5/19/2019
Tri-City Motor Speedway
5/17/2019 Race Results
05/17/2019 ARP (Perfit/Engine Pro) & Teamtech Motorsports Equipment Night
- ARP Late Models: #4t Andrew Terrill
- Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #50 Jake Thompson
- Allstar Performance IMCA Modified: #38 Mitchell Hunt
- ARP Pro Stock Challenge Presented By Perfit: #69 Nate Murphy
- Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #25 Don Frohm
- Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini Wedge Special: #12 Morgan Bujarski (Jr. Division), #15 Cole Doty (Sr. Division)
Murphy Wins Pro Stock Challenge for Second Victory of 2019 at Tri-City Motor Speedway
05/17/2019 (Auburn MI) Since opening night in late April, Tri-City Motor Speedway has sat idle quietly waiting for warmer and dryer weather to settle into mid-Michigan to resume the 2019 Friday night racing schedule. Mother Nature finally cooperated this past Friday and both spectators and competitors were ready. A near record 130 racers filled the TCMS pit area to entertain the crowds that arrived to watch. The evening’s events were sponsored by ARP (Perfit/Engine Pro) and Teamtech Motorsports Equipment. In addition to the full racing program, two special features were also on the night’s race list. The Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini Wedge division would run their schedule class special while the Members First Credit Union Pro Stocks would make up their rained out special, the ARP Pro Stock Challenge Presented by: Perfit, that had been scheduled on the previously cancelled nights.
The top billing for the night belonged to the MFCU Pro Stocks as they had the opportunity to win $1,259 by beating the field at the end of the 34-lap ARP Pro Stock Challenge Presented by Perfit. Opening night winner #69 Nate Murphy had crossed the line first in his qualifying heat earlier in the evening. However, post race tech showed that he had lost his muffler during the race nullifying his win and forcing him to start in the 16th and final starting spot in the big money race. Three-time track Champion #28 Jared Rizer, along with #14 Jimmy Hale Jr., led the field to the green flag and looked to be the favorite to win as he paced the field for the first 32 circuits. As the grip on the track began to go away, defending Champion #K11 Kendall Morrison closed the gap and took over the lead from Rizer in turn two as they battled lapped traffic. Rizer tried to steal the lead back as they came out of turn four coming to the white flag. However, Rizer would overdrive the corner spinning his car and bringing out the caution. This sent Rizer to the rear of the field with two laps remaining and left Morrison to hold off #71 Timmy Near, #27 Rob Westergard, and Murphy. The restart was little help for the rest of the field as Morrison captured the checkered flag five car-lengths ahead of Murphy. In a further twist, Morrison, along with Westergard and Near, would fail post-race inspection. All would lose their respective finishing positions. This put Murphy back in the winner’s circle for the second time in 2019. Rizer ended up credited with the runner-up position and was followed by #93 Jake Thompson, Hale Jr., and #96 Cade Schafer. Near was the winner of the second qualifying heat.
The Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini Wedge Division had yet to start the 2019 race season, but the 2018 Champions were already in top form in the qualifying heat races. #15 Cole Doty won his Sr. Division race while #54 Addison Clink also flexed her muscle winning in her Jr. Division heat race. Doty ended up out pacing #2e Easton Murray in the feature event for the 10-14 year old division in an entertaining grudge match between the two drivers. #12 Morgan Bujarski, who had won the second heat race for the 6-9 year olds, was able to race from her 6th place starting spot to pass pole sitter Clink and hold on to grab her first win of the year. Finishing behind Clink within the top five was #28 Kyron DeShano, #3 Jett Gohr, and #7 Ella Gradowski. The wins for Bujarski and Doty also added a 6’ trophy to their respective award collections.
The Allstar Performance IMCA Modified division had near 30 competitors travel to TCMS in hopes of collecting coveted State, Regional and national points. Four qualifying heat races and a B-Main were needed to fill the field of twenty that would start the twenty lap feature. Multi-time Champion and National Champion contender #20w AJ Ward, Auburn’s #03 Chris Cohoon, Fenton’s #187 Gavin Hunyady, Sheridan’s #615 Chad Wernette, and third generation driver #71 Brenten DeYoung all took wins in those preliminary races. Outside pole-sitter #13 Garrett Bennett led the opening laps before Cohoon took over the top spot. But, this night would belong to #38 Mitchell Hunt of Kent City. He marched his way to the front and muscled away the lead from Cohoon on lap eight and never looked back. Opening night winner #27 Matt Szecsodi, Ward, #08 Jacob Flickinger, and DeYoung secured top five finishes. For Hunt, this was his first ever TCMS feature win. Cohoon would end up finishing sixth.
Once again, eighteen Thornton Brother Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stock took the green flag for their 20-lap feature. The competition has gotten tighter amongst the front-wheel drive drivers as four different drivers saw their turn at the front of the field. #33 Aaron Wentworth Jr., #9 Taven Wilson, and #01 Brad Treichel all led laps during the first half of the main event. It took until lap ten for #M25 Don Frohm to make his winning pass and head to victory lane for the first time at TCMS. Treichel held on for second and was followed closely by defending Champion #7 John Staszak, #03 Josh Charbonneau, and #15k Paul Streeter. Frohm and Charbonneau both collected heat race gold.
The night’s biggest car count once again belonged to the Suspension MAXX Street Stock division with 31 trying to secure one of the 20 spots available in the feature. #72 Bobby Kosha, #18 Nick Putman, #72 Kevin Newcomb, and #20 Kyle Thomas guaranteed their entry into the feature by winning their heat races. Two-time class Champion #7r Dave Newcomb outlasted the field in the Last Chance race in order to be part of the feature race festivities. Alma’s #02 Will Stanley shot from his front row starting spot at the drop of the green and led the initial seven circuits. However, it was the smooth driving of #50 Jake Thompson that would once again prevail and dominate the final 12 laps to cruise to victory. Stanley had to settle for a second place finish and was closely followed by #46 Tyler Moore, Thomas, and #91 Gary Shank.
The ARP Late Model Division put on a phenomenal show of horsepower and patience in their 30-lap main event. It was a battle between multi-time class Champion #4t Andrew Terrill and Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer #21 David Hilliker. Terrill jumped out quickly at the drop of the green flag with second row starter Hilliker within striking distance. Hilliker would challenge numerous times early but could not make the pass. With long bouts of green flag laps and a race track that held multiple racing grooves, both drivers had their patience tested as the not only battled for the lead but also battled slower traffic. Both did so masterfully. However, in the end, it was Terrill leading all 30 laps beating Hilliker to the finish for the first time in 2019. #21A Logan Arntz came on strong in the second half of the event to finish third. #9 Isaac Wolfgang and #24 Alex Hupert completed the top five in the finishing order. Wolfgang, Terrill, and #76 Torrey Ahrens collected checkered flags for their efforts in the preliminary heat races.
Next week at Tri-City Motor Speedway is a night of heart-pounding excitement as the Great Lakes Super Sprints are back on the Auburn Clay to kick off Memorial Day Weekend! The evening, presented by Outdoor Adventures, will also include the IMCA Modified, Pro Stock, Street Stock, Bomber Stock, and Mini Wedge drivers! Purchase your tickets online early at www.tricityracetrack.com and get here early to claim your seat! For contact information, directions, and instantaneous race results visit www.tricityracetrack.com.
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