Jackson wins ARCA Truck opener at Flat Rock
Jackson wins ARCA Truck opener at Flat Rock
(FLAT ROCK, Mich.) - The rain, clouds and blistering winds didn't stop Danny Jackson from winning the ARCA Truck Series Safety Kleen 100 Saturday night at Flat Rock Speedway.
Clyde McKee pulled into the newly-painted Sun Drop victory lane in the 25 lap ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock contest, and Jeremy Miller was the winner of the 20 lap ARCA Parts Galore Figure 8 race.
It was the first race of the year for the ARCA Truck Series and birthday boy Danny Jackson set the pace in qualifying with the fastest time at 12.643 and cruised along to the victory. Shawn Szep and Bob Mikolajczyk started the night on the front row. Chad Poorman spun out in turn 1 right after the green flag waved, resetting the field. Danny Jackson and Levi Mansfield had a rough battle most of the race for second place, while Szep ran out front. Paul Hahn spun out on lap 39 for the second caution of the night, while Brandon Huff went a little sideways in lap 89 causing the final caution of the evening. Jackson got to the number one spot and was strong out front as he took the win in the 100 lap contest, followed by Hahn, Szep, Dave Bice, Mikolajczyk, Levi Mansfield, Cody Quarrick, Brad Yunker, Huff and Bobby Dale Earnhardt, the grandson of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt.
The ARCA DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock 25 lap feature saw Nick Shanks and Rich Frantz bring the field to the green. Shanks wrestled away the lead, but Clyde McKee got by for the top spot on a restart. The red flag waved on lap 14 when Aaron Greathouse stalled in turn 2 and Tim Moore slid into Aaron in a hard collision. No drivers were injured. 11 laps remained and there was great action in the top 3 as McKee was low, Scott Selmi on the high side and Shanks looking for racing room. McKee held off a great battle to the finish to grab the checkered flag. Shanks dipped under Selmi on the final lap to clinch second, Selmi's great run netted him third, Rob Moore fourth and Grant Hedges fifth. Rich Frantz,.rookie Corey Duane, Joe Haener, rookie Guy Fire and Chris Fitzpatrick were next in line at the stripe. Tim Moore was the Fastime Racing Engine and Parts fastest qualifier with a lap of 13:437. Scot Bunge, rookie Danny Bennett and Selmi were the heat race winners. Bennett's win was his first-ever checkered flag in Street Stock competition.
It was a caution-free ARCA Parts Galore 20 lap Figure-8 race with Carleton's Jeremy Miller grabbing the lead on the green and maintaining the top spot to notch the victory. Danny Gaddis and Greg Studt were battling for second most of the race, including several door to door paint-swapping laps, but in lap 19 Gaddis slowed and dropped out of the contest. Last week's winner Greg Studt finished second, Billy Earley was third, Jeremy Vanderhoof fourth and Robbie Loving finished fifth. Dennis Whisman, Dan Apperson, Anthony Terris, Gaddis, Ian Jezylo, Stephanie Bradley and Jerry Lee were next in line at the finish. Vanderhoof again set the Fastime Racing Engines and Parts quick time at 20:656. Miller edged out Terris to also grab the heat race win.
Saturday, May 18 is UAW Local 3000 Scout Night, featuring the Enduro 250, boat Figure-8, the ARCA 4-Cylinders and MCR Dwarf Cars. ALL scouts in uniform, both boys and girls, get in free! The fast-action entertainment begins at 7 pm!
Make sure you know where to be every Saturday night all summer long as Flat Rock Speedway celebrates its 60th Anniversary season, with racing every Saturday night through September 14.