HANLEY COMES BACK TO WIN 2001 GLASS CITY
HANLEY COMES BACK TO WIN 2001 GLASS CITY
After ending last year’s race on a sour note, Canadian superstar Jr. Hanley returned to Toledo Speedway in 2001 with his sights on only 1 goal—the win in the Glass City 200. Hanley tangled with teammate Tim Felver with 8 laps to go in the 2000 event, but he was not to be denied on this day…..
With a brand new asphalt surface, Jr. started the weekend by topping the 51 car field with a new track record of 14:817 at the wheel of the #66. A total of 32 drivers eclipsed the old mark on a superb surface on the ½ mile oval. The last chance race winners were Scott Hantz (#72) and Cord Ehrhart (#02). Bob Varney (#61) edged out Steve Tabor in a great race to win the B main.
Johnny Belott
grabbed the lead at the start of the 200 lap classic, with Harold Fair Jr. in
tow. Fair took the point on lap 14 and
opened up a good lead as Hanley began to work his way to the front, coming from
his 11th starting spot. By
lap 43, the fleet #66 of Hanley was the leader and took the field to the lap
100 break. Scott Baker (#11), Dennis
Berry (#6), Belott (#0) and John Grega were next in line.
The second 100 laps started with a bang as Dennis Strickland, the 2001 track champ, slammed the wall in turn 3 on the start. When the race resumed, Hanley took off and was really never challenged as the final 99 laps went green all the way to the checkered flag. Hanley’s victory marked the first time a Canadian driver had won the 200. Berry, Belott, Baker and Tim Curry (#24) completed the top five finishers.
The 25th Anniversary of the Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200 presented by Francis Engineering, Woodville Auto Finance, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express is set for Saturday, September 28.
As we move closer to the 2013 edition and this special anniversary of one of the top outlaw-bodied Late Model races in the area, please check the website each day for stories, updates, lap money sponsors, the entry list and historic notes and photos (courtesy of ARCA historians Brian Norton, Jim Hehl and track photographer Charlie Orns) of the Glass City 200.
Lap money sponsorship and just $10 per lap and tickets are now on sale by calling 419-727-1100 today!
