Toledo Speedway

(FLAT ROCK, Mich. - June 19, 2010) - Picture-perfect weather greeted a good crowd for Lakeshore Utility Trailer Sales/Big Red Crème Soda Night Saturday at Flat Rock Speedway. A great night of competition entertained the fans as Dennis Whisman, Clyde McKee, Rich Abel, and the duo of Howard Kelley Jr. and Tom O'Leary III captured feature event wins.

The 20 lap ARCA Figure 8 feature was filled with a few twists and good intersection action.  Pole-sitter Robbie Loving grabbed the lead at the green, and things started with a bang right away as last week's winner Greg Studt spun, righted his machine and continued on.  Loving stayed in command with Dennis Whisman, Jeremy Vanderhoof and fast qualifier Gary Cronenwett (20:909) in hot pursuit.  Robbie took the white flag and had a solid margin over Whisman, but with only 2 turns to go, Loving's machine detonated an engine.  Whisman steamed by and took the victory as Robbie's car came to a stop just short of the intersection as the field roared by.  Whisman's win followed last week's intersection crash and a mishap in the heat race.  "I want to thank all my fellow drivers in the pit area.  They all came over to help us after the heat race, and Robbie was right there pitching in.  That's what this track is all about," Whisman told the crowd in his post-race interview.  Vanderhoof and Cronenwett came home second and third, respectively, with Troy Herrmann fourth and Studt recovering for fifth spot.  Jerry Lee, Loving, Chuck Pankow, James Rae and Anthony Terris completed the top 10.  Heat race winners were Lee and Stephanie Bradley.

Taylor resident Clyde McKee led every lap but had plenty of competition on his way to victory in the 25 lap ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock A Main race.  McKee nosed out front on the start, beating rookie Frank Giovani to turn 1.  Immediate pressure came from Rich Frantz and Scott Selmi as they pushed Clyde the entire distance.  Frantz stayed low while Selmi worked hard on the outside groove.  A lap 14 yellow for oil put down by Chris Hebert saw Rob Moore and Jason Shinn eliminated as the field slid through turn 1.  On the restart, Selmi again went to the high side and the lead duo put on a great show for the final 10 circuits.  McKee stayed low, Selmi was at his door and actually nosed out front a couple of times, while Frantz took a peak at the low side coming out of turn 4.  At the stripe it was McKee by less than a car length over Selmi and Frantz.  Dan Ford Jr. made some ground up in the final laps to take fourth, with Jarod MacZink fifth.  Jeff Kurzyniec, Kyle Worley, Jiovani, Danny Slater and Tadek Stadniczuk were next in line to round out the top 10. 

Another great battle for the win in the 15 lap DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock B Main ensued, as Rich Abel held on to edge out Steve Chartrand for the win.  Derrick Sheppard, in his first Street Stock ride, was third, with James Rae, Kevin Stepinski, Billy Cronce, Lonnie York, James Pankow, Chris Diovardi and Anthony Camilli trailing the winner.

Ford Jr. paced the 39 car field in time trials at 13:471, with Stepinski tops for the B cars at 14:076.  Worley, Paul Duffin, MacZink, Abel and York won the heats.  The June 5 heat races were also completed from the rain-out, with McKee, Hebert, Troy Brehmer, James Rae and Abel taking those wins.

Eight two-car Figure 8 Train race teams took the green flag for their 12 lap contest, with Scott Apperson/Jeremy Fragassi darting into the lead.  That was short-lived, however, as Howard Kelley Jr./Tom O'Leary III motored by on lap 2 and sailed to the victory and the $750 payday.  The train teams, which features the front car with the engine and the back car with the brakes, provided plenty of action and entertainment with cars sliding, spinning and bouncing off each other each lap!  Apperson/Fragassi took second, Tom O'Leary Jr./Jim Brazeau third, Dennis Whisman/Dan Apperson, previous winners at Flat Rock's train race, were fourth, and fifth was Andy Holly/Ron Duvall.  Trina Apperson/Greg Stevens and Adam Plonski/Chad Coulter were next in line.  Tom O'Leary IV/Kenny McKay had mechanical woes and were pushed off the track before the start.

Saturday, June 26 Flat Rock Speedway will stage its biggest race of the year-the Moran Chevrolet/Stan Yee Memorial 150 for the ARCA Allegiant Air Gold Cup Late Models.  A field of over 30 cars is expected for this prestigious race, which awards $2533 to the winner and $533 posted to start the event, in honor of the late Stan Yee Sr., who passed away in 2008.  The race has become a must-see for Midwest Late Model fans.  The track's Figure 8 and Street Stock divisions will also be in competition with feature races.  A cash purse of over $26,000 is up for grabs.

An open practice session is set for Wednesday, June 23 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  The pit area opens at 4.

Race day, June 26 will see the pits opening at 1, practice starts at 3, time trials begin at 5 and racing at 7 p.m.  All tickets go on sale race day at 3 p.m.  There is no advance sale.  Lap money is still available for sponsorship at $5 per lap.  Contact the track at 734-782-2480.