Toledo Speedway

(TOLEDO, Ohio - August 12, 2011) - Indiana native Scott Hantz nosed out Harold Fair Jr. to win the Grogan’s Towne Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram 100 for the ARCA Allegiant Glass City Gold Cup Late Model Series Friday night at Toledo Speedway. 

A field of 21 cars showed for leg number 4 of the 5 races series.  Hantz started the night off by setting the Fastime Racing Engines and Parts fast time with a lap of 15:129.  Scott rolled a 4 for the inversion for the 100 lap contest, putting July race winner JR Roahrig on the pole, with youngster Nick Grodi on the outside.  Several cars experienced mechanical problems right from the start of practice for the race, and that continued for several drivers in the feature event.

Roahrig jumped into the lead on the green, trailed by Grodi, Hantz and Harold Fair Jr.  The yellow appeared on lap 19 when Fair Jr. spun coming out of turn 4.  The race took several twists at this point as Roahrig was sent down pit road by track officials to check his car.  He was okayed to get his spot back, but when he re-entered the track, he returned to the pits and was done for the night.  Fair Jr. pitted to make an adjustment to his car, and Hantz took up the lead of the race.  Dakota Carlson’s machine came to a stop in turn 2 on the re-start and was pushed to the infield, ending his night.  Hantz took off to build a lead quickly when the race resumed, with Grodi tucked into second and Dennis Strickland third, as Fair zipped up through the depleted field and got back to 4^th spot by lap 27.  With Hantz sailing away, Fair kept gaining ground, getting to 2^nd spot by lap 52.  The lead duo pulled slightly away from Grodi and Strickland, who stayed about 15 car lengths back as the laps wound down.  For the final 40 laps, Fair Jr. looked high and low to get around Scott for the lead, but to no avail.  Hantz took the win with Fair right on his bumper for 2^nd, Grodi recorded his career-best third at Toledo with a great run, Strickland was fourth and Brent Jack fifth.  Steve Sauve took sixth and Mike Root was seventh, all on the lead lap.  Rick Sheppard was 8^th, one lap down, Steve Cronenwett Jr. ninth and Derek Wiley tenth. 

Tom O’Leary IV, Roahrig, Joe Hawes, Keith Nelson, Carlson, Ron Allen, Howard Kelley Jr., Todd Perkins and Kenny McKay were next in the finishing order.  Craig Everage’s car would not start as the cars got ready, while first-time visitor Barry Hartwell encountered engine trouble in practice.

Eric Huston took the ARCA R & M Recycling Street Stock 25 lap feature, taking the lead from Mike Hammer on lap 17 on his way to the victory.  Jeremy Vanderhoof also made a late-race charge to grab second, Cory McCaughey moved up several spots in the closing laps to take third, Hammer ended up fourth and Dennis Whisman took fifth, followed by TJ Miller, Matt Ringger, Don Cox, Kyle Huston and Luke Davis.  Huston set fast time at 11:654 for the 18 car field.  Hammer and 15-year old Kyle Huston took the heat race wins.

Mike Marlow showed no mercy, taking the lead from his father Perry on lap 16 and grabbed the win in the 20 lap ARCA Jeff’s Collision 4 Cylinder feature race.  Perry was strong out front until son Mike dove low entering turn 1 on lap 16 and picked up the top spot.  Perry held on for second, David Katafiasz was third, Matt Brazeau was fourth, Jeff Wells fifth, Tom Fry Jr. sixth and first-time racer Rachel Lee was seventh.  Wells captured the heat race win and Mike Marlow set quick time at 12:792.

The third-ever Road Course race at Toledo continues to gain popularity among the fans, and the 25 lap finale of the night provided more of the same great entertainment.  Cory McCaughey grabbed the lead on lap 3 and sped to the win, a great way to celebrate his birthday.  A total of 16 cars started the race, which uses turns 3 and 4 of the ½ mile, part of the short track, where the chicane is located, and all of pit road!  The race had a variety of cars, including Street Stocks, 4 Cylinders, Sportsman, Figure 8’s, Enduro cars and Figure 8 train cars!  Dennis Whisman came from the back of the pack, made some slick moves in the chicane area and grabbed second, Hammer was third, Scot Bunge fourth and Luke Davis fifth.  Archie Padgett, Don Cox, Troy Brehmer, Tom O’Leary IV and James Good completed the top ten.  The next Road Course race will take place Friday, September 2, part of the Wendy’s Night of Destruction event.

The Valvoline Instant Oil Change Summer Racing Series resumes at Toledo Speedway next Friday, August 19 with Glass Bowl Lanes Autograph Night!  Race fans can walk onto the track and meet all of the Toledo drivers.  The ARCA ACME Dismantling Sportsman, Parts Galore Figure 8’s and the R & M Recycling Street Stocks will be hit the track, with a Figure 8 Train race also on the schedule.

The front gates open at 5 and racing begins at 7:30 p.m.  The track phone number is 419-727-1100.  Log onto www.toledospeedway.com for further information.