7/13/2013
I-96 Speedway
Spalding Holds Off Poel for Xtreme Chassis Special Win at I-96 Speedway
Lake Odessa, Michigan (Saturday July 13th, 2013): Saturday night, another great racing program was held at the I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. The show featured a special for the Carbon Green Bio-Energy UMP DIRTcar Modifieds featuring a special $1200 to win invitational presented by Xtreme Chassis. The Rudd’s Septic Service UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks and Smyrna Bar & Restaurant UMP DIRTcar Sport Compacts were also in action. There was also a special $300 to win for the Motocross event held on the state of the art motocross course.
The Rudd’s Septic Service UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks were the first main event to hit the track for their 20-lap feature event. Marty French and Derek Poland made up the front row. French was able to jump out to the early advantage. He remained there until around lap 5 which was when French would be involved in a spin out which surrendered the lead to Derek Poland who continued on from there to go to the winner’s circle.
This was the second I-96 Speedway win for the 57 year old Muskegon, Michigan driver, in his Arizona Charlies Wholesale/ Chevrolet. Two time defending UMP DIRTcar racing series eastern states champion Dan Dykman wound up in second. Defending track champion Josh Frye, French, and Zach Graham rounded out the top five. Dykman and Poland picked up the heat victories as well.
The Smyrna Bar & Restaurant UMP DIRTcar Sport Compacts were out next for a 20-lap A-main. The front row consisted of Chad Tomczak and Nick Jenema. After the opening lap it was Jenema taking the early advantage. He would see great protest in late stages, but he was able to hang on to win the feature event.
Jenema, the 32-year old from Wyoming, Michigan earned his fourth win of the year driving in his Vision Ink Screen Printing / Saturn SC2. Two time defending track champion Rick Peck finished as the runner up. Chuck Peterson II, Tomczak, and Christian Wynbelt finished off the top five. The lone heat race was won also by Jenema.
The final feature event of the night was courtesy of the Carbon Green Bio-Energy UMP DIRTcar Modifieds for a 20-lap shootout. The field was led out to chief starter Brett Farmer’s green flag by the front row of Curt Spalding and Dave Schmidt. Spalding managed to take the lead right away. He would see quite a challenge in the late stages of the race, but he was able to hang on to pick up the feature win.
This was the first win of the year for the driver out of Hartford, Michigan at 42 years of age, in his Allstar Performance / Shaw by Landers Racecar. He finished ahead of 2011 track champion Jacob Poel who had to settle for second. Travis Stemler, 2010 track champion Rich Robinson Jr., and Tim Stemler completed the top five. Robinson Jr., and Poel won the heats.
The next event on the I-96 Speedway will be next weekend the week of July 19th and 20th where the gates will be opened to great the arrival of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Rally Cars. This will be the most widespread and readily accessible form of extreme dirt motorsports.
The I-96 Speedway will bring the month of July to a close with a double header weekend featuring the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) district 14 flat track motorcycle races. This is where the area’s best flat track riders will grace the big half mile at I-96 speedway. This will all take place on both Saturday July 27th and Sunday July 28th.
The next car racing event will be held on Saturday August 3rd, and will feature the second appearance by the fire breathing winged warriors of the Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP. Joining the sprint drivers will be the Carbon Green Bio-Energy UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Rudd’s Septic Service UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks, and Smyrna Bar & Restaurant UMP DIRTcar Sport Compacts.
I-96 Speedway is located at 3823 Portland Road in Lake Odessa, Michigan. For more information about the on-going 2012 racing season, please call: 1 (616) 642-0555 or visit the website at: www.i96speedway.com You can also follow along all season long by becoming a fan on the tracks Facebook Fan Page. Just go to: www.facebook.com/i96speedway and click on “Like” button. You can even follow us on Twitter as well, just go to: www.twitter.com/i96speedway and “Follow” us today.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne