Flat Rock Speedway

In one of the weirder turns on a championship race, the top four drivers going into the race, leader Dakota Carlson, Brad Reithmeyer, Harold Fair Jr. and Dennis Strickland all had problems. Strickland was the only one of the four to finish, although many laps down after stopping to change a tire under green.

Dakota held on for his second career Gold Cup Championship, also winning it in 2012. "I think we had the car to beat again here, but I made a really foolish mistake and cost us a good racecar. I want to thank, Tony Leclair, Nick Weed and Performance Engineering as Port City Racecars and also Discount Tire and all the fans for supporting us. And ARCA for having us so we can race here ... we all love racing here. The track and facilities, all the way around are beautiful."

The fifth Gold Cup race of the year was held as a co-sanctioned race with the Main Event Racing Series. Nick Bailey won his first career Late Model feature, leading the majority of the 100-lap feature. "I appreciate everyone coming out to watch us, first thing, we can’t do this without the fans. Secondly, we did have a great race car. It’s perseverance here, it’s hard to get around the lapped traffic. That’s a lot faster than I’ve ever raced around here (Toledo) ... it’s a whole new level of racing ... so I’m happy I got to experience that. I’m happy for Bailey Racing, we got in victory lane ... PB Fabrication, Ray’s Door ... my whole team, I can’t do this without them ... my Grampa, he’s not here tonight but, man, I wish he was. We’re going to enjoy this, soak it up while we can."

Drew Charleson is one of the Main Event drivers. “This is my first time ever actually making the whole race (here at Toledo). Last time we raced here, we got wrecked on lap one. To complete all the laps and get a lot of experience here. For us it’s the Main Event points race, it’s a real tight points race right now with Harold Fair (Jr.) ... too bad he had problems tonight ... but for us it was a good points night and a good second place finish."

Scott Hantz had an up and down race. "“Guess I was the lucky dog tonight. Missed it tonight with the tires and the car wasn’t all that great tonight, but we kept working on it. We got tangled up with the 40 (Nick Grodi) early in the race and got banged up, but the guys did a great job patching her up. (We) Kept digging all night and wound up third. We’ll be back for the Glass City, but we got some work to do before that race. Want to thank my sponsors Great Lakes Helicopter, Collins Heavy Haul, Senneker Performace, and JRI Shocks. Also my car owners John and Meloney Lojko for putting me in their car, and my crew for busting their tails lately, we’ll get our luck turned around and hopefully win us a Glass City"

Don St. Denis made his first race of the season (although he was at race number 4 at Flat Rock, but had mechanical problems and was unable to race). “It felt alright (out there tonight). There was a lot of good cars out there ... Harold (Fair Jr.), Dakota (Carlson), I think we’re lucky to finish where we did. That last caution hurt us a little, it wasn’t what we wanted to see. The car was good on the long run, not the short ones."

Mike Mazzagatti was another one of the Main Event visitors. "This is my second time here (at Toledo). Last year only ran 30 laps before we broke the rear end in the car. We had a really good night, a little tight but we stayed out of trouble. We have a real good crew and got it done.”

Brad Reithmeyer finished second in points. He didn't even have a chance to race, tangling with on the first lap. "I don't think it was a bad finish for our team that didn't even exist until the Stan Yee Memorial last year. But we have really high expectations with the #1 rule of having fun. Hopefully we'll get the car fixed in time to run the Glass City next month."

Dennis Whisman won the Figure 8 feature but lost the championship to Jeremy Vanderhoof by five points. “Jeremy (Vanderhoof) got me by five points. I knew I had to go to the front and hope he couldn’t get by one of the cars that I did. But he did, congratulations to him, he did a heck of a job, we’re still friends and buddies and I have one more race to go (X car feature).

Jeremy Vanderhoof won the 2014 Figure 8 championship. “Dennis (Whisman) was passing a lot of car tonight and made it harder on me. I’m glad the season’s over with down here (at Toledo). We came down to have fun and make some tire money ... and ended up in this predicament. I hate points racing, I don’t like it at all, Hat’s off to him (Dennis) ... he won three races down here this year and I didn’t even win a race here. Finish races is all I try to do ... and here we are and it worked out.

Dennis Whisman winning the 2014 X car championship and feature. “That was a hard fought battle with Archie (Padgett Jr.) and Greg (Studt) ... those are two great drivers. Archie and I battled for my first championship here back in 1989 and it came down to the last race. I got to thank my car owner Danny Apperson, my brother Joey, Howard, Sam, little Dennis, everyone that helps.

Flat Rock August 16.

Kyle Worley won the Street Stock A division feature. “Rob Moore was under me at the end, he’s been fast all year. I want to thank him for running me clean, he always does. I’d like to thank my mom and dad, sponsors Island Winery, Budget Tire, Bolt on Speed Shop ... everyone that helps and supports me each week.”

Lonnie York won the Street Stock B division feature. “I can’t thank enough people ... some think this is easy stuff to do. Everyone from Don Roberts, Craig Lange, everyone... All Good Contracting, Little Billy Chassis, Tony’s Tires, Rich Abel and everyone that donates parts and helps out. You can’t do this alone. It’s been a long time (since I’ve won) and I’m really happy to be here. I also have to give it to Jimmy (Little) ... if it wasn’t for that lapped car, I think he would’ve won.

