SCHROEDER CAPTURES DIAMOND RACING PRODUCTS JOY FAIR 100 AT FLAT ROCK
SCHROEDER CAPTURES DIAMOND RACING PRODUCTS JOY FAIR 100 AT FLAT ROCK
Flat Rock, MI—May 27, 2017: Justin Schroeder edged out Harold Fair Jr. to win the Diamond Racing Products 6th Annual Joy Fair Memorial Late Model 100 Saturday night at Flat Rock Speedway. Debbie DeLong, Joy’s daughter, welcomed the crowd. Debbie’s granddaughters gave the command to start the engines and presented the trophies to Justin in post-race ceremonies.
The event served as a point race for Flat Rock’s weekly Moran Chevy Late Models, the ARCA Super 6 Gold Cup Series and the Main Event Late Model Series.
The Moran Chevrolet fast qualifier, Terry Senneker (11:626), drew a 10 for the inversion for the 100 lap contest, putting Jeff Vrsek and Scott Hantz on the front row. Vrsek grabbed the lead on the green, which would stay out for the first 41 laps. Hantz slid backward and Steve Needles, from his 3rd starting spot, took the lead on lap 10. At lap 25, the top 5 were Needles, Craig Everage, Schroeder, Frankie Jiovani and Brian Bergakker. A rash of yellow flags slowed the action after that long stretch of green flag racing. Bergakker was third by lap 50 and set his sights on the leader. On lap 64, Brian dove to the bottom of turn 1, with contact between the two. Neither took the blame, sending both cars to the tail of the field.
Schroeder, the winner of Flat Rock’s opening night show 2 weeks prior, had a strong car again Saturday night. Justin was now the leader on the restart. Senneker slowly had worked his way into contention and began to apply the pressure. Another yellow slowed action on lap 73, which would be Terry’s final lap, as he pitted with mechanical woes, ending his bid for the win and the $500 Dented Fender Mystery bonus, which was up for grabs to the fastest qualifier should he win. Everage now took his shot on the restart, outside of leader Schroeder. Harold Fair Jr., the second-fastest qualifier, now became the hunter as he dove under Everage and tried to reel in Justin for the final 25 circuits. Fair pushed his machine hard and closed the gap, but Justin stayed in command to collect the victory over Fair Jr. A late-race, steady move to the front netted Phil Bozell third, while Needles got back to fourth and Bergakker to the fifth spot. Justin Claucherty, Everage, Jiovani, Hantz and Jeff Plumb completed the top ten in the 24 car field. Bozell also captured the Moran Chevy Hard Charger bonus.
The top 17 were locked in, with 5 cars moving from the last-chance race. Andy Bozell won the 15 lap event. Plumb, Joe Hawes, first-time visitor Billy Shannon and Chris Benson also moved into the 100 lap main. The 12 lap B Main win went to Tommy O’Leary IV over Tom Cronenwett, Steve Hawes and Derrick Sheppard. A total of 28 cars were on hand for the event.
Former track champion Dan Ford Jr. won a great battle with several cars to win the 25 lap ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock A Main. The 6-car inversion saw Jeff Metdepenningen take the lead from his pole starting spot and ran strong out front. Scott Selmi was the challenger in the early to mid-stages of the race, using the high groove to run door to door with Jeff. A yellow flag bunched the field, and Ford went to work immediately, taking the point on lap 18 after some more wheel to wheel action with Jeff. Dan pulled away in the closing laps for the win over Grant Hedges, who slid under Metdepenningen in the final 2 laps to take second. Jeff was third, Nick Shanks fourth and Ray Morneau Jr. fifth, followed by Rob Moore in sixth, improving 10 spots from his 16th starting slot. Craig Lange, Selmi, Greg Studt and rookie Colin Barron completed the top ten.
Chris Webber took the 15 lap B Main in his first race in 8 years, grabbing the lead in the final 4 laps to score his big win. A great battle up front saw Rich Abel and Randy Roberts take turns with the number 1 spot until Webber zipped by for the victory. Roberts, a fast-closing Chris Diovardi, Abel, Alan Kennedy, Justin Rodriguez, rookie Johnny Rangel, Wilburn Parks, James Pankow and James Baber were next in line at the finish. Ford Jr. set the Fastime Racing Engines and Parts quick time for the 30 car field at 13:625, while Pankow led the B field at 14:202. Guy Fire, Lange, Rob Moore Jr., Alan Kennedy and Abel took the heat wins. Rookie Kennedy scored his first-ever checkered flag win the heat win.
Saturday, June 3 is Scout Night and Kids Night at Flat Rock Speedway! All scouts in uniform will be admitted free and leaders in uniform or with an ID card are also free. ALL kids to age 12 will be admitted FREE and receive a FREE hot dog. Scout and Kids tickets should be picked up at the ticket office windows upon arrival to the track on race day.
The ARCA Moran Chevrolet Late Models, Victory Lane Quick Oil Change Figure 8’s and the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks will provide the exciting action. The pit gates open at 2:30, practice begins at 4, time trials are at 5:30 and racing begins at 7 p.m.