Flat Rock Speedway

   A big Thank You to all the drivers/teams that responded to my request to use things written about their night on their Facebook pages. If you would like me to add you, send me a message through Facebook Messenger https://www.facebook.com/icechips or email me at icechips@hotmail.com. If I’ve written about you and didn’t include your sponsors, send them to me and they’ll get mentioned my next column.

   Steve Cronenwett Jr won his first Outlaw Late Model feature since August 2015. That season he won three times. Not only was it a return to the winner circle for Steve, but he also set a new track record in the process. The 50-lap record now is 10.20 seconds “I had to take an extra lap there, couldn’t stop crying 'cause it's been a while. And this guy has never seen me with yet and those two don’t think I ever win … so I'm trying to baby. But there’s a lot more to this racing than just going out on the track. Paul (Pelletier) have been racing each other a long time and no matter what anybody says … we've always seem to be clean, so I didn't expect anything else from him, and he raced me hard. I tried the outside a couple times before that and I think he was trying to keep his pace slow. So, when I got out there, he kept speeding up and you might see me duck back down behind him. And when the #10 car (Conner Zbozien) got there, I knew it was going to protect both sides that I wanted to be on the outside and I didn’t want to be underneath them. So, thanks for the clean race. The 10 car Conner, he'll get his. He's coming. Now both weeks, I've had to protect my car from him, so he's coming, and he'll be there soon. I want to thank everyone that helps me on the car. Henry Giles, he’s camping with his family, that’s more important to be with your family, my dad Steve, Ken, Kenyon and Brian in the pits, and my family,” said an emotional driver in victory lane. “Also, thanks to Steve Peters for the Innovative Fluid $150 bonus, that’s a big help, there’s no way we could do this without their money coming back to help us.”

   Thanks for emailing me also “As always I have to thank my family and friends. It was very emotional having my 3 sons there to enjoy the victory with me. I’ve been waiting a long time to get back to victory lane. So long that the boys didn’t believe that I ever won races. It’s so hard to balance racing with family time. I’m very lucky to have a great wife that supports what I love to do,” said the driver of the ABC Hauling and SC Weld-Fab #21.

   Conner Zbozien won his first career Late Model heat and followed it up with a career high second place finish in the feature. “I qualified sixth, out of 16 cars … Fast heat winner and second place in the feature! Learning more and getting more comfortable every day. Overall an amazing day. Thank you to our sponsors-Sommers Marine, Uptown Electric, BC Motorsports, Michigan Independent Door Company, Blue Water Industrial, PF&E, Arin Incorporated, and Gil’s Northwood Collision. Also thank you to my family and friends for all your support!

   Former division champion Paul Pelletier finished third. “Paul Qualified 8th and finished 4th in the heat, and 3rd in the feature. It has been a work in progress this season, trying different things. Sponsors are ABC Plumbing L & H Hardwood, Duane's Roadrunner's Jeff's Powder coating, Sully' Speed shop.

   Former Gold Cup champion Harold Fair Jr finished fourth. From the Facebook page, “Harold finished fourth in the OSLM division and Max finished eighth in the Street Stock A division, at Flat Rock last night. Both drivers got stuck on the outside for the majority of the race and used up the tires. Happy with the speed in both cars but still have some work to do! Max will be racing at Flat Rock next weekend.” They’re both sponsored by Fair Racing Development and Royal Truck and Trailer and Drive Train Specialists.

   Former division champion Frank Jiovani was the fast qualifier and finished seventh in the feature. From his Facebook page: “Wow what a rocket ship VanDoorn Racing Development had this car flying tonight, we put down our all-time best qualifying run and took fast time. Bad news is that the invert was 11 and the race went all green for 50 laps. We made it up to seventh with a great field on hand at the Level Pebble. Thanks to Dick Barker, Ron Jiovani, Pat Moran, Michael Salisbury, Pat Vinton!” said the driver of the Moran Chevrolet, Painters Supply and Equipment Co, 4th Street Auto Care, McQuade Heating and Cooling Plumbing and Refrigeration, JV Auto Repair & Francis Engineering for the great power plant.”

   Hayden Sprague “Yes I’m driving for Bobby for a few races at Flat Rock this year, we’ve had some bad luck the last couple weeks. My sponsors are Matrix Transportation and JK Logix.”

   Claude Plante Jr made a rare appearance at Flat Rock in preparation for the Joy Fair 100 in a few weeks. The last time I have him running the feature was in 2012.

   Dennis Strickland was also at the track but broke an apparent oil cooler and couldn’t compete.

   Jimmy Pankow has won seven B division features, but tonight he held of Jeff Metdepenningen and Greg Studt for his first victory in the A division feature. “Car was fast, qualified seventh with 13.404, my best lap time ever. Started on the pole in the heat race coming down for the green flag got a little hard on the gas and spun out. Had complete restart and finished second. Before I went to get in line for the feature found a shock had come out of the heim on the right rear and the crew was able to get it ready before the race. Started on the pole lead all 25 laps for my first A main feature win. Have to thank Melissa Pankow, Chuck Pankow, Carole Asztalos, Stephanie Bradley, Chris Diovardi, Kathy Caylor Diovardi, and Bobby Lightner for all the help. I’ve been dreaming about this since I played with Matchbox Cars on the floor in the bedroom. I was expecting Greg (Studt) a lot sooner to be next to me or something. In the heat race he got us in three or four laps. I was waiting, waiting, just hold him up, I might have a chance.”

