TRACKSIDE TIDBITS--WEEKS 3 AND 4

TRACKSIDE TIDBITS--WEEKS 3 AND 4

Trackside Tidbits, by Debi Domby

   If I didn’t mention your sponsors in my column or if you have a Facebook or website that I can use to get your weekly quotes from send me a message through Facebook Messenger https://www.facebook.com/icechips or email me at icechips@hotmail.com. Anything that doesn’t make it in the current column will be added to the next one.

   For the second week in a row there was a first-time winner in the Street Stock A division. I looked back through my records and doesn’t looked like this has happened at least since 2009. There’s been two rookies winning an A division feature in a season, but not consecutively.

   Gary Cronenwett won his first career Street Stock feature, as a rookie in the A division. ““To start off the car was very loose and the only chance I had was to try to check out from the field and run as hard as I could. By lap five the car was on the edge, I could only run as hard as I could without spinning out. As soon as I seen Ron behind me, I knew it was go time to try to beat the best in the business. (The other drivers are as good, if not better, but he is fast in anything) After the unfortunate circumstance in turn 1, I was able to breathe a little bit. With four to go, I knew I have a hungry field behind me along with Nick (Shanks) but I was able to hold them off and capture a great first win with the new car! I would like to thank my fiancé, Stephanie, and my two girls, Harper and Marley, for allowing me to do what I love and to support me in a hobby that has been in my blood since birth! Big thank you to the co-owner and my brother Randy for his hard work and ideas to get us here! Huge thank you to Paul Pelletier and the Limelight Motorsports guys without them and the insight they have given I wouldn’t be as fast as I am! Also, would like to thank Nick at Sullys Speed Shop for contributing to the team when we need anything! And a big thank you to B&B Chassis for the fabrication and building one bad ass ride! Also, another thank you to the fans that came out to support and cheer on their favorite drivers. We are so excited and happy to put on a show for them! As well as a thank you to the staff and track crew at Flat Rock Speedway for taking time out of there day to volunteer/work to entertain the fans and the racers and to keep us safe!” said Gary. “Also, thank you to Corey Duane for allowing me to take the time to put in to making the car to get it where it is today as well and the words and insight from racing in this division before! #Calmdown and finally, my mom for backing me 110% in doing what I love and supporting my career in everything.

   For second place finisher, Nick Shanks, it was his 13th podium finish and 25th top five finish since 2012. “I want to thank Log-Gistics Sawmill, Menards Mobile Tire & Wheel, PhotosByKuyoth, Glass City Motorsports Fabrication & Graphics and also thank Derek Denton and Mike Young for all the help they do at the track.”

   Jeff Metdepenningen Auto Farm Stan Yee‘s collision Inc. Clemens Trans Mission and B&H Race Car Parts) finished third, his sixth top 10 in a row (counting the last three races of 2019) with his worse finish being seventh opening night.

   Greg Studt (Apollo Broach, Budget Tire, Wine Town Party Store, Mark Sherrard) has backed up his opening night win with a third and a fourth tonight. He has not finished worse than sixth in the last 21 races (June 15, 2018 he finished 18th).

   Max Fair (Fair Racing Development and Royal Truck and Trailer and Drive Train Specialists) backed his opening night career high second place with another top five, finishing fifth tonight.

   Trevor Farmer finished a career high sixth, surpassing his previous best of seventh in June 2018. “Yes, it was a career best finish and I hope to keep improving every week and hopefully get a win this season. For now, me and my team will just keep digging and earn points towards the season championship. I’d like to thank my Dad and brother for all they do to help me and for my girlfriend and 2 sons who come every weekend to cheer me on. My sponsor JD Farmer Trucking.”

   Lonnie York finished eighth in the A division feature. He’s finished eighth in May 2019 and July 2015, the highest he’s finished in the A feature through the 2009 season.

  Car owner, Brian Pelkey’s second car made it to the track tonight, with a veteran driver with 12 ARCA championships, Ron Allen behind the wheel. Allen hasn’t raced a Street Stock feature since July 2017, spent most of the race in second or third place but unfortunately was part of the second ‘big one’ and the damage was too much to continue. Pelkey’s other car Bobby Stewart won his heat and was second in the B division feature.

   Making his first Street Stock start was four-time Late Model Champion, Paul Pelletier. He spent most of the race in 4th but overheated during the one red flag period and had to retire for the night.

