06/22/2018 Steven’s Cycle Sales and Service Night
- Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt Presented by ARP: #7 Shawn Velenti
- Melling Performance Late Models: #6m Dona Marcoullier
- Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini-Wedge 6-9 Yr Olds: Rained Out
- Walker’s Ideal Trophies Mini-Wedge 10-14 Yr Olds: Rained Out
- Suspension MAXX Street Stocks MAKE UP FEATURE FROM 06/15: #x5 Eric Lake
- Melling Performance Late Models MAKE UP FEATURE FROM 06/15: #23v Ryan Vanderveen
- Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks MAKE UP FEATURE FROM 6/15: #9 Ethan Robarts
Volenti Victorious At Tri-City Motor Speedway
06/22/2018 (Auburn, MI) With Mother Nature halting the previous week’s action at Tri-City Motor Speedway, in Auburn, the race card was full of races needing to be run on Friday night. Three car division feature events needed to be completed to finish from the 15th before the scheduled nights activity could begin. Along with the sixty five laps of features, the evening also included the first visit of the Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt (SOD) Presented by ARP since 2015. Steven’s Cycle Sales was the evening’s sponsor.
Fourteen top-notch SOD drivers made the tow to TCMS and were greeted with an exceptionally tacky track. In qualifying, 2017 SOD Champion circled the clay oval in a lap time of 11.108 seconds just missing the track record by .001 second. Before SOD had the opportunity to run their 25-lap Main Event, Mother Nature tired to dampen the packed grandstands. However, after a two hour rain delay, the drivers received the best possible track surface. With the amazing grip provided from the moisture, pole sitter #7 Shawn Valenti put on a driving clinic. The Ohio driver fought battles with Irwin and #71h Ryan Ruhl. Valenti nearly lost the race and his race car as he came out of turn four with less than 10 laps to go until the finish. His front wheels lifted off the ground causing him to let off the accelerator. This dropped the front of his car onto the ground which bounced him up on just one wheel. Somehow he was able to overcome that bobble moving through lapped traffic to finish ahead of Ruhl. Point Leader #5b Chad Blonde overcame a tenth place starting position to complete the top three. Irwin and #41 Thomas Schinderle took the remaining top five finishing spots. Schinderle and #49t Greg Dalman had wins in their respective heat races.
The Melling Performance Late Models had the opportunity to run two feature events last Friday night. In the first feature, front row starters #16 Mike Staszak and 2011 LM Champion #72 Kyle Borgman battled for control of the race until Staszak and led initial nine lapS. Six Lakes wheelman #23v Ryan Vanderveen tracked down Staszak and took the lead. A short time afterward, Staszak and Borgman tangled on the front stretch resulting in a caution which slowed down and bunched up the field. At the Checkered Flag, it was Vanderveen capturing the win over #6 Dona Marcoullier. LM Point Leader #2 Travis Stemler, #19 Derrick Hilliker, and #9 Isaac Wolfgang collected top five finished. For the second feature, it was all about horsepower as they ran the race after the rain delay. #04 Wade Witherspoon led early before #71 Tim Near wrestled away the lead. Once again, Near looked to be on his way to his first LM feature win. Marcoullier had a different agenda as he tracked reeled in Near within ten laps remaining. Marcoullier would make the winning pass out of turn four with at lap 24. The remaining six laps belonged to Marcoullier as he finished ahead of #4t Andrew Terrill, #9 Isaac Wolfgang, and 22nd place starter #4t Curtis Roberts. Near would end up finishing seventeenth after a late race spin sent him off the track. Near, #21s Steven Hilliker, and #19 Derrick Hilliker took the top spots in each of their three heats.
The Thornton Brothers Sewer and Septic Service Bomber Stocks had to complete their feature race from the week before. #87k Scott Kloha was the early favorite as he led the beginning laps in the Front-Wheel Drive class. Then, #01TK Brad Treichel had his turn leading the event. It was not too long after that #9 Ethan Robarts muscled his way to the front. He would end up crossing the finish line ahead of Treichel, #03 Josh Charbonneau, #7 John Staszak, and #80 Darryl McBride. Robarts and Staszak were both disqualified following post race inspection. The win was awarded to Treichel for his first career win. The second feature will be made up this Friday due rain.
The SuspensionMAXX Street Stock feature from a week ago was ran on Friday. #11 Jeff Brush took full advantage of his front row start by leading more than half of the 20-lap race. But patience and smart choices guided defending track Champion #x5 Eric Lake to the point. He was untouched once he took the lead as he added another feature win to the 2017 racing resume. #21 Kyle Thomas, #72 Bobby Kosha, #7r Kevin Newcomb, and #3 Mitch Clements battled their way to top five finishes. The Street Stocks also were unable to run their second feature due to the second bout of rain that halted the evening’s races.
The Walker Ideal Trophies Mini Wedge class only had the opportunity to race heat races. #15 Cole Doty and #28 Kyron DeShano took the checkered flag in those events. Double features will be run this Friday.
The same fate fell to the Mueller’s Performance Engines Pro Stocks. Eight laps of the scheduled 20 were run before rain caused the halt and eventual cancellation of the race. The race will restarted from the beginning next Friday. Before the rain, #69 Nate Murphy and last week’s feature winner #77 Chris Malek earned their heat race wins.
The rained out features from this past Friday will, once again, be the first races to be scheduled for this Friday Night. It is the return of the popular Power Ball Night!! Once lucky winner holding the tennis ball containing the winning LM feature winner’s number will win a cash prize!! Midland Steel will be the race night sponsor which will include a HUGE $5000 to win Late Model Feature. This will be a race you will NOT want to miss! Pro Stocks, Street Stocks, Bomber Stocks and Mini Wedges will have double features. Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modifieds will be back after being off this week. Why stand in line on race day when you can get your tickets online today at www.tricityracetrack.com? We look forward to having you and your family joining us for the best dirt racing Michigan has to offer!!
- administrator on Jun 25, 2018
- Article Date: 6/24/2018 by Roger Williams