   Jeff Metdepenningen finished second in the A division feature. “Night was good, qualified third fastest, third in the heat race and started fifth in the feature and ended up second. Ran the outside quite a bit just didn’t have enough to get to Jimmy (Pankow). Congratulations to him on his first A main feature win. I need to thank my boys and my grandson for helping out and taking up the slack for my brother. He’s been missing he’s been sick. Like to thank my sponsors Auto Farm Stan Yee‘s collision Inc. Clemens Trans Mission and B&H Race Car Parts.

   Defending division champion, and last week’s feature winner was third. It his 19th Top 6 finish in a row. His Apollo Broach, Budget Tire, Wine Town Party Store, Mark Sherrard #33 also won the heat. I’m putting together a database and believe it or not, this is only Greg’s fourth heat race win (since 2014) … 10 feature wins in the division, several championships but only a handful of heat wins.

Street Stock Rookie Corner:

• Gary Cronenwett finished fifth in the Street Stock division A feature, the top finishing rookie. “Race was ok, started the day off with a miss in the motor, didn’t know if it was fuel or electrical. But started the feature on the outside, probably the worst spot to be with a car that is tight like a dump truck and missing like crazy!
• Johnny Rangel (Blue Water Pipe & Supply) finished 11th in his second A division feature, a career high. “It was a strong qualifying run, qualifying 11th. And held on for 11th in the feature on a track with no second groove”.
• Lance Lipasek finished second in his heat and ninth, both a career high.
• David Hanna was in the B division last week, but with less Street Stocks at the track this week, ran in his first A main finishing 19th.
• Bobby Stewart won his first career ARCA heat, winning the B division heat and finished second in the feature.
• Mike Miller finished second in his heat and fourth in the B division feature.

   Caleb Barron made the best out of missing qualifying because of his work schedule. “I really appreciate everything Pops’ done, Dad, Mom, Chelsea, Collin, Matty everyone getting to the track, I couldn’t do it without them with my new work schedule. The four o’clock start kind of hurt us for getting out here these first two weeks. So, we're getting out here, getting some laps, getting the car on track.” Thanks for the note. “Team 103 is very pleased with the way the car is performing so far this season. We are very much looking forward to competing in the A-Main again very soon!"

   Brice Thomsen returned to racing last week in the Figure 8s, but unfortunately the car suffered engine woes. This week he made his first ever Street Stock start. “It’s not my car, I’m driving for Bob Noon, it’s his old sportsman car from Toledo. Not sure if I’m driving it all year or not yet, he does have it for sale not sure how much. But it was very fun to race, the car was under power, but Bob said he would have it fixed up for next time and said not running every week. My Figure 8 broke the motor. It’s out getting fixed and hope to have it back out in a week or two.”

   David Liaeff was the fast qualifier for the Street Stocks. He finished fourth in the feature and his heat.

   Billy Early won the Figure 8 feature, his 38th win in the division at Flat Rock. I’m working on a database with Flat Rock results in it … Billy has won at least once in every year that I have so far (I’m back to 2009). “The car is a lot of fun to drive. It was a good night to win. We’ve figured out the car and it really sticks well. It was a good night roll it on the trailer, take it home and put it on stands until the next time. I got to thank Steve at B&H Race Car Parts, my wife and the Good Lord. We’ll be back.”

   Second-fourth Dennis Whisman Jr, Jakob Lee and Ethan Lambert finished in the same order last week (first-third)

   Fifth went to Tom O’Leary IV, who I think is the only rookie running right now in the division. His first point start last week was eighth.

   Race Loving made his first start since 2015. “Our 2021 Figure 8. Today we found lots of issues that need to be fixed. Rough day but that’s okay, we have a lot of bugs to work out of her. We will be just fine. Thanks to everyone that lent a hand today and helped me. Couldn’t have done it without you guys. I really appreciate it. Big time,” said Race. “The people I’d like to thank would be my dad (Robbie Loving) the main reason why I’m driving the car is due to my dad having health issues that doesn’t allow him to be behind the wheel. I’d also like to thank Chase and Dale for all their hard work. I’d like to thank Parker Wade for everything he has done for us. Yes, very happy he (my dad) can be there. We honestly ran horrible. That night was just to shake the car down due to it being new. We had many issues Saturday night that are being fixed. We will be back in 2 weeks.”

   If you missed any of the racing you can find it here: www.youtube.com/c/MikeMiller28

 if I missed your sponsors in any of my articles, send me a note through Facebook Messenger https://www.facebook.com/icechips or email me at icechips@hotmail.com. I will add them to my next column. If you write something about your night on your Facebook page or a website please let me know and I’ll go get it each week and make sure the sponsors are mentioned. Thank you to all the drivers/teams that have sent me quotes.