Toledo Speedway

My family and I want to thank everyone for all the thoughts and prayers for my family after the passing of my father on May 5th, it was and is appreciated. Because of this, my article has some older tidbits. I love hearing news from the teams, my email is at the end of the article.

April 28, Flat Rock

Opening night and a great field of Super Late Models (21) and Street Stocks (26). The Figure 8’s were showing off their new body style, looking like USA Modifieds with their wings on top, it was a short field, only 9, but not everyone was ready for opening night.

Defending Gold Cup champion, Dakota Carleson was at the track tonight, stopping over on the way to practice the next day at Toledo. It was a good night for him, he set fast time, drew the pole for the feature and led the entire 50-lap feature. It was his first career ARCA victory ... he won the Gold Cup championship last year by finishing consistent. “Nice to get that (the win) out of the way. I just about crashed my new teammate (Todd Jackson) when I was lapping him. I like racing here ... that was awesome. I was trying to take it easy, the lapped traffic, it’s different here ... it keeps you thinking. I want to thank my sponsors, Nick Weed at Performance Engineering who supplies the engines,  Penske shocks and Port City Racecar ... and my owner Tony LeClai,” said the driver of the #8.

Rob Moore drew the pole position for the Street Stock feature. “This is a nice way to start the season. I want to start by thanking my sponsors, my wife Dawn, North American Iron and Metal,Beyond Reality Tattoos and Piercing, Jerry's Ace Hardware, Yost Collision, Bayou Grill and Dow Engines. I also want to thank the crew (we actually have help this year lol), my dad, my bro Tim, Robbie, Mariah, Jamie, Eric, Mike and Rob ... thanks for putting up with my attitude lol. Hopefully more of these (wins) to come ... I hope we can all have a good season and respect each other and the time and money we put into these cars so we can put on a great show for the fans,” said the driver of the #82.

Dakota has a new teammate this year as his former teammate, Mike Luberta has retired. Todd Jackson made his first start at Flat Rock in a brand new car. The car is the first outlaw type car built by Augie Grill (from down south).

Defending A division Street Stock champion Frank Jiovani, moved up to the SLM division, driving for Dick Barker. “What a way to open my Rookie season! I want to start off by saying what a great job my team did during the off-season. A lot of long hours went into getting the #45 Moran Motor Sports, Magic Racing Chevy ready for 2013. Fred Lowry, my dad Ron, and the "Magic Man" Dick Barker were determined to have the car in tip-top shape for the Jet's Pizza opener at Flat Rock. We have a great base to build on now, and are looking forward to next weekend’s Fan Club Night. I have to thank my sponsors Moran Chevrolet, JV Auto Repair, P&V Masonry, Kee Reality, 4th Street Auto, Gemini Electric, Comfort Temp Heating and Cooling and Grand Slam Sport Fishing Charters, who make this possible.”

We had another rookie LM driver, Jeff Vrsek moved up from the modified division. He has the car formerly driven by Mike Luberta (a car that was a team car to race winner Dakota Carleson’s car).

Defending SLM division champion, Paul Pelletier started the night out with a disqualification after qualifying. “We started another season of with a disqualification, as we were 16lbs too light after qualifying and had to start rear for the feature, 21st. We had an excellent run in a feature that was a green, white, checker, with no yellows and finish fourth. We needed a caution to bunch up the field and maybe we could have made a run at the win. Congrats to Tony LeClair and Dakota Carlson on the win ... great job. Thanks to our sponsors, Fraza Forklifts, ABC Plumbing and Drain, Exotic Automation, Dusty's Collision, Berringer Law.

A couple new Street Stock drivers.

Guy Fire is driving the car formerly driven by Danny Slater. Guy is a three time Michigan state champion in the Legends division.

Corey Duane’s won his first race, in only his second race (he ran an Enduro race last season). He is sponsor is Duane’s Roadrunners, Exotic Automotive and Supply. He has Scott Johnson’s old car.

Dan Bennett moved up from the Enduro division. He has Frank Jiovani’s old car and if you haven’t seen the car, it has a pretty neat paint (well, shrink wrapped) scheme. His sponsor is PASI. His brother Rick has a new car too, the former #33 owned by Bob Studt.

Jeremy Vanderhoof won the Figure 8 feature. He would like to thank his sponsors Food Town Pharmacy and Greig Race Cars.

