Toledo Speedway

Congrats to all the 2012 champions. If I have missed anyone, please send me an email at icechips@hotmail.com. I also want to hear from you if it was your best points finish too.

This article is the last three weeks of racing. If I forgot to mention you, please email me or send me a message on Facebook and I’ll put it in my final article, after the Glass City race.

CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT, Sept. 1:

Paul Pelletier won his third championship after winning his sixth race of the season. The win puts him in a tie for 13th on the all time Late Model win list with Mark Johnson. “It was an unbelievable season. I really don’t know what to say... the whole thing is surreal. We had to earn that one... a lot of hard work this year, but it was worth it.” Paul’s sponsors are Fraza Forklifts, Dusty's Collision, Exotic Automation, First Impressions Cement, ABC Plumbing, Berringer Law, Duane's Roadrunner's.

Winning the Street Stock A division championship, his first, is Frank Jiovani. “We started off the 2012 season with high expectations after our first win at the end of 2011. The first few races went well and we maintained top 5 finishes all year, focusing on finishing every race. I want to first thank my dad and family for their support this year ... Long hours in the garage and spending their Saturdays in the stands is not easy. My sponsors kept tires on the car and fuel in it ... JV Auto Repair, Duvall Investigation Group, Gemini Electric, Real Living Reality Kee Group, Howard Racing, www.pizzamaker.com, Moran Motorsports, Senator Steve Bieda, and my awesome bowling fundraiser group! Because all of them I'm able to do what I love. I want to thank ARCA, all of the officials, and everyone at Flat Rock who helps put on the show for our great fans each week. Now I just can't wait for next year!” said the driver who had finished every feature this season.

Congratulation to Clyde McKee who won his fourth Street Stock A division feature of the season.

Winning his first outright Flat Rock Speedway Figure 8 title was Jeremy Miller. He has won the combination Flat Rock/Toledo Figure 8 championship.

And winning the Figure 8s was Danny Gaddis. “They (ARCA) let us take our windsheilds out so we could see without any glare from the lights. It was awesome !! Everybody had to use their best skills just to keep the cars on the track., personally, going for the win and running door to door with Robbie Loving and Jeremy Vanderhoof for many, many laps was some of the most intense laps I've ever run at flat rock. It's a great feeling knowing that you can get alongside them boys and know that it's gonna be good, clean, bumping and grinding, without any "dirty" stuff going down, some guys you just know that they will ALWAYS run clean, under the green.”

Many people were like me, and on that second rain delay, left the track figuring they weren’t going to restart the races. I heard the Figure 8 and A main were really great races. Mike Miller put both the Figure8 and Street Stock feature up on YouTube. For all of us that left here’s the Street Stock feature from Sept. 1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTC-xN6IGH4&feature=share and the Figure 8 feature http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5gHSOXnbYE&feature=share ... Thanks Mike!

CRA NIGHT, Sept. 8:

It was the first time since August 1994, when the Iceman Super Car Series ran at Flat Rock that a template Late Model Series has raced at the track. (if you need it, I’m 99.9% sure that 1994 is the last time a traveling LM series ran at FR)

Winner Scott Hantz: “Think I learned something from my mistake in July (in the Gold Cup Series race at Flat Rock). It was a fun race ... this race track is good for that. I saved my tires the whole race ... I was just riding. Nate stuck his neck out there to pass me. After the spin at the beginning of the race I didn’t think I’d make it all the way back to the front,” said the driver of the Top Speed Fabrication, southpointeradiator.com, McGunegill Engine Performance, Racecar Engineering, FLR Racecars

Johnny VanDoorn, second place: “I’m so confused, we were junk right from the drop of the green. We pitted early to make an adjustment ... we salvaged a good point finish. Congratulation to Scott... we’ve finished 1-2 over the years, that losing to him isn’t so bad.”

Jason Dietsch, third place: “I was just starting to have some fun. I almost thought I had a chance. These are the tracks I grew up on... I had a blast out there.”

Jay Niewiek, fourth place: “I like this track, continuous battle throughout the whole race. It was a small field but really great battle.”

Kenny Tweedy, fifth place: “There was good racing. I got stuck behind a slow car and then made a bonzi move. Wish I would’ve had the car at the beginning of the race that I had at the end of the race.”

Former Street Stock driver, Pat Zorn finished seventh.

Former Flat Rock regular and former Lincoln Welder Truck Series driver Paul Hahn ran his first CRA race. He finished 11th.

Stan Yee Jr. drove Larry Varney’s car, but mechanical problems side lined him. He finished 14th.

Jay Sommers (Gold Cup Late Model) finished 15th, dropping out with suspension problems.

