RECAP: Hemelgarn/SuperFitness Rollie Beale Classic at Toledo Speedway Opening Day!
RECAP: Hemelgarn/SuperFitness Rollie Beale Classic at Toledo Speedway Opening Day!
A chilly Saturday afternoon greeted fans to Toledo Speedway for the running of Toledo Speedway Opening Day, featuring the Hemelgarn/SuperFitness Rollie Beale Classic presented by Marco's Pizza. Fans and teams alike were greeted with sunny skies, new merch, new concessions, and some vintage cars in the concourse at Toledo Speedway. The Beale Bunch came with a great party as always, bringing a couple of throwback cars which gave fans a great look at racing's past in victory lane.
The racer's reunion took place in the Bar & Grill at Toledo Speedway, featuring some great chances to catch up and photos/historic racing content being displayed on televisions and projectors in the ballroom at the bar & grill.
On track, the temps were chilling, and the speed was blistering.
In qualifying, Kody Swanson took the fastest time in USAC SIlver Crown action with a time of 14.916 seconds - the fastest qualifying time in Silver Crown action at Toledo since 2019.
Fastest Lap in 5 Years! ☝️@KodySwanson's lap of 14.916 seconds during today's @HonestAbeRoof Qualifying session was the fastest in a half-decade.
— USAC Racing (@USACNation) April 20, 2024
The man himself was the last one to dip into the 14s with a USAC Silver Crown car at @ToledoSpeedway back in 2019.
@JackReitz5 pic.twitter.com/Q5jum5DqRM
Up to his usual tricks, @KodySwanson sets quick time in @USACNation Silver Crown qualifying!
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) April 20, 2024
The Rollie Beale Classic is coming up on https://t.co/pBnNQdzpvf! pic.twitter.com/gKc8dTj9Va
RECAP: Perserverance! Kody Swanson returns from injury to dominate Rollie Beale Classic
Safety-Kleen Factory Stocks
The Safety-Kleen Factory Stocks division got off to a quick start at Toledo Speedway with a big 20-lap feature, won by Matt Bunting over Ayden Bunting, in a Bunting 1-2!
Brad Turner in the 72 and Greg Hunter in the 85 would pick up heat wins in the lead-up, with Evan Batkins scoring the fastest time in qualifying - a lap of 12.509 seconds, beating out 2023 champion Josh Bunting by almost three thenths of a second.
The race would prove a chaotic one, with a number of yellow flags and spun cars during the proceedings. Gabrielle Grigsby and Brad Turner would lead off in lap one, with Grigsby pulling ahead to lead, and Dale Buttrey sliding in for an attempt at second place over Turner. The first caution would come in the midst of the battle for the lead, with Greg Hunter spinning around off of turn two while racing with the two leaders.
On the restart, Dale Buttrey would give way to fast qualifier Evan Batkins in the #0, who would face a battle from 2023 series champion Josh Bunting.
Josh Bunting would pass Batkins for second place, and laps later the reigning champ would pass Grigsby to take the lead on the quarter-mile. Soon after, Grigsby would spin entering turn 3 while fighting for the lead, and less than a lap later, the #18 of Bunting would also spin while controlling the lead!
On the restart, Josh Bunting would assume position as leader, with Evan Batkins tucking in kindly behind the #18 car. The battle would be fierce, both drivers making wild moves to try and take the lead, including a three-wide move around the lapped #43 of Greg Hunter. This move would prove to be costly, as the two drivers got together - Bunting spinning around and being collected by the #72 of Brad Turner. This would bring out another caution, handing the lead to Matt Bunting and Dale Buttrey.
On the restart, Buttrey and M. Bunting would have contact as Gabrielle Grigsby spun, Buttrey and Grigsby being involved in the fallout of the incident. With one restart to go, Bunting and Grigsby would go side-by-side for the one, Grigsby fading on the high side and Matt Bunting powering through.
Bunting takes his first win of 2024, with Ayden Bunting narrowly edging out Gabrielle Grigsby and Evan Batkins to take second place. James Rae would fill out the top five, followed by the Thunder Racing 85 of Greg Hunter, Nathan Padgett, and Dale Buttrey coming home in eighth. Luke Butler would come home ninth, and 2023 series champion Josh Bunting would come home in tenth.
The Safety-Kleen Factory Stocks will come to Toledo Speedway next on Friday, May 10th during the running of the Central Avenue Truck Parts School Bus Figure 8!
Central Avenue Truck Parts School Bus Figure 8 Night! Presented by All American Coach | Boat Figure 8, Late Model Sportsman, Factory Stocks, +
May 10, 2024 - 07:00 PM EDT
Toledo Speedway
Many of the stars of the Safety-Kleen Factory Stocks division will also be in action at Flat Rock Speedway Opening Day with the Opening Round of the Safety-Kleen Factory Stock 500 Series! This 100-lap endurance test will provide some wild racing in the heart of Southeast Michigan on Saturday, May 4th. Head to flatrockspeedway.com for more information.
