4/25/2016
Tri-City Motor Speedway
Race Results from 4/22/2016
04/22/2016 Opening Night Presented by Nitro Black
Melling Select Performance Late Models: #6m Dona Marcoullier
Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #15.2 Robert Cunningham
Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified: #20w AJ Ward
Elgin Pro Stocks: #14 Nate Jones
Thornton Brothers Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #21 Andy Koczenasz
04/22/2016 (Auburn MI) It was a long six month winter layoff since the final race at Tri-City Motor Speedway in September. Nearly 100 competitors filed into the pit area in the hopes that they could start the new race season with a victory that could possibly help carry them to a 2016 track championship. With a cloud cover dominating the afternoon last Friday, the track was tacky and fast for Nitro Black opening night.
Elgin Pro Stock is back once again as the title sponsor for the 2016 Pro Stock class. Eighteen drivers took the green flag for the first feature event of the evening. #01 Randy Radabuagh and #10 Brent Reil brought the field to the green flag to begin the 20-lap main event. Radabaugh would lead the opening laps before #14 Nate Jones would muscle his way to the top spot. He was easily the class of the field as he was never seriously challenged for the position and would end up picking up the victory. Whittemore native, #M65 Rick Spencer would fight his way from eighth place to finish runner up. #11 Josh Loomis, Radabaugh, and rookie candidate #57 TJ Gilbert rounded out the top five. Gilbert and Coleman’s #69 Nate Murphy won their heat races.
Twenty-five Melling Performance Late Models needed to be whittled down to the twenty that would start the 25-lap feature. Laingsburg’s #11 Rachel Carpenter would capture the first actual checkered flag of the 2016 season when she won her qualifying race. #0p Kris Patterson Jr and #19 Derrick Hilliker captured the other two qualifying heats. The B-main was won by #11x of Ryan Lanphierd. Derrick Hilliker and Carpenter would start on the front row with Hilliker claiming the first lap. However, Marcoullier, who was unbeaten in his 6 TCMS appearances in 2015, took the lead on lap two. Once he took the top spot, the rest of the field had to settle for racing for second spot. Marcoullier extended his streak with another feature win. #0x Zack Olger, Derrick Hilliker, Carpenter, and #27 Eric Spangler crossed the line with top five finishes.
Beaverton’s #4s Toby Steele and Regional and track IMCA Rookie of the Year #38 Mitchell Hunt took the field of 20 to the green flag in the Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA main event. Hunt would pace the group for the first five laps before #68 Heath Grizzle led a pair of laps. Ionia driver and two-time champion #20 AJ Ward maneuvered his way from his ninth place starting position to make the pass on Grizzle for the lead. It looked like Ward was going to cruise to another easy win, but with just three laps to go Ward would be caught in lapped traffic that allowed Grizzle to challenge for the win. Ward, however, would win by a car length at the stripe. Grizzle would have to settle for second. He was followed by #27 Matt Szecsodi, #19jr Kody Johnson, and Hunt. #19 Joe Fowler won the B-main. Qualifying heat victories were captured by Grizzle, #7s Lucas Small, and Hunt.
The Suspension MAXX Street Stock division, once again, provided nonstop action throughout the 20 lap feature. With TJ Gilbert, Dave Newcomb, and Jared Rizer all moving to the Pro Stock division for 2016, chances for new drivers to capture feature wins and visit victory lane is going to be inevitable. The field of twenty that took the green flag knew that to be the case as #99 Dustin Beauchamp and #15.2 Robert Cunningham brought the field to the green flag. #18d David Lester snatched the lead from his second row starting spot and would manage to lead the first 12 laps. However, Those twelve laps was a battle between Lester, Cunningham, and #96 Shane Wright. Contact on the backstretch between Lester and Wright sliced the left rear of Lester and forced him to pit. Wright was sent to the tail. This handed the lead to Robert Cunningham. He would hold off #3 Mitch Clements, #67 Ryan Fitzgerald, Wright, and #90 Derek Pickvet for his first ever feature win. #11j James Jaenicke and Wright were heat race victors.
The Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stock continues to grow as eight stock front wheel drive cylinder cars took the green flag for the 12 lap feature race. Silver Bullet Champion #27 Mercedes Kosha and #77 Stacie Staszak started on the front row and battled early until #21 Andy Koczenasz took over the lead. 2015 Champion #09 Jack Freese took over the lead on lap 4. He and Koczenasz battled door to door throughout the race before Koczenasz was able to get Freese loose in turn two and take the lead and eventual win. Freese had to settle for second place. Kosha, #18 Nick Putman, and Staszak were the remainder of the top five.
This Friday is Tailgate Night at TCMS! Come out early with your friends and bring the grill! Late Models, IMCA Modified, and Street Stocks, Pro Stocks, and Bomber Stocks will once again be part of the race program! Admission is just $14 per adult, 55 years and better $13, 7-13 years old $5 and 6 and under are FREE! Check out www.tricityracetrack.com for more details!
Submitted By: Steve Puvalowski
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