6/14/2015
Grosz With Late Race Pass of Graf for Proctor Speedway Win
Races are sometimes won and lost following a late race caution. Such was the case at the Proctor Speedway on June 14 during the 4th Annual Twin Ports Sprint Special for the UMSS sprints. Chris Graf had led for 24 laps, but shortly after taking the white flag the yellow waved for a spin in turn 2 setting up a two lap dash to the checkers. Lee Grosz had attempted to take the lead on the restart following the previous caution with ten laps to go, but the pair swapped the lead back and forth with Graf holding on to the top spot. On this restart, Graf blocked Grosz' entry in turn one, but Grosz got a solid run off of turn two, down the backstretch and into turn three. When the duo exited turn four, Grosz had edged past Graf for the lead coming to the white flag and eventual victory one lap later. For Grosz, it was his sixth career UMSS feature win and first at Proctor. Grosz was all smiles in RockAuto.com Victory Lane, as he earned $1,000 for the win to help make the long ride back to Harwood, ND seemingly a bit shorter.
Ultimate Sprint Heats were won by Cody Hahn and Graf. Grosz and Jerry Richert, Jr. topped the Challenge Races. Hahn was the high point driver in passing and finishing points after the double round of qualifiers and drew the #3 pill. Lee Grosz started fourth with Chris Graf second. Graf was once again in the Donnohue Designs 34D sprinter. Leigh Thomas found the last pill in the can to his liking, as it put him on the pole starting spot for the 25 lap feature.
Graf immediately shot into the lead on the cushion, but the race was under caution on the opening lap when Ryan Bowers spun in turn two and collected Sye Anderson and Kevin Bradwell. All three cars were able to restart at the tail of the field. Once again, Graf blasted to the lead on the restart. A run of 15 laps saw Lee Grosz work his way to second and close in on Graf in lapped traffic. After swapping the lead on the ensuing restart, Graf settled back into the #1 spot. The fateful late race caution allowed Grosz the chance he needed and he made good on the opportunity for the win over Graf. Richert rode home in third followed by Thomas and Hahn.
For the third consecutive race, Chris Graf bested the other three UMSS Champions to earn a $100 GRP Motorsports Bonus for being the highest finishing past champion in the feature race. 2010 UMSS Champion Cody Hahn moved to second in the current points while 2013 UMSS Champion Chris Graf jumped up to third with two second pace finishes over the weekend. Ryan Bowers was not able to earn his fourth straight win, but the 2014 UMSS Rookie of the Year continues to sit atop the standings after seven races. Racers and fans can follow the UMSS on their website at www.umsprints.com or chart the progress as the season unfolds on our Facebook page.
Following a weekend off, the UMSS returns with their first-ever appearance at the Deer Creek Speedway on Saturday June 27 for the first race in the four race Midwest Power Outlaw Sprint Car Series. The winner at Deer Creek will earn $2,300 with $1,000 for second thanks to sponsorship help from Midwest Power Equipment and GRP Motorsports. The following night, the UMSS sprints head a short distance south into Iowa in hopes of racing for the first time in the Hawkeye State. Last year, a heavy thunderstorm dumped several inches of rain on the Cresco Speedway and washed out the event. Here's hoping that the weather will be as nice as it was for the recently completed Northern Tour at Hibbing and Proctor.
UMSS Race Results - Proctor Speedway June 14, 2015 (Race #7)
4th Annual Twin Ports Sprint Special
GRP Motorsports A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 4J-Lee Grosz[4]; 2. 34D-Chris Graf[2]; 3. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[5]; 4. 29-Leigh Thomas[1]; 5. 23-Cody Hahn[3]; 6. 5-Anna Kouba[12]; 7. 03-Jamey Ogston[7]; 8. 199-Ryan Bowers[6]; 9. 37-Sye Anderson[8]; 10. 87-Mike Mueller[9]; 11. 91A-Reed Allex[10]; 12. (DNF) 19-Ryan Wilson[11]; 13. (DNF) 95-Kevin Bradwell[13]
Lap Leaders: Graf 1-23, Grosz 24-25. Cautions: (3)
Hoosier Racing Tire Challenge Race 1 (8 Laps): 1. 4J-Lee Grosz[3]; 2. 29-Leigh Thomas[4]; 3. 34D-Chris Graf[5]; 4. 37-Sye Anderson[2]; 5. 87-Mike Mueller[1]; 6. 5-Anna Kouba[6]; 7. 95-Kevin Bradwell[7]
Lap Leaders: Mueller 1-2, Grosz 3-8. No cautions.
Mastell Brothers Trailer Service Challenge Race 2 (8 Laps): 1. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[2]; 2. 23-Cody Hahn[5]; 3. 199-Ryan Bowers[4]; 4. 03-Jamey Ogston[3]; 5. 91A-Reed Allex[6]; 6. (DNF) 19-Ryan Wilson[1]
Lap Leaders: Wilson 1-2, Richert 3-8. Cautions: (2)
Meeks Video Ultimate Sprint Heat 1 (7 Laps): 1. 23-Cody Hahn[4]; 2. 29-Leigh Thomas[1]; 3. 03-Jamey Ogston[6]; 4. 37-Sye Anderson[3]; 5. 19-Ryan Wilson[5]; 6. 5-Anna Kouba[2]; 7. 95-Kevin Bradwell[7]
Lap Leaders: Thomas 1-2, Hahn 3-7. No cautions.
Driverwebsites.com Ultimate Sprint Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 34D-Chris Graf[1]; 2. 199-Ryan Bowers[2]; 3. 4J-Lee Grosz[5]; 4. 63-Jerry Richert Jr[4]; 5. 87-Mike Mueller[3]; 6. 91A-Reed Allex[6]
Lap Leader: Graf 1-6. No cautions.
Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
