Flat Rock Speedway

First a correction from last week. I misspelled Billy Earley's wife's name. Her name is Crissy, not Criss. I'm sorry for the typo.

Two first time winners last Saturday. Brad Reithmeyer in the Super Late Models and Guy Fire in the Street Stocks.

Brad Reithmeyer travels from Mooresville, N.C., to race with us. The two hour plane ride was worth it this week as he won his heat, his first Late Model win at Flat Rock and followed it up with the win in the feature, leading all 50 laps. It brings our total to six different winners in 2014 in the Late Model Division.

"We struggled in practice and the guys worked really hard all day to get the car better. We were so bad in practice that we decided to throw away qualifying and not scuff our tires in the last practice so we could work on the car and try to get it better. So we knew going into qualifying we were going to struggle... we got lucky with the draw for the heat race and that was the turning point for us. We were able to adjust the car after the heat race and we adjusted a lot... adding bumps, moved rear end around, raised the pan hard bar, and opened up the stagger. Everything we did to the car helped us in the race. Then we just cruised in the race, having someone up top in the spotters stand (Gary Huffman) to help guide me through the lap traffic was huge. The guys on the Crunch N Nutter team worked their tails off before the race. We had guys on the back of the car, the front; someone else was working the tires trying to get the right stagger. Everything came together right before it was time to line up; everyone working together on the Diamond Pistons Late Model and it was a awesome sight. It's fun when you work with a bunch of good guys and girls!" said the driver of the Crunch N Nutter, Diamond Pistons, Calico Coatings, Trend Performance #56.

Last week's winner Stevie Cronenwett finished about 6 seconds back in his Giles Auto Body, Roush Competition Engines, and Operation Injured Soldiers #21. He continues to lead the Late Models Points.

Rookie Jeff Vrsek finished a career high third. “It was a great run for us though Saturday. Greg Browning at Penske Shocks and Johnny Benson have been a huge help this off season. Nick Weed at Performance Engineering has been a huge help with the powertrain getting the motor dialed into where I can use some of the monster horsepower he gave us this winter! We have continued to "tweak" on the chassis here and there and are getting really close! Definitely satisfied with the good run last week, but we are gonna keep digging! All the big dogs will be coming to town in a few weeks for the Stan Yee 150, so it's really important we find a little more speed! Crew chief Randy Vrsek, Tim Skladanek, Bill Jackson, Pat O'Dell, Jeff Davis and Eric Vrsek have really been thrashing hard at the track and in the shop to get a little more speed out of the girl. None of this would be possible without the help of the Diamond Pistons/Trend Performance guys, Amsoil, Pat O'Dell, Performance Engineering, Penske Shocks and Benson Speed Equipment!”

Guy Fire survived numerous restarts on the way to his first career Street Stock feature win. "I want to thank the Bayou Grill, Sumpter Collison and Dow Engines. I want to thank my sister, she's sacrificed a lot and thanks to my dad, and crew. I could not have of done it without the fans and the track sponsors. My restarts were hurting, my clutch was slipping coming off the corner. I felt like giving up if there was one more caution (he survived nine restarts) but I didn't and it is all worth it," said the recently graduate from Belleville High School.

Returning to the Street Stocks after about five years was Brian Norton. He was the substitute driver in the #86 (which is the last team he drove for in Street Stocks) when regular driver, Danny Slater, who was unable to race. Brian finished ninth.

Joe Haener qualified his Haener & Sons Trucking, J Mac Electric #06 in fifth, a career best qualifying run. He was running about fifth in the feature with a lap to go when Craig Lange lost a tire and Joe was involved in the ensuing accident. He finished 20th (Lange finished 19th).

Rich Abel (the leader in the B main points) finished seventh in the Street Stock A main, which may be a career high for him in the A main.

James Pankow made his first start of the year in the Street Stocks and finished 13th.

New to the Street Stock division was Tom Murphy who used to race at various fairground's Figure 8 division (Figure 8's on the dirt... now doesn't that sound fun). He finished 18th.

Robbie Loving won the Figure 8 feature. "I'm happy to win... I saw Jeremy Miller was on the move ...  he moved into second. I had a good lead and the car started getting loser and loser. Tnd then I felt him hit me a couple times and thought 'Holy Mackerel this is going to be a good one'. He raced me clean ... thought we both were going to spin out, but we didn't. He's a clean driver, like I am, so I'm happy to win tonight, it was an awesome night. Thanks to everyone who came out," said the driver of the hanks to crew, my sponsors Brownstown Liquor, Flo Air, RJS Racing Equipment, Blossom Florist

On racing against son Race ... "He did a good job, I'm happy where he finished tonight (third) and he got to see what it was like to run up front... he's learning.

And my weekly note from Race Loving, who had a really good night. A win in the heat, third in the Figure 8 feature and a win the Road Rage race at the end of the night. "I had a great Saturday last weekend. I was fast enough to make it into the first heat and I finally won the first heat and beat my dad — which was the best feeling ever. I started on the outside pole for the feature and I dropped back to third and stayed there the whole race, which was my best finish in my career. I want to thank all my sponsors Brownstown Liquor, Domicks Cement Works and I want to thank everyone who helped me get to where I am now."

Thanks Race... you too can get your sponsors in my article. Send me a couple lines on how your night went. I'll put it in my column. Sponsors like seeing their names in print.

Missed any of the races this past weekend? Want to watch it again. Visit Mike Miller's U-tube page: www.youtube.com/user/10yearnascarfan/videos

And finally, bring your bags to the track this week, it’s autograph night and time for some summertime trick or treating at the cars!