The Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club returned to the Owosso Speedway for the first time since the 2006 season on Saturday, May 30th as all M.A.R.F.C. members got into the grandstands for free while it was also Kids Bike Night at the Ovid, Michigan speed plant as kids in attendance were given the chance to take home a brand new bike!
A strong field of Drive Train Specialists Pro Late Models were on hand for their 30-lap feature event as Mark Pettit and Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Jim Hardy were on the front row. For the opening half of the race, Hardy and Pettit would trade the lead back and forth several times as they toured the 3/8s (0.375) mile high-banked paved oval. 2007 Pro Late Models Track Champion, Mark Welch, who won the previous night over at Dixie Motor Speedway, was able to poke his nose in on the battle, and when a caution came out on lap 14, Welch found himself in the lead as Pettit was the cause of the caution, spinning in turn two, and Hardy would have to pull off to replace a flat tire.
Welch wouldn’t look back on the restart but he did have to fend off the advances of Three-Time Track Champion, Tom Hoose who was making his first appearance of the season. Welch was determined though and fended off the fellow Fenton, Michigan veteran and steered his Scooter’s Bar and Grill Chevrolet into victory lane for the second time of the weekend as well as his second Feature win at the Big “O” in 2009, and third Overall Feature Win of the season.
Hoose settled for second while Mark Klein came home third in the lone Dodge in the field. Leo Smith was a solid fourth and new points leader, Ed Young Jr. rounded out the top five. Jason Felver, the last feature winner from two weekends ago, was sixth as Pettit recovered for a seventh place showing ahead of Defending Track Champion, Dave Bigos. Hardy finished ninth and Chris Lupien rounded out the Top 10. Young Jr., in a Template Bodied Ford Fusion complete with a Crate Engine was the fast qualifier for the night with a 16.090 to become the first driver in Owosso Speedway History to win a Fast Qualifier Award with a Crate Engine in a Weekly Division, while Pettit and Welch took the heat race wins.
A very strong field of RacingPartSales.com Pure Stocks were set for their 20-lap feature event. Joyce Derminer and Leroy Whitaker sat on the front row and it would be Whitaker going to the high side and using the momentum up top to lead the opening two laps. Jim Gokee, the king of the Carnage Nationals back on April 18th when he won Three separate events that night, would have something to say though as the Owosso, Michigan veteran slipped past Whitaker to take the lead on Lap Three. Eric Spencer would maneuver his way up to the front and challenge Gokee for second, but it would be to no avail as Gokee in his Kevin’s Body Shop and Towing Chevrolet went on to take his first feature win of the season.
Spencer was able to maintain second with Green River, Wyoming visitor and former Owosso Speedway Pure Stocks competitor from the 2005-2006 seasons, Bill Adkins taking home third over Defending Track Champion and Brother, Kevin Adkins. Current Points Leader and winner of the last Two Features prior to this night, Jimmy Stratton completing the Top Five.
Pat Standley, the winner of the Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club Helmet Bag for his dedication and loyalty to the Owosso Speedway, finished sixth while Derminer was seventh over Cam Hiltz, fresh off his first career feature win in the Bombers division at the Dixie Motor Speedway the night before, and making his Big “O” debut. Whitaker and Steve Good rounded out the Top 10. Stratton was the fast qualifier for the fourth straight time in four nights with a 19.269 while Chris Wood and Gokee brought home heat race wins
The visiting stars of the Auto Value / Bumper to Bumper Michigan Legends Series were on hand for Day II of the Michigan Spring Regionals. Gary Joppich started on the pole, however rookie John Warden would be the one to lead the opening lap, getting past Joppich down the back stretch. Michigan Legends Series Points Leader coming into the weekend, Matt Todd would take control on lap two, but defending Michigan Legends Series Champion Chance Rice, the previous nights winner at the Dixie Motor Speedway, would be right on Todd’s back bumper.These two drivers would be all over each other as the laps dwindled.
