Flat Rock Speedway

Trackside Tidbits, Debi Domby

If I spelled something wrong, let me know. I use a transcription app and normally it’s correct, but sometimes it will spell names wrong.

I love hearing from the teams, so send me a few sentences on your race and I’ll get the comment into the article. I’m behind in my statistic file. My late mother used to do it over the winter for me, but it didn’t get done. If you write weekly on your Facebook or website, please let me know, I’ll be happy just to grab that for my article. Contact me on messenger www.facebook.com/icechips or email me at ddomby@juno.com.

Paul Pelletier won his first career Joy Fair 100. He won another 100-lap special in 2016 (and a 150 lap race in 2004). The win gives him 29 Outlaw Late Model wins, tying him with Danny Byrd and ranking him fifth. “We had to rethink after the last race. So that was two weeks of hard work changing everything on that thing. Did a show, obviously, and we've made more changes tonight. You know, the way the track was turning, and so there it is. I won the 100 like, 10 years ago when it was the Butch Giles race, before they renamed it. So, I got a story ... Joy's last race here. He got it was a contest race, and a bunch of drama. And when he got pulled off the track, I got his spot, and I made my first ever feature race. I made good story out of a bad story, right?” said the driver of the FRAZA/Vitan Equipment, Duane’s Roadrunners, Blue Water Compressor #44.

Corey Duane finished second, despite knocking the toe out at having a bent rim. It was his best finish in a long-distance race at Flat Rock. “Paul (Pelletier) was just too good for everybody on the restarts. I didn’t have a hope in Hell of catching him, so if I had to get second, may as well be to my buddy,” said the driver of the Duane’s Roadrunners, Convenient Auto (Flat Rock), Complete Hitch, Mark’s Welding #46.

Eric Lee finished third, his best finish in the Joy Fair since finishing second in 2022. “I think we were really good car. We had that great run on the outside, and Corey got into my side here and turned us around and kind of messed up the front end. We went up the banking so I couldn't get the car to turn after we went to the rear, so I came in and made a few adjustments, and then at the end it was flying again. But it just didn't have enough, the car was a little tore up (at the end). I just needed a little more to get a good run on him (Paul Pelletier) at the end there,” said the driver of the Lee Motorsports, Action Drywall, McColl Racing Enterprises.

These drivers had problems during the race: Stan Yee Jr, leaking fluid (yellow to check); Hayden Sprague (fast qualifier), engine; Dan Trosen Jr, overheating; George Rangel, handling/tire; Scott Hantz, oil pressure; Joe Hawes, handling; Steve Hawes, broken rack… DNS

This was the 12th Joy Fair 100. Below are the top statistics for all 12 races.

v Races competed in (top 20 drivers… a total of 81 drivers have competed in the Joy Fair 100): Paul Pelletier, Stan Yee Jr, 12; Chris Benson, Craig Everage, 10; Dennis Strickland, Eric Lee, Harold Fair Jr, Justin Schroeder, 9; Joe Hawes, 8; Brian Bergakker, Frank Jiovani, Mike Root, Scott Hantz, 7; Derrick Sheppard, Jeff Vrsek, Justin Claucherty, Scott Pemberton, Steve Cronenwett Jr, 6; Conner Zbozien, Corey Duane, Hayden Sprague, Steve Needles, 5

v Feature wins: Brian Bergakker, 4; Harold Fair Jr, Justin Schroeder, 2; Justin Claucherty, Paul Pelletier, Steve Needles, Terry Senneker, 1

v Top 5 finishes: Paul Pelletier, 5; Brian Bergakker, Harold Fair Jr, Justin Schroeder, Steve Needles, 4; Conner Zbozien, Eric Lee, Justin Claucherty, 3; Craig Everage, Jeff Ganus, 2; Jimmy Theil, 2

v Top 10 finishes: Paul Pelletier, 8; Justin Schroeder, 7; Brian Bergakker, Craig Everage, Harold Fair Jr, 6; Conner Zbozien, Dennis Strickland, Eric Lee, Justin Claucherty, Steve Needles, 5; Chris Benson, Dakota Carlson, Frank Jiovani, Scott Hantz, 4; Jack Varney Jr, Scott Pemberton, 3

Harold Fair finished eighth, and not sure if there’s a Move Up award…but he moved up the most positions, eight. It was a trying day for him, an oil line broke in hot laps, the rack broke in qualifying. He started 16th.

