Mt Pleasant, MI - After starting 7th in the feature, Phil Gressman (Helena, OH), passes for 2nd in the 10th lap, getting past the leader, Dustin Daggett (Portland, MI), on the 24th lap and weaving through lap traffic for his 5th win of the season and second this weekend.
Sprints for Veterans on Saturday night was a first visit back to Mount Pleasant Speedway since June 17th, 2016. .9 of the 21 cars on hand tonight raced with us on our inaugural race where Daggett won the feature and Chase Ridenour (Perry, MI), Ryan Ruhl (Coldwater, MI), Brett Mann (Goshen, IN) and Gregg Dalman (Bellevue, MI) rounded out the top 5.
Racing with us tonight was the non wing sprints of Michigan Traditional Sprints and the 1,000 cc winged lightening sprints. After all 3 classes received an opportunity to hot lap, As soon as all 3 classes were finised, GLSS rolled out on the track for qualifying.
Gressman was quick qualiflyer of the 21 cars Saturday. In his very first lap , Gressman set a track record with a 13.471 second lap, going 100.2 miles per hour. When qualifying was over, 16 of our 21 cars qualified under the old track record of 14.2 seconds. Dalman, Kyle Poortenga (Woodland, MI), Garrett Saunders (Lakeville, IN) and Conner Morrell (Bradenton, FL) rounded out the top 5 qualifiers.
In the Kistler Engines and Racing Parts Heat 1, our current champion, current points leader and our inaugural season champion are lined up in the outside 3 rows. Daggett leads them to the checkered flag, with Chris Pobanz (Sebawing, MI), Gressman, Brad Lamberson (Parma, MI) and Saunders rounded out the top 5 finishers.
Andy Chehowski (Coldwater, MI) leads out the Campbell Performance Heat Race 2. As the checkered flag flies for Chehowski, Morrell, Dalman, Josh Shantz (Waterloo, ONT) and Andrew Scheid (Sparta, MI) rounded out the top 5 finishers.
In the Perfit/Engine Pro Heat 3, Alexis Adgate (Middleville, MI) wins her first ever heat race with GLSS. Tyler Bearden (Onsted, MI), Jared Lamberson (Parma, MI), Mike Astraskas (Pierson, MI) and Joey Irwin (Davison, MI) rounded out the top five.
Drawing the 1 and 2, Adgate and Bearden lead out an anxious group of cars. As the field comes into turn 4 and the green flag flies, the cars are nearly 4 wide going into turn 1. With Adgate and Bearden side by side, they slide up the turn and let Daggett get underneath for a pass and the leader after the first lap.
With the field getting spaced out, Daggett continues to lead when the caution comes out for the 77 car of Scheid in lap 6. With a single file restart, we go green flag racing for another 5 laps when Bearden and Scheid come to a stop in the bottom of 1 & 2. Getting both cars re-fired, the 77 car is sent to the pits for the 2 caution rule.
Getting back underway Daggett leads the field, weaving in and out of heavy lap traffic until lap 24, when Gressman makes a move under Daggett in the bottom of turn 1, as Daggett gets pinned behind a lap car. Gressman holds Daggett off to take the checkered flag for his 5th victory and 2nd in 2 nights.
With 13 races completed of 14 scheduled, GLSS members are taking this next weekend off for a much needed break. We'll be back in action on July 12th at Tri-City Motor Speedway.
Thank you to our marketing sponsors, Beacon and Bridge Markets, Addvance Heating & Cooling, Specialty Fuels and Logistics and Hoosier Midwest. Also to our race sponsors, Kistler Engines and Racing Products, Campbell Performance, Perfit/Engine Pro and Engler Machine and Tool.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the current pictures and activities. For our schedule, points and results go to our website at www.greatlakessupersprints.com.
- Barry Marlow on Jun 30, 2019
- Article Date: 6/29/2019 by Spencer "Diamond Dog" Marlow