5/21/2022
Merritt Speedway
Opening Night and Auto Value Pro Stock ALLSTAR Performance Challenge Series
05/21/2022 (Merritt MI) The 2022 auto racing season finally kicked off Saturday Night at Michigan’s Premier Dirt Track, Merritt Speedway. After a day that showed rainy weather for the afternoon, owner Mike Blackmer decided to keep from cancelling the show and move forward with the scheduled events. The move paid off and 159 other racers took their chances at beating the weather by towing down M55 and filling the pit area. The fans also came out and enjoyed a fast-paced and high energy race program. This was also Merritt’s first ALLSTAR Performance Challenge Series race for the Auto Value Pro Stocks
The evening’s activities were kicked off with the kids racing in the Viperizing Racing LLC restricted and unrestricted motor Mini Wedges. Avery Harvey and Kylie Watz won their initial heat races prior to running their 12 lap feature. Thirteen cars started the main event as Elleighanya Sheren moved through traffic to best the field for her first feature win of 2022. She was followed by Tucker Warner, Harvey, Lucas Lanphierd, and Watz. In the unrestricted class, Addy Wade swept the heat race and feature event wins over Trenton Alpers, Gabe Veitenruber, Colton Bowen, and Leilynd Strehlke.
The Chuck’s Shop and Save UMP B-Modifieds had 21 competitors on track for the first feature on the ¼ mile clay oval. Bay City driver Kendall Morrison jumped out to a fast start from the front row in the 20-lap race before drifting high in turn one. This opened the door and the lead to Collin Thirlby on lap four. Scott Payton gave plenty of fight to Thirlby over the remaining laps as did twelfth place starter Chad Spencer. In the end, Thirlby outran the field and never conceded the lead to take his first feature checkered flag of the night. The top five included runner-up Spencer, Payton, Austin Harnick, and Aaron Raby at the finish. Heat race victories also went to Thirlby, Harnick and Raby.
Twenty-nine Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort Late Models qualified in four groups with Dave Bowen clocking fastest on the tacky wide racing surface with a lap of 13.952. Travis Stemler, Eric Spangler, Cody Bauer and Nick Kurtz took their turn in Victory Lane after winning the respective heat races. Ohio driver and 2021 Wood Tic Champion Rusty Schlenk had to race in to the 30-lap feature by winning the last chance qualifying race. Spangler and Stemler drew front row starting spots for the 30-lap main event. Stemler was the strongest as he paced the first three laps before Spangler found speed on the top side to work his way around the leader on lap four. Once Spangler cleared Stemler, he was never challenged for the remaining 26 circuits as he cruised to victory in a race that was caution-free. Brandon Thirlby crossed the line as the runner-up. Stemler fell back to a third place finish and was followed by Cody Bauer and Collin Shipley.
Tonight was the second race of the multi-track ALLSTAR Performance Challenge Series for the Auto Value Pro Stocks. A superb field of twenty-four drivers registered for the evening’s events. Defending Challenge Series Champion Nate Murphy grabbed the first heat race checkered flag. The other two heat races were won by TJ Gilbert and Tim Murphy. Tim Murphy ended up on the front row alongside his wife Terri Lynn Murphy for the 25-lap big money event. Terri Lynn pulled away early as she led the initial six laps. Nate Murphy took his turn at the front making the lead pass from the outside groove. He would lead until lap thirteen when Tim Murphy clawed his way back to the front of the field. From there, he was able to hold off strong challenges from Chris Malek beating him to the line at the checkered flag for his first feature win of 2022. Finishing behind Murphy and Malek were Nate Murphy, Gilbert and Ashlee Scott.
Collin Thirlby was running double duty in the modified classes. After taking the B-Modified win earlier in the evening, he hopped in his other open wheel modified for the Meekhof Tire UMP Modified main event. He started seventh in the 25-lap feature and watched some tight battles between initial lap leader Brent Banning and Joe Rokos. Rokos took over the lead on lap two before Thirlby used the low groove motor passed Rokos on lap eight. Just as he had earlier in the night, he dominated the remainder of the race on his way to his second victory of the night. Chad Bauer looked like he may have had something to challenge Thirlby. However he faded back finishing second. Rokos took third ahead of Garrett Rons and Banning. It was Thirlby and Rokos taking heat race gold.
Defending Champion Chad Freeman easily won his heat race in the XLT Engineering 4-6 Cylinder division. Drew Phillips and Ian Travis were also the top finishers in each of their heat races. Those finishes had the three competitors starting at the front of the 15-lap main event. Pole-Sitter Estevan Martinez held off the heat race winners for ten laps before Freeman jumped out of line with a high-side pass out of turn four for the lead. Once he was in clean air, he pulled away to win the race by over a second ahead of competition. Martinez had to settle for the second place trophy. Dayton Brown, Peter Hennard, and Christopher Wassmann completed their night with top five finishes.
The Auto House Factory Stocks had the final feature of the night. With rain making its way towards the track, the competition for the win was tense. Josh Loomis started in the last spot in his heat race before taking the win. He drew a front row start for the 20-lap final race. He took full advantage by leading the first seven laps. Unfortunately, he would end up with a flat tire, which took him out of contention. This handed the lead to another heat race winner, Mike Vandermark Jr.. Vandermark held onto the lead despite multiple restarts due to spins and other cautions. With eight laps remaining, the rains came. This forced the official to call the race and drop the checkered flag declaring Vandermark as the race winner. Scott Smith, Dale Kaake III, Andrew Fidler and Travis Haynes took home top five finishes in the rain-shortened event. Katie Robinson was the winner of the third heat race.
Join us for the first two-day holiday weekend show at Merritt Speedway as we celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with full shows on Saturday and Sunday night. The first Merritt stop on the Allstar Performance Challenge Series presented by Soaring Eagle Casino for the Late Models will highlight the weekend. . Keep an eye on the Merritt Speedway Facebook page for more information. Of course, you also check out instant results and point standings all season long by downloading the MyRacePass app on your smart phone or other devices.
Photo Credit: Randy Ellen
Article Credit: Roger Williams
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