6/20/2016
Tri-City Motor Speedway
Race results from 6/17/16
06/17/16 Autograph and Kids Night Winners
Melling Select Late Models: #21d David Hilliker
Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #x5 Eric Lake
Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modified: #20w AJ Ward
Elgin Pro Stocks: #71 Timmy Near
Thornton Brothers Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #18 Nick Putman
Ward Captures Greased Pig 6.0 To Remain Undefeated At TCMS
06/17/2016 (Auburn MI) This past Friday, Tri-City Motor Speedway celebrated its six year anniversary by rewarding its fans with a special Kids Night, where children 15 and under received free admission, and Autograph night. The 100 drivers in attendance brought their cars out onto the front stretch for a chance to meet and mingle with the race fans. In addition to the up close opportunity for the fans, the IMCA Modified drivers competed for a $1,066 top prize in the Greased Pig 6.0 Lane Automotive/Optima Batteries IMCA Modified Challenge Presented by Allstar Performance 38-lap feature.
A season high 32 Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA modified drivers were on hand in hopes of making the 20-car starting field. Drasco Arkansas driver #68 Heath Grizzle, #78 Brody Bowser, and defending Champion #7d Myron DeYoung won the qualifying heats. While #27 Matt Szecsodi had to win the last chance B-main to make the big feature. Bowser and #5 Tanner Pray would bring the field of 20 to the green flag of the extended lap feature. Both would swap the lead numerous times during the opening laps before #42 Craig Vance would take his turn as the leader. On lap five, #98 Austin Wonch would wrestle the lead away and try to run away from the pack. It took until lap 16 before ninth place starter DeYoung would make the pass on Wonch for the top spot. It looked as if the race was DeYoung’s to lose as he would extend his lead by over a straightaway over a battling Wonch and #20 AJ Ward. However, a late caution on lap 33 would bunch the field for a final showdown. On the restart, Ward would pull off the slide job in turn four that would eventually be the race winning pass. DeYoung was unable to challenge as Ward would win his seventh feature in as many starts. Wonch would end up third and was followed by Grizzle and #10 Gary Vandermark. Pray, #19 Joe Fowler, #187 Gavin Hunyady, #511 Chaz Pray, and #71 Brenten DeYoung would have top ten finishes.
It has been quite a week for defending Melling Select late model driver #21d David Hilliker. Last week, the Midland native found out that he would be one of the inductees into the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame for 2016. Early in the evening, he, along with #24 Joe Pomeroy, and #75 Rod Laney captured their respective heat race victories. Hilliker, deep in the points battle with his son #19 Derrick Hilliker, would start in row five for the 25-lap feature alongside last week’s winner #4t Andrew Terrill. Laney and Pomeroy would battle for the first lap lead from their front row starting positions. Pomeroy was at the point for the initial five laps of the caution-filled feature. With multiple restarts and unusually high attrition, it allowed drivers mid-pack to stay within striking distance of the Pomeroy and the top five. #14 Tyler Norton would battle Pomeroy before taking the lead for good on lap eight. Multiple incidents with less than five laps to go would end up changing what could have been a first time win for Norton. On a final restart, Hilliker would swoop by Norton on the high side of turn two and hold on for his first feature win of 2016. Norton held on to second over a hard charging #21s Steven Hilliker, #9 Isaac Wolfgang, and #87k Josh Knoll. The remainder of the top ten included #19 Derrick Hilliker, #4 Chad Anklam, Pomeroy, #16 Mike Staszak, and #9k Dale Kaake Jr.
77 Stacie Staszak would win her heat and start on the pole of the 12-lap Thornton Brothers Septic Service Bomber Stock Division. Staszak would lead the opening lap, but ended up having to pull out of the event early with tire issues. As a matter of fact, most of the field was snake-bitten as all but two starters retired before halfway through the feature with mechanical issues. The two that remained were #18 Nick Putman and defending Champion #09 Jack Freese. Putman easily outran Freese for his second win of the season. The top five were Freese, Staszak, #13 Preston DeShano, and #21 Andy Koczenasz.
Rookie #7r Dave Newcomb and #91s Gary Shank would battle for the early feature race lead in the Elgin Pro Stock 20-lap main event. Newcomb, with his best run of the year would almost run away from the race until a caution at lap 11 would regroup and close up the field. On the restart, last week’s winner and heat race winner #71 Timmy Near would take advantage of the open high lane in turn one and take a lead that he would never relinquish. Point Leader #14 Nate Jones would finish a distant second with #57 TJ Gilbert, #M65 Rick Spencer, and Newcomb with top five finishes. #01 Randy Radabaugh, heat race winner #K11 Kendall Morrison, Shank, #21d Darren Mularz, and #93 John Robbins completing the top ten in the final running order.
22 Suspension MAXX Street Stocks started the 20 lap main event with heat race winner #18 David Lester taking the opening laps. However that lead would be short lived as a flat tire sent him to the pits handing the lead to young #50 Jake Thompson. Thompson, who has led many laps in 2016, would concede the top spot to last week’s feature winner and earlier heat race winner #x5 Eric Lake. Lake, heat winner #31 Bob Robinson, and Thompson would have a great three car battle until Thompson spun to bring out the caution. On the restart, it was Lake running away to take his third feature win in a row. #96 Shane Wright, #17 Chuck Kaake, point leader #11 Jimmy Jaenicke, and #21E Dan Engel fought from mid pack to make up the top five at the finish. The rest of the top ten were #67 Ryan Fitzgerald, #7r Kevin Newcomb, #80 Aaron Mieske, #57g Ryan Buechler, and #15.2 Robert Cunningham.
Join us next week as we welcome the Great lakes Super Sprint Series to its first visit to TCMS!! The new 360 winged sprint car series will be joined by our IMCA, Pro Stock, Street Stock, and Bomber Stock classes. The entertainment will be sponsored by Stanford LP Gas Co. Grandstand Admission is $16 for adults, 55 and better $15, 7-15 yr olds $5, and those under 6 get in for absolutely free. No need to wait in line on race day! Order your tickets early and online at www.tricityracetrack.com . Free rustic camping is also available!!!
Submitted By: Steve Puvalowski
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