   And another first-time winner was in the Street Stock B division feature. Taylor Papineau scored his first victory. His previous best finish in the B division feature was a pair of fourth place finishes. “After blowing up my original engine opening night I had my doubts. It was hard to hold onto my dream of winning a championship knowing my engine was gone. But we found a way and with a little time and some long hard-fought nights in the garage we were able to make it back to the track Saturday, hungry to get back in the points. With a completely brand-new engine, we knew it was time to go big or go home!! We were able to get second in our heat and I achieved one of my biggest goals, I was able to clinch a win in the B main Street Stock feature. My father Dennis Papineau has always been my inspiration, he is the reason my car runs as great as it does. His love of racing was passed down to me when I was young, it's in my blood. My win Saturday I dedicate to him, along with my mother Brenda, who's unconditional love and endless support kept my spirits up. To my brother Conor, who is there to help me in my time of need. And finally, I also dedicate my win to my beautiful, loving fiance Caitlin. She lifts my spirit when I'm down, she cheers me on no matter if I win or lose. She is what drives me to be the very best I could be. And I can't thank any of them enough for everything they do. Without them, there is no 03.” Unfortunately, Taylor doesn’t have any sponsors yet.

   Street Stock Rookie Corner:

  • Johnny Rangel (Blue Water Pipe & Supply) continues to improve each week, scoring his first top 10 finish, a ninth, in the A division feature, continuing to surpass his previous week’s career high.
  • David Hanna didn’t have a good night, finishing last in the A division feature after being involved in the first melee and being unable to continue.
  • Bobby Stewart duplicated week’s two finishes, with another heat win and finished second this week to Taylor Papineau.
  • Mike Miller scored his career best Street Stock B division feature finish, third. He also has scored third in a Factory Stock feature.

   So far this season there has been 11 regular weekly division features and 10 different winners. Dennis Whisman Jr has the honor of being the only repeat winner this year. “I’d like to thank my sponsors Diamondback Building LLC, Affordable Transmission, Elite Property Services & Construction, Mark’s Toy Box, Royal Truck and Trailer, Rebel Racing Custom Graphix & Tees and my racing buddies Brice, Jake, and Eugene for the help. Had some exhaust problems in practice Jeremy Miller lend us a hand and let us borrow a spare. We ended up making it through the night and got the win. Wouldn’t have been here without my dad. He is the backbone to all the of this. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing all this. Hopefully, we can keep the car running good for the rest of the season and stay on top.”

   Jakob Lee (Affordable Transmissions sponsor) finished second. For the three weeks this season, Dennis Whisman Jr and Jakob have finished together in that order. I tried to find if this has happened in the Figure 8s, but I’m still working on it.

   Third went to Eugene Worden who finished third and won his first heat on an oval (and first points paying heat, he won one during one of the bus race night after championships). “I would like to thank Catalina Cartage out of Carleton for sponsorship and the Rebel Dennis Whisman for being our crew chief in the pits and taking care of the top 3 cars that night.”

   Fourth place was Stephanie Bradley, a career best. “I’d like to thank Affordable transmission, Max and Karen Scott. Mom, dad, Lonnie, Jim, Mike, Diovardi racing. Joe and Donna Whisman.” Although not in the same order, Stephanie and Dave Lambert have also finished together for the first three weeks, Dave has been before in the finishing order the first two weeks, but Stephanie was the higher finisher this week.

WEEK 4 

It’s been two years and two weeks since Jeff Vrsek scored his first Outlaw Super Late Model win, but he finally got his second trip to the winners’ circle. Neither win was easy, holding Harold Fair Jr off in 2019 and Justin Schroeder off tonight. “Wow! Was that a good show? I don't know (how I held Justin Schroeder off). I (had) a bunch of hungry wolves behind me so I'm like I just gotta go like hell, there was no saving tires, there was no nothing. We just had to go and when it when my spotter told me he was behind me and I'm like, well this is not not good. But luckily, we cleared the 16 car (Hayden Sprague) were able to get some momentum going. So yeah. It was awesome, it was awesome (beating Justin) and I know he was working me. I heard my spotter tell me he's looking high and low and I'm like I'm just pedaling this car fast as I could. I’d like to thank all my guys, my wife and my sponsors, TS Group Fluid Handling Speed Media – Print with Speed, 5 Mile Speed Shop, AMSOIL INC., Simpson Race Products, Brinn Transmission, Hoosier Racing Tire, CNV Enterprises, Penske Racing Shocks, McGunegill Engine Performance, Micro-Armor.”

