9/17/2023
Auto City Speedway
Results Sept 16th
RESULTS 9/16/23
This past Saturday night was “Championship Night” at Auto City Speedway with all divisions racing, including the Herald Pure Stocks, the Pro Street Stocks, the Red Apple Fireworks Front Wheel Drive (FWD), the All-American Truck series and the Auto City Figure 8’s.
It was a perfect fall feel in the air with an overcast sky. Qualifying started the night with the Pro Street Stocks and it was points leader going into tonight, Jeff Owens in his yellow and orange #65 getting quick time with a 17.08 and second quick was Kevin Harder in his #44 with a 17.27.
The All-American Trucks were next up, and it was the black and orange #22 of Brian Dougherty getting the top spot with a 17.42. Dan Shamel in his blue and white #47 was second with a 17.52.
The Herald Pure Stocks were next, and it was points leader going into tonight's event, Nick Johnston in his blue and white #7 getting fast time with a 16.03 and Lonnie Saumier Jr. in his #M15 second fast with a very close 16.08.
The last series to qualify was the Red Apple Fireworks FWD Warriors. It was points leader as well, Jason Jones #11j getting the top spot with a 16.31 and Troy Deuscher in his #83 second quick with a 16.83.
So, the stage was set for the night's racing. Once the invocation and national anthem were completed, it was time for the heat races. All heat races for every division was eight laps.
There were two heat races for the Herald Pure Stocks, in the first race, it was the #M47 of Jeremy Johnson and the #C7 of Brandon Miller leading them to the green flag. It took a couple tries to get to racing as the drivers were a bit too eager to go and flagman, Jeff West, had to give them a few tries before letting the green fly. When racing commenced, it was Johnson jumping to the early lead, but that did not last long as he seemed to be having handling issues and spun. When they went back to green, it was the #0 of Andrew Shelters taking the top spot followed by Miller and first timer at Auto City this year, the #5 of Brent Voris. Shelters kept the lead, but others battled behind him. One notable was the 13-year-old first time driver, Talen Diehl in the #M151. He made his way up through the pack to come home second with Miller in third.
The second heat race for the Herald Pure Stocks started with Tony Williams #97 and Tim Kirby #81 leading them to the green. Kirby got the early lead and Mike Moiser #22 jumped up to second. But within a lap, Moiser spun coming out of turn two and went into the infield bringing out a caution and was sent to the rear. When the checkered flew, it was Nick Johnston getting the win followed by Kirby and Andrew Burton #05.
There were two heat races for the All-American Trucks. The first heat was led by the #421 of Brian Crittenden and the #67T of Jason Dvorscak. Dvorscak got the early lead and had Gage Clayton #20 follow him into second. Working his way through the field was Cameron Delong #95 and by lap four, had gotten into second tracking down Clayton. By lap six, Delong did get by for the lead and took the win over Clayton, and Jason Wolf #77.
In the second AAT heat, it was Jim Cudd’s #1 and Mark Wilcox’s #67 on the front row. Cudd did jump to the lead with Wilcox following. As the laps counted down, it was the #47 truck of Dan Shamel working his way to the lead and getting the win over Wilcox and Cudd.
Next up was the Pro Street Stocks heat race hitting the half mile. It was veteran driver of the Pure Stocks, now driving a Pro Street Stock, Andrea Baxter in her #5 (and being her first time at Auto City this season) and the #3 of Chris Munson, a new driver to Auto City leading them to green. Munson took the early lead with Baxter and Johnny Hayden #64 following. As Baxter and Hayden battled for second, Baxter got loose and spun bringing out a caution. When they went back to green, it was Hayden jumping to the point with now Jeff Owens and Munson following. On the last lap, Owens and Casey Snover #32 were battling behind Hayden and did touch, but it did not change the outcome as it was Hayden with the win with Owens and Snover following.
The Red Apple Fireworks FWD Warriors “A” series heat race was now up and in the first heat, it was Charlie Boone’s #70 and the #31 of Michael Schmidt leading them to the green. Schmidt got out to the lead first with Boone and Jason Jones #11j behind. By lap four, Jones had gotten to the lead and got the win over Schmidt and Jeffery Asmus #14.
There were two “B” series heat races for the Red Apple Fireworks FWD’s. In the first it was Silas Mccaslin #12 and the #58jr of Kenzie Arden leading them to green. Mccaslin took the lead with the #10 of Cody Lurak jumping up to second and Emily Clayton to third. Lurak kept the lead to get the win. Deegan Clayton in the Lightning McQueen look-alike #95 came home second and Mccaslin got third.
In the second of the “B” series, it was the #96 of William Grubbs Jr. And Barb Boone #66 leading the way. Grubbs took the lead with Boone following and Rod Nettleton #33 in lap one. About lap three, Boone came out of turn four going wide and hit the front stretch wall putting her out of competition and bringing out a yellow. She was ok, but the car was not so much. Then, after going back to green and the laps counted down, it was #095 of Keith Rivers III working his way to the lead. When the checkers flew, it was Rivers III getting his first win at Auto City followed by Brad Treichel #01 and Grubbs Jr.
