RECAP: Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club Day at Flat Rock!
RECAP: Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club Day at Flat Rock!
Stars and cars highlighted the second race of the 2023 season at Flat Rock Speedway, with Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club Night at the Level Pebble!
Pre-race, 500 Sprint Car Tour and Midwest Modified Tour star Taylor Ferns, as well as NASCAR Alumni Ken Schrader spoke to the crowd, discussing the 2023 season as well as enjoying their time at the track. The midway at Flat Rock proved to be busy, as Ferns brought her merchandise trailer for fans to explore, as well as the Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club bringing a big tent as well!
If your car was yellow, you more than likely had a good shot at a fast time on Saturday.
In the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks division, Douglas Litogot in the yellow #71 took went fastest with a time of 13.265, his first of 2023. Jonathan Rangel, last weeks fast time, placed second and missed out by just 3 one-thousands of a second. Guest star Ken Schrader in the #82 Rob Moore Street Stock would qualify in 9th.
In the Moran Chevrolet Outlaw Super Late Models division, the yellow #4 of Justin Schroeder would take his first fast time of the season, taking it with a lap of 11.821.
In the R&M Recycling Figure 8 division, the new-look yellow #09 of Billy Earley would set a fast time of 20.595.
Outlaw Super Late Models
Heat winners were Eric Lee and Rob Randa
At the start of the Late Model feature, Justin Schroeder attempted a three-wide move on the Benson and Paul Pelletier into the first turn of the 50-lapper on the Level Pebble. While unsuccessful, Schroeder would not be afraid to try moves on the outside during this feature.
Chris Benson maintained the lead of the race for the first laps of this race over Conner Zbozien in the #45, and a tight battle between Paul Pelletier, Eric Lee, and Justin Schroeder for third place.
Eric Lee battled through the pack, attempting to pass Paul Pelletier numerous times on the outside over the course of this wide-ranging battle.
Chris Benson maintained the lead while navigating through lapped traffic at the halfway mark of this feature.
A fantastic battle for third between Paul Pelletier, 2022 division champion Eric Lee, and fast qualifier Justin Schroeder provided some great tension, as the fast qualifier tried multiple times to pass the 2022 defending champion on the outside while tailing Pelletier in his familiar black and green #44.
Chris Benson would eventually complete a dominant feature, winning over Zbozien, Pelletier, Lee, and Schroeder.
This would be the third of Chris Benson’s career, as the Alabama native wore his Crimson Tide hat in victory lane in a long-time-coming visit to Monroe Asphalt Winners Circle.
“I’m very thrilled” said Benson in Flat Rock victory lane about his first Flat Rock OSLM feature win since 2009, “It’s been a long fourteen years!”
Top 10:
- Chris Benson
- Connor Zbozien
- Paul Pelletier
- Eric Lee
- Justin Schroeder
- RJ Cornett
- Derrick Sheppard
- Rob Randa
- George Rangel
- Bryan Moore
Street Stocks A
Heat winners were Jeff Metdepenningen, Kenyon Knight and Lonnie York
Lance Lipasek started the day with only one career win at Flat Rock Speedway, but he came with a great start in the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks 25-lap feature. Lipasek controlled a lead over Jeff Metdepenningen, Greg Studt, Rob Moore Jr., and Landon Schuster for the opening laps of the race before an early caution on lap 6.
On the restart, Lipasek would maintain the race lead over Jeff Metdepenningen and Greg Studt, who put on a great battle that would eventually be won by Metdepenningen. On lap 16, battles in the middle of the pack between Ken Schrader, Johnny Rangel, Kenyon Knight, and others would entertain at Metro Detroit’s home track.
A slew of cautions would take occur in the mid-section of the race, with many contenders ending their nights early. This would set the stage for the final laps, with Lance Lipasek holding off Greg Studt in a great show of racing.
After taking the checkered flag, Lipasek followed up with a jubilant post-race victory lap before parking it in Monroe Asphalt Winners Circle.
Lipasek, a young driver based in Washington Township, has now started his DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks career with two wins in eight races.
Top 10:
- Lance Lipasek
- Greg Studt
- Jeff Metdepenningen
- Landon Schuster
- Rob Moore Jr
- Jeremy Vanderhoof
- Kenyon Knight
- Ken Schrader
- Dan Ford Jr.
- Ron Allen
Street Stocks B
Heat winner - Ian Jezylo
The 15-lap B-Main feature proved to be an entertaining one, as Troy Brehmer led the way in a competitive field including Mayhem Mike Miller, Chris Diovardi, David Fisher, Mayhem Mike Miller, Ian Jezylo, and others.
Some quick cautions would take part in the middle portion of the race while Ian Jezylo climbed through the pack in his red #00.
With 5 to go, Ian Jezylo and Troy Brehmer would would put on a battle for the lead, with the double zero eventually taking the lead just before a caution with just 4 to go.
On the restart, both drivers would resume their battle, neither driver giving an inch despite racing hard and fair.
Jezylo would barely get by with just two laps to go, and hold off last week’s winner in the final dash to the checkered flag.
This is Jezylo’s first win of 2023, and first feature win since 2021.
Figure 8
Heat winners were Dennis Whisman Jr. and Dennis Whisman Sr.
In the final feature of the final early race of the Flat Rock Speedway 2023 afternoon swing of the schedule, Brice Thomsen, Greg Studt, Dennis Whisman Jr., and Jeremy Vanderhoof would put on a tremendous battle in the first leg of the 20-lap R&M Recycling Figure 8 feature, as positions 1-4 would change numerous times over the course of just a few laps.
Shuffling in the lead pack would allow for Dennis Whisman Jr. to jump over Brice Thomsen and take the lead by lap 7.
Eventually, Whisman, Studt, and Vanderhoof would pull away at the halfway point of the race, each driver almost nose to tail with each other.
Studt would look for a move multiple times between lap 10 and lap 15, unable to find a lane against his 2022 championship rival.
On lap 16, Studt would go side-by-side, just barely warded off by Whisman in an intense battle on the figure 8 circuit.
This would all be held off by Whisman Jr, who pulled off his first feature win of 2023 in front of the crowd in Metro Detroit.
The younger Whisman would hand a checkered flag to a lucky kid in the audience, and he would take his 7th all-time Flat Rock R&M Recycling Figure 8 Feature win.
Up Next
For the first time since the year 2000, ARCA National Series stock car racing returns to Metro Detroit on Saturday May 20th, 2023 with the ARCA Menards Series East Dutch Boy 150. The 150 lap feature will be the main event of this big night of racing at the Level Pebble. Also featured will be DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock racing, as well as R&M Recycling Figure 8 action from the local divisions in the heart of southeast Michigan.
For the first time in Flat Rock Speedway history, we will hold an ARCA Menards Series East Autograph Session in the pit area! Session will begin at 6 p.m. and run to 6:45 p.m.
The ARCA Menards East Series, Figure 8’s and Street Stocks will all take part in the autograph session.
Advance sale tickets for the Dutch Boy 150 ARCA Menards East race at Flat Rock Speedway are on sale now - click here for more information!
May 20, 2023 - 07:00 PM EDT Flat Rock Speedway
Dutch Boy 150: ARCA Menards Series East Stock Cars--150 laps, plus Figure 8, Street Stocks. Racer's Reunion. NIGHT RACING BEGINS!