Toledo Speedway

(TOLEDO, Ohio - August 19, 2011) - A beautiful evening of sunshine and clear skies greeted a nice crowd for the Glass Bowl Lanes Autograph Night at Toledo Speedway Friday evening.  One of the largest Autograph Night crowds in recent years arrived early enough to venture out onto the track to meet the drivers during the Glass Bowl Lanes Autograph session prior to the racing card.

Ron Allen, Greg Studt, Dennis Whisman and the duo of Tom O’Leary IV and James McClure visited the Sun Drop Winner’s Circle after their feature wins.  Ron Gorney and Ron Schultz represented the Glass Bowl Lanes.

The ARCA ACME Dismantling Sportsman division sealed the deal on their third all-green flag event of the season.  The 35 lap contest saw the top 8 qualifers draw for their starting position.  Howard Kelley Jr. bolted from the outside of the front row to take the lead at the start.  Kelley motored along out front as the 19 car field battled for position.  Mike Young reeled in the leader and got to within 2 car lengths, but fast qualifier Ron Allen (17:421), from his 8^th starting spot, had steadily moved up to challenge Young and point man Kelley by lap 15.  Allen got by Young for second at lap 16 and staged a great race with Kelley Jr. for the top spot.  Ron nosed ahead on lap 26, using the outside lane to take control on his way to the win.  Kelley grabbed second, Young was third, Greg Stilwell fourth and Kyle DeLisle got to fifth from his 19^th starting spot.  Dave Arnold Jr., Tom O’Leary IV, Scott Bross, Randy Cornett (in his first race of 2011) and Norm Lewallen completed the top ten.  Stilwell and O’Leary notched heat race wins.  Second place point man Jim Froling encountered engine troubles and did not compete.

Greg Studt and Dennis Whisman swapped the lead back and forth until Studt took control on lap 8 and avoided trouble the rest of the way to win the 20 lap ARCA Parts Galore Figure 8 feature.  Studt led the first 2 laps, Whisman took over the point on lap 3 with Studt on his bumper.  A tangle of cars slowed the field and Greg dove low to regain the lead on lap 8 and held on for the win.  Whisman, Sam Hall, Jeremy Vanderhoof, James Rae, Scott Apperson, Chuck Pankow, Tim Murphy, Dan Apperson and Randy Roberts were next in line at the finish.  Dan Apperson and Vanderhoof were the heat race winners.

Whisman, doing double duty, jumped into the #06 Street Stock, sailed by leader Matt Ringger on lap 10 and picked up his second win of the season in the 25 lap ARCA R & M Recycling Street Stock feature race.  Eric Huston made a late race charge to grab second, Ringger held onto third, Luke Davis was fourth and Kyle Huston fifth, followed by Mike Hammer, Don Cox, Dennis Helsel, Dusty Brunt and Billy Jackson.  Whisman and Jackson took the heat race wins.  Huston set the fast time at 11:693. 

Tom O’Leary IV and James McClure teamed up to grab the lead on a 3-wide move to win the 12 lap Figure 8 Train race event.  Howard Kelley Jr./Tom O’Leary III were the early leaders until the winners made their move on the way to the $750 payday.  Kelley Jr./O’Leary III, Tom O’Leary Jr./Jim Brazeau, Adam Plonski/Charlie Williams, Lonnie York/Paul Duffin, Sam Hall/James Rae and Trina Apperson/Amanda Bland trailed the winning duo. The train race features 2 cars chained together-the front car with the engine, the back car with the brakes! The next Figure 8 Train race is set for Friday, September 2.

The final Valvoline Instant Oil Change Summer Racing Series event at Toledo

Speedway is set for Friday, August 26.  The Miller Light Season Championships will be contested, with the track champions to be crowned for the ARCA ACME Dismantling Sportsman, Parts Galore Figure 8’s and Jeff’s Collision 4 Cylinders. The R & M Recycling Street Stocks will also be in action. The front gates open at 5 and racing begins at 7:30 p.m.

Racing continues at Toledo Friday, September 2, Sunday, September 11, Saturday, September 24, Saturday, October 1 and Saturday and Sunday, October 15-16.

The track phone number is 419-727-1100.  Log onto www.toledospeedway.com for further information regarding the remainder of the 2011 schedule.