Mt. Pleasant, Mich. --- The Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt Presented by ARP were at the Mt. Pleasant Speedway to test their winged cars on the three-eighths mile dirt oval last Friday, July 8.
Sponsored by Renegade Race Fuels, 23 sprint cars were on hand for the special event, which also included a regular night of racing at the Mt. Pleasant Speedway in Chuck’s Discount Foods UMP Modifieds, Smokers Club UMP Stock Cars, NAPA UMP Modified Minis, and Mt. Pleasant and Clare Automotive Stock Minis.
In the first of five main events on the hot, muggy evening, the Stock Minis rolled out onto the dirt rack. After some bumping and banging, No. 15 Jeffrey McKenzie got his points-leading season back on track with a feature win over No. 63 Steve Keeler Sr., No. 7 Fred Parisian, No. 52 Scott Boyd, and No. D7 Tasha Decker in the unofficial top 5.
While short on numbers, the Modified Minis put on a solid show with No. 68 Trever Fedewa and No. 16 Joey Burch continuing their season long battle. This time it was Fedewa coming out on top over Burch, No. 88 Mike Schnettler and No. 91 Nathan Carlon. Earlier in the night the 13-year-old Carlon, a Farwell native, scored his first career win, with a heat race victory.
Third in line for their feature event, the Sprints on Dirt came out next for their 25-Lap main event. Season SOD points leader Dustin Daggett, of Portland, Mich., started in seventh position and after several caution flags – which included one on lap 17 for then leader and 2010 series champion No. 00 Ryan Grubaugh of St. Johns, Mich. With Grubaugh forced to exit the race on the back of a wrecker after hitting the turn four wall, Daggett took control of the race and went on to score another victory over No. 25M Ken Mackey, No. 3W Ryan Ruhl, a Central Michigan University graduate, No. 4 Josh Turner, and No. 31 Andy Teunessen in the top 5.
“It’s great coming up here and putting on a show for these great fans,” Daggett said in a press release.
Daggett also thanked his sponsors including Miles Petroleum, Sweet Manufacturing, Glen’s Gas & Welding, Steve Winnie Auto Sales and Richardson Farms.
The UMP Modifieds were next for their feature event and fans would be in store for one of the most exciting
races in recent memory. After repairing a bent frame to his car following a heat race incident, No. 13 Andy Galgoci started the feature in 9th-position with No. 15 Rich Robinson Jr. on the front row. The race would shape up to be a battle of the young 18-year-old Galgoci and the 6-time Mt. Pleasant Speedway Modified Champion Robinson Jr.
His car seemingly hooked up and running better than before the heat race incident, Galgoci used the high-side of the track to go around No. 75 Roy Harvey for second place behind Robinson Jr. After a caution, Galgoci started on the inside of row two, and drove his car hard on the inside pulling even at times with Robinson Jr. A late race caution for rookie No. 63 Collin Thirlby set up the great finish. With Galgoci now out front, the 6-time champion Robinson Jr. would not give up and on the Green-White-Checkered finish, tried one final time for the win, and at the line Galgoci nipped Robinson Jr. by about six-inches for his second career Modified feature win, with Harvey in 3rd and No. 39 Chad Spencer in 4th.
Closing out the night of racing were the UMP Stock Cars where some great back and forth racing took place
before in the end No. 10ss Justin Gilland of Muskegon held off No. 77B Rob Brillhart to score his first career feature win. Brillhart finished 2nd, No. 11 Sr Jeff Loomis was 3rd, followed by No. 55 Joe Pomeroy, and No. 32 Tom Hodges Jr. in the unofficial top 5.
Tonight, Friday, July 15 is a full show with return of Wilson Steel Fab UMP Late Models, plus a Galgoci Oil UMP Modifieds Special and a Taco Boy UMP Modified Minis Special. Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing at 7:45. Check out the Mt. Pleasant Speedway at www.mtpleasantspeedway.com or on Facebook.
(By Jeremy Dickman, Mt. Pleasant Speedway Public Relations)
- Anthony Boyd on Jul 14, 2015
- Article Date: 7/8/2011 by Jeremy Dickman