RECAP: Craig Everage Wins the Stan Yee 150!
RECAP: Craig Everage Wins the Stan Yee 150!
Greg Studt, David Fisher, and Travis Earley also capture big wins at Flat Rock
July 22, 2023 -- Flat Rock’s Biggest race of the season ended in a new winner, as Craig Everage took his first 150-lap win in the Moran Chevrolet Stan Yee 150 presented by DTS Drive Train Specialists and FRAZA!
Pre-race provided a number of moments for the big crowd in Flat Rock.
Dave Kuhlman, Royce Cornett, and Dick Barker were recognized as Flat Rock Speedway attendees. All three drivers are Flat Rock champions and winners, combining for 88 total career wins. They were able to take a front-stretch photo pre-race in the build up to the Stan Yee 150.
Flat Rock debuted a new driver introductions format on Saturday, surprising fans with drivers walking along the front stretch to be welcomed into the track. Drivers threw hats, shirts, and footballs into the crowd for fans sitting in the grandstands.
Stan Yee's family was also well in attendance - a number of members of the family lined up to welcome the drivers to their cars during pre-race ceremonies. A moment of silence was held pre-race in rememberance of Ann Yee, who passed away just a few short months ago. Well-known around Flat Rock racing circles, she was recognized in the build-up of the day's events.
Jeremy Vanderhoof came for triple duty at Flat Rock Speedway on Saturday night. The Temperance driver came to brush off a summer break with a points lead in two different divisions - the ARCA R&M Recycling Figure 8 division, and the ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks division. In the Figure 8 division, he took the fastest time in qualifying with a lap of 20.783 seconds over Dennis Whisman Jr.
In qualifying for the ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks division, Douglas Litigot would set the fast time, with a quick time of 13.318 seconds over Ron Allen in the #57.
Moran Chevrolet Outlaw Super Late Models
In driver introductions, announcer Rich Frantz was quick to mention that Craig Everage is "one of the nicest guys in the sport".
Everage would go on to take the checkered flag in the biggest late model race of the year at Flat Rock Speedway, in a drama-filled 150-lap feature.
Everage would start the day in sixth and slowly climb his way up through the field, moving into the top five only on lap 70, and utilizing a number of late-race opportunities to place into the lead position. Once gaining the lead on lap 128, Everage would not look back, despite an aggressive challenge from Eric Lee.
Justin Claucherty would take the fastest time in qualifying after Brian Bergakker's post-qualifying infraction, sending Bergakker to the rear of the field. Claucherty qualified with a time of 11.729, just over Eric Lee who posted a time of 11.821.
After a 9-car invert, the top spot would be Max Fair in the #104. Conner Zbozien would start on the outside of the first row, and “Hurricane” Scott Hantz would start in 3rd place.
Zbozien would lead the first lap, but Fair would power through on the inside of the young driver and take the lead. In the rear of the pack, 4-time defending race winner Brian Bergakker would begin his charge in the opening laps, passing 6 cars in 8 laps.
Scott Hantz passed his teammate in the opening laps, taking the second spot and setting his sights on Fair. While Zbozien fell back on the outside lane, 3 wide racing would mark lap 10. Zbozien would be shuffled to the outside and nearly force Justin Claucherty into the middle of a sandwich with Paul Pelletier.
A slew of cautions would mark the evening of racing, starting with the first caution of the day on lap 16.
Scott Hantz went for the lead in an aggressive manner on the ensuing restart. More 3 wide racing would take place with Nick Bailey, Stan Yee, and Dan Trosen Jr in the middle of the pack. As the leaders would shuffle out, Scott Hantz would lead over Max Fair, Justin Schroeder, Paul Pelletier, and Eric Lee in a very competitive top five.
Justin Schroeder would pull to the outside of Max Fair on lap 31, taking the runner up position from the young driver. Paul Pelletier and Eric would go the other way, taking the third and fourth place positions from Max Fair in quick succession just before another caution on lap 40. This would set up a restart between Scott Hantz and Justin Schroeder.
Meanwhile, Bergakker would pull into sixth position on lap 44, just on the tail of Max Fair. He would move into the top five on lap 47.
On lap 48, we would have our third caution of the race. Multiple cars would come together on the backstretch, including Chris Benson.
Justin Schroeder would wow the crowd and take the lead on the outside during the restart, getting away and leading his first laps of the day.
On lap 67, Brian Bergakker would make his move on the outside of Paul Pelletier for fourth place, both drivers side-by-side and creating a very entertaining battle. Navigating lapped traffic proved to create an element of chaos for this race; the moment on lap 69 proving no exception.
While attempting to pass the lapped car of Dan Trosen Jr., Pelletier and Bergakker would have contact while going three wide. Bergakker would spin, collecting the #7 of Justin Claucherty as an innocent bystander.
The four-time defending champion of the Stan Yee 150 would need to deal with damage for the rest of the event.
Up front, Eric Lee would get past Scott Hantz for the runner up position, chasing down Justin Schroeder for the lead.
The top five would take the form of Schroeder, Lee, Hantz, Everage, and Conner Zbozien climbing back into the top five.