Jimmy Little drove Danny Doyle's #21 to a second place finish in the B main. The car is sponsored by Jorgenson Ford, Apollo Broach, Monkey Business, Mark's Too Box, Tony's Tires, Michigan Motor Exchange.

Robbie Loving won the Figure 8 feature. “It’s always exciting. I’m kind of glad to win tonight ... makes up for last night. We were leading with a two laps to go ... and I hit a parked car in the intersection. So I want to thank the crew, they worked hard all last night and all day today. It’s awesome. I want to thank Brownstown Liquor, FloAir, Leppen Chiropractic, all the guys on the crew did an awesome job. Without a lot of people behind the scenes helping me do what I do, I it’s hard for me to be here right now, so I want to thank everyone.

And from his win a couple races ago, Greg Studt would like to thank his sponsors, Ray's Precision Engines, Winetown Party Store, Motion Engineering and Mark's Toy Box.

Flat Rock August 23

Landon Schuster ended nearly a three season drought from the winner's circle. His last win was early in the 2012 season. After many trials and tribulations, he finally returned to victory lane. "I just want to say thank you to all of my sponsors who help me out, they are the only reason I can make it out to the track each week. They are Georgia Cable and Boring, A&D Auto Parts, UA Local 50, D&S Boring, Communication Distributors, and Rocky's Body Shop. I also want to thank Doug Miller at Harts Machine Shop for the great motor in the car. Chuck Carroll helped me out quite a bit in the off season, and my Dad, Mike Young, and Paul Young have been working on the car throughout the year and we finally got a good setup on the car and tuned it in right before the feature. We got knocked out of any chance in the points in the middle of the season because I wasn't able to make it to one of the races, so we decided after that to just focus on getting the car better. I have had some of the worst luck I have ever had in the past two years racing, there have been so many nights that wins have slipped from us because of wrecks, mechanical issues, and just freak things happening. Saturday night though we finally put everything together and got the win, it was awesome! I can't thank my Mom and wife, Keely, enough for coming out every single week and cheering me on, and my wife helping me whenever I don't have an extra hand in the shop! It is very tough to do this, running competitive out here with these guys is another full time job, you always have to think how can I try and beat not just one guy but many many guys out there that can wheel their cars. It definitely felt good to be back up there, and it was awesome to see so many of my competitor buddy's come up to say congrats, that means a ton to me. This racing deal is truly a family thing, we see each other every week all summer long and these guys are there for me when I have crazy things happen to me and they come up and congratulate me on a good night, that's part of what we love about being a part of ARCA. And lastly I want to thank Ron Drager and everyone at ARCA for giving us a place to race at and do what we love. They run a great show each week and hopefully the fans have enjoyed it throughout the season."

Chris Fitzpatrick won the Street Stock B division feature. “It was a good battle with Rich Able. I let him gather it back up. I didn’t mean to get into him that hard but it seemed like he let off the gas as we came down the straightaway. I don’t think that was what we were supposed to do. It’s been a while since I won a feature and this is the first after my Dad’s passing in April, I didn’t think we’d get back this soon. It’s a good feeling to have my little son here. I appreciate everything. Hope the fans had a good time at Autograph Night, we couldn’t do this without you and all the sponsors.”

Kyle Worley drove his dad's car this week after his #15 had a rules infraction after last week's race and he didn't have time to get his own car fixed in time to race. He did just as well in the 30 car, finishing fourth in the Street Stock A feature.

Bobby Jackson returned after a couple years absence in the car formerly driven by Joe Vanderhoof.

Jeremy Vanderhoof won the Figure 8 race. It was tough to drive, there was a lot of oil over there (turn3-4 of the Figure 8 track) and a few cars actually spun out, I figured a red would come out but it didn’t. That deal with the 08 (Danny Apperson), I got into him and let off ... Robbie (Loving) was right behind me and he had no idea I was letting off in the go spot, so he got into me and we got Danny turned around. I hope that maybe he can watch the video and relax about that. I have to thank my uncle and aunt they help me get to the track each week... my family, they’re up north and I’m here racing. Also all the fans and the race track that gives us somewhere to race on the weekends. I’ve been out here since diapers, tried the oval thing but not enough excitement for me.

Billy Earley won the Pole Race... if you haven't seen this yet, it's pretty funny trying to watch the cars circle the tire they used for the 'pole'. We had 10 or so cars this race ranging from a demo derby car, a 4 cylinder, a street stock and a bunch of Figure 8s."“That’s like running in rush hour, it’s fun. Trying to get the front end to turn. We couldn’t do it (the race) with our car so I’ll do it with Danny’s (Apperson). We lost oil pressure in our car (in the Figure 8 feature), and had trouble going through the intersection. We’ll go through it and see what happened. This is pretty cool. I got one for the Figure 8s, the road course and now the pole race ... what’s the only thing left, the road rage race?"

Randy Roberts had a career night at Flat Rock "That is the most laps I have ever led at Flat Rock and fourth is my career high finish at Flat Rock. I want to thank Dan Apperson for giving me the opportunity to drive one of his cars."

Sportsman driver Howard Kelley Jr. made only his second start in a Figure 8 car, and his first at Flat Rock. He has one other start at Toledo in Robbie Loving’s backup car. Tonight he was in Dennis Whisman’s Toledo car but problems cut his night short in the feature.

Jeremy Fragassi was unable to run the Figure 8 Feature because he lost a driveshaft in his heat.