This edition of the Joy Fair 100 was all local weekly drivers and the ones that aren’t weekly have raced in multiple Joy Fair 100s (Harold Fair Jr, 9; Scott Hantz, 7 and Max Fair, 3)

Greg Studt won the Figure 8 feature. It was his 40th Figure 8 race at Flat Rock. The multiple time champion is now tied with Jeremy Miller for eighth on the Figure 8 wins at Flat Rock list. “We brought the 33 back out. It was well worth it. It’s hard to run two cars in one night. So, we're just gonna run it (the Figure 8) on the off nights (from the Street Stocks). Had a good run that started going off towards to finish there, but what I could feel the last lap, the kid (Avery Vanderhoof) was right there most the race. He gave me a nudge the last lap, but hey, he didn't spin me. It was clean, you know, he was just right there waiting for a mistake. And this car is for sale, absolutely, you can get yourself a championship car, race winning car, for $10,000 drop it right up front.”

Congrats to Avery Vanderhoof on your first Fast Qualifying award and for your career high finish of second tonight (If you send me something about your night I’ll put it in the next Trackside Tidbit article).

Congrats also to Ayden Bunting on your Factory Stock win at Flat Rock. It may be his first career feature, I checked the program and didn’t see his name. (If you send me something on your win, I’ll put it in the next Trackside Tidbit article).

**** May 17 ***

Landon Shuster won the Street Stock feature tonight. The former division champion broke the three way tie in the all-time Street Stock feature list for 20th (with Jim Selmi, Randy Cronenwett, Barry Williams) with his 11th win. “This was a brand-new car this year and that was the third time on the track with it. We got to park it last night this one means a lot to me! A lot of hard work went into this ride and a lot of long hours! Thank you, Keely Schuster for always being my support system, my mom Tammy Adams Schuster , my dad for all the hard work. My guys Jerry and David for your help! Thank you Tom Adams for being the best! Special thanks to these partners for the awesome support: A&D Auto Parts, Jl Mechanical, Ua Local 50, Josephs Beverage Center, Sidelines, Reliance Propane, Jeffs Collision, Photos By Kuyoth,

Congrats to Derrick Sheppard for winning Factory Stock 500 Series feature, the first of five races for the Enduro drivers.

Both the Street Stocks and ARCA East series set new track records.

Jonathan Rangel set a new track record for the Street Stocks at 12.960 eclipsing Dan Ford Jr’s record of 12.968 set Sept. 1999, the last year the track was paved. The new ARCA East track record was set by Max Reaves 12.669. He also won the 150-lap feature.

**** May 10 ***

Some things can’t be scripted. Eric Lee took last season off, and returned tonight. The multiple time champion worked his way forward and won tonight’s Outlaw Late Model feature. Eric has the most features of active drivers, with 31 Outlaw Late Model wins, third overall on the Outlaw Late Model win list. It broke I tie he was in with Steve Bunge and Danny Byrd. “It was an emotional day for me that couldn’t have turned out any better. With not racing last year, no testing this year, the new track surface and tires I really had no idea what to expect. We struggled a bit during practice and qualifying but continued to make changes and had the car pretty dialed in by the heat race. I have a great crew and support group behind me, without them none of this would be possible. I want to thank my sponsors, Lee Motorsports, Action Drywall, and McColl Racing Enterprises.”

Billy Earley won the 50-lap Figure 8 race. It was the multiple time champion’s 50th Figure 8 race at Flat Rock moving him out of a tie with Denny Pace for fifth on the all-time win list. ”We gotta find some of

these cars out from behind barns and bring them out here … get more cars. Yeah, it's, we're on a new tire this year, so everybody's kind of learning, and I mean, I think they're slower than what they were, but we'll figure it out. I want to thank my sponsors, Dad and the whole family.”

