Toledo Speedway

I have one more column, the champions. If you haven't sent me something on your season, send me something next week to the email at the end of the article.

Augie Grill won the 23rd annual Glass City 200 sponsored by Great Lakes Helicopters Saturday night at Toledo Speedway. He led 175 laps enroute to the victory and a total of $7,850 ($5,500 for the win, $1,750 lap money, $200 halfway and $400 from Francis Engineering). The phrase “on rails” comes to mind for his dominating run. What makes it all the more amazing is he had never raced at Toledo before (although he said it reminded him of Five Flag Speedway in Pensacola, Fla.), let alone run an outlaw late model (he normally drives a template bodied Late Model).

As far as I can determine, Grill is the first driver from south of the Mason Dixon line to win the Glass City. The Birmingham, Ala., came the farthest to race, about 690 miles (Brad Rogers came from Mooresville, N.C., about a 600 mile distance). Grill was driving Jerry Artuso’s car, which came from Sault Ste Marie, Canada, the car that travel the farthest (about 380 miles), a combined miles of just over 1000. (A side note, three of the cars in the field had owners from Sault Ste Marie, Onrario... Dakota Carlson and Mike Luberta were the other two).

“The 61 (Johnny VanDoorn) might had had something ... it was getting interesting. I really hated that he blew up ...  it was a good race for a while. This is a fun race. Car owner Jerry Artuso asked me to help him straighten out the car for him. Think we got it straightened out. I was running as hard as I wanted to at the time. I got out there a bit and run as hard as I wanted to. Think it would’ve been interesting,” said the driver from Birmingham, Ala., who is sponsored by Algoma Industries, Penske Shocks, Grand American Race Cars. When asked if he had more left after VanDoorn passed him he said, “I was just running as fast as I wanted to at the time and thought if he wanted to run harder I’d let him.”

Grill recently was crowned the 2011 Blizzard Champion at Five Flag Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., in a template bodied late model (which is pretty much what they run down south).

As a driver, Jerry Artuso finished seventh in the Glass City 200 in 2007.

Grill’s car had an apparent oil leak as his spoiler was covered with oil at the end of the race as was the nose of second place finisher, Dennis Strickland.

There have been 23 Glass City races, most of them have been won by drivers from Michigan. Winners from other states are: Ohio 3, and one each from Pennsylvania, Alabama and one winner came from Ontario.

Dennis Strickland’s weekend didn’t start the best. The bracket on his spoiler came loose during Friday’s hot laps and it caused the car to spin and hit the inside blocks. The damage wasn’t too bad and he had the sheet metal and spoiler repaired by the time the teams took the track for Saturday’s hot laps. He must’ve got his bad luck out of the way, because the Carleton, Mich., driver spent nearly all the race in the top 3, finishing a career high second. “We didn’t win, but there’s no tears. It would’ve been nice to win ... We ran in the front the whole race and ran good ... maybe next year. It’s my career best finish in the Glass City, my previous best was fourth (in 2004), said the driver of the the Strategy One Computers, MichWiFi.net, Victory Christian Fellowship, Trenton Forging #90.

Johnny Belott returned to racing Late Models after a two year layoff. “I’m really proud of the team .... just to get back to Toledo. I’ve had a lot of thirds. I dropped back at the beginning (back to eighth after starting fourth) and drove around. I want to thank my wife for letting me come back and drive again,” said the driver of the John Belott and Son Auto Purchasing, Al Dourdeau Insurance, Perfect Circle Race Cars.

The top three drivers all drove cars from a different manufacturer. Augie Grill in his own company, Great American Race Cars (a dominating win, great advertising for your company), Dennis Strickland’s car was a Port City Racing and Johnny Belott’s car was a Perfect Circle Racing.

Chad Guinn finished fourth, another driver with a career finish in the Glass City. “That’s my best Late Model finish at Toledo. We kept the car in one piece. It was really good in the second half. I want to thank Lee Bailey. This is a new race car. Thanks. I got together with Johnny Bellot, but it’s all good,” said the driver of the P.B. Fabrication, Bailey Racing, Acme Dismantling, RE Suspension, Automotive Specialists.

Dakota Carlson’s race nearly ended before the he even got a lap in. The Cedar Springs, Mich., driver was involved in a 12-car accident when sixth place starter, Brad Rogers, spun in front of the field. “That’s two years in a row I was involved in a wreck at the beginning of the race. The handling was messed up and we fixed it as much as we could, so I’m pretty happy with the finish. The car was way too loose ... tried to hang on,” said the driver of the by Universal Graphic Solutions (UGS), LeClair Fuels #8. Dakota was the last car on the lead lap.

Jack Varney Jr. finished sixth, a career high. He moved up 12 positions.

Stevie Cronenwett finished seventh, also a career best finish ... his previous best finish was ninth. Cronenwett made it into the main event with a provisional. He moved up 20 positions, earning him the $250 Burge Wrecking Most Improved Driver award.

Ricky Kargel finished eighth in his first Late Model Toledo start.

Barry Hartwell, also in his race at Toledo, started on the pole for the 200-lap event. He ran in the top three until he tangled with Brent Jack on lap 20. He finished ninth, the final car running. He would’ve finished eighth but had to make a pit stop with three laps remaining in the first half.

The race had an inauspicious start for 12 or so drivers. Brad Rogers, who started sixth, spun in front of the 31-car field entering turn two, causing a tangle of cars. Defending race winner, Harold Fair Jr., Nick Grodi, Dakota Carlson, Steve Sauve, George Rangel, Don St. Denis, Marcus Malcuit, Justin May, Howard Kelley Jr., Johnny VanDoorn were among the casualties. A red flag was thrown and everyone was able to pit and return with the exception of Malcuit and Kelley Jr. Kelly Jr. was the final car to make it through the B main, and just prior to the start of the 200-lap Glass City feature, had won the 40-lap Sportsman feature. Malcuit was in his first Toledo race and is the son of Mark Malcuit who raced at the track in the 1980s and 1990s.

Scott Hantz was one of the provisional drivers, he was at Lucas Oil Raceway (Indianapolis) qualifying for the CRA race (which he is the points leader) and didn’t arrive until just before the start of the 200. His run was short lived, completing only 17 laps, dropping out with a broken trailing arm mount (from team radio).

Provisionals went to ... From the Gold Cup, Hantz, Stevie Cronenwett, Joe Hawes and Rick Sheppard; from Flat Rock, Ricky Kargel.

Three time Glass City winner, Steve Sauve, won the B main to transfer to the feature. George Rangel, Derek Wiley, Marcus Malcuit, Justin May and Howard Kelley Jr. also transferred. Terry Bogusz (the only crate engine late model at the track), Steve Peters, Tom O’Leary IV, Scot Bunge, Trevor McCoy, Craig Everage and Todd Perkins were unable to transfer.

In the 200-lap lineup, 2011 Toledo Sportsman Champion, Ron Allen missed the first wreck, but later found himself crashed on the turn four wall. He also did double duty, running the Sportsman race and finishing third. Allen’s late model was the only V-6 in the field.

Returning after a five years absence was Don St. Denis. He finished 17th.

I can be reached at icechips@hotmail.com or on Facebook. I’d love to hear from the Toledo drivers, because I don’t get down there much. And looks like won’t make Flat Rock this week because of the heat wave, so send me you tidbits.