8/17/2020
Tri-City Motor Speedway
Dona Marcoullier Dominates at Tri-City Motor Speedway
08/14/20 TCMS Results
Feature Winners:
Lane Automotive IMCA Modifieds: #50 Chad Bennett
Suspension MAXX Street Stock: #71 Ryan Nethers
Engine Pro Late Models: #6m Dona Marcoullier
XLT Engineering Bomber Stocks: M25 Don Frohm
Auto Value: #K11 Kendall Morrison
All-Star Performance Mini Wedge Unrestricted: #28 Kyron DeShano
All-Star Performance Mini Wedge Restricted: #3 Jett Gohr
Late Model Qualifying Presented By Soaring Eagle Casino: #27 Eric Spangler- 12.775s
08/14/20 (Auburn MI) All the house classes were back in action after a week off, once again at Tri-City Motor Speedway (TCMS) in Auburn last Friday night. Ninety-one of most talented drivers filled the rosters of the seven classes on hand for this night of high horsepower action.
The only division that did not have the previous Friday night free was the Lane Automotive IMCA Modifieds. Will Small (Comins), after struggling the week prior, looked strong winning his heat. He and Jacob Truemner (Imlay City) led the field to the green flag for their 25-lap feature. Will Smith, who had a rough week last week, looked great in his heat race and earned the opportunity to start on the pole for the main event. However, it was the other front-row starter, Jacob Truemner (Imlay City) which led the opening lap. On lap two, last week’s heat race winner Kevin McFarland (Bay City), took his turn at the front. McFarland would only last until the fourth lap when Caro’s Chad Bennett took over. The pass for the lead, by using the low line around the track, would be the final of the event as Bennett captured his second win of 2020 at TCMS. 2018 Champion, Nate Jones (Vestaburg), could only muster a runner-up finish after numerous attempts to take the lead. Timmy Near (Midland), last week’s winner and defending Champion, Matt Szecsodi, and Tanner Pray (Mt. Morris) finished with the top five. Jones and Bennett also won their earlier heat races
The XLT Engineering Bomber Stocks have been a very pleasant surprise to the 2020 season with full competitive fields every week. Josh Charbonneau (Kawkawlin), 2019 point runner-up Brad Treichel (Bay City), and 2018 and 2019 Champion Johnny Staszak took heat race gold and helped set up the starting field for their fifteen-lap final race. The front row starters, Brian Bullock (Midland) and Joe Stanley (Bay City) would swap leads over the first four laps before point leader Nick Bullock (Bay City) snuck in to take a lap. Don Frohm (Lakeport) was not able to start his heat race due to mechanical issues. He managed to move from a 17th place start to make the final lead change on lap five and cruised his way to victory for his first of 2020. Staszak finished in second with Joe Stanley (Bay City), Harrison Rivett (Essexville) and Brian Kloha (Linwood) filled out the remainder of the top five.
Winning two features a week ago in two different divisions, it would have been difficult to not consider Lore Short (Clio) as a potential winner of the Auto Value Pro Stock feature. He made that bet look stronger after capturing the first heat race for the division. However, point leader Kendall Morrison (Bay City) wanted to make sure the fans knew that he was still the top contender by dominating his heat race. Both would start mid-pack at the drop of the green. Tim Murphy (Holland, OH) took full advantage of his front row start by leading the opening four laps. It was Morrison who would make aggressive three-wide moves that placed him at the front of the field by lap five. He was able to pull away from the field and grab his second TMCS feature this season. Murphy, who made many attempts to take the lead back by virtue of the low groove, had to settle for a tough second-place finish. Rob Westergard (Bay City), Defending Champion Nate Murphy (Coleman) and Teri Lynn Murphy (Holland OH) rounded out the top five finishers.
The Engine Pro Late Models had the opportunity to shake down their cars a week before the UMP Late Model Hell Tour comes to Auburn for their inaugural visit. Eric Spangler (Lake City) was the car to beat as he laid down a 12.775s lap during the Soaring Eagle Casino LM qualifying session. He was able to use that speed in winning his heat race along with point-leader Don Marcoullier (Houghton Lake) and 2020 WoodTic winner Travis Stemler (Ionia). The feature line up had the top two finishers from two weeks ago, David Hilliker (Midland) and Marcoullier, on the front row for the 40-lap main event. Marcoullier, as he typically does at TCMS, jumped out to a quick lead that Hilliker could not overcome. Marcoullier led all 40 laps and nearly lapped the entire field to the checkered flag and a $3000 payday. Hilliker, once again, had to settle for the second position. Chad Finley (Lansing) and Stemler were the only cars left on the lead lap at the finish. Cody Bauer (Farwell) finished fifth one lap behind the leader.
It was another crowd-pleasing full field of SuspensionMAXX Street Stocks on hand Friday night. Preliminary heat race gold was awarded to first time winner Blake Meylan (Harrison), former Bomber Stock Champion Nick Putman (Kawkawlin) and Ryan Nethers (Mount Pleasant). Numerous cautions plagued the majority of the race. It was Nethers, from the third row that managed to survive to lead the first lap. By lap ten, Kevin Newcomb had run the bottom groove to capture and pass Nethers on lap 11. Newcomb was unable to hold the lead and was involved in a late race altercation that gave Nethers the lead and the win. Putman nearly grabbed his first SS victory finishing second. Point leader Jason Begeman (Caro) moved forward 16 positions to finish in third with Mike Vandecar (Caro) and Former Champion Eric Lake (Montrose) taking up the remaining top five finishing spots.
The always exciting and unpredictable AllStar Performance Mini Wedge classes kicked off the night’s entertainment. Jett Gohr (Bay City) swept the restricted (Plated) heat and feature event. Colton Bowen (Sterling), Cason Murphy (Coleman), and Lincoln Hughley (Kawkawlin) completing the race with strong finishes in the top five. Cole Shanteau (Weidman) took the heat race checkered flag in the unrestricted (Non-plated) class. He had to start at the rear of the field for the main event and nearly pulled off the win. Second place was as close as he got as 2019 Champ Kyron DeShano (Kawkawlin) led every lap to win his second feature in a row. It was Pierson DeShano (Kawkawlin), Morgan Bujarski (Linwood), and Ella Gradowski (Essexville) with strong top-five finishes.
If you were looking for just one night to visit TCMS, next Friday would be the one night to be there. The UMP Hell Tour will make its inaugural visit to TCMS. $10,000 is on the line for the winning UMP late models feature winner. Stars and cars from throughout the Midwest will be on hand to capture that first TCMS Hell Tour feature. The Summit UMP Modified tour will also be with us for a full night of entertainment. Join us on FB to get the latest information about this week’s show and the rest of the 2020 season! We thank you for supporting TCMS during this unprecedented time.
Article Credit: Roger Williams
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
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