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David Mielke Triumphs in the 2015 Michigan Dirt Cup Season Opener

Rothbury, Michigan (Friday, May 8th, 2015): The fast 3/8ths (0.375) mile dirt oval of the Winston Speedway opened its doors to welcome the members of the Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modified Tour presented by Lane Automotive. Some of the best drivers in the state made their way to the Rothbury, Michigan speed plant for the tour’s 2015 season opener. This was just one part of the full 7 in 1 program which also saw the running of the final make up feature from the rain shortened event on April 24th. The UMP DIRTcar Late Models, Michigan Dirt Modifieds,Street Stocks, Bombers, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Young Guns were all on hand as part of the show.

The Street Stock competed in the April 24th make up feature. When the checkered flag dropped it would be Derek Poland getting the win. Chuck Smith finished second. Steve Oudesma, Mark Farber, and Robbie Sternberg rounded out the top five.

The Four-Cylinder Warriors make up feature ran next. The victory went to Chris Gagon. Buck Spencer was the runner up finisher. Brian Hammond, Terry Woodard, and Robert Metz III made up the top five.

Gabe Flores the young driver out of Twin Lake, Michigan picked up the win in the Young Guns main event. He finished just ahead of Hannah Zwart. Madison Crane, Heidi Barnhard, and Ronnie VanNatter completed the field. The heat race was won by VanNatter.

The Bombers entered the speedway for their A-Main. Muskegon, Michigan native Mike Epplett would be the driver to find his way to the front and be the first to the checkered flag. Defending track champion Dan Wilson Jr. finished just behind in second. Robb Sternberg, Mel Whitten, and Evan Shotko capped off the top five. Sternberg was the winner of the lone heat race.

Travis Stemler picked up the win in the Michigan Dirt Modifieds feature. Josh Grabe finished second. Steve McClees, and Brett Strunk finished the field. Grabe was the heat winner.

The Street Stocks squared off in yet another exciting feature. Picking up where he left off in the early part of the night, Derek Poland would weave his way to the front of the field and never look back from there as he would go on to pick up his second win of the night. 2013 track champion Sadie Klein was the runner up. Josh Sternberg, Robbie Sternberg, and Chuck Smith made up the top five. the heat races were won by Poland and Sternberg.

The UMP DIRTcar Late Models 25-lap feature would be conquered by Traverse City, Michigan native Brandon Thirlby. Nick Kurtz finished second. Rob Taylor, Bill Bray, and 2013 UMP DIRTcar Michigan State Champion Eric Spangler rounded out the top five. Kurtz, and Six time and defending track champion Rich Neiser won the heats.

Finally, the Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modifieds competed in a highly exciting 35-lap main event paying the series standard $1500 to win. When the dust finally settled, it would be the defending track champion and 2013 Michigan Dirt Cup Tour champion David Mielke being the first to the checkered flag. Defending Michigan Dirt Cup champion Travis Stemler finished in second. Steven Brooks, Aaron Morey, and Collin Thirlby completed the top five. 2011 track champion Mark Anderson, Mielke, and Brooks won the preliminary heat races. Steve McClees won the B-Main.

This Friday May 15th, the Winston Speedway will be running a full show headlined by the Bomber special presented by Port City Racecars. The show will also feature the remainder of the rain shortened Four-Cylinder Warriors feature from May 8th. The show will also have action from the UMP DIRTcar Late Models, UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Michigan Dirt Modifieds,Street Stocks, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Young Guns. Plus spectator drags will be held during the intermission.

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.

Results Summary:

Late Models

Heat 1 (10 Laps)

1. 79-Nick Kurtz[3] ; 2. M14-Brandon Thirby[1] ; 3. 44-Rob Taylor[2] ; 4. 94-Bill Bray[5] ; 5. 4-Jason Playter Jr.[7] ; 6. 62-Chops Barnhard[6] ; 7. 21-Derek Thebo[4]

Heat 2 (10 Laps)

1. 87-Richard Neiser[1] ; 2. 27-Eric Spangler[6] ; 3. 05-CJ Heskett[3] ; 4. 20-Kenny Wilson[4] ; 5. 7-Matt Christiansen[2] ; 6. 31M-MIckey Carman JR.[5]

A-Main 1 (25 Laps)

1. M14-Brandon Thirby[3] ; 2. 79-Nick Kurtz[2] ; 3. 44-Rob Taylor[1] ; 4. 94-Bill Bray[6] ; 5. 27-Eric Spangler[8] ; 6. 7-Matt Christiansen[10] ; 7. 4-Jason Playter Jr.[9] ; 8. 20-Kenny Wilson[7] ; 9. 21-Derek Thebo[13] ; 10. 87-Richard Neiser[5] ; 11. 62-Chops Barnhard[11] ; 12. 05-CJ Heskett[4] ; 13. 31M-MIckey Carman JR.[12]