Rice tried every move in his arsenal, but it was not to be on this night, as Todd from Canton, Michigan would hang on and steer his Plymouth Airgas Ford into victory lane for his second series Feature Win of the season. Rice had to settle for second while Tyler Rycenga, who finished second at Dixie the previous night, backed that finish up with a solid third place run. Two-time Series Champion, Levi Rouster was fourth and Tony Monge rounded out the Top Five.
Ben Rouster was sixth and was followed by the Mahoney Brothers, Brandon and Cody in seventh and eighth respectively. John Warden maintained ninth and Joppich rounded out the Top 10. The Michigan Legends Series normally do not Qualify and Draw for their Heat Race Starting Positions, which in turn determine the Feature Line-Up. Tony Monge and Levi Rouster took the two heat races. The Auto Value / Bumper to Bumper Michigan Legends Series returns to Owosso Speedway on Saturday, June 27th for the Michigan Summer Regionals Day II.
To complete the night, 15-year-old Joey Rodgers was the one at the head of the field for the 20-lap Fast Track Promotions Sport Stock feature and he would lead the opening lap before his older brother, 17-year-old Tim Rodgers would get by to lead Lap Two. The elder Rodgers Brothers’ lead would be short-lived however as Toledo, Ohio visitor, Jim Hammond took over the top spot on Lap Four.13-year-old Danny Crawford soon found himself on Hammond’s back bumper and after a thrilling side by side battle, Crawford would grab the lead himself at the halfway point of the race. While Crawford and Hammond continued to battle, 16-year-old Marq Eaton, the man to beat all season long, patiently worked his way up to the two leaders from the rear of the field. Eaton passed Hammond on Lap 12 and soon afterwards, the Michigan Center, Michigan teenager pulled up along-side Crawford and the two teens went at it all over the 3/8s mile. Eaton would finally take the lead after an epic battle with Crawford on Lap 17 and not look back and in the end, steered his Heeney’s Garage Dodge into victory lane for the fourth time in four tries! Crawford finished a career high second while Hammond, Shaun Conner, and 2008 Rookie of the Year, J.T. Leach completed the Top Five.15-year-old Harley Smith, the daughter of two-time Pro Late Model Track Champion Jimmy D. Smith, finished sixth in her stock car racing debut while Tim Rodgers, Scott Rodgers, Gary Sanfilippo, and Bill McBride would round out the Top 10. Eaton shattered his own track record for the second week in a row as he toured the Ovid, Michigan speed plant at a 19.737 breaking his previous record, which was a 19.895 while Sanfilippo and Crawford won heat races.
This upcoming Saturday night at the Owosso Speedway is the Owosso Curwood Festival Kids Carnival of Fun Night. Kids who show up dressed in costume will be admitted for free in the general admission side as there will be all sorts of games, prizes, and fun for our younger fans of the Big “O” As for the racing on the track, the Wieland Contracting Modifieds return to action as part of there rotating schedule. Also the Affordable Tire and Service Center Pro Stocks return after a week off. Joining them will be the RacingPartSales.com Pure Stocks, and Fast Track Promotions Sport Stocks.
Every Saturday night, the Pit Gates will open at “High Noon” 12:00p.m., with Rotating Practice beginning at 2:00p.m. The Grandstand Gates Open at 4:00p.m., with Qualifying going at 5:00p.m. Racing is set for 7:00p.m. The Drive Train Specialists Pro Late Models and Wieland Contracting Modifieds will alternate weekends throughout the 2009 racing season as the headlining division during the Weekly Local Racing Series Racing Programs on Saturday nights.
The next event for the Pro Late Models will be on Saturday, June 13th on Ladies Night at the Big “O” The only nights where the Pro Late Models and Modifieds will be in action on the same night will be during the 2009 Season Championships on September 12th and the 14th annual Owosso Fall Nationals Weekend on September 25-27th.
For Ticket Prices and more information, please call: 1 (989) 834-5948, 1 (810) 965-6698, 0r 1 (989) 709-6113.. You can also log onto the website as well by going to: www.owossospeedway.com So come out and watch racings’ Past, Present, and Future Collide.