Eric Lee and Justin Schroeder would maintain a near-dead heat battle throughout a number of laps, neither driver being given an inch. On lap 122, the leaders would collide. Eric Lee and Justin Schroeder would get together, the yellow #4 car spinning out of the lead.
Coming to the green on lap 122, the battle become Justin Schroeder, Scott Hantz, and Craig Everage. Everage would pull ahead of Hantz on lap 126, then going side-by-side with Schroeder on lap 128 - pulling ahead and into the lead before the caution came out twice: Once on lap 132, and again on lap 135.
On the restart, the story became a battle between Eric Lee and Craig Everage.
Lee, the defending champion, would pass multiple cars on the high side in the first laps after the restart. Lee would pass Zbozien and Schroeder, before closing in on Craig Everage in the last 8 laps. The efforts got the Flat Rock fans into a celebratory mood, but Lee would come just short of following up on his 2011 Stan Yee 150 win.
Craig Everage would take his sixth late model win at Flat Rock, his first ever Stan Yee 150 victory!
In victory lane, Everage dedicated the victory to Steve Lee, who has been battling an illness.
Steve Lee would get a moment with the microphone afterwards, thanking the Flat Rock crowd for their continued support.
Eric Lee would come home second in a very impressive effort by the defending champion. Conner Zbozien would finish third in an impressive race from the #45. Justin Schroeder would come home 4th after leading a number of laps, followed by Brian Bergakker finishing out the top five.
Max Fair would come home in sixth after leading a number of laps, followed by Paul Pelletier and Jeremy Vanderhoof. Scott Hantz and rookie RJ Cornett would close out the top ten.
The Moran Chevrolet Outlaw Super Late Models division will return on Friday, August 4th as a part of Bike Giveaway/Kids Night at Flat Rock Speedway!
FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIAL! BICYCLE GIVE AWAY AND KIDS NIGHT! Kids to age 12 FREE, get FREE hot dog! Outlaw Super Late Models, Street Stocks, plus 50 lap Figure 8
August 04, 2023 - 07:30 PM EDT
Flat Rock Speedway
DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock A-Main
In the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock A-Main 50-lap feature, Kenyon Knight and Kyle Workey would lead the field to green in a very competitive event.
After a botched start resulting in Rob Moore Jr taking a spin before the green flag, the racing evening would get started with a great deal of action. Kenyon Knight would take the race lead over Kyle Worley, as Regan Ford would pull ahead of a pack led by Johnny Rangel and a number of competitive Street Stock racers.
Knight would pull ahead by lap 5, as Worley would become under attack by Regan Ford and Rob Moore Jr.
Ford would pull tough on the high side, taking the runner up position on lap 9 as a flurry of cautions would come between lap 9, lap 13, and lap 18.
After the restart, Regan Ford and Kenyon Knight would put on a wonderful, multi-lap side-by-side battle in the middle portion of the race. It would take almost a full ten laps for Knight to pull ahead of Ford on the inside.
Greg Studt would begin riding on the high side, taking a look at Schuster, then Worley, then the leaders of Knight and Ford. Right as Studt pulled ahead by a nose on the outside of Kenyon Knight, the caution would come out for a spin.
This set up a showdown between Studt, Knight, and Johnny Rangel in the ensuing 4-lap shootout.
On the restart, Greg Studt would barely pull away, taking a big victory in the 50-lap A-Main feature.
Johnny Rangel would come home in second place, followed by Kenyon Knight in another strong performance in a 50-lap feature.
Regan Ford and Jeff Metdepenningen would fill out the rest of the top five. Landon Schuster, Brian Norton, and Caleb Barron would come home 6th, 7th, and 8th respectively. Austin McKee and Lonnie York would fill out the top ten.
DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock B-Main
David Fisher took his first career late model victory at Flat Rock Speedway, winning a huge 25-lap DTS Drive Train Specialists B-Main feature.
Fisher maintained a strong lead, despite an early caution. He would take the lead early after a strong battle with Troy Brehmer and Chris Diovardi, following up with a hold over the lead for the final laps.
Chuck Pankow would come home in the runner-up place, followed by Chris Diovardi, Ian Jezylo, and Troy Brehmer.
Justin Peterman and Mike Miller would come home in sixth and seventh respectively, followed by Rich Abel, Dale Cronenwett, and Bill Jackson closing out the top ten.
R&M Recycling Figure 8
Heat winner: Joel Markin
Travis Earley and Jakob Lee would put on a tight battle for the lead in the closing stages of the ARCA R&M Recycling Figure 8 division feature. In a wild feature led by Joel Markin at the start, the lead would eventually shuffle to Travis Earley and Jakob Lee.
In a night of firsts, Travis Earley would provide another one as he took his first feature win of the season.
Jakob Lee would come home second, followed by Dennis Whisman and Jeremy Vanderhoof completing the triple-header.
Brice Thomsen would come home to complete the top five.
Up Next
The R&M Recycling Figure 8 division will return in tight action next Saturday Night - July 29th for a big night of touring series racing at Flat Rock Speedway!
Click below for more information on this evening of racing, coming up this Saturday night!
Figure 8, Factory Stocks, plus Vores Compact Touring Series, Late Model Sportsman.
July 29, 2023 - 07:00 PM EDT
Flat Rock Speedway