Toledo Speedway

Flat Rock, Michigan—June 11, 2011:  Just when you thought the coast was clear—it returns!  As the green flag was about to drop on the first event of the Lakeshore Utility Trailer Kids Night at Flat Rock Speedway, a sudden downpour drenched the crowd and stopped the action.  But, after a 45 minute delay, racing resumed and the entire show was completed.

A good crowd of families and children watched an action-packed night of racing Saturday.  Each child 14 and under was admitted free, and received a free hot dog, chips and a drink, courtesy of Sherwood Foods, the Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group and Seyfert’s Snacks.  The Thunderbird Kart Club staged a pair of exhibition races prior to the start of the racing program.

The ARCA Parts Galore Figure 8 class 20 lap main event saw Billy Earley chalk up his first win of the season.  Just before the start, AJ Padgett’s engine came unglued, oiling down the track and giving a workout for the track crew to get things in shape again.  With an inversion of 11 cars, Earley, who started 8^th, worked his way through the pack, zipped in and out of the intersection mayhem and took the lead on lap 6 from Chris Cox.  Billy was strong out front as he motored away to the win.  Greg Studt and Jeremy Vanderhoof, starting 10^th and 11^th, respectively, moved by Cox on the final lap to take second and third.  Cox, in his first race of the year, was impressive with a 4^th place run, while Dennis Whisman was fifth.  Anthony Terris, Scott Apperson, Tim Murphy, Randy Roberts and Sam Hall completed the top ten finishers in the 17 car field.  Whisman and Jim Rae took the heat race wins, with Vanderhoof posting the quick time in qualifying on the Figure 8 track at 20:422.

The Michigan Legends Car Series visited Flat Rock Saturday night and arrived with a 20 car field.  Their 30 lap feature was highlighted by a 6 car train in the front of the pack, led by Ben Rouster.  Ben’s brother, Levi, dove to the low lane and briefly took the lead, but a yellow flag reset the field, putting Ben back in command.  On the restart, Ben had pressure again from Levi, but on the final lap, Levi’s car encountered mechanical problems and spun, ending his night and the bid for victory.  Ben Rouster held on as he topped John Turnbull Jr. for the win.  Tony Monge, Dustin Sword, Loren Short, Rick Kilbourn, Guy Fire, Matt Barton, Chris Bither and Gary Joppich were next in line at the finish.  Tyler Rycenga, Turnbull Jr. and Levi Rouster took the heat race wins.

Scott Selmi, using the high groove, motored by race leader Landon Schuster on lap 13 to score his second win in a row in the 25 lap ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock A Main feature.  A nasty-looking crash stopped the race on lap 17 when rookie Steve Theobald and Rob Moore tagged the front stretch wall as a pack of cars bounced off each other while lapping a car and going 3 wide to do so.  A lengthy cleanup ensued, but Selmi stayed in charge to grab the victory over Schuster, Tim Moore, Josh Bunting, Frank Jiovani, Chad Guinn, Scot Bunge, Jarod MacZink, Dave Tanner and Kevin Stepinski. 

Anthony Camilli led every lap and held off the challenge of Rich Abel to win the 15 lap B Main event.  Third was Mark Lavoie, fourth was Jim Rae and fifth went to Jeff Luttermoser, followed by Aaron Greathouse, Tony Camilli, Steve Searles, Jimmy Little and Don Roberts.  Heat race winners were Selmi, Kyle Worley, Grant Hedges, Rae and Abel.  Hedge’s checkered flag was the first of his career at Flat Rock.  Rich Frantz set the Fastime Racing Engines and Parts quick time at 13:378 for the 36 car field, but encountered mechanical woes in the feature.  Billy Cronce paced the B field at 14:380, and he, too, dropped out of his feature, via a flat tire.

It was all Brad Turner in the 20 lap ARCA Jeff’s Collision 4 Cylinder main event as he zipped into the lead on the green to take the victory over David Price, Jeff Wells, Katie Coseo, Billy Cronce III and Scott Marshall.  Price won the heat race and Turner posted fast time at 14:847.

The Parts Galore School Bus Figure 8 race is here!  Saturday, June 18 is the date at Flat Rock Speedway for the wildly-popular event.  The Parts Galore Figure 8 division will also be in action with a 50 lap feature, with the Jeff’s Collision 4 Cylinders and a Figure 8 Train race also scheduled for the night of great fun and entertainment.  Reserved seat tickets are now on sale by calling the track at 734-782-2480.  All chairback seats are reserved for this event and are $16 each. 

All general admission tickets and kids tickets go on sale race day at 4:30 p.m.  The pit area opens at 4, the front gates will open at 4:30 and practice will also begin at that time.  Time trials are set for 6 p.m. and racing begins at 7 p.m.  Log onto www.flatrockspeedway.com for further information.