Track Championships all but wrapped-up with 4 weeks remaining at KinrossWith the 2003 season down to 4 weeks of racing action at the Kinross Speedway, the road to the track championships are the tightest they’ve been in quite some time.
As Ryan Newman was preparing for an eventual NASCAR Winston Cup victory, the local drivers made their way Kinross on Auto Value Parts Store of Soo, Michigan night at the track.
All divisions saw a select number of absentees due to numerous reasons, but the fans saw 4 exciting features once again.Mike Porcaro (15) would set fast time in the Pure Stock Division with a fast lap of 17.00 seconds. The Soo, Michigan driver continued his strong 2nd half of the season and would later search for his 1st feature win of the season.Larry Young Jr. (25) out-dueled his father for the Four Car Dash win while Richard Huyck (27) continued his streak by taking home his 7th Australian Pursuit victory of the season. Rollin’ Randy Miller (73) won heat race #1 while Ray Golladay (22) took the checkered flag in heat #2.
Huyck and Miller brought the field down to the green flag for what would turn out to be a caution-free affair for the 2nd straight week. Miller, who is in his rookie season at Kinross looked good through the first 5 laps of the race as he would lead the pack with Ben Huyck (28) right on his back bumper. By the ½ way mark Ray Golladay had moved up to 3rd and Larry Young Sr. (26) was up to 4th looking to grab his 2nd straight feature win.The top 5 cars would remain unchanged as the white flag flew and Miller was just 4 turns away from a very hard-fought feature win
Coming out of turn 4 B. Huyck would make Miller’s effort go for not making the pass and onto the victory.Golladay, Young Sr., Ray Golladay Jr. (20) and Barry Glenn (55) would round out your top 5. Miller would relinquish his 2nd position following the race after failing to report directly to tech … a rookie mistake but he deserves honourable mention on a great run!
The Factory Stock Division would see Jason Praysner (5) absent on this night so the top spot in the standings was up for grabs and that would guarantee a new division leader following the nights racing events. Pee Wee Fountain (50) was fast qualifier with a time of 15.700. A mere 18 hundredths of a second separated your top 5 cars in qualifying. Cecil Piche (88) won the Four car dash before Trout Lake, Michigan’s Jerry Ball (8) was victorious in the 10-lap heat race.
Paul Fox (36) and Rob Ritrivato (18) set the pace on the field as they were brought down to the start of their final race of the night. Fox would lead the pack in his Little Caesars sponsored car on lap 1 before Josh Ware (7) would take his 4th starting position to the front of the field. Ware, who was in the midst of his strongest performance of the season, would continue to be your leader before falling back to 2nd on lap #9. Fountain would be your new leader.
Ware, Ball and Fox would be nose-to-tail for 2nd through 4th for the final 11 laps while Fountain would roll on to his first feature win of the season. Piche would finish 5th behind the wheel of Larry Young’s regular ride after the “Pink Panther” would have hard-luck and experience car problems once again.
The Super Late Model division would see one car break into the 13-second bracket when Dave Vansloten (33) qualified with a time of 13.770 seconds.The next 5 cars would be separated by a mere 24 hundredths of a second.2003 Super Late Model Rookie Todd Jackson (21), would grab the early bragging rights of the night after taking the win in the four-car dash. Jackson, is no newcomer to the racing scene as the Kinross native has previously driven a factory stock, sportsmen and open-wheel modified cars.Tim Aho (27) grabbed the heat race honours.
When the field would be set to start their main event Dennis Aho (75) and T. Aho would make up your front row Tim would get around his father on the first lap and out to the early lead. It would take until lap 9 before Vansloten would be able to make it to the 2nd position after starting at the rear of the field. That put your top 2 cars in the points standings sitting 1st and 2nd battling it out for the win.
Vansloten would try to work the high-side of the speedway for the next 7 laps before contact would be made on lap 17. That would see Vansloten tag the rear of the field and have to start all over. Onaway, Michigan’s Curtis Anderson (51) would then inherit the 2nd place position. T. Aho would be able to hold of the late charges and go on to the feature win.Anderson and Vansloten made up your top 3 positions.
As the season continues to progress the 4-Cylinder division is becoming as unpredictable as ever. Night #9 would see John Clawson (35) pacing the field in the fastest time with a single-lap of 18.360. Eric Sherlund (79) would grab the four car dash win while John Mayer (9) won the heat.
Dan Sherlund (71) and Chris Brady (17) occupied row 1 for the 20-lap feature event.Brady was able to power his Mustang to the lead and hold onto that position for the first 2 trips around the Speedway before Mayer took the lead from his 6th starting position. It wouldn’t take long before the likes of Jared Nightlinger (48) and Clawson were amongst the top 3 cars and looking for the feature win.
Mayer would forego the continued charges of those two drivers but not before Clawson would overtake Nightlinger for 2nd place. That would mark Mayer’s 4th feature win of the season. Thompson and Sherlund made up the top 5 cars.
The fun and excitement of the Kinross Speedway continues this coming Saturday, August 23rd with a full 4-in-1 show along with an Intermission “Driver’s Get Ready Race!” Also the Speedway will be offering Canadian Money at Par for Grandstand Admission (with valid ID) and the Factory Stock
Feature is sponsored by Soo Collision.Qualifying is at 4:30 p.m. with racing to follow at 6:00 p.m.
The 1st Annual Randy Dewitt Memorial is just around the corner.Complete details can be found online at www.kinrossspeedway.com!!
For yet another week we thank each and everyone of you and hope to see you back at the track “Where action is the attraction” ….. the Kinross Speedway!!