Flat Rock, MI: (7-26-08)-- For those who follow
Flat Rock Speedway’s Late Model class, everyone knows just how competitive it
is. And for those that witnessed
Saturday night’s Moran Chevrolet/Stan Yee Memorial 150, Justin Schroeder’s win
might be an upset of sorts. But the Canton,
MI youngster, who has improved all season,
made his first-ever win very, very special with the victory and a $2866 payday
in the track’s longest race of the season. Ann Yee, Stan Sr.’s widow, made the “Gold
Buddha” trophy presentation to Justin in the Greater Detroit Auto Auction
Winner’s Circle.
The day started out just like many of the Saturdays at Flat
Rock this year—rain! A 20 minute shower
at 2:55 p.m. pushed everything back
one-half hour for the night. This was
the third attempt at completing the biggest race of the year at the track, as
rain washed out the race June 21 and June 28.
All told, a total of 102 cars jammed the pit area and entertained the
large crowd. Greater Detroit Auto
Auction sponsored the evening and put on a nickel/penny grab for the kids prior
to the start of the race card.
With 29 ARCA Moran Chevrolet/Miller Lite Late Models on
hand, Dan Ford Jr. jumped behind the wheel of Steve Lee’s back-up car and set
fast time at 11:609. In honor of Stan
Yee, his family and friends put up $333 for fast time. A 15 lap last-chance race took the top five
to the 150 lap contest. Jared Allison,
who commutes all the way from Cocoa, FL
to run with Harold Fair Jr. as his teammate, captured the race and moved on to
the feature. Jeremy Vanderhoof, Ed Hage,
Roger Blackstock and Steve Bunge also advanced.
The 150 took 3 starts to get going, but once it did, the
entire distance took only 50 minutes to complete. On the second try, a bunch of cars checked
up, sending Allison and Rob Randa into the backstretch wall, and the red flag
came with it. Eric Lee, Randy Cronenwett
Jr., Dick Barker and Dennis Strickland all received damage but were able to
make the call for the re-start.
Scott Giroux powered his way to the lead on the green and
stayed out front for 29 laps. Lee showed
no signs of problems as he picked his way from 6th spot to take the
point on lap 30. Schroeder began to work
his way through the field, as did Paul Pelletier, who showed great patience in
heavy lapped traffic. Lee led lap 33
which paid another $333 bonus and looked very strong, but things got
interesting just past the half-way mark.
A long stretch of green allowed Eric to put a lap on several cars, but
Justin continued to move forward. A lap
71 yellow, one of just 3, allowed Schroeder to close in on the leader and zip
by on the inside lane on lap 80.
Pelletier kept moving forward as did Ricky Kargel and Strickland as the
trio began making up ground as the laps wound down. Giroux and Strickland made contact, bringing
out a lap 90 yellow, sending them to the tail and setting the stage for the
finish. Schroeder, however, seemed to
pick up speed as the race continued on, grabbing the lap 133 $333 bonus
money. With 5 laps to go, Pelletier,
running 2nd, slowed with a fuel pick-up problem, pitted and
re-entered the race 2 laps down.
Schroeder’s smooth driving style in and out of traffic was the right
formula as he sailed to his popular win over Kargel and Strickland, the only 2
other cars on the lead lap. Ron Allen
was fourth and Chris Benson fifth, with Randy Cronenwett Jr. collecting his
best-ever finish with a strong 6th place showing. Giroux, Barker, Rick Knowles and Steve
Cronenwett Jr. completed the top ten.
Greg Studt, who ran in the top ten much of the race in the
150 and finished 11th, ended his night in fine fashion with the win
in the 20 lap ARCA Speedway Bar and Grille Figure 8 contest. Dan Apperson took the lead at the green but
spun with Jeremy Miller on lap 2, giving Greg the lead. He had plenty of company as Billy Earley
dogged him the remaining distance.
Earley swung high, swung low, used a little of the edge of the track in
his effort to get by Studt as the duo put on a great battle for the win. At the stripe, Greg nosed out Billy by a car
length for his first Figure 8 win of 2008.
Dennis Whisman was third, Robbie Loving fourth and Jerry Lee fifth,
followed by Miller, Jeremy Vanderhoof, Dan Apperson, Anthony Terris and Sam
Hall. Fast time honors went to Whisman
at 20:708.
A total of 57 ARCA Greater Detroit
Auto Auction Street Stocks were on hand Saturday, the largest total of the
season as they prepare for their 100 lap contest next week. Tim Moore topped the 24 car A Main field to
win the 25 lap feature race. Tim led
every lap on his way to the win. David
Kind applied early race pressure until Regan Ford made a charge to the front
with 5 to go. Moore
hung on to win over Ford, Kind (with a great run), Dan Ford Jr., Derek Wiley,
Randy DeMaggio, Jason Shinn, Chris Hebert, Arnold Kirsch and Billy Earley. Jim Rae nipped Chris Burkhart by inches to
win the 15 lap B Main contest. Bob
Swanson was third, Lonnie York fourth and Larry Smouthers fifth, followed by
Rick Grzych, Dave Stadniczuck, Rick Abel, Al Hasenfratz and Ed Hindall. Second generation driver Harold Davis Jr. nipped
Mike Hans to win the 10 lap C Main. Jerry
Farmer, Dan Schuchardt, Troy Brehmer, Chris Fitzpatrick, James Pankow, Rayce
Metdepenningen and Jim Stocker were next in line at the finish. Regan Ford set fast time at 13:282 for the A
Main cars, while Tom Freeman Jr. topped the B Main at 13:809, with Schuchardt
pacing the C Main at 14:234.
The Street Stocks will battle in their biggest race of 2008
at Flat Rock Speedway next Saturday, August 2.
The rescheduled Christmas in July prize giveaway will also take place,
with Santa Claus handing out the gifts!
A 100 lap A Main, 40 lap B Main and 25 lap C Main will be contested, as
well as a complete Figure 8 show and a Figure 8 Train race—2 cars chained
together with the front car with the engine, the back car with the brakes! Race time is 7
p.m.
Sunday, August 3 is the date for the Mt. Dew 250 lap Enduro
race and an ARCA David’s Jewely 4 Cylinder contest. Sunday’s race time is 1 p.m.