   Justin Schroeder has 14 wins and with tonight’s runner’s up finish, his sixth runner up position, and his 28th podium finish. His G Michael Kabot Orthodontics, Senneker Performance, Maybee Water Hauling, and JMS Transport #4 has only one finish during the last two race seasons outside of the top 8 (a 19th in the 2019 Joy Fair 100)

   Hayden Sprague last race he wrote me and said they had some bad luck the first couple races, but this week he finished third in his Matrix Transportation and JK Logix #16. It’s his third top ten finish of the year.

Frank Jiovani finished fifth. From his Facebook page: “Pretty rough night at Flat Rock, during a mid-race restart we got pinched and made some contact that sent us to the rear of the field with 30 to go. The team never gave up and battled back to a fifth-place finish. We will have to fixup some bent suspension parts, but the Moran Chevrolet, Painters Supply and Equipment Co, 4th Street Auto Care, McQuade Heating and Cooling Plumbing and Refrigeration, JV Auto Repair & Francis Engineering 45 will be back up to speed for the 100 lap Joy Fair Memorial next Saturday.

   Greg Studt won the Street Stock A division feature. “I think I’ve got more front row starting spot this year than I had a previous five, but I had to take advantage of it. During the heat race there was caution and 78 (Jeff Metdepenningen) got around me, and yeah, that was running through my mind under caution. I was hoping the car would hold on but she was slipping and sliding. We learned little bit of heat race and made it happen. Yeah, if we keep starting up there might be a really good season. Yeah, it's a real tough group. I want to thank my sponsors, Apollo Broach, Budget Tire, Carl’s Furniture, Wine Town Party Store, Mark Sherrard.”

   Clarity Patton finished a career high second in the A division feature, her previous best was fourth four times. “Friday was a great night for our team! We came back strong, thanks to my sponsors Varsity Ford- Ann Arbor and Varsity Lincoln - Novi and the hard work of Steve Bunge and the team getting the car repaired from all the damage the previous weekend when we got caught up in two wrecks that tore up my car. I qualified second and then started 5th in the feature, due to the inversion, and then worked my way back up to second. My car was running great, and I look forward to being back at Flat Rock Speedway again this weekend. See you there!”

…Jeff Metdepenningen sponsored by Auto Farm Stan Yee’s collision Inc. Clemens Trans Mission and B&H Race Car Parts #78 finished third. It’s his 13th podium finish since 2017.

   Street Stock Rookie Corner:

  • Gary Cronenwett finished fifth. Both Gary and Greg Studt have finished all four races this year in the top 5 in the A division feature. He’s sponsored by Sullys Speed Shop, B&B Chassis.
  • Johnny Rangel was the fast qualifier. A rare happening with Ethan Stadniczuk doing it in 2019 but no rookies in the prior five-six seasons. He drove his Blue Water Pipe & Supply #45 to an eighth-place finish in the A division feature, surpassing last week’s best of ninth.
  • Lance Lipasek missed last week’s race. He qualified third, giving the rookies two of the top three qualifying spots. Lance finished seventh in the A division feature, a career high, in his Triple L Motorsports, Inline Tube, Code Fabrication, The Krueger Family #99.
  • Bobby Stewart aboard his Environmental Services, B&B Services #68 so far has three heat wins and finished second in the feature the last two weeks. This week he was fourth in the B division feature.
  • Mike Miller matched his career best finish in the feature from the week before. He was in second with two to go, but Adam Jezylo got around him. “On that last lap of the street stock race, Adam was in front of me and got sideways. I was gonna go try to get him, but I had nothing left, and I was trying to stay ahead of the 68 (Bobby Stewart).”