A Feature 1: 1. 8-Matt Bunting[4]; 2. 34-Ayden Bunting[9]; 3. 711-Gabrielle Grigsby[3]; 4. 0-Evan Batkins[7]; 5. 14-James Rae[8]; 6. 85-Greg Hunter[12]; 7. 44-Nathan Padgett[10]; 8. 70-Dale Buttrey[5]; 9. 43-Luke Butler[14]; 10. 18-Josh Bunting[6]; 11. 72-Brad Turner[2]; 12. 6-Logan Bunting[11]; 13. 00-Eric Klein[13]; 14. (DNS) 20-Steve Riddle
Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 72-Brad Turner[2]; 2. 711-Gabrielle Grigsby[3]; 3. 0-Evan Batkins[7]; 4. 8-Matt Bunting[4]; 5. 70-Dale Buttrey[5]; 6. 18-Josh Bunting[6]; 7. 20-Steve Riddle[1]
Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 85-Greg Hunter[3]; 2. 14-James Rae[7]; 3. 00-Eric Klein[2]; 4. 43-Luke Butler[1]; 5. 34-Ayden Bunting[6]; 6. 44-Nathan Padgett[5]; 7. 6-Logan Bunting[4]
Qualifying 1: 1. 0-Evan Batkins, 00:12.509[1]; 2. 18-Josh Bunting, 00:12.802[3]; 3. 70-Dale Buttrey, 00:12.829[7]; 4. 8-Matt Bunting, 00:12.838[5]; 5. 711-Gabrielle Grigsby, 00:12.862[8]; 6. 72-Brad Turner, 00:13.053[14]; 7. 20-Steve Riddle, 00:13.198[13]; 8. 14-James Rae, 00:13.333[12]; 9. 34-Ayden Bunting, 00:13.388[2]; 10. 44-Nathan Padgett, 00:13.411[11]; 11. 6-Logan Bunting, 00:13.435[4]; 12. 85-Greg Hunter, 00:13.536[9]; 13. 00-Eric Klein, 00:13.655[10]; 14. 43-Luke Butler, 00:14.450[6]
Salenbien Excavating Late Model Sportsman
Kyle Worley drove away from the field to take a massive win to open up the season in the Late Model Sportsman division. Jim Froling took the fastest qualifying time of the day with a lap of 16.922 seconds, narrowly edging out Toledo's Mike Young, who landed second quickest with a lap time of 16.948 seconds.
Mike Young made waves with a new paint scheme afor Saturday's race, running a throwback to his father - former Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways racer Paul Young.
In the feature, Worley would begin with the lead and begin to pull away at the drop of the green flag. Behind him, the race would begin with acrion for second place. Mike Young would initally assume seond place, but Howard Kelley Jr would make a wide move on the outside to take second place in the feature, a position he would stanchly hold for the duration of the 25-lap feature.
Kelley Jr, Mike Young, and Jim Froling would battle side-by-side for the majority of the 25 lap feature, swapping positions as Young and Froling would try to get around the savvy veteran in Kelley Jr.
At the end of the clean-and-green 25 lap feature, Worley would be the one bringing home his first win of 2024 in the Salenbien Excavating Late Model Sportsman division, leading every lap in the feature. Howard Kelley Jr would edge out Mike Young and Jim Froling, while Kenny Sharp would round out the top five.
The Salenbien Excavating Late Model Sportsman division will come to Toledo Speedway next on Friday, May 10th during the running of the Central Avenue Truck Parts School Bus Figure 8! Click below to see how you can get tickets TODAY for this Friday night of action.
Central Avenue Truck Parts School Bus Figure 8 Night! Presented by All American Coach | Boat Figure 8, Late Model Sportsman, Factory Stocks, +
May 10, 2024 - 07:00 PM EDT
Toledo Speedway
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 15-Kyle Worley[1]; 2. 11-Howard Kelly Jr[4]; 3. 23-Michael Young[2]; 4. 46-Jim Froling[3]; 5. 27-Ken Sharp[6]; 6. 78-Andy Harding[5]; 7. 9-Brice Thomsen[7]; 8. 75-Brian Rachuba[8]
Qualifying 1: 1. 46-Jim Froling, 00:16.922[1]; 2. 23-Michael Young, 00:16.948[8]; 3. 15-Kyle Worley, 00:17.242[7]; 4. 11-Howard Kelly Jr, 00:17.408[3]; 5. 78-Andy Harding, 00:17.467[2]; 6. 27-Ken Sharp, 00:17.633[5]; 7. 9-Brice Thomsen, 00:23.227[6]; 8. 75-Brian Rachuba, 00:26.974[4]
Come to Toledo Speedway next on Friday night, May 10th for the running of Central Avenue Truck Parts School Bus Figure 8 Night Presented by All American Coach! This family-friendly event will provide some incredible action from the stars of the School Busses. You can get tickets for this bus-load of racing TODAY, only at ToledoSpeedway.com.
Central Avenue Truck Parts School Bus Figure 8 Night! Presented by All American Coach | Boat Figure 8, Late Model Sportsman, Factory Stocks, +
May 10, 2024 - 07:00 PM EDT
Toledo Speedway