4/26/2014
Winston Speedway
Rusty Schlenk Wins Allstar Performance 50
Montague, Michigan (Saturday, April 26th, 2014): The traveling cars and stars of the Sunoco American Late Models Series (A.L.M.S.) were on hand Saturday night at the fast 3/8ths (0.375) mile semi-banked dirt oval of Winston Speedway located in Montague, Michigan on Saturday night. Some of the best drivers in and around the state of the great lakes region were on hand competing to be in the main event awarding $2500 to the winner. Also on the night’s program were the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks, Factory Stocks/Bombers, Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Young Guns.
The Young Guns started things out for the A-main features with 10-lap contest. Riley Rubleman and Shannon Flores started on the front row. Trent Musk took the early lead, and would go on all the way to the checkered flag to score the big victory. Kristina Johnson finished second. Flores, Morgan Smith, and Madison Crane rounded out the top five. The heat race was also won by Musk.
The UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks were next onto the racing surface led out by Don McNabb and Mike Kazmarski for their 20-lap main event. However, the defending UMP DIRTcar Street Stock national champion Josh Frye weaved his way through the field after starting ninth and took the lead and continued on to his second win of the year. Chuck Smith finished runner up. Mike Epplett, Kendall Marlink, and defending track champion finished off the top five. Frye was also the winner of the preliminary heat race.
The next feature out was for the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds. Adam Thrush and Jeff Erickson Jr. led the field out for their 25-lap A-Main. Erickson Jr. took off with the early advantage. He remained there until with under five laps to go, the two-time and defending UMP DIRTcar Modifieds Michigan State champion David Mielke powered his way to front and managed to take the lead, and went on to pick up the win. Erickson had to settle for second. Andy Sprague, Robbie Sternberg, and Andrew Terrill capped off the top five. Mielke and Kevin Cavanaugh won the heats.
It was then time for the 8th annual Allstar Performance 50 featuring the Sunoco American Late Model Series (A.L.M.S.) fighting for a special $2500 to prize. Six time and defending track champion Rich Neiser and the defending A.L.M.S. champion Brandon Thirlby led the 20-car field down to the green flag. Thirlby was leader after lap one. He held the lead until lap 32, where he got caught up in lap traffic which gave the 2010 UMP DIRTcar Late Models national champion Rusty Schlenk the opening he needed to take the lead. Despite all of Thirlby’s attempts from there on, there was nothing he could do to stop Schlenk from crossing the line first for the big payday.
Thirlby wound up finishing second. Ryan Vanderveen, Chris Keller, and Dona Marcoullier made up the rest of the top five finishers. Curt Spalding, Neiser, two-time track champion Tom Sprague Jr., Devin Shiels, and defending UMP DIRTcar Late Models Michigan State Champion Eric Spangler completed the top ten. The heat races were won by Neiser, Thirlby, and John McCaul.
Cody Broersma and Mindi Holy led the field for the 15-lap Four-Cylinder Warriors feature. However, the fastest car on the track belonged to Mike Goodwin who immediately found his way to the front of the pack. He would go un-contested all the way to take home the checkered flag. Gary Larabee finished second. Defending track champion Tim Stafford, Randy Larabee, and Melissa Sprague were the top five. Goodwin was the also the winner of the heat race.
The Factory Stocks / Bombers took part in their 15-lap main event. The front row consisted of Barry Mendendorp Jr., and Josh Grabe. After the green flag waved, Grabe jumped out to the lead. Dan Wilson Jr. challenged Grabe for the lead throughout the entire race. However, when it was all said and done, Grabe was the driver finding himself in victory lane. Wilson took second. Nate Trick, Mike Fekken, and Mendendorp rounded out the top five. The lone heat race went to Bill Delonge.
The Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks were the final event of the evening; Austyn Leak and Chad Tomczak were on the front row of the 15-lap feature. Brian Carson and Paul Namey quickly demonstrated that they held the fastest cars on the speedway. They would battle for the lead for many laps. Although Carson managed to pull ahead as the laps wound down, and eventually pick up the win. Namey won the heat.
Next Saturday May 3rd, the Winston Speedway will once again feature a full program. There will be a “Best Appearing Car Contest” for all classes. The racing action will be headlined by the UMP DIRTcar Late Models sponsored by Sprague Auto Parts. The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks, Factory Stocks/Bombers, Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Young Guns will be on hand as well. The Pit Gates Open at 3:30p.m., Grandstands Open at 4:30p.m., Practice Starts at 5:30p.m., and Racing Begins at 7:00p.m.
Winston Speedway is located at 7834 South 72nd Avenue in Montague, Michigan. For more information, please call: 1 (231) 737-9223 or go to the website located at: www.winstonspeedwaymi.com Soon you'll be redirected over to the new domain name at: www.racewinston.com as both will be available for the season. You can also follow everything that is happening on and off the track by becoming a fan on the tracks Facebook Fan Page and following along on Twitter as well. Just go to: www.facebook.com/WinstonSpeedway and www.twitter.com/WinstonSpeedway and click on “Like" and “Follow” buttons today.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
