Despite the massive blackout, Laird International Raceway treated fans to a full card of racing on Thursday night.
Powered by generators, LIR managed to get each division two-heat races and a feature. The features were cut to 10 laps in the stock fours, 15 laps in the pure stocks and factory stocks and 20 laps for the late models. The fast car dashes and factory stock qualifying were also scrapped.
Jason Praysner continued his dominance through the stretch drive of the season by claiming a clean sweep of the factory stock division. The division points leader won both heats and the feature race. Nine points behind the leader heading in, David Slingsby left the track with engine problems in the feature race.
Rob Hiiemaa padded his points total on top of the late model division with a win in the feature race followed by George Wilson and the Michigan Sault's Tim Aho. Rick Ellis and Glen Irwin each won a heat race.
Division leader Ray Golladay won the pure stock feature while Cory Diotte and Norm Miller won the heat races. Scott Syrette won both heats and the feature in the stock four division.
Racing continues on Saturday with a special LIR Summer Extravaganza beginning at 11 a.m. with an antique car show, burnouts, a demolition derby and more. Qualifying begins at 6 p.m. and racing at 7 p.m. Click on the previous Laird Story for more information on the Summer Extravaganza.
(With files from Lucas Punkari)