance showdown was won by 2015-track champion and Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame driver David Hilliker.
The Suspension Maxx Street Stocks competed in a 20-lap main event paying $1,000 to win. Loren Short and Mike Vandecar started on the front row. Short took the lead after the first lap. Things would change on lap 11 when 2-time track champion Eric Lake made the pass for the lead. Lake would not be denied as he went on to get the win. This was the first win of the season for Lake, the native of Montrose, Michigan driving the #X5. Rylee Knoll was the runner up finisher. Short, Jacob Flickinger, and Nick Putman capped off the top five. Knoll, Lake, and Josh Knoll, and Flickinger won the heat races. Jake Thompson won the last chance race.
The XLT Engineering 4 & 6 Cylinders hit the speedway for a 20-lap main paying a special $300 to win. Chad Freeman and Don Frohm brought the field to the green flag. Freeman took the lead in the early going. He would lead the entire event and make the visit to the winner’s circle. This was the first win for Freeman from Alger, Michigan in the #88. Chris Wassmann finished second. Robert Hankinson, Kevin Murday, and 2-time track champion Johnny Staszak rounded out the top five. The heat race victories went to Murday, 13-year old Katie Robinson, and Josh Charbonneau. The last chance race went to Joe Stanley.
Tri-City Motor Speedway will return to action this Friday August 28th. The event will be headlined by another installment of the All-Star Performance Challenge Series presented by American Ethanol. The Lane Automotive IMCA Modifieds, Auto Value Pro Stocks, Suspension Maxx Street Stocks, XLT Engineering 4 & 6 Cylinders and Allstar Performance Mini-Wedges will all be in action as well. Stay tuned to the track’s Facebook page for more details on next Friday and all future events.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
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