 Caleb Barron, after being unable to qualify because of work obligations the first two weeks and having to run the B division feature (one that he won), he was able to finally qualify and was back in the A division feature. “It was great to be back in somewhat “normal” fashion this week. Caleb had to work 10 hours again, but arrived 10 minutes before the start of first practice. With scoring not working yet, it was difficult to assess the changes we made this past week, but the car looked fast. Qualifying was a bit disappointing, as we thought we had something better than a 13.607, but that still put us 8th quick on the field. That also put is starting 6th in the 2nd heat, and that’s where we finished. Starting on the outside for the feature was going to be a challenge, but within a few laps Caleb was able to find his way to the bottom groove in 10th where he stayed up to the first and only caution with 3 laps to go. The restart was not kind to us, and we ended up 12th. Doing some maintenance and chassis changes this week- looking forward to another “normal” race day next Saturday!”

   Craig Lange made his first appearance of the season, finishing sixth. It was his 30th top 10 since 2012. Here’s an interesting Tidbit, Craig has finished in every position between first and 22nd, except fourth.

   Rich Abel has had a horrible start of the season with engine troubles the other nights. Tonight, he scored his 26th Street Stock B division feature since 2007 (it’s more than that but I’m only back to 2007 in my database of finishes). “I'm telling you everything, it's everything that could go wrong have gone wrong (so far this season). But first, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus, for keeping me safe and giving my prosperity throughout the year and all the glory goes to him. You can keep the trophy my wife keeps getting mad at me bringing them home. I really appreciate you (fans) coming down here. Even though I’m one of the slow cars, but you know what it’s a lot of fun passing those guys to the outside.”

   Billy Earley has been out twice and has a perfect record, two wins. He now has 39 Figure 8 feature wins at Flat Rock, one short of seventh on the all-time win list, Jeremy Miller’s 40 wins. “He (fast qualifier Dennis Whisman Jr) rolled a two and put us both on the front row. I knew they were going to go, it's just gonna matter who's gonna go. I mean, he's a good kid, love racing him, raced his dad for a long time, and it's a lot of fun. Got interesting. Yeah, and he broke the motor (David Katafaisz) when I was coming up behind him. I see the smoke and I knew if I got in his oil, there would’ve been a problem, I was hoping everybody else missed it and a lot of fun. Thanks to B&H Race Car Parts, Dad, Steve, Bucky, my wife. The good Lord. Will be back!”

   Dennis Whisman Jr finished second. So far, he has two wins and two seconds in his Diamondback Building LLC, Affordable Transmission, Elite Property Services & Construction, Mark’s Toy Box, Royal Truck and Trailer, Rebel Racing Custom Graphix & Tees #2. It’s his ninth finish in the top two.

   Jacob Lee’s Affordable Transmissions #31 for the fourth straight week trailed Dennis Whisman Jr across the finish line in the feature. I can’t remember the last time two drivers finished in the same order four weeks and counting. It was Jakob’s ninth podium finish.

   The first-time winners aren’t just at Flat Rock as Steven Smith won his first Factory Stock race last Saturday at Toledo. “We WON! Things got really emotional inside the car making my way to Rand Thompson in victory lane. He let me take my victory lap with the checkered flag which I’ve been dreaming of since I was barely able to walk. When I climbed out of the car my dad was there for a hug. The first person I wanted to share that moment with. The victory lane interview was pretty emotional for me. There were a few people that couldn’t be there that day which made things bittersweet. Matt Smith, Chuck Cobb and especially Rebecca Elaine and my girls Elliott and Elaina Jo. Mom Cindy Jo Smith and her good friend Becky were in the stands and right there in front of me for my interview. So happy they could be there. Chris Brunet, with his father and son, Rayce Metdepenningen and son Jacob were all there to get photos with which was awesome. When we made our way back to the pits, I was greeted by my good buddy Arvo who made it to one of our races for the first time as well as Arnold Kirsch and Jeff M. Such a great group of people to share those moments with. Gonna have to do it again soon when everyone else can be there to enjoy with us. All around great weekend. I’ve received so many messages of congratulations from friends and family yesterday and all day today. What a great feeling. Going to keep our head down and make a run at this championship.”

If you missed any of the racing you can find it here: www.youtube.com/c/MikeMiller28. If you’d like to see some in-car videos (and pictures) stop by PhotosByKuyoth’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/photosbykuyoth.

If I missed your sponsors this week, send me a note through Facebook Messenger https://www.facebook.com/icechips or icechips@hotmail.com. I will add them to my next column. Thanks to everyone that messages me or have sent me your permission to use what’s on your Facebook page. I appreciate it and I’m sure the fans enjoy reading about your night too.

  

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