By: Spartan correspondent, Michelle Sprague
Spartan Speedway welcomed race car drivers from years past, honoring and recognizing them for their contribution in making the speedway “The Track the Stars Call Home.” Their love of stock car racing helped shape the future of short track racing at the ¼-mile bullring in Mason, Michigan. The Vintage American Race Cars made a stop, displayed their race cars on the concourse so everyone could get a taste of the history of racing, along with a look at what the race cars have evolved into. The group also put on a racing exhibition with Spartan Speedway veteran, Gary Hollis, taking both the heat and 15-lap feature win.
Jimmy McCune, of Toledo, Ohio, took the Sawyer’s Superstore Wingless Sprint 25-lap feature win over Tom Fedewa and Taylor Ferns. Scott Hampton took the early lead and put some daylight between himself and second place, as McCune, Fedewa and Ferns duked it out for second. McCune broke away from the tight little pack and ran down Hampton for first. Fedewa and Ferns battled for third, with both able to get around Hampton for second and third, respectively. Fedewa was not able to reel in McCune before the checkered waved. Ferns had to settle for third, while Hampton and Steve Irwin rounded out the top five.
How fitting, that one of Spartan’s own racing senior citizens, Ron Parish, would lead 15 laps of the 35-lap feature for the Valvoline Instant Oil Change Modified division.
Parish had company though, as Larry Wallace and Travis Eddy were breathing down his back, while Wayne Haughton, Bill Butler and A.J. Foote were dicing it up over the fourth spot. Wallace took the lead on lap 16, as Eddy went to work on Parish for second. Parish put up quite a fight, but Eddy took the spot away on lap 24. Back in the pack, Bill Butler and Foote ran side-by-side for lap after lap, allowing Haughton to put some distance between them and him in fourth. Foote made the pass, cleared Butler on lap 30, but couldn’t reel in Haughton. At the line, it was Wallace, Eddy, Parish, Haughton and Foote. Nate Moon and Haughton took home heat wins.
Tyler Heeney jumped out to the early lead, when the green flag waved, for the start of the Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stock A-feature. Heeney led eight laps, with first, Patrick Denison, then Wayne Beckner Jr. jumping into the mix. Beckner took the lead, as fast qualifier, Darren Wright drove around the outside of the pack to sit second, behind Beckner, by lap 12. Heeney was running strong in third, but Todd Metz Jr. got around him, on the outside, for the third position. After 20 laps, it was Beckner Jr. to the Corrigan Oil Winner’s Circle. Wright, Metz Jr., Heeney and Denison rounded out the top five. Denison also took the heat win.
Joe Bates took the B-Feature win for the Pony Stocks, but he had some stiff competition from veteran driver, Darrell Taylor. The duo ran door handle-to-door handle, swapping the lead, with the transponder having to decide the leader at the stripe, lap after lap. Rich Roberts worked his way into third, from the back of the pack. Laps ran out for Roberts to challenge for second, and at the line, it was Bates, Taylor, Roberts, Brad Harbenski and Jim Harbenski. Bates scored the heat win for the division.
Landon Hidy took the Pure Stock victory, while the Childer brother, Matt and Mark, battled it out for second. Mark challenged Hidy for the lead for a better portion of the 20-lap feature, but Hidy pulled away, with four laps to go to win handily. The second place finish was a battle royal between Mark and Matt Childers, along with Kenny Clark. Mark was able to hold off Matt until Matt dove under Mark on lap 19 and nipped mark at the line for second. Clark had to settle for a fourth place finish and Mark Carson rounded out the top five. Hidy also won the Pure Stock heat.
Please join us each and every Friday night for exciting racing action at the Spartan Speedway. Save the date, Friday, July 30th, as it is the first round of School Bus Figure 8, Figure 8 Trailer Races and Flag Pole Races. Special show pricing will apply. Gates open at 5 pm, racing begins at 7:30 pm. As always, we’ll see you at the races.