After intermission, it was time for the feature races for all divisions starting with the Herald Pure Stock thirty-five lap feature. The #0 of Andrew Shelters and the #51 of John Puckett led them to the green and it was Shelters taking the early lead followed by Tony Williams #97 and Tim Kirby as Puckett faded in the opening lap. By lap five, Andrew Burton #05 had worked his way up to second as there was plenty of three wide racing going on and everyone jockeying for position being a double points night. Within a couple laps, Lonnie Samuier Jr. 's #M15 made himself known as he worked his way up to battle with Shelters for the lead. By lap ten, Saumier was in the top spot and did not look back. Mike Moiser #22 and Nick Johnston #7 both had worked their way up to second and third, but when the checkered flew, it was Saumier, Moiser, Johnston, Burton and Kirby respectively.
The All-American Trucks thirty-five lap feature was now up, and it was the #51 of Rickey Gillett and the #95 of Cameron Delong bringing them to the green. Delong got the jump to the early lead bringing Jim Cudd #1, Anthony Duvernois #55 and Mark Wilcox #67 with him as Gillett drifted back in the pack. By lap ten, Delong still held the lead with Cudd in tow, but Dan Shamel #47 worked his way to the third spot now. But just as that happened, Shamel spun and created a yellow. He did get his spot back and it put him next to Delong for the restart. Shamel did get to the lead on lap fifteen with Cudd going to third, but points leader coming into the night, Anthony Richardson was now in fourth. On lap seventeen, Brian Dougherty #22 spun and brought out another yellow. As they went back to green, it was Shamel leading the way with Delong and Richardson following. Once the thirty-five laps were completed, it was Shamel for the win, Richardson, Delong, Dougherty and Willcox rounding out the top five.
The Red Apple Fireworks FWD twenty-five lap feature combined both the “A” and “B” series together. The front row was Charlie Boone #70 and the #31 of Michael Schmidt leading them to green. Schmidt jumped to get the early lead and held off Jeffrey Asmus #14 as well as the #83 of Troy Deucher. But by lap six, it was the points leader coming into the night, Jason Jones #11j taking the lead. As Jones led the field, they were battling behind him for every position. On lap fifteen, it was Daegan Clayton in the #95 spinning bringing out a yellow. Once they went back to green, Jones had the field covered and brought home yet another victory in this series. Following Jones was Deuscher, Asmus, Schmidt and Boone. In the same race, it was "B" series points leader going into the night, Rod Nettleton in his #33 getting the win over Cody Lurak #10 and Keith Rivers III #095.
The Pro Street Stock thirty-five lap feature was next, and it was Andrea Baxter #5 with Rob Sullivan #20 leading them to the green.
Before lap one was completed, Baxter spun creating a full restart. Once they got underway, it was Sullivan getting the early lead. Battling behind Sullivan was the #3 of Chris Munson, #51 of Ron Hart, #44 of Kevin Harder, #0 of Adam Rowe and Jeff Owens #65.
As the laps clicked down, about lap eleven, Harder did make it to the top spot with Rowe and Owens in tow. On lap eighteen, Baxter spun causing a yellow. Once they went back to green, it was Rowe taking the lead and Harder to second leaving Owens and Johnny Hayden #64 battling side by side for third. On lap twenty-three, Baxter went over the turn one/two embankment which brought out another yellow. Baxter seemed to be having handling issues all night. Going back to green, it was Rowe, Harder, now Owens, Hayden and Casey Snover #32 being the top five. Owens was giving it his best to get by Harder, but the #44 was making his car twice as wide making it difficult for Owens to get by. When the checkered flew, it was Rowe, Harder, Owens, Hayden and Snover in that order.
The last race of the night and the last points race for the season was next and it was the fifteen lap Auto City Figure 8 race.
Tony “T-Bone” Williams led them to green and once they went racing, Tony never gave up that top spot. Back in the pack though, two competitors who have put on an awesome show each time out, Andrew Burton #05 and Anthony Richardson #422 were back at it again battling. Richardson came into the night only 4 points ahead of Burton in the standings. As Tony sailed off with the lead, the two battled side by side, even banging off each other at times. Burton did make it by Richardson for position. When it was all over, it was Williams with the win (he’s only been out at Auto City twice this year and won the Figure 8 each time), Burton second and Richardson third.
That completed the points battle for the season.
NOTE: at the time of the results article, all competitors' cars and trucks had to go through a thorough tech inspection before any drivers were deemed “Champion” of their division. Also, being double points night, all points must be verified after the tech inspections are completed to determine the champions. The drivers who were interviewed on the track were ‘unofficially’ presumed the champion of their division.
(The official results will be posted after verification)
The next and last event of the 2023 season will be Saturday, September 23rd and it will be the Elga Credit Union “Ghouls Night Out” Maximum Destruction.
Check out all the details and schedule at www.autocityspeedway.com or visit the Facebook page for contests and more, and “we’ll see you at the city.”
Article Credit: Randy Adam
Submitted By: Sharon Fischer