Ron Allen won the Street Stock feature. It was his 46th Street Stock feature and his 149th ARCA win encompassing all the divisions at both Flat Rock and Toledo (Outlaw Late Model, Late Model Sportsmen, Street Stock divisions). “God, to have a weekend like this. We ran three races, three wins. You know, I owe this to Brian Pelkey. You know, he owns his car. He lets me do whatever I want, whenever we need to be fast. Jamie, Jimmy, all the guys that help on this car, you know, we made an adjustment after qualifying, and it made a big difference. I want to thank all my sponsors, Environmental Metro Detroit, B and D Motorsports, Trend, Free Deal. I mean, they all make it happen. I just get lucky and drive.”

**** May 3 ***

Paul Pelletier won his 28th Outlaw Late Model feature event tying him with Royce Cornett. The multiple time champion also won opening night in 2024. “Yeah, it was a rocket ship. We were just pretty good last year, a little better this year. So, yeah, I mean, we tested a lot, so obviously it shows so that. The new pavement …well, it's still slick. I'm sure by the summer, it’ll come around. But, you know, you just gotta adapt to it and make everything work. There's a lot of work to get speed on the bottom and the top with the way the track is. So, gotta thank all my guys all the time we've been testing down here and getting ready to go.”

Greg Studt won the Street Stock feature. For the multiple time champion, it was his 23rd Street Stock feature putting him in a tie with Tim Moore sixth with 23 wins. “Yeah, it was a roller coaster car. I did have horrible setup on it for the new track and new tires. We qualified by like crap. Had it better in the heat race and got an incident. We had to put the whole right front back together. Only reason we even made the race is because my dad, I was ready to load it up. Luckily, he's more stubborn than I am. He knew where we were starting, that's why he had no doubt. But you know, I would thank Apollo Brooch, Budget Tire, Carl's Furniture, State Farm, AMS Possibilities.

Brice Thompsen won the Figure 8 feature, his fourth career win. “It was nice having a couple intersection shots there with the few cars we had. I feel horrible getting into Jeremy (Vanderhoof). We just, you know, we come up on a lapped car. He kind of got sideways, checked up, and I was just, I had nowhere to go. I was right there on him. I tried to lock it up, but it wasn't enough. I'm totally sorry. You know, it's horrible. I don't want to win that way. He's a great driver, great competitor. He helps me out a lot. Thank you to my sponsors… I can't thank 315 North enough, the money they help me out with to put into this thing, to rebuild this thing over the winter. And it paid off. My father in law, the Rebel, Dennis Whisman Sr for all his hard work. My nephew, Robert Thompson, we're gonna get him out here pretty soon here in Figure eight, too. My beautiful wife Crystal. All you amazing fans. Thank you.”

Congrats to Ryan Smith on his new sponsor. “Growing up watching my uncles race it was a childhood dream to be out on the track. The last four years have been nothing but a dream come true. My uncle Steve (Cronenwett) has been pivotal to the program. This year we welcomed a new sponsor “Rock on Smokers” of Flatrock which I am so very grateful for. We are excited and ready to Race!” See even the reporter can learn something as I didn’t know he was part of the Cronenwett family.

Gary Cronenwett moves up the Outlaw Late Model division this season. So far he might be the only rookie we have in the division. “That was my first race in late model this year, I did run two races for Bob Ward back in 2010 in the famous blue #6. I ran Kalamazoo with this car last year, car was purchase in August 27 24, we started working on it August 29th myself and my brother with the help of my uncle and a couple others built the car in 30 days to race the Super Shoe.on sept 28th (at Kalamazoo Speedway). There are not many that ran all three I know Greg Studt has won a championship in all three and raced full seasons. Also, Paul Pelletier ran a race in figure 8 but not a full season but that makes 2 people that I know of. That is pretty elite company. Just looking to have fun on the new pavement and enjoying the track I grew up watching the best . So now it’s my turn to race with the best.” I’ll have to find my notes. Think it’s a total of five drivers that have raced all three weekly divisions and I’ll put it in the next article.