With strong winds and a forecast for storms in the area, Kinross Speedpark hosted its Mid-Season Championships Friday night. Trophies were awarded to the top three drivers in each feature who have raced at in at least half of the season’s races. The spectators were treated to some of the best racing of the year. There was wild action and many first time winners. Mother nature would put on a nice light show in the distance as the sky was lit up with lightning for the during majority of the main events.
Ron Grubaugh made his first appearance of the year in his Modified and took the checkered in the Four Car Dash. Jordan Pruitt ran very well in the heat race and finished in first with a comfortable lead. Pruitt continued to run well taking the lead early in the Modified Feature. He pushed his way to the front with Jay Palumbo running second. George Wilson worked his way through traffic and got in the third position. The field was bunched up after a yellow for debris on the track when the air cleaner assembly flew off of the Dennis Ulhman car. Wilson was all over the Pruitt car after the restart vying for the first position. Wilson ducked inside on the front stretch to take the lead. In one of the craziest last laps in some time, the Pruitt and Palumbo cars hooked nose to tail and ran almost a full lap stuck together. They crossed the finish line safely only to finally come apart and spin in turn one after the checkered. Trophies were awarded to Wilson in first, Tyler Parsons second, and Jay Palumbo third.
The Pure Stock class had great racing with the Four Car Dash going three wide on the last lap. John Clawson took the lead and the win. John Clancy passed everyone in front of him and took the win in the Pure Stock Australian Pursuit. There was a first lap spin in the heat race with everyone but the leader involved in some capacity. Ray Golladay Jr. and John Clawson ran door to door in the closing laps with Golladay nosing out a victory. Golladay Jr. and Clawson hooked up again in the feature and put on another great show. Clawson was able to move to the inside and take the lead for good late in the race. Trophy winners were Clawson in first, Golladay Jr. second, and Ray Golladay Sr. third.
Paul Fox led all four laps to take the win in the Factory Stock Four Car Dash. Randy Miller stayed in front of everyone in the Pursuit race and took the checkered flag. The field stayed close for many laps in the heat race with some of the best racing of the night. Dean Eggart held off a hard charging Todd Jackson to take the win. The Factory Stock Feature had a tight first lap with the excitement starting on lap two. Mike Fox got loose in turn two causing a multi-car spin and a yellow. Jackson rocketed to the lead on the restart and pulled away with heavy traffic back in the pack. Dean Eggart dropped off the backstretch spinning and bringing out another caution. Cecil Piche went inside on the restart and made a charge for the lead. Jackson and Piche battled until the cars eventually got together in turn three. Jackson got sent to the back with only a few laps to go. The race was restarted and the fans were treated to the Todd Jackson show. Jackson moved through the field and caught the leaders with one lap to go. He made a last lap pass for the lead and the win. Jackson claimed the first place trophy with Paul Fox second, and Mark Beaudoin third.
The Late Model Dash winner was Josh Ware. Ware continued his winning ways with another win in the heat race. The feature race had Mick Pieri and John Clawson run side by side at the start of the race. Josh Ware made a bold move diving to the inside going into turn three to take the lead. Ware and Jerry Artuso pulled away from the field only to see their lead disappear when Pieri looped it in turn two. On the restart, Ware held on to the lead. George Wilson brought out one more yellow when he got into the back of the Artuso car in turn one. The drivers raced to the finish with Ware finishing winning the first place trophy. It was Artuso taking home the second place trophy and John Clawson received the trophy for third.
The 4 Cylinder class saw some seasoned veterans behind the wheel of several cars. Sam Bohling, Dennis Aho, and Barry Glenn all made appearances in this class. Bohling took the win in the Four Car Dash. Chelsea Pace ran a great race and took the win in the Australian Pursuit. Heat race winners were Erica Pietrangelo and Sam Bohling. The feature race had a three wide first lap. Barry Glenn led early with Ron Etcher leading shortly thereafter. Etcher ran strong at the front and survived several restarts holding on to the lead. The first place trophy was awarded to Etcher, second to Don Dangler, and third to Erica Pietrangelo. Up coming events. July 17th at Kinross brings a Lock City Home Center sponsored special event for the Pure Stocks. It will also see the Bob Ford Memorial special for the Late Models and Modifieds. Both classes will see an added $300 to win, $250 for second and $150 for third. It will be regular Friday pay for the rest of the field. The Norway Speedway will be racing on Thursday so the Kinross Speedpark should see a strong field of late models and stock cars. On July 24th the 2nd Annual Anne Wilson Memorial Modified invitational will take place. Modified drivers will battle it out for $2000 to win and $175 to start the 53 lap main event. Drivers from as far as Ft. Wayne Indiana have contacted Kinross Speedpark voicing their intensions to come and compete in this race along with many of the top drivers from Canada and northern Michigan. This will be an event that you will not want to miss. Also in action that night will be the Super Late Models, Factory Stocks, Pure Stocks and All Star Graffix 4 Cylinders.
