LOVING, OSENBAUGH AND MORE LEAD GREAT 8 NIGHT TOLEDO WIN PARADE
LOVING, OSENBAUGH AND MORE LEAD GREAT 8 NIGHT TOLEDO WIN PARADE
Toledo, Ohio—August 7, 2015: Perfect weather conditions set the tone for Toledo Speedway’s Great 8 Night Friday evening. Adults were admitted for $8, and a good crowd turned out to be entertained with a variety of races and fun events. Race Loving led the way to win the ARCA Praxair Figure 8 feature, while Craig Osenbaugh notched his very first feature win in his 20 year career, capturing the ARCA Factory Stock main event.
Third-generation driver Race Loving withstood the pressure of Jeremy Vanderhoof to win the 20 lap ARCA Praxair Figure 8 contest. The victory is the second of the season at Toledo for the junior-to-be high schooler. Dennis Whisman came home third, Randy Roberts fourth and Dennis Whisman Jr. fifth. Scott Apperson, Archie Padgett and Guy Fire were next in line at the finish. Race made it a clean sweep for the night by also winning the heat race.
Toledo’s own Craig Osenbaugh has been a competitor for 20 years in the racing ranks, and Friday night was great for Craig as he scored his first-ever feature win in the 20 lap ARCA Factory Stock feature race. Craig received a loud ovation from the crowd as he exited his car in the 7-Up Winner’s Circle. Matt Ringger, Rick Bennett, Robb Remick and Cory McCaughey completed the top five. Paul Martell, Nolan Padgett, Jeff Metdepenningen and Randy Padgett Jr. followed the top five finishers in that order. Ringger was the heat race winner.
Several “fun” events were also on the race card Friday. The Trailer Figure 8 race was won by McCaughey, followed by Nolan Padgett, Tommy O’Leary IV, Travis Earley and Archie Padgett. Each trailer featured some type of theme.
Dennis Whisman grabbed the lead from his son, Dennis Jr., in traffic to grab the win in the Flag Pole race, which has a tire in both the front stretch and back stretch.. Each lap, the cars must go around each tire to complete the lap, making for some interesting traffic at the tires! Ringger, McCaughey, Nolan Padgett, O’Leary IV, Earley, Trina Apperson, Scott Apperson, Archie Padgett and Randy Roberts Jr. completed the finish order.
A stock car Figure 8 race was added and McCaughey zipped to the win over Archie Padgett, Ringger, Nolan Padgett, Martell and Jeremy Vanderhoof.
The very popular Boat Figure 8 race saw Archie Padgett top McCaughey, Nolan Padgett, Earley and O’Leary IV as boats and trailers slid all over the Figure 8 course, causing obstacles for the drivers and laughs for the crowd!
Kevin Stepinski teamed up with Erich Heuschele and won the Figure 8 Train Race, which features 2 cars chained together—the front car with the engine, the back car with the brakes. A postrace inspection infraction moved Tommy O’Leary IV/Joe Whisman to the tail of the finish. Second was Kenny McKay Jr./Barry Dryer, third was Billy Earley/Travis Earley and fourth was Joe Vanderhoof/Billy Douglas.
The Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club was on hand for Racing Fan Club Night hosted by the track. Dennis Whisman Jr. was the recipient of the helmet bag awarded by the club.
Toledo Speedway will be the site of the final leg of the 6-race ARCA Royal Truck and Trailer Gold Cup Late Model Series Friday night, August 14. The Miller Lite 100 lap feature presented by Grogan’s Towne and Royal will see the Gold Cup Series combine forces with the Main Event Late Model Series for this race, bringing additional drivers to the fast ½ mile paved oval.
In addition to the 100 lap contest, the ARCA Aramark Late Model Sportsman will battle for 35 laps, also on the ½ mile track and the ARCA R & M Recycling X Cars will stage their Season Championship race on the short track Friday evening.
A rain date of Friday, August 21 has been set for this event should Mother Nature interfere with the August 14 race card.
The pit gates will open at 2:30 p.m., with practice beginning at 4:30. Time trials are set for 6:30 and race time is 7:30 p.m. ALL tickets will go on sale at 4:30 p.m. when the front gates and ticket office opens.
Toledo Speedway is located on Benore Road at the I-75/Alexis Road exit (behind Meijer) on the Michigan-Ohio border. The track phone number is 419-727-1100.