8/22/2015
Winston Speedway
Marcouiller Earns $2000 Pay Day by Taking American Ethanol Event at Winston
Rothbury, Michigan (Friday, August 21st, 2015): The traveling cars and stars of the American Ethanol Late Model Tour made their way to the fast 3/8ths (0.375) mile high banks of Winston Speedway. The Rothbury, Michigan dirt oval welcomed in the traveling series for their second visit of the season. They were joined by the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Michigan Dirt Modifieds, Street Stocks, Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Young Guns.
The Young Guns feature event was out first. 16-year old Chelsey Allen and 15-year old Gabe Flores started on the front row for the 12-lap race. However after the opening lap it was 15-year old Heidi Barnhard leading the field. She would eventually pull out to a dominating lead and would eventually go on to pick up the win.
Barnhard, the native of Muskegon, Michigan picked up her second win of the season behind the wheel of the Joe’s Auto Parts #3. Flores picked up the second place finish. Shalie Shank, Allen, and 14-year old Nathan Magner rounded out the top five. Barnhard also won the heat race.
Paul Namey and Robbie Sternberg led out the 20-lap Street Stock feature event. Sternberg wasted little time in taking the early advantage. That actually turned out to be the only maneuver he would need to pull off, as he would be able to lead the entire race from beginning to end.
Sternberg, the 23-year old from Muskegon, Michigan scored his third win of the season in his Stern’s Towing #73. Derek Poland was second. Namey, Rick Huisken, and Sadie Klein finished off the top five. Klein won the lone heat race.
The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds hit the racing surface for their 25-lap A-Main. Andy Sprague and John Hammerle were on the front row. Sprague pulled away with the early lead. Although he would be challenged by Hammerle who would take the lead away on lap 3. Nothing would change until lap 12 where Jacob Poel would power his way past Hammerle for the lead. Poel would go on from there to lead every remaining lap including the one that counted to score the win.
This was the 28-year old from Spring Lake, Michigan picked up his first win of the year at Winston Speedway in his Poel’s Pro-Act Welding & Fabrication #82. Three time and defending UMP DIRTcar Michigan State Champion David Mielke was the runner up. Hammerle, Sprague, and Aaron Morey made up the rest of the top five. Poel and Greg Smith won the heat races.
The Bombers class entered the speedway next for their 15-lap main event. 12-year old Evan Shotko and Nate Triick started on the front row. Once the green flag waved it was Shotko pulling out with the early race lead. He would manage to hold the top position through several cautions and heavy pressure from the defending track champion Dan Wilson Jr. However right after the white flag waved Wilson would power his way pass Shotko, and sail on to pick up the victory.
Wilson, the 36-year old from Muskegon, Michigan earned his ninth win of the year in the A&A Manufacturing #57. Triick finished second. Robb Sternberg, Mike DeJonge, and 15-year old Morgan Smith capped off the top five. Sternberg and Mike Roe were the heat winners.
Rich Neiser and Bill Bray led out the 40-lap main event for the American Ethanol Late Model Tour $2000 to win feature. Neiser was the driver to take the early lead when the green flag waved, with everyone else fighting for position behind him. Neiser held the top spot for the first 16 circuits, but then he would see a challenge from the hard charging Dona Marcouiller who overtake him for the lead. Marcouiller would then put some distance between himself and the rest of the field, and would not be denied in taking home the checkered flag.
The 31-year old from Houghton Lake, Michigan picked up his first win of the year at Winston and his second consecutive for the Ethanol Tour in the #6m. Neiser was forced to settle for second. Ryan Vanderveen, Curtis Roberts, and Brandon Thirlby completed the top five. Marcouiller, Rusty Schlenk, and Neiser were the preliminary heat race winners. Kyle Borgman won the B-Main. Vanderveen was the fast qualifier with a time of 14.438.
The Michigan Dirt Modifieds squared off in a 15-lap feature event. Josh Grabe and Brett Strunk made up the front row. Grabe lead the field in the early stages until lap 8. That would be when Steve McClees would find his way to the front of field. He would lead the rest of the event and go on to get the win.
The 37-year old from Muskegon, Michigan won his third feature of the season in the J&J Machine #01. Grabe took second. Strunk, Joe Carmean, and Brad Bates made up the top five. McClees also won the heat.
The final feature event belonged to the Four-Cylinder Warriors. 16-year old Shelbie Shank and defending track champion Gary Larabee made up the front row of the 15-lap event. Larabee would take the early lead, and he would pull out to a huge advantage and never look back from there leading every single lap and picking up the victory.
Larabee, the 35-year old Muskegon, Michigan native won his second win of the year in the ASAP Towing #14. Josh Pulsipher finished second. Brian Carson, Buck Spencer, and Shank finished out the top five. Pulsipher and Carson won the heats.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
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