July 4th Spartan Report
A deep 14-car invert put Tim Rugg and Craig Willett on the front row for the Comcast Cablevision Super Late Model 50 lap feature. Rugg took the early lead as Jon McNett jumped to the outside. Charlie Ryan Jr. stalled in turn 2 bringing out a caution on lap 6. The restart had Willett taking the point from Rugg as McNett followed. McNett then worked Willett hard for the point and claimed it on lap 14. From there it was all McNett as he stretched to a straightaway lead over John Ledwidge. The racing action heated up back in the pack as Chris Place as Chip Garlock battled side by side for 5th position. The duo then caught Angola's Mike Stroh for 4th. As the trio battled, Dave Stehouwer and Tim Ryan joined the fun and Stehouwer made a great move on lap 40 to take over 3rd as Ryan diced with Garlock for 5th. Ledwidge steadily gained on McNett for the lead, but ran out of time as McNett (started 6th) took the win over Ledwidge (started 8th), Stehouwer (started 14), Garlock (started 5th) and Tim Ryan (started 13th). Dave Stehouwer was the Pierce Race Engines Hard Charger finishing 3rd from his 14th starting spot.
Jimmy Gallagher and Chris Place were the heat race winners and Jeff Hackworth was the Racefan.com Fast qualifier for the 21-car field.
Next out were the WIBM AM 1450 Modifieds for their 35-lap feature. An eight-car invert put Chris Ozanich and Ron Parish on the front row. Parish took the early lead through lap 22 with Brian Heeney and Bud Perry glued to his bumper. Heeney peaked under Parish for the lead as Perry worked the outside. Heeney then tapped Parish and had to recover allowing Perry to take over 2nd. Perry then jumped to the outside and took over the lead on lap 25 from Parish. At the line it was the Ohio Posse taking the win over Larry Wallace (started 9th), Brian Heeney (started 5th), Leroy Ellis (started 4th) and Jim Butler (started 7th). Bud Perry was the 3-D Auto Racing Supplies Hard Charger winning from his 8th starting position.
Tom Trudgeon took his first checkered flag in the first heat and Justin Kazmar won heat #2. Bud Perry set fast time for the 22-car field.
The Performance NW Street Stocks 25 lap feature had a 12-car invert placing Rob Patrick and Wayne Beckner Jr. on the front row. Patrick took the point early as Doc Dutton jumped to the outside and worked his way to 2nd by lap 3 from his 8th starting spot. Lap 9 had a 5-car battle for the lead as Dutton took the point bringing Ben Hidy with him. Dutton held the lead through lap 15 when he went high in turn 2 and allowed Ben Hidy to slide under for the lead. Ben was then able to hold off his brother Landon for his 3rd victory of the season. Dutton was 3rd, Mike Havens (started 9th) 4th and Jeff Titmus (started 7th) 5th. Corey Davis and Jamie Feguer both had best runs of the year finishing 6th and 7th respectively after transferring from the semi. Ben Hidy cleaned house by winning the Lost Tiger Tattoo Hard Charger Award winning from 12th starting spot.
Street Stock heats were won by Nathan Moon, Rob Patrick and Jeff Titmus. Corey Davis was victorious in the Racefan.com Semi- Feature. Ben Hidy once again was the Racefan.com fast qualifier.
The final event of the evening was the Midwest Amusement Pont Stocks 15 lap feature. A 12-car invert had Lyndsay Ward and Jerri Lynn Munn on the front row. Ward was the early leader until lap 2 when current points leader, Missy Bishop took over. She held the point through lap 8 when third groove, Chris Van Gorden got by. Chris stretched his lead as a quick running; Kenny Clark worked his way through the pack. A late caution for Jimmy Scavarda spinning in turn 2 wiped out Van Gordens's big lead and set up a two lap shoot out. Clark quickly got by Bishop and set his sites on Van Gorden, but ran out of time as Van Gorden (started 10th) took the win over Clark (started 13th), Bishop (started 5th), Trei Duebel (started 8th) and Julie Abbott (started 12th).
Joe VanOort took home his first victory ever in heat #1 and Kenny Clark won heat #2. Julie Abbott set fast time for the 18-car field.
The busy month of July continues this weekend as the 4-in-1 Carquest Racing Series continues on Friday night and then the return of the always wild Spartan Street Stock Figure 8's on Sunday July 13th along with the Performance NW Street Stocks, WIBM Modifieds, VORA Coupes and Dwarf cars. Fans also mark your calendars for Friday, July 18th as the Motor City Madmen return to Spartan Speedway in a Figure 8 extravaganza along with the Spartan Figure 8's and the Auto Value Outlaw Midget Series. Two Figure 8 feature events in one night of racing only at "The Track the Stars Call Home"- Spartan Speedway.
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