08/26/2016 Stretch Limo/ Members First Credit Union Feature Winners
Michigan Traditional Sprints: #0c Chris VanDeWiele
Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified: #27 Matt Szecsodi
Thornton Brother’s Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #18 Nick Putman
Elgin Pro Stocks: #99 Rick Beauchamp
Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #57 TJ Gilbert
8/26/2016 (Auburn MI) Owner/Promoter Steve Puvalowski had his work cut out for him in order to prep the race track for Friday night after Wednesday’s night show. It proved to be an easy challenge to overcome as his hard work would pay off with another beautifully prepped track this past Friday. His hard work was noticed by the over 80 competitors that arrived to race. The Michigan Traditional Sprint series brought drivers from three states and Canada to compete in their only visit to the 3/8ths clay oval in 2016. The evening’s events were sponsored by Members First Credit Union and Stretch Limo.
Fifteen Michigan Traditional Sprints took to the track for their 25-lap feature event. #3t Ralph Brakenberry and #11 Travis Lacombe would bring the field of non winged sprint cars to the green flag with Lacombe leading early. Lacombe would hold the top spot for the first six lap before 5th place starter #0c Chris VanDeWiele would make the winning pass for the lead. The Canadian rookie driver only had one serious challenge for the lead with #0 Steve Irwin. Irwin would make a rare mistake in turn four that cost him the opportunity to go for the win. This allowed VanDeWiele to go unchallenged in the final laps to take home his first sprint car victory. #20d Jeff Daniels would finish second with Irwin making a nice recovery to get back to third. Lacombe, #18n Frank Neill, #63 Rick Irwin, #2 Mike Galajda, #00 Joe Irwin, #87 Brian Gibbs, and #56 Phil Rutledge would round out the top ten finishers. VanDeWiele, Neill, and Daniels would win heat races.
A stout field of 22 Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA modified drivers took the green flag with #53 “Crazy” Nate Oswald leading the opening lap. He would spin in front of the field on the second lap, which handed the lead to #D42 Don Sautter. Sautter would battle door-to-door with #5 Tanner Pray for a handful of laps. With both drivers battling each other, #68 Heath Grizzle was able to catch and pass the lead duo on lap six. Grizzle had a strong car through the middle laps of the event and looked to be well on his way to his first feature win of the season. However, he would have troubles with lapped traffic which allowed for Wednesday’s runner up #27 Szecsodi to reel in your leader. With just three laps to go, point leader #20w AJ Ward would spin causing the yellow flag to wave and bunch the field for a final shoot out for the win. Szecsodi would best Grizzle on the restart and pull away for the win. This was Szecsodi’s first win in 2016. Grizzle would cross the stripe in second followed by #19jr Kody Johnson, #776k Ken Zeigler, Ward, #511 Chaz Pray, #42 Craig Vance, Suatter, #187 Gavin Hunyady, and rookie #22 Mike Mosier. Sautter, Grizzle, and Szecsodi collected heat race gold.
The Thornton Brother’s Septic Service Bomber Stocks took the green flag while going clockwise around the track. Defending champion #09 Jack Freese would lead the opening lap. #18 Nick Putman, who won the heat race earlier in the night, would make the winning pass in turn two of the second lap and cruise to an easy victory over last week’s winner #13 Preston Deshano, #77 Stacie Staszak, Freese, and #21 Andy Koczenasz.
71 Timmy Near has been on a hot streak over the past six weeks in the Elgin Pro Stock division. Last week’s win would have him starting 12th in the 22 car starting field for the main event. #x88 Eric Lake would lead the first half of the race as he tried to get out front as far as possible in order to make it tough for Near to get to him. However, Near would get as high as the third position before having to drop out of the event due to a mechanical failure. Lake would also prove to have an issue with his car which handed the lead to #99 Rick Beauchamp. Beauchamp, who has been winless in the Pro Stock division, would hit all off his marks over the final ten laps to cross the finish line ahead of #28 Jared Rizer, #G18 Chad Bieri, #50 Chad Bennett, and #01 Randy Radabaugh. #80 Jeramie Raby, #69 Nate Murphy, #9 Mark Super, #18lr Joe Cunningham, and #44 Jeff Haley rounded out the top ten. Lake, #25 Adam Friend, and #93 John Robbins won their heat races earlier in the evening.
Twenty Suspension MAXX Street Stock drivers took the green flag in the final event of the night. Outside pole sitter #57 TJ Gilbert, who had just conceded the Pro Stock point lead the race before due to not being able to finish the event, looked for redemption and jumped out to a large advantage over the rest of the field. He was untouched in a race that went caution free to capture the win. #50 Jake Thompson finished a distant second. He was closely followed by #3 Mitch Clements, #96 Shane Wright, #21e Dan Engel, #80 Aaron Mieske, #31 Bob Robinson, #7r Kevin Newcomb, #15.2 Robert Cunningham, and #67 Ryan Fitzgerald. Heart race winners were #17d David Doty, Gilbert, and Robinson.
Next Friday, kick off your Labor Day weekend with us at TCMS as we crown the 2016 season Champions! Also, make sure you mark your calendars for our year-end two-day finale The Battle By the Bay on Friday and Saturday September 9th and 10th!! All the details for this annual event can be found at www.tricityracetrack.com . There is no need to wait in line on race day to get your ticket! Save yourself time and preorder your tickets online now at www.tricityracetrack.com . Adult general admission for this Friday is just $14, 55 and better $13, 7-15 years of age $5, and 6 and under is FREE! Free rustic camping is also available!!!
- Steve Puvalowski on Aug 29, 2016
- Article Date: 8/29/2016