May 4, Flat Rock

Former Super Late Model champion Eric Lee won the feature ... after missing opening night. Eric’s not chasing the championship at the track this year and will travel for other tracks. “Great way to start the season. I can’t thank my dad and crew for their hard work. They threw everything at the car and it was perfect,” said the driver of the #5. I’ll have to get his sponsors the next late model race.

Scott Selmi won the Street Stock feature. “Hanging tough on the high side. Thought I gave Clyde (McKee) enough room. The high side is usually the only spot to run. If you’re going to win here you have to run the high side,” said the driver of the #24.

Greg Studt won the Figure 8 feature. “Special thanks to my dad and all my sponsors, Ray’s Precision Engines, Motion Engineering, Wine Town Party Store, Affordable Trans, Leppen Chiropractic. I also want to dedicate the win to Lauren Bockstanz, the strongest little girl I know!”

New, or rather returning to the street stocks was Dennis Helsel. “I started building this car last winter, 2012, with my son Brian. He died in March 2012 from Muscular Dystrophy and I just didn’t feel like working on the car after that. I finally finished it and decided to race this year in his memory,” said the driver of the Revolver #02.

Toledo May 10, Gold Cup

It was a cold night for the opening race of the Glass City Gold Cup Hollywood Casino 100. For the third time in the last five season openers for the series, Scott Hantz was victorious. It’s his first win in the series since 2011 (August).

Steve Needles seemed to have things well in hand when his car went up in smoke on lap 62, giving the lead to Hantz. The Indiana driver was unchallenged for the remaining 38 laps. “We weren’t even planning on racing this one. I was just going to help fellow Indiana driver, Craig Everage, but he blew his engine. As of Wednesday, this car was sitting in storage, the same as it was from the Glass City last fall. I feel real proud to win this race, I’ve won others, but this one is my first as a an owner driver,” said the driver of the Woodville Auto Finance, South Point Radiator, Top Speed Fabrication, Passtime #72. The win was Hantz’s eighth Gold Cup win, putting him alone in third place on the all time win list ... three behind Dave Kuhlman and four behind Harold Fair Jr.

Second place went to Brent Jack. “The car ran well ... way too tight at the end. We stopped on the early caution and made some adjustments. Late in the race I could make up a little ground while he was in traffic, but then lose it again. It was a really good run. I want to thank my crew and sponsors, Butler NAPA, Krieger Racing Engines, FBR Chassis, Butler One Stop, G. Scott Louderback DDS, Hartman Auto Body and Sebert Oil,” said the Auburn, Ind., driver.

Jake Francis finished third, which ties his career high at the track. “We had a great car tonight. I started at the rear and had to be patient. We’re thinking of maybe running the entire Gold Cup Series this year. It was a good race, no tore up racecars, just a few cautions,” said the driver of the HABCO Tool, Francis Engineering, Bonner Farms, S.B. Cox, Schaeffer Feed and Supply, Midco Manufacturing, Sommers Marine #33.

Defending series champion, Dakota Carlson finished fourth. “Really like racing here. I’m happy to have a car in one piece.”

Harold Fair Jr. ran up at the front early in the race before the first caution about a third of the way through the race but faded back to fifth at the end. “We’ll take it (fifth place). Missed it with the our tires. We had a flat just before the feature and changed it but didn’t get time to scuff it or get nitrogen into it. It’s a great top five/tem out here tonight and you can’t miss it at all,” said the driver of the Royal Truck and Trailer, Performance Engine. Senneker Performance #71.

Steve Needles led the most laps and looked like he was on his way to his first Gold Cup win when the car began smoking. Many of the fans probably thought he blew an engine as the smoke spewed from his tailpipe, but it turns out he broke the rear end. The crew was still at a lost why the smoke came out the tailpipes.

Fast qualifier, Johnny Van Doorn was running well when he tangled with another car and spun into the infield. It messed up the handling on the car and even after a couple pitstops during cautions, he eventually parked the car.

We had drivers from three states (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana) and one driver from Canada.

We had 21 cars in the pits. Jason LaDuke broke an oil pump in hot laps and Stevie Cronenwett was unable to start the feature because of a mechanical problem.

Flat Rock, May 24

Clyde McKee had a real good two weeks (May 11 and May 24, the weekly divisions didn’t run the 18th) in the Street Stocