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Mt. Pleasant Speedway, May 8, 2009 Results

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. - Blue skies and sunshine graced the Mt. Pleasant Speedway on Friday, May 8 as the track staff looked to get the opening night of the 2009 racing season started following last Friday's rain postponement.

Over 65 cars showed up for the first night of racing action for the Pete's Auto Body Best Looking Car and Robert "Bob" Whitman Memorial $750 in the Chuck's Discount Foods UMP Modified class.

Trying something new this season the Mt. Pleasant Speedway the track has dropped qualifying in favor of drawing for starting positions.

The first race of the night was a Miller Lite UMP Late Model heat race which saw Sheridan's No. 14 Scott Haney pick up the first checkered flag of the 2009 season over St. John's' No. 0x Zack Olger. In the second Miller Lite UMP Late Model heat race, two-time defending Mt. Pleasant Speedway track champion, No. X1 Justin Robinson of Shepherd started his season off with a victory over the Blanchard team of No. 85 Mark Andersen and No. 6R Carl Ries. In the final Miller Lite UMP Late Model heat, Mt. Pleasant's No. 18 Alvie Haynes grabbed the victory, coming in ahead of Ovid's No. 52x Brad Harden.

The first Chuck's Discount Foods UMP Modified heat race saw an eight car field take the green flag. When the dust settled getting the win was Mt. Pleasant's No. 81 Lawrence Sprague Jr. over Mt. Pleasant's No. 43 Kevin Miller. In the second Chuck's Discount Foods UMP Modified heat race, Lowell's No. 43A Mark Anderson grabbed a victory over Muskegon's No. 8 Troy Marciniak. In the last Chuck's Discount Foods UMP Modified heat races, the No. 82 Todd Sherman, of Albion, Ind., made his long haul pay off by getting a heat victory. Sherman held off the charge of Mt. Pleasant's Rich Robinson, Jr.

The lone Smokers Club Street Stock heat race saw No. 02 Will Stanley of Lake defeat the No. 11 Josh Loomis of Weidman for the win.

A small field in the four cylinder classes was on hand, but that didn't stop the exciting racing in the two classes. Up first was the NAPA Modified Mini /Stock heat race where No. 21 Derick Neitling of St. Charles held off No. 29 Jeff Fowler.

In the Mt. Pleasant and Clare Automotive Stock Mini heat race, No. 53 Shane Aescheliman notched his first career victory by crossing the finish line ahead of No.44 Greg Lammerand of Farwell.

With the heat races out of the way, it was time for the main events in all five classes. Up first was the Robert "Bob" Whitman Memorial $750 for the Chuck's Discount Foods UMP Modified class. Making his modified debut, 15-year-old Cody Bauer of Farwell wasted no time in leading the first hand full of laps in the 22-car fied. Later in the race, the No. 21 Steve Hilliker of Midland would be the first car out after a hard hit into the wall.  Hilliker was OK, but the No. 21 was done for the night. On lap six Bauer found himself getting a little loose and ending in a spin that would collect several cars, although most would be able to return. The caution flag for the Bauer accident would send the rookie modified driver to the rear of the field and give the lead to Marciniak. Marciniak used the high side in his efforts to try and hold off the advances of Sherman, with No. 42 Craig Vance of Midland in hot pursuit. As the race progressed Marciniak would build about a 10 to 12 car length lead over Sherman. With three laps to go the running order had Marciniak out front, followed by Sherman, Robinson Jr., Sprague Jr., and Vance in the top five. Then with two laps remaining Robinson Jr. went high to get around Sherman for second, but didn't have enough time left to try and run down Marciniak. As the checkered flag flew, Marciniak got his first Mt. Pleasant Speedway feature win.  Making a strong run in his modified debut was the No. 13 Andy Galgoci of Mt. Pleasant. Despite early troubles, the 16-year-old Galgoci stayed the course and brought home his Galgoci Oil sponsored modified in a highly admirable sixth place finish.

The top five in the Chuck's Discount Foods UMP Modified feature was: 1st No. 8 Troy Marciniak, 2cnd No. 15 Rich Robinson Jr., 3rd No. 82 Todd Sherman, 4th No. 42 Craig Vanceand 7 5th No. 711 Chris Wiggins of Shepherd.

"The track was awesome," Marciniak said after his feature wn. "It was fast and I'll definitley be back."

While Marciniak was happy with his win, Robinson Jr. would have liked a few more laps.

"My car was really good and getting better, at the end," Robinson Jr., a four-time Mt. Pleasant Speedway modified track champion said. "I wish we had about five more laps left."

In the NAPA Modified Mini Stock feature event, the race was dominated by Neitling, who lead wire to wire. The top five in the feature was: 1st No. 21 Derick Neitling, 2cnd No. 29F Jeff Fowler, 3rd No. 0D Steve Detwiler, 4th No. 25 Cindy Malcolm and 5th No. 68 Trever Fedewa.

A short six-lap Mt. Pleasant and Clare Automotive Stock Mini feature rolled out next and in the end Lammerand grabbed his first career feature victory, holding off Aescheliman and Baltierrez in a three-car field.

The big boys were out next with the Miller Lite UMP Late Model feature as 21 cars took the green flag. On the green flag, Andersen took the lead, but on lap four the new race leader would be Harden as Andersen went to the rear after a caution flag for contact with the No. 27 Eric Spangler. As the race continued Harden would find Olger using the high side trying to get to the front. Being unable to get around Harden, Olger would settle for second place as Harden got the opening night Late Model feature win over Olger and No. 91 Adam Thrush of Farwell, who had one of his best-ever nights in the Late Model class.

The top five in the Miller Lite UMP Late Model feature was: 1st No. 52x Brad Harden, 2cnd No. 0X Zack Olger, 3rd No. 91 Adam Thrush, 4th No. 6R Carl Ries and 5th No. 18 Alvie Haynes.

Closing out the night was the Smokers Club Street Stock feature which would be a three car battle between Loomis, Stanley, and rookie Street Stock driver No.87 David Mielke of Gladwin. Loomis had the early lead, but in the end Mielke, who started in row three, would get to the front and pull away for his first career Mt. Pleasant Speedway Street Stock feature win.

The top five in the Smokers Club Street Stock feature was: 1st No. 87 David Mielke, 2cnd No. 11 Josh Loomis, 3rd No. 02 Will Stanley, 4th No. 91 (Driver not known) and 5th No. 12 Jeff Fussman.

Winning the Pete's Auto Body "Best Looking Car" awards were Miller Lite UMP Late Model No. 24 Joe Pomeroy, Chuck's Discount Foods UMP Modified No. 15 Rich Robinson Jr., Smokers Club Street Stock No. 12 Jeff Fussman, NAPA Modified Mini Stock No. 25 Cindy Malcolm, and Mt. Pleasant and Clare Automotive Stock Mini No. 711 "Taco" Bob Baltierrez.

Next Friday, May 15 at the Mt. Pleasant Speedway it is a "Little B's Bonus Night" presented by Chuck's Discount Foods and Discount Variety. There will be a full show with $1,200 to win in the Miller Lite UMP Late Model class plus a bonus to win in all the other classes.  Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing at 7:45.