5/7/2018
Tri-City Motor Speedway
5/4/2018 Race Result
05/04/2018 Fans Favorite Car Night
- Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modifieds: #79 Nate Jones
- Mueller’s Performance Engines Pro Stock: #28 Jared Rizer
- Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #50 Jake Thompson
- Melling Performance Late Models: #19 Derrick Hilliker
- Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #7 John Staszak
- Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini-Wedge 6-9 Yr Olds: #28 Kyron DeShano
- Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini-Wedge 10-14 Yr Olds #24c Caden Anderson
Thompson Undefeated at Tri-City Motor Speedway
05/04/2018 (Auburn, MI) Many obstacles tried to interfere with the second night of racing this past Friday night at Tri-City Motor Speedway. Heavy rains the night prior, followed by high winds Friday morning had management on edge trying to decide if the grounds would be dry enough to accommodate racers and fans for the scheduled Fans Favorite Car night. Six hours prior to race time, power and cell service was also interrupted. However, within a few hours from opening, all the problems virtually disappeared allowing the track to continue with race plans. One hundred sixteen competitors were on hand to compete throughout the six classes of race cars. Fans also had the opportunity to vote for their favorite looking cars through the TCMS Facebook page.
The Mueller’s Performance Engines Pro Stock division was the first to take to the track for their main event. Twenty cars started the twenty lap affair as #27 Rob Westergard and #94 David Lester led the field to the green flag. Westergard would jump out early leading the first few laps until Lester crashed bringing out the first caution. #01 Randy Radabaugh would fight to the front to lead a lap before 2017 Champion #28 Jared Rizer took over the race. Rizer, who started seventh, would dominate the remaining laps to cruise to his first checkered flag of 2018. Westergard would hold on for the runner-up finish. He was followed by last week’s winner #69 Nate Murphy (started 10th), #77 Chris Malek (3rd) and #14 Andrew Fidler (9th). Earlier heat race gold was captured by Westergard, Malek, and #36 Jeremy Spencer.
The Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modifieds once again proved to be one of the most exciting open wheel modified action in the state. #33 Todd Matheson and #16 Chad May had the front row starting spots for the initial green flag of the feature race. May would get a great jump and pace the field of twenty through the first eight circuits. However, IMCA rookie and former Pro Stock Champion #79 Nate Jones would make the winning pass just shy of the halfway point and dominate the remainder of the race to take home his first IMCA feature victory. At the finish, Jones was closely followed by last week’s winner #27 Matt Szecsodi (10th), #03c Chris Cohoon (6th), May (2nd), and #615 Chad Wernette (#7). Jones, Wernette, and #187 Gavin Hunyady won their preliminary heat races.
Last Friday was the first night for the Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini Wedge drivers as fourteen came to compete. The field was divided up by age with the 6-9 year olds taking to the track first. #54 Addison Clink would win the first heat race and #28 Kyron DeShano would win the second heat race. DeShano drew the pole for the feature event and was never seriously challenged as he would weave his way through lapped traffic for his first career victory. Clink (10th), #23 Mason Vanderveen (5th), #5 Brennan DeShano (3rd), and #21 Landyn Neitling (6th) rounded out the top five finishers. The heat race for the 10-14 year olds was captured by #15 Cole Doty. In the feature, Doty and #24c Caden Anderson renewed the intense battle that they had in the heat race. This time, however, it was Anderson that found victory lane at the end with Doty and #36 Jeniffer Young close behind.
Young drivers that have had success in other classes of race cars have begun to show their muscle in the Melling Performance Late Models. Two time Champion and fourth generation driver #4t Andrew Terrill, former Eldora Speedway Modified Champion #2 Travis Stemler, and former UMP modified Champion #87 David Mielke took the checkered flags in their heat races. Veteran and Hall of Fame Driver #21s Steven Hilliker won the B-Main to lock him into the 30-lap feature race. Mielke looked to be the driver to beat as he led the first thirteen circuits. As he started working through slower traffic, #19 Derrick Hilliker was able to snatch the lead. The two drivers would swap the lead over the next thirteen laps until Mielke made contact while passing a lapped car and spun. His potential for a good finish and possible victory was no longer as he was sent to the rear of the field. He eventually would finish in twelfth. This handed the lead back to Hilliker as he was able to outduel last week’s winner, Stemler (11th), to his first non-winged late model victory. #24 Alex Hupert (10th), Derrick’s father #21 David Hilliker (7th), and Terrill completed the top five finishers.
With more cars being built that have yet to make it to the track, The Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks front-wheel drive class is getting to be quite competitive and the desire for these new drivers to capture a feature has been at an all-time high. Just like last week, former Mini Wedge Champion #7 John Staszak and veteran #60 Mike Schnettler picked up the checkered flag in their heat race and looked to be the cars to beat in the 15-lap feature. Both drivers would start in row four of the fifteen lap money race. Kawkawlin’s #03 Josh Charbonneau took full advantage of his pole position start to lead the opening lap before he was passed by #9 Ethan Robarts. On lap seven, Charbonneau would overdrive the exit of turn two and into the barrels protecting the backstretch guardrail. During that caution, Robarts’ left front wheel would fall off of his car and force him to the pits. This handed the lead to Staszak. He would never look back as he took home his first Bomber Stock feature trophy of his career.
Twenty-Seven Suspension MAXX Street Stock drivers fought for the twenty available starting positions in the twenty lap feature. Last week’s winner #50 Jake Thompson was celebrating his 23rd birthday and was looking to celebrate his day with another feature win. His night would start off well as he won his heat race along with veteran and former TCMS Champion #M65 Rick Spencer and #41n Ryan Nethers. Nethers and #8 Aaron Spearling took the field of twenty to the green flag of the main event. Spearling looked strong early by leading the first four laps. Thompson, who started ninth, took the lead away from Spearling on lap five. Numerous cautions would bunch the field behind Thompson, but no one was strong enough to challenge. It was Thompson that would blow out his birthday candles in victory lane for his second feature in a row. 2017 Champion #x5 Eric Lake (8th), Spencer (7th), #81 Dustin Barlow (10th), and #02 Will Stanley (11th) rounded out the top five. #75 Kenny Keller would win the B-Main.
Come on out to TCMS next week for a chance to win a $100 gift card by testing your knowledge about safe driving habits on Drivers ED 111 night. Celebrate with Project 111, the safe driving movement, as they recognize their graduates. Late Models, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, IMCA Modified, Bomber Stocks , and Mini Wedges will be back in action. Our entire 2018 racing schedule is at, www.tricityracetrack.com. Also, purchase your race tickets online so that you can get to the best seats without having to wait in line!!
Submitted By: Erika Puvalowski
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