BUS NIGHT, Sept. 15:

The Street Stocks and Figure 8 divisions drew for positions.

Terry Humphrey made his first start of the season and started on the pole. Unfortunately he got caught up in a wreck right at the start and had to pit. He returned to finish 10th.

Rich Abel took over the lead on lap two and I believe these were the first laps he’s ever led in a A division race. He led until the a caution restart on lap seven. He held on to finish fifth which also might be a career best.

The feature came down to a race between Tim Moore and Craig Lange, again. A few weeks ago the pair battled for the win and Tim won the race... this week had the same result, with Lange tying his career best finish. “That wasn’t an easy race. It might’ve looked easy but it wasn’t. Maybe I should race part time ... I missed a few weeks, had car trouble,” said the driver of Northend Scrap Metal, A-lot Sealcoating and Striping, Jay-T Motorsports, Yost Collision and Dow Eengines #83.

Harold Davis Jr. made his first of the season and finished ninth

Darrell Krause let his brother Marvin race his car in the season finale. This year the car was numbered 17 instead of Darrell’s familiar number 13. Darrell told me teasingly that Marvin wouldn’t drive it if it was still number 13... not sure if it was true, but it made an interesting tidbit.

Grant Hedges brought out his original street stock for tonight’s race. He was testing the car for a race at Springport (Mich.) Speedway.

Danny Apperson held off Billy Earley to win his first Figure 8 feature since opening night in 2008. “I want to say one thing .... I’m back! I had a two surgeries and sat out most of the year. I wanted to get in and see if I would be able to drive still. I want to thank C&D Used Cars and A&M Transmissions. Bob Studt built this car for Jeremy Vanderhoof and then dad bought it for us... It’s a great car and everytime I’ve won in it.”

Season ending race and more people in different cars. Ian Jezlo was in the #3 car normally driven by Alan Bland. And Jim Murphy was in his son, Tim’s car. For Jim it’s the first time in 19-years since he’s raced in the Figure8 division, running in drag racing during that time instead.

Thanks to these drivers who sent me a message on their season.

Steve Chartrand sent me this message. “Well bitter sweet, good to see the season come to an end but on the other hand was running good and getting better. It was a great year ... best one I've had since I started racing 15 years ago. I had four top tens (if I could learn to qualify would be more lol) won a few heats and finally finished in the top ten in points for the Street Stock (finished eighth). Another good year in the Figure 8 as well finishing seventh in that ... tough doing double duty every week but had a blast. Have to thank my girlfriend Rachel who is pregnant with our first child and all in the stands supporting every week, my mom and dad, my sister Chris, brother Mike, cousin Tim for all the help also Cal and Peggy for allowing me to drive there figure 8 car and the help with anything we need for either car time to get to work for next year. And also my sponsors PJ's Trucking, Dura Tech Racing Engines”

Grant Hedges sent me this one after championship night. “"We had a solid run tonight, and it’s good to see it takes more than some leftover hurricane rain to slow these Flat Rock race fans down! It was cool hanging out with all of the fans while signing autographs and answering racing questions under the grandstands while it was raining! Track officials did an awesome job getting these races in tonight, and they deserve a lot of credit and recognition for never giving up on the show. They do a great job each and every week for us. It’s been a wild ride for us this year; we’ve been really fast all year but often didn’t get the finished we deserved. I have to thank my dad for his unrivaled hard work all season long; it is truly a privilege to drive a racecar for him. He gives me one of the fastest cars at the racetrack every single weekend, and I’m grateful for that. I also want to thank my beautiful girlfriend for all of her love and support throughout the entire year, as well as my brother and my cousin for all of their hard work this year - they do a great job each and every weekend in the pits for me. Special thanks to all of my family & friends, and all of the Flat Rock Speedway fans for making it all possible this year. Without you guys filling the grandstands, there are no checkered flags to chase. Putting on a good show is what it is all about, and we work hard to deliver that each and every weekend. I hope everybody enjoys the off season! It’ll be show time again before you know it!”

2011 Rookie of the Year in the Street Stocks Landon Schuster had a trying season. “Well the season is over and it was one wild year. I have never had such bad luck in my life and wondered when it would end, we broke parts, got caught up in accidents, hurt motors, pretty much the first weekend of the year we were caught up in two accidents both on the first lap at each track, and that set the tone of the season from there. It was a tough year but I guess everyone has to have those at some point. I'm not sure what we will be running next year or how much. Bill is thinking of taking some time off, and I am getting married so I'm not sure what we will be able to run next year. I appreciate the opportunity from Bill (Meade) and all of the help from my sponsors, this just wasn't our year. Maybe someone will have an open ride for next year that I can jump in, we will just have to see what the winter holds for us.”