8/9/2020
Merritt Speedway
Stemler Wins 32nd Annual WoodTic at Merritt Speedway for 10K
8/02/2020: (Lake City, MI): The 32nd Annual Ed Vanduien WoodTic took place this past weekend at the Merritt Speedway in Lake City, Michigan. The fast 1/4-mile dirt oval hosted over 160 race teams in the premier event of the summer. The program was headlined by the $10,000 to win UMP DIRTcar Late Model race featuring some of the best late model drivers from in and around the state of Michigan. The event also marked the 3rd annual Dan Salay Memorial which featured a silent auction which helped raise funds for the American Cancer Association. The Cadillac Tire Center UMP DIRTcar Modifieds were also on hand for the running of a $3000 to win special. The Diesel Freak B-Modifieds, Auto Value Pro Stocks, Lake City Materials Factory Stocks, and XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders all took part in the event racing for increased payouts.
The main events began on Saturday evening first, with the running of the 25-lap $700 to win Auto Value Pro Stock feature. Marc Super (Munger, MI) and 19-year old Danielle Robinson (Mount Pleasant, MI) brought the field down to the green flag. Robinson jumped out in front with the lead in the early going as the battle for positions went on behind her. She maintained the lead until lap 6 when a hard charging Nate Murphy would make the pass for the lead. Murphy would gain a large advantage, but in the late stage of the event his car would break causing him to end the race early. This gave the lead back to Robinson who went on to pick up the big win. The 19-year old from Mount Pleasant, Michigan scored her first career win at Merritt Speedway in the Pro Stock division in her Xtreme Chassis & Performance Parts #11. Andrew Steele was the runner up finisher. 17-year old Austin Harnick, Tim Murphy, and Adam Erickson rounded out the top five. The preliminary heat race victories went to Teri Lynn Murphy, Tim Tabaczka, and Erickson. Steele and Nate Murphy won the Odd/Even qualifiers. Erickson won the dash for cash.
The Diesel Freak B-Modifieds rolled onto the racing surface for a 30-lap main paying $1000 to win. Collin Thirlby (Traverse City, MI) and Corey Finley (Lansing, MI) led the field at the start. Thirlby pulled out in front after the opening circuit. He would keep the race advantage, but on lap 12 he would be passed by Gary Vandermark. Vandermark would continued for four laps, but he would loose his right front tire on lap 16, sending him to the pit area. Thirlby regained the lead and went on from there to pick up the win. This was the third win of the year for the 30-year old driver from Traverse City, Michigan behind the wheel of his Thirlby Automotive #47. 18-year old Michael Luberda Jr. finished second. Michael Haynes, Calvin Stemler, and Reid Sanders completed the top five. Vandermark, Josh Loomis, and Luberda were the heat winners. Vandermark and Finley won the Odd/Even qualifiers. Thirlby won the four-car dash for cash.
T.J. Gilbert (Elkton, MI) and Josh Knoll (Lake, MI) led out the 25-lap $500 to win main event for the Lake City Materials Factory Stocks. Knoll would storm off with the lead after the opening lap. There were many battles throughout the field during the event. Despite what the field tried no one had anything for Knoll who would go on to pick up the big payday. This was the fourth win of the year for Knoll, 33 from Lake, Michigan in the Knoll’s Drywall #87. Jeff Stanton finished second. 18-year old Dale Kaake III, 2016-track champion Jim Miller Jr., and Renton Hurley finished out the top five. Rylee Knoll, Richie Sutherland, and Jacob Flickinger won the heat races. The Odd/Even qualifiers were won by Flickinger and Miller. Jake Thompson won the dash for cash.
The $3000 to win A-Main for the Cadillac Tire Center UMP DIRTcar Modifieds rolled out next for their 40-lap event. Luke Hubbell (Hastings, MI) and Jeff Erickson Jr. (Muskegon, MI) led the field to the green flag. Erickson led the first lap with the rest of the field in hot pursuit. Erickson would be able to hold the lead for the entire event despite the stout competition in the field. This would mark the eighth win of the season for the 31-year old from Muskegon, Michigan in the Salon One Hair & Nail Care #1e. Collin Thirlby took the runner up position. 2-time track champion Chad Bauer, 2011-UMP DIRTcar Michigan State Champion Jacob Poel, and Brian Brindley capped off the top five. Daryl Lehn won the last chance qualifier. Bauer, Erickson, Thirlby, and 4-time track champion Brent Banning won the heats. Bauer and Erickson also won the Odd/Even qualifying races. Bauer also won the dash for cash. Dave Baker was the overall fastest qualifier with a lap time of 15.764.
The 10,000 to win A-Main feature for the Allstar Performance Late Model Challenge series presented by American Ethanol was next. 2019-track champion David Mielke and Travis Stemler started on the front row of the 75-lap race for the Dan Salay Memorial. Stemler would lead after the lap around the speedway. Mielke would try to challenge but to no avail. Stemler pulled away with no challengers in sight. However, in the final laps of the event, 6-time track champion Eric Spangler worked up to go wheel to wheel with Stemler, but Stemler held on. But one last challenge arose in the form of Jeep Van Wormer who powered his way up to go side by side with Stemler, but Stemler would hang on and make the trip to victory lane. This was the second win at Merritt Speedway this season for the 29-year old Ionia, Michigan driver in the A.P. Smille Contracting #4. Van Wormer finished just behind in second. Spangler, Dona Marcoullier, and Logan Nickerson rounded out the top five. Rich Bell won the last chance qualifier. Brandon Thirlby, Stemler, 3-time UMP DIRTcar national champion Rusty Schlenk, and Torrey Ahrens won the heat races. Chad Finley and Spangler won the Odd/Evens. The Dash for cash was won by Marcoullier. Schlenk was the fast qualifier with a 14.759 lap time.
The final event of the night belonged to the $400 to win XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders who were led by 14-year old Clay Lachcik (Omer, MI) and 13-year old Katie Robinson (Mount Pleasant, MI) for the 20-lap main. Once the green flag waved, the 2019-track champion Cheyanne Emery powered her way by to take the lead after the first lap. She would go until lap 7 where Robinson was able to take the lead for herself. Things would change for the final time on lap 15 when Nick Jenema charged his way up from a 20th place starting position and took over the lead and went on to get the win. This was the seventh win of the year for the native of Wyoming, Michigan in the Steve’s Tire #44. Robinson finished second. Emery, Travis Skaggs, and Cole Roelofs made up the rest of the top five. Skaggs, Emery, and Amber Eberspeaker won the heats. Skaggs and Roelofs won the Odd/Even races. Case Roelofs won the four-car dash.
The Merritt Speedway returns next week with the Great Lakes Super Sprints invading the property of Merritt Speedway for the first time in two years. The show will also feature the Cadillac Tire Center UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Diesel Freak B-Mods, Auto Value Pro Stocks, Lake City Materials Factory Stocks, XLT Engineering Four & Six Cylinders, and Allstar Performance Mini-Wedges. Stay tuned to the Merritt Speedway Facebook page for the latest news and updates.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
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