Toledo Speedway

(Flat Rock, Michigan - September 7, 2013) -   A great battle for the win in Saturday night’s Flat Rock Speedway 250 lap Enduro race went to the wire, with Rick McColl edging Rayce Metdpenningen for the victory and the $1000 first place prize.  David Katafiasz took the ARCA 4 Cylinder championship, with the feature win going to Arnold Kirsch.  Eric Hoffman notched the MCR Dwarf Car win and the duo of Howard Kelley Jr./Tom O’Leary III grabbed the Figure 8 train race.  A steady rain backed up the start of the race card by nearly 1 hour.

For the first time in the history of the Enduro Series, the drivers took practice laps and qualified.  Rick McColl set fast time and rolled an 8 for the inversion.  Early leader Jeff Metdepenningen gave way to McColl in the early stages, while Rayce Metdepenningen, Jeff’s son, took up the battle for the lead with McColl.  The duo would swap the lead back and forth several times after the half-way point, setting up the finish.  Rick was able to stay out front to take the win, with Rayce second, Bobby Hugo third, Jeff Metdepenningen fourth and Troy Brehmer fifth, followed by Dave Bennett, Derrick Sheppard, Danny Bennett, Jeff Braun and Arnold Kirsch.

30 cars started the contest.  A lap 56 red flag stopped action when Glenn Cunningham apparently had the throttle stick in his car, sending him head-on into the turn 1 wall. 

Toledo resident David Katafiasz had a tough night, but had enough of a cushion to still win his first-ever ARCA 4 Cylinder title, which combined the points for the class between both Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways.  In the 20 lap championship race, Arnold Kirsch nosed by David Price with 5 laps to go to take the win.  Price was second, Brad Turner third, Joe Appel fourth and Eric Fitzpatrick fifth, followed by Katafiasz and Mike Berschback.  Katafiasz had a right front wheel lock up on his machine early in the event. 

Current MCR Dwarf Car point leader Eric Hoffman was in the right place at the right time, as he watched the battle for the lead end up in a 2-car spin with just 2 laps to go, giving him the lead on the restart and eventually the win in the 25 lap main event.  Hoffman, the fastest car on the track, had reeled in leader Kim Hughes and Stephen Bobek as the laps wound down.  On lap 23, the front pair tangled coming out of turn 4, bringing out the yellow flag.  Both Hughes and Bobek went to the tail and Eric, now in command, took off on the restart and stayed there for the win.  Kevin Ayers, Jim Miller, Dave Wylie, Mike McManman Sr., Troy Hoffman, Joe McManman, Ed LaRoe Jr., Mike McManman Jr. and Hughes completed the top ten.  Bobek set fast time at 12:551, with heat wins to Mike McManman Jr. and Sr. 

The veteran team of Howard Kelley Jr. and Tom O’Leary III took advantage of a 3 train pileup with 2 laps to go, putting that duo in the lead and then the win in the 12 lap Figure 8 Train race.  Leaders Erich Heuschele/Kevin Stepinski got caught in the middle of the crash at the intersection coming down to complete lap 10.  Kelley Jr./O’Leary III took the checkered flag ahead of Adam Plonski/Jim Brazeau, Tommy O’Leary/James McClure, Scott Apperson/Charlie Williams, Heuschele/Stepinski and PaulDuffin/Bill Carberry.

Saturday, September 14 at Flat Rock Speedway is the date for the Griller’s Select BBQ Sauce School Bus Figure 8 race!  Race time is 6 p.m.

Fans will be treated to a great night of entertainment with the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks, the Parts Galore Figure 8’s and a Boat Figure 8 race Saturday, in addition to the big finale’, the School Bus Figure 8 race!

The pit area will open at 3:30, the front gates open at 3:30, practice begins at 4:30 and racing has the special start time of 6 p.m.

Reserved seat tickets are now on sale by calling the track at 734-782-2480 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Most major credit cards are accepted for phone orders.  There is NO on-line sale for this event.  Fans may also stop at the track office to purchase tickets.