8/26/2019
Tri-City Motor Speedway
8/23/2019 Race Results
08/23/2019 Ring of Fire Presented by Isabella Bank and Valley Electrical Contractors
Feature Winners:
- Members First Credit Union Pro Stocks: #3 Loren Short
- ARP Late Models: #19 Derrick Hilliker
- Suspension MAXX Street Stocks: #41N Ryan Nethers
- Thornton Brothers Septic Service Bomber Stocks: #7 Johnny Staszak
Staszak, Hilliker, Nethers, and Short Conquer Ring of Fire at Tri-City Motor Speedway
08/23/2019 (Auburn MI) With the regular point season completed the previous week at Auburn’s Tri-City Motor Speedway, drivers had the opportunity to enjoy a more laid back type of racing program last Friday night. The annual Ring of Fire race format spotlighted and awarded those with speed with a qualifying session, Australian Pursuits to set the line ups for the Friday Night Specials which then set the first four rows in the Ring of Fire feature events. The feature parade laps were also accentuated with accompanying fireworks to add to the excitement. For those drivers that won their feature they received a custom made fire ring from MKR Steel Sales as a trophy to commemorate their victory.
The first Ring of Fire main event featured the Thornton Brother Septic Service Bomber Stocks. Earlier in the evening, 2019 Champion #7 Johnny Staszak set a new track record in qualifying with a time of 16.480 seconds. However, the preliminary races did not prove as kind to the Kawkawlin driver as point runner up #01Tk Brad Treichel won his Australian Pursuit and the Friday Night Special to put himself on the pole to start the 20-lap finale. Staszak, by virtue of his runner-up position in the special, started outside of Treichel. Staszak took little time grabbing the lead on the initial start and never let go of the top spot leading every lap to win. Treichel tried everything but was never able to overtake Staszak and took home the second place finish. #10 Austin Vennix, 13th place starter #M25 Don Frohm, and #01x Curtis Laney followed with top five finishes. Laney, in the Treichel back-up car, took the other Australian Pursuit victory.
The Members First Credit Union Pro Stock saw its 2019 Champion #69 Nate Murphy blow a motor in qualifying that took him out of contention for the night’s races. With Murphy out, two-time feature winner #3 Loren Short ran the table in every Pro Stock event. He opened the evening with the fastest qualifying lap circling the speedway in 14.637 seconds. He took that speed and passed all nine competitors in less than the allotted 10-laps to capture the Australian Pursuit. He cruised to the win in the Friday Night Special to start on the pole for the 20-lap feature. He, too, would dominate and lead all 20 laps to take his third main event checkered flag of the year and of the night. The remainder of the top five included #96 Cade Schafer, #50 Chad Bennett, J3 Tim Murphy, and #01 Randy Radabaugh.
The father and son duo of #33 David Hilliker and #19 Derrick Hilliker started on the front row for the 25-lap ARP Late Model Division Ring of Fire feature. David Hilliker, driving the Dave Bowen owned machine instead of his usual #21 led the opening lap before Derrick took his car to the front on the next lap. From there, the rest of the field chased the Hilliker family without success. The 2019 Champion, Derrick finally captured his first 2019 feature win over David and his uncle #21s Steven Hilliker. #9 Isaac Wolfgang and #03 JC Witherspoon took the remaining top five finishing positions. David Hilliker had the fastest qualifying lap of 13.368 and also won the Friday Night Special. Steven Hilliker and Witherspoon conquered their Australian Pursuit races
Will Stanley in his #02 led off the evening in the SuspensionMAXX Street Stocks by setting a new track record for the class by circumnavigating the clay oval in a lap time of 15.447. He backed up his qualifying effort by eliminating the entire field in his Australian Pursuit. Last week’s feature winner #41 Ryan Nethers and #85 Spiekerman also captured gold in their Pursuit races. Nethers started in the eighth position in the Friday Night Special and worked his way to the front for the win and the opportunity to start on the pole for the 25-lap Ring of Fire feature. This turned out to be a huge advantage for the sophomore driver as he led the field of 25 to the green flag and never let a car go past him for the entire event as he claimed his second feature win in a row. 2019 Season Champion #20 Kyle Thomas, Spiekerman, #8 Aaron Spearling, and #23 Rick Spencer completed the top five at the finish. Stanley fought an ill handling car in the feature finishing tenth.
Join us this weekend as TCMS hosts two shows over the Labor Day Weekend! Friday night will feature the return of the 360 Great Lakes Super Sprints. Friday night will be the final night for stock cars with Midland Steel Late Models competing for an increased purse of $1,500 to win and $250 to start. Street Stocks, Pro Stocks, Mini Wedge, and IMCA Modifieds will have their final TCMS races of the 2019 season. Saturday Night will feature the Fall Sprintacular as the 360 winged sprints and non-winged sprints headline the open-wheeled show. The winged sprints are competing for a $5,000 top prize. 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.
Article Credit: Roger Williams
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