8/17/2020
Merritt Speedway
Ruhl Dominates in GLSS Visit to Merritt Speedway
Results Recap for August 15th, 2020:
Winners:
Great Lakes Super Sprints: Ryan Ruhl
Diesel Freak B-Modifieds: Richie Sutherland
Auto Value Pro Stocks: 19s Andrew Steele
Lake City Materials Factory Stocks: 95 Chuck Powell
XLT Engineering 4 & 6 Cylinders: 26E Cheyanne Emery
Allstar Performance Restricted Mini Wedges: 42jr Vivian Nelson
Allstar Performance Un-Restricted Mini Wedges: 11 Cole Shanteau
Great Lakes Super Sprints Fast Qualifier: 17 Jared Hortsman 12.732
8/16/2020: (Lake City, MI): The Great Lakes Super Sprints invaded the grounds of the Merritt Speedway for the first time in two years this past Saturday evening. The traveling winged sprint car series brought the most talented open wheel drivers in the Midwest to Michigan’s premeire dirt track. The Diesel Freak B-Modifieds, Auto Value Pro Stocks, Lake City Materials Factory Stocks, Allstar Performance Mini-Wedges, and XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders were all part of the show as well.
Vivian Nelson won the restrictor plate division for the Allstar Performance Mini-Wedges. Ella Bringer finished second. Addy Wade, Tucker Warner, and Leilynd Strehlke completed the top five. Cole Shanteau won the Un-Restricted division main event in front of Hunter Evans and Keeton Cade. Kaiden Miles (restrictor plate) and Shanteau (Un-restricted) won the heat races.
The Lake City Materials Factory Stocks took part in a 20-lap A-Main. 18-year old Tristian Siddall and 2-time track champion Rick Spencer started on the front row. Spencer jumped out in front with the early advantage. On lap 4 he would be passed by Ryan Nethers, but on the very next lap Chuck Powell would rise to the occasion and take the lead for himself. Powell held strong after that and went on to pick up the win. This was the second win of the season for the 46-year old Powell (Harrison, MI) driving the Discount Variety #95. Scott Smith was the runner up finisher. Nethers, Spencer, and Pat Kisser rounded out the top five. Nethers and Smith won the heat races.
The XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders rolled onto the speedway for their 15-lap feature event with Brad Robinson and 2019-track champion Cheyanne Emery on the front row. Emery wasted little time in taking the lead after the drop of the green flag. There would be good challenges from both 13-year old Katie Robinson and Travis Skaggs, but there was no Stopping Emery as she held the lead until the end and scored the win. This was the second win of the year for the 21-year old Emery (Interlochen, MI) driving her Double K Services #26E. Robinson finished second. Skaggs, David Harrington, and Corey Wagner completed the top five. Skaggs and Robinson picked up the heat races wins.
The 20-lap A-Main for the Diesel Freak B-Modifieds rolled out led by the front row of John Goodrich and Michael Haynes. Haynes took the early race advantage after the opening lap. He would stay in the lead position until lap 10. That was when Richie Sutherland made his pass for the lead. Sutherland would go on from there to pick up the win. Joey Burch would finish second. Gary Vandermark, Josh Loomis, and Haynes capped off the top five. The heat races were won by Burch and Vandermark.
The Auto Value Pro Stocks compeated in a 20-lap affair for their feature event. Tim Murphy and Andrew Steele were on the front row at the drop of the green flag. Murphy led after the opening circuit. Steele answered by leading lap 2. Steele held the lead until lap 8 when 18-year old Austin Harnick took the top position. However, Steele was able to respond again taking the lead back on lap 9. Steele would go on from there to visit victory lane as the winner. This was the second feature event win of the season for the 27-year old Steele (Auburn, MI) driving the Saginaw Welding #19s. Harnick took second. Josh Loomis, Murphy, and 19-year old Danielle Robinson completed the top five. Harnick and Teri Lynn Murphy won the heats.
The Great Lakes Super Sprints took the track for their 25-lap main event with Conner Morrell and Ryan Ruhl bringing the field down to chief starter Randy Hose’s green flag. Ruhl took the lead in the early going with the battle for position going on behind him. Despite what the rest of the field tried there was no stopping Ruhl who would lead the entire race from start to finish. Ruhl, the Coldwater, Michigan native picked up his third win of the 2020 campaign. 2017-GLSS champion Jared Hortsman finished second. 2018-GLSS champion Dustin Daggett, Morrell, and 15-year old Andrew Scheid rounded out the top five finishers. The preliminary heat races wins went to 2016-GLSS champion Chase Ridenour, Morrell, and Scheid.
This Saturday August 22nd Merritt Speedway will host the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour Late Models series for the first time since 2017. The event will pay $10,000 to win and will be the championship race for the hell tour’s 2020 season. The traveling series will bring some of the most talented drivers in the country to Michigan’s premiere dirt track. The event will also feature the championship race for the Summit Racing Equipment UMP DIRTcar Modified nationals. Stay tuned to the Merritt Speedway Facebook page for more details on this weekend and all future events.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
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