Michigan Dirt Mods

Heat 1 (10 Laps)

1. G5-Josh Grabe[2] ; 2. 0-Travis Stemler[4] ; 3. 01-Steven McClees[3] ; 4. 5-Brett Strunk[1]

A-Main 1 (25 Laps)

1. 0-Travis Stemler[1] ; 2. G5-Josh Grabe[2] ; 3. 01-Steven McClees[3] ; 4. 5-Brett Strunk[4]

Street Stocks -

Heat 1 - (10 Laps)

1. 13-Derek Poland[2] ; 2. 85-Chuck Smith[1] ; 3. 8-Sadie Klein[5] ; 4. 05-Steve Oudsema[3] ; 5. 83-Josh Sternberg[6]

Heat 2 - (10 Laps)

1. 73RJ-Robbie Sternberg[2] ; 2. 6-Mark Farber[5] ; 3. 07-Billy Frey[4] ; 4. 74-Paul Namey[1] ; 5. 82-Mike Kazmarski[3]

A-Main 1 - (20 Laps)

1. 13-Derek Poland[1] ; 2. 8-Sadie Klein[5] ; 3. 83-Josh Sternberg[9] ; 4. 73RJ-Robbie Sternberg[6] ; 5. 85-Chuck Smith[4] ; 6. 74-Paul Namey[8] ; 7. 6-Mark Farber[3] ; 8. 07-Billy Frey[2] ; 9. 82-Mike Kazmarski[10] ; 10. 05-Steve Oudsema[7] ; 11. 4-Duane Townsend[11]

Bombers

Heat 1 (8 Laps)

1. 37S-Robb Sternberg[1] ; 2. 57-Dan Wilson Jr[2] ; 3. 41x-Kevin Rake[4] ; 4. 99E-Mike Epplett[3] ; 5. 37-Morgan Smith[6] ; 6. 83-Mel Whitten[7] ; 8. 5X-Trent Musk[8]

A-Main 1 (15 Laps)

1. 99E-Mike Epplett[3] ; 2. 57-Dan Wilson Jr[2] ; 3. 37S-Robb Sternberg[1] ; 4. 83-Mel Whitten[6] ; 6. 37-Morgan Smith[5] ; 7. 5X-Trent Musk[8] ; 8. 41x-Kevin Rake[4]

Warriors -

Heat 1 - (8 Laps)

1. 2-Buck Spencer[4] ; 2. 82-Mindi Holy[5] ; 3. 1K-Kristina Johnson[1] ; 4. 04-Dave Redmon[8] ; 5. 5-Randy Woodbury[3] ; 6. 42S-Shellbie Shank[9] ; 7. 49-Desirae Mertz[6] ; 8. 34-Katie Whelpley[2] ; 9. 18-Chad French[7]

Heat 2 - (8 Laps)

1. 97-Chris Gagnon[2] ; 2. 17-Josh Pulsipher[1] ; 3. 3-Terry Woodard[4] ; 4. 10-Melissa Sprague[5] ; 5. 14-Gary Larabee[6] ; 6. 15-Drue Bauwman[7] ; 7. 00-Robert Metz III[8] ; 8. 29-Brian Hammond[9] ; 9. 77-Don Fenner[3]

A-Main 1 - (15 Laps)

1. 04-Dave Redmon[4] ; 2. 97-Chris Gagnon[3] ; 3. 3-Terry Woodard[6] ; 4. 34-Katie Whelpley[15] ; 5. 1K-Kristina Johnson[8] ; 6. 10-Melissa Sprague[10] ; 7. 00-Robert Metz III[14] ; 8. 82-Mindi Holy[2] ; 9. 29-Brian Hammond[16] ; 10. 77-Don Fenner[18] ; 11. 15-Drue Bauwman[12] ; 12. 2-Buck Spencer[5] ; 13. 14-Gary Larabee[7] ; 14. 17-Josh Pulsipher[1] ; 15. 5-Randy Woodbury[9]

Young Guns

Heat 1 (6 Laps)

1. 36-Ronnie VanNatter[4] ; 2. 16-Gabe Flores[3] ; 3. 12-Madison Crane[1] ; 4. 37-Hannah Zwart[5] ; 5. 3-Heidi Barnhard[2]

A-Main 1 (12 Laps)

1. 16-Gabe Flores[1] ; 2. 37-Hannah Zwart[4] ; 3. 12-Madison Crane[2] ; 4. 3-Heidi Barnhard[5] ; 5. 36-Ronnie VanNatter[3]

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