8/30/2014
Winston Speedway
Tom Sprague Jr. Wins Labor Day Outlaw Special at Winston Speedway
Rothbury, Michigan (Saturday, August 30th, 2014): The short track season came to an end at the Winston Speedway in Montague, Michigan on Saturday night with their final race night of the year. The show featured a ton of special headlined by the Outlaw Late Models fighting for $1200 to win presented by Johhny Mac’s Automotive. The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds were also in action squaring off for a $1000 to win prize presented by Port City Racears. There was also a Stock car $500 to win special between both the Street Stock and Bomber divisions together presented by ASAP Auto Sales. The Four-Cylinder Warriors were also on hand competing for $225 to win presented by Sprague Auto Parts. The Mini Stocks fought for $125 to win presented by Sprague’s Junk Be Gone, and The Young Guns went head to head for a $75 to win prize presented by APS Performance.
The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds started things off with Travis Stemler and Stan Dodds starting on the front row of the 25-lap feature. Stan Dodds pulled out with the lead off the start. However after a caution on lap 3 David Mielke would be the new leader. He would manage to go on from there to make the visit to victory lane and get the win.
This was the eleventh win of the season for the 22-year old Gladwin, Michigan driver of the Krompetz Elevators / Rocket by Ruhlman Racecar. Derek Passiner finished second. Ed Reyes, Greg Smith, and Brian Kiester completed the top five. Paul Johnson and Reyes won the preliminary heat races.
The Stock Car special was out next for their 25-lap main event. Steve Oudsema and Derek Poland led the field down to the green flag. Poland took the lead once the green flag waved. This was would undergo several cautions, but Poland would prevail through it and go to be the first to the checkered flag.
The 58-year old Poland, the native of Muskegon, Michigan scores his fourth win of the year driving his Arizona Charlie’s Truck & Auto Sales / Chevrolet. The defending UMP DIRTcar Stock Car National Champion Josh Frye finished second. Michael Clark, Mark Farber, and Chuck Smith rounded out the top five. Poland and Frye won the heats.
John McDonald and Steve Fairbanks led out the field of Outlaw Late Models for their 25-lap A-Main feature event. Fairbanks was the leader of the opening circuit. Then, on the very next lap Matt Pickard would make the pass for the lead. He stayed there until lap 16 where his car flipped upside down drawing the caution flag. Pickard would be okay, but was unable to continue due to heavy damage on his car. This gave the lead to the two time track champion Tom Sprague Jr. who would lead the rest of the race and get the big win.
The 41-year old Muskegon, Michigan driver of the Sprague Auto Parts / Rocket Chassis picked up his third win of the season. Fairbanks finished second. McDonald, Matt Sprauge, and Marv Burroughs finished off the top five. Kenny Wilson and Fairbanks were the heat winners.
The Young Guns hit the track next for a 12-lap feature event led by Kristina Johnson and Hedi Barnhard. Johnson pulled away with the early advantage. But on Lap 3 Barhard would challenge for the top spot and take the lead. However on lap 6 it was then time for Bailie Wynbelt to challenge for the top spot, which she would overtake and once she was out front she would never look back from there going on to pick up the win.
This was the first win for the Muskegon, Michigan driver. Barnhard was forced to settle for second. Johnson, Zach Burmester, and Madison Crane made up the rest of the top five. Johnson was the winner of the heat race.
The next feature belonged to the Four-Cylinder Warriors for 15-laps. Buck Spencer and Mike Goodwin made up the front row. Goodwin wasted little time once he saw the green flag and hurried out to the race lead while every battled hard behind him. There would be no stopping Goodwin as he would lead the entire event form start to finish getting the win.
The Muskegon, Michigan driver Goodwin picked up his tenth win on the year. Chris Gagnon was the runner up finisher. Spencer, Ryan Hamm, and defending track champion Tim Stafford finished off the top five. Goodwin and Hamm were the heat winners.
The Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks were the final event of the night racing 15-laps. 2011 UMP DIRTcar East Region and track champion Paul Namey and Brian Carson led the field down to the green flag. Namey would be the early leader but his car would break after only one lap, which gave the lead to Carson who never had to look back from there he went on to take home the checkered flag.
The Next event on the Winston Speedway schedule will be a Mud Run coming up on Sunday September 14th. Then, it will be the 2014 Award Banquet on Saturday November 8th be sure to follow along at racewinson.com and the Speedway’s social media outlets for more information going forward.
Winston Speedway is located at 7834 South 72nd Avenue in Montague, Michigan. For more information, please call: 1 (231) 737-9223 or go to the website located at: www.racewinston.com You can also follow everything that is happening on and off the track by becoming a fan on the tracks Facebook Fan Page and following along on Twitter as well. Just go to: www.facebook.com/WinstonSpeedway and www.twitter.com/WinstonSpeedway and click on “Like" and “Follow” buttons today.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
