Toledo Speedway

(TOLEDO, Ohio - July 9, 2010) - Scott Hantz captured the exciting Big Red Crème Soda 75-lap ARCA Allegiant Air Late Model Gold Cup race Friday night at Toledo Speedway. Mike Hammer was the ARCA Factory Stock winner, while Brad Turner took the ARCA 4-Cylinder main event. The winners all received their trophies in the Sunny D Winner's Circle. Heavy rain showers hit the track around 3 p.m., but passed through the area, allowing the racing program to be completed.

Perhaps one of the most competitive and exciting Late Model features at Toledo took place Friday night, with just one yellow flag and five different changes in the 75-lap main event. Jack Varney took off from the pole and led the first 14 laps until Harold Fair Jr. motored by on Lap 15. Fair, who started 10th, worked his way quickly to the front with Johnny VanDoorn in tow. VanDoorn moved to third by Lap 16 and got to second just a few laps later, as Fair and VanDoorn pulled away from the rest of the 22-car field by Lap 23. Earlier, Paul Pelletier dropped out on Lap 19, along with Dennis Strickland, who had driven to fourth but then got hung out to dry in lapped traffic. Strickland went down pit road several laps later. 

At Lap 30, VanDoorn steamed by to take the point, but Fair was not done as he shadowed VanDoorn for the next 19 circuits. The only yellow flag came out on Lap 46 when VanDoorn tangled with Chad Guinn in Turn 3. Guinn took responsibility and gave VanDoorn his spot back. The yellow bunched the field, as great racing and pack racing took place around the fast half-mile paved oval. Fair stole back the lead by going under VanDoorn on Lap 50, while Hantz was on the move. By Lap 54, Hantz dove under VanDoorn to take the lead, coming from his 11th starting spot in the inversion. Hantz got tied up in traffic early on, but he came to the front quickly at a frantic pace. The great racing was not done, as Mike Root flew in the outside lane. Root picked off VanDoorn and Fair to grab second by Lap 68 and then tried to reel in the fleet Hantz as he took the checkered flag. Root's sensational run in the late stages gave him second, Fair was third, VanDoorn fourth and Derrick Griffin fifth, with Brent Jack, Ron Allen, Varney, Bill Litogot, and Joe Hawes completing the top ten. Hantz set quick time at 15.048 seconds, with heat wins going to Litogot, Allen, and Steve Peters.

Brad Turner took the lead early on as he motored to the win in the 20-lap ARCA 4-Cylinder feature race. Perry Marlow, David Price, Michael Marlow, and David Katafiaz were next in line. Michael Marlow took the heat win while Turner set quick time at 12.635 seconds.

Mike Hammer scored his first win in the 20-lap ARCA Factory Stock feature race, taking the lead from Randy Padgett on Lap 4. The all-green flag event saw Hammer with a sizable lead but Cory McCaughey and Eric Huston whittled the gap in the final seven laps. With three to go, the lead trio raced fender-to-fender with a lapped car in front of them. Hammer chose the right groove and held the lead to grab the victory over Huston, McCaughey, Landon Schuster, Rick Cousino Sr., Tim Shine, Don Cox, Randy Padgett, John Rabideau, and Ramon Ortiz. Huston set quick time at 11.757 seconds, with heat wins earned by Schuster and Craig Osenbaugh. 

Santa Claus is getting ready to visit Toledo Speedway next Friday, July 16, for the annual Christmas in July prize giveaway, sponsored by Lakeshore Utility Trailer and Velvet Ice Cream. Dozens of prizes will be given out to race fans by Santa himself, with a separate drawing for children. Fans will enter the drawing as they enter the track Friday night. The ARCA Sportsman, Figure 8s, 4-Cylinders, and a special 35-lap ARCA Factory Stock feature are on tap.  The event is part of the Valvoline Instant Oil Change Summer Racing Series. 

All tickets will go on sale when the gates open at 5 p.m. Time trials are at 6:15 p.m., and racing begins at 7:30 p.m. The track phone number is (419) 727-1100. For up-to-date information, log on to www.toledospeedway.com.