Flat Rock Speedway

(Flat Rock, MI—August 9, 2014):  With more great weather, a good crowd turned out for Skore-Woodhaven Bowling Centers Night at Flat Rock Speedway.  The Saturday night race card saw incredible action and excitement throughout the evening. Steve Cronenwett Jr. slid under Scott Pemberton on the final lap to win the ARCA Moran Chevrolet Late Model feature, Greg Studt zipped in and out of intersection traffic to grab the ARCA Praxair Figure 8 main and Howard Kelley Jr. held on to take top honors in the ARCA Aramark Sportsman feature.  UAW Local 3000 members and their families were also part of the crowd at the ¼ mile paved oval.

It’s hard to do justice in writing about the 19 car, 50 lap ARCA Moran Chevrolet Late Model feature.  The race start was called back when Jeff Vrsek spun on the original start, but when the field was reset, the event would go 50 laps of all-green flag racing, and what outstanding racing it was!  With a 10 car inversion, rookie Grant Hedges and veteran Joe Hawes brought the field to the green flag.  Hedges nosed out front and began to build a lead, while the pack put on a display of amazing racing, swapping lanes and spots lap after lap.  Scott Pemberton broke free and began his march to the front, getting by second place Chris Benson on lap 15, using the second groove.  By lap 18, Scott was door to door with Hedges and grabbed the point, setting sail as a 7-car pack behind the lead trio battled back and forth.  Steve Cronenwett Jr., from his 6^th place start, climbed into second spot by lap 23, with fast qualifier Justin Schroeder (11:618), following along from his 10^th starting position and into third.  That duo steadily began to move in on a flying Pemberton, who stayed up the track and charged along out front with the lead.  With 10 to go, Steve and Justin were within 3 car lengths.  The gap narrowed quickly, setting up a thrilling finish as the fans rose to their feet.  Cronenwett dove low on Scott on lap 48 in turn 4, but Pemberton stayed on the throttle and the duo ran side by side.  Steve nosed out front and on the final lap, got just enough edge on Pemberton to take the lead on the way to the checkered flag and his third win of 2014.  Pemberton’s sensational run in his bid for his first win came up just short with a second, the fleet Schroeder was right with the lead pair for third, and a fast-closing Derek Wiley took fourth spot.  Paul Pelletier was fifth, followed by Frank Jiovani, Benson, Vrsek, Stan Yee Jr. and Hedges.  Fourth through tenth position was a race within itself, with great, clean, hard racing all 50 laps.  Hedges, Pemberton and Derrick Sheppard were the heat race winners.  Hedge’s win was his first checkered flag in Late Model competition.

Lap after lap of intersection traffic, near-misses, breath-taking passes in the middle of the intersection and a unbelievable move by race-long leader Greg Studt with 2 laps to go highlighted a very hectic, entertaining and wild 20 lap ARCA Praxair Figure 8 feature!  The 17 car field never missed a beat, as 2 to 3 and sometimes more intersection shots, in front of cars, behind cars and the “close your eyes and go” near-crashes had the fans screaming, shaking their heads and probably closing their eyes the entire distance!  Studt led the charge on his way to the victory, with Billy Earley applying the pressure to Studt all over the Figure 8 track. Billy settled for second, Jeremy Vanderhoof was third, Jeremy Miller fourth and Dennis Whisman fifth, followed by Robbie Loving, Dan Apperson, John Lambert, Ethen Lambert and Dave Lambert, John and Ethen’s father.  Whisman, Randy Roberts and Ian Jezylo captured the heat race wins.  Studt set the Fastime Racing Engines and Parts quick time at 20:974.

Howard Kelley Jr. withstood late-race bids from Mike Young and Jim Froling to grab the win in the 50 lap ARCA Aramark Sportsman race.  The class, which runs a majority of their events at Toledo, ventured to Flat Rock for their 2^nd appearance of the season.  Kelley Jr. stayed in command for the duration and held on to take the win.  Young, Froling, Kenny McKay Jr. and Chad Guinn rounded out the top 5.  McKay Jr. moved up two spots in the closing stages to grab his 4^th place finish.  Ron Allen, Dennis Whisman, Chad Stilwell, David Hinjosa and Andy Harding completed the top ten.  Allen set fast time at 13:215.  Kelley Jr. and Tom O’Leary IV took the heat race wins.

Flat Rock Speedway will host the 7-Up 125 lap feature for the ARCA/CRA Super Series powered by Jeg’s next Saturday, August 16.  NASCAR driver David Ragan has signed up to race in the event, and fellow NASCAR driver David Gilliland will be on hand to sign autographs.  Gilliland’s son, Todd, will race in the contest.  Ross Kenseth, the son of NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth, will also be in competition at Flat Rock.  A field of over 20 stock-bodied Late Models is expected for the race.  Flat Rock’s Praxair Figure 8’s and DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks will also be in action.

The ARCA/CRA drivers will host an autograph session for race fans at 6:30 p.m. in the spectator concourse.  The grandstand gates will open at 3:30, practice begins at 3:30, time trials are at 5:30, the autograph session is at 6:30 and racing begins at 7 p.m.  All tickets will go on sale at the track on race day at 3:30 p.m.