Northside Towing and Lipari Foods Mid Season Championship Night at Spartan Speedway
A busy couple of weeks at The Track the Stars Call Home had Mid Season Championship night Friday night for the Carquest Racing Series. Points Leaders took hold of their positions in 3 of the 4 divisions with the Michigan Modified division battle getting real tight for the last half of the season.
The Comcast Cablevision 50-lap Super Late Model Feature had a 12-car invert with Jon McNett and Rob Buckley on the starting front row. McNett quickly took the lead as point's leader; Jack Landis took 2nd from Lee Taylor on lap 8. Lap 7 had 2nd place in points, Charlie Ryan Jr. heading to the pits with engine problems. McNett and Landis set sail as Bill Heeney Jr. got by Taylor for 3rd on lap 19. Heeney Jr. got the brake he needed as a caution on lap 20 bunched the field. The lead trio staged a great battle for the lead as Landis looked high and low for the lead all the time Heeney Jr. shadowed the pair. Lap 37 had Landis setting the lapped car of Carl Sodman as a pick and was able to take over the lead down the backstretch. Landis went on for the win as Heeney Jr. got by McNett for 2nd. Jeff Hackworth had his seasons best finish in 4th followed by John Ledwidge in 5th. Ledwidge also was the Pierce Race Engines Hard Charger from his 10th starting spot.
Super Late Model heats went to Craig Willett, Tim Ryan and Bill Heeney Jr. Dave Stehouwer set fast time for the 21-car field at 13.264.
A small 8-car invert had Dick LaPratt and Bill Butler the starting front row for the WIBM AM1450 Michigan Modified 40-lap Feature event. LaPratt jumped out to a demanding straightaway lead until lap 8 when Butler spun coming out of turn 4 and collected Leroy Ellis, Dan Logan, Jon Deford, Ken Buchner and Brain Heeney. Butler and Heeney returned as racing resumed. Dave Mingus was the car to watch, as he had to transfer to the feature from the semi and was up to 6th by lap 14. LaPratt maintained his lead over Larry Wallace as Bill Luckhurst and Bud Perry got into a battle for 4th. Perry spun in turn 1 bringing out the caution. Perry returned to the tail after heading to the pits with a flat. Lap 16 had LaPratt going high in turn 2, allowing Wallace and Luckhurst to slip by. Wallace was able to hold of Luckhurst for the last half of the event for the Mid-Season victory. LaPratt was 3rd followed by Jim Butler and Mingus. Dave Mingus claimed the 3-D Auto Racing Supplies Hard Charger Award finishing 5th from his 16th starting spot.
Fred Lytle beat Eric Gilbert in a photo finish for heat one, with Dick Maurer and Dick LaPratt winning the others. Ron Parish Sr. won the RaceFan.Com Semi-Feature over Dave Mingus. Bud Perry was the Racefan.Com Fast Qualifier with a 13.724 lap for the 30-car field.
The Performance NW Street Stock Feature had a lot of drivers testing the transponders and a few black flags for speeding as drivers jockeyed for good starting positions for the Mid Season Championship event. A 12-car invert had Joe Barnhart and Dave Parker on the front row and Parker took the early lead as Dave Thorburn started a run from his 8th starting position. Parker stretched his lead until he received a speeding ticket on lap 9. Jeff Titmus took over the point but was also given the black flag for being to quick and finally Mike McEwan inherited the lead. Thorburn was 2nd and was being hounded by fast qualifier, Ben Hidy. Hidy took over 2nd on lap 13 and then set his sights on McEwan for the lead. Hidy took over the lead on lap 20 and went on for the popular win over McEwan, Thorburn, Mike Havens and Landon Hidy. Ben Hidy cleaned house by also taking the Lost Tigers Tattoos Hard Charger Award increasing his starting spot by 11 positions.
Heat race winners were Trent Jenson, Brian Beckner and Mike McEwan. Andy Schmelzer won the RaceFan.com Semi-Feature over Jenson. Ben Hidy once again set fast time for the 24-car field with a time of 14.582.
The Midwest Amusements Pony Stocks had Jerri Lynn Munn and Joe Van Oort the starting front row. 81 year old, Art Kimball snuck past both to take the early lead through lap 5 when Robert Fletcher took over from his 11th starting spot. Three wide racing action had Chris Van Gorden and Mark Garland, subbing for Julie Abbott, shooting through the field in the third groove. Van Gorden took over the point until lap 11 when he bobbled in turn 2 and Garland claimed the lead. From there, Garland stretched his lead as the race heated up for 3rd between Missy Bishop, Bruce Jones, Fletcher and Jason Huey. Fletcher's fine run ended on lap 18 as he spun in turn 4. The final two laps were all Garland as he took his first win of the season over Van Gorden, Bishop, Jones and Kenny Clark. Garland also was the Mac's All Car Auto Salvage Hard Charger increasing 14 positions.
Mike Sairls and Mark Garland claimed the Pony Stock's heats and Bruce Jones was the RaceFan.Com Fast Qualifier for the 19-car field at 16.920.
This week is a special mid week show on Wednesday night with a spectacular fireworks display and then the normal 4-in-1 Carquest Racing Series on Friday at the Track the Stars Call Home-Spartan Speedway.
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