8/3/2015
Tri-City Motor Speedway
7.31.2015 A Little Rain Made Good Racing Great at TCMS
07/31/2015 Mental Health Awareness Night
Hastings Racing Rings Late Models: #6m Dona Marcoullier
Auburn Hotel Bar and Grill Street Stocks: #28 Jared Rizer
Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified: #20w AJ Ward
Elgin Pro Stocks: #M65 Rick Spencer
Steven’s Cycle Sales and Service Stock Bombers: #77 Stacie Staszak
07/31/2015 (Auburn MI) The final race night of July at TCMS saw some fabulous on-track battles, fast speeds, and plenty of prizes for Mystery night. Some lucky fans received free admission, free passes, opportunities to wave the green flag at the start of a race, and other fun prizes. In addition to the fun, Survivors of Suicide volunteers were on hand to speak to people who may have had questions regarding Mental Health. The Saginaw Spirit mascots, The McLaren Bay Medical Foundation helped to raise awareness and funds. Not only were battles held on the track, but the battle was also with pending rain.
The Steven’s Cycle Sales and Service Stock Bombers had its highest car count of the season as the four and six-cylinder cars started with a half dozen starting the feature event. Heat race winner #21 Andy Koczenasz would try to sweep the nights events and started on the pole alongside #77 Stacie Stazak. However, Staszak would use the bottom line to her benefit and led all eight laps to pick up her second feature win of 2015. Koczenasz, #09 Jack Freese, #13 Preston Deshano, and #95 Zach Essex finished within the top five.
With rain threatening all around the speedway, the Elgin Pro Stocks took the green flag with asphalt veteran #53c Jake Caverly leading the opening three laps of the 20-lap feature. Point leader #21 Steve Hilliker, possibly sensing some urgency to get to the front before the rain arrived, was able to move from his sixth-place starting position to take over the lead by lap four. He had pulled over 20 car-lengths ahead of the rest of the field before rain on lap 12 forced the officials to halt the race. Promoter, Steve Puvalowski, and his staff diligently worked the track and had it ready to resume racing within 60 minutes. With a vastly different track from what they had for the first half of the race, strategies and set-ups were thrown out the window as the field braced for an eight lap shootout. Two-time champion #M65 Rick Spencer used this change to his advantage and was able to pull alongside Hilliker with three laps remaining. Spencer was able to clear Hilliker coming out of turn four on the final lap to snatch a thrilling victory. The win would be Spencer’s first of the season. Hilliker would finish as the runner-up and was followed by #10 Brent Reil, #93 John Robbins, and #21d Darren Mularz. Hilliker, and #99 Rick Beauchamp won their heat races.
With the track completely different and full of moisture, there was a great deal of anticipation to see record breaking speeds in the 25-lap Hasting Racing Rings Late Model division. #86 Scott Clifford led the opening laps before #19 Derrick Hilliker would take his turn leading. #6m Dona Marcoullier, fresh off of his Wood Tic win, weaved and motored his way from his twelfth position and took the lead on lap seven and led the remaining 18 laps at a pace of over 100mph laps. This continues Marcoullier’s streak of being undefeated at TCMS in 2015 winning in all five of his visits to the speedway. Point Leader #21 David Hilliker would also come from row six to finish second. Derrick Hilliker, #0p Kris Patterson Jr, and #24p Joe Pomeroy settled the rest of the top five. Marcoullier, Pomeroy, and #11 Ryan Lanphierd were heat race winners.
Former Dixie Modified Champion, #27 Matt Szecsodi led the opening laps of the Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified 20-lap feature. #187 Gavin Hunyady, 2015 rookie would take the lead away and led until lap nine. However, last week’s winner, #20w was able to overcome his 11th place starting position and led the final half of the race to cruise to another victory. #71 Johnny Deyoung, #615 Chad Wernette, #511 Chaz Pray, and #33 Todd Matheson raced in to top five finishing spots. Wernette, Pray, and Hunyady were victorious in their heat race.
The Auburn Hotel Street Stock division has been treating fans to some of the best racing at TCMS in 2015. Many of the finishes have been decided during the final lap. Tonight would be no exception. 1992 Track Champion, #21e Dan “Evil” Engel led the first seven laps before #72 Bob Kosha was able to wrestle the lead away. The race became a four-car battle amongst Kosha, #57 TJ Gilbert, #28 Jared Rizer, and #x5 Eric Lake. The four drivers were entangled in lapped traffic for much of the final half of the event. Kosha was able to hold off the field until the final corner when Rizer would put his nose out in front and beat Kosha by inches at the line. Lake, Gilbert, and Engel would finish within the top five. #65 Garret Laudenslager, Lake, and Rizer won heat races.
This Friday, join TCMS for the third and final Figure-eight race! Come see if #x5 Eric Lake can sweep all three 2015 figure-8 features! The top prize is $588 for the winner ($124 to show) of the 24 lap event. . Late Models, IMCA Modified, Pro Stocks and Street Stocks will be in action, too! Admission is just $14 per adult, 55yrs or better $13, 7-13 yrs old $8 and 6 and under FREE! Check out www.tricityracetrack.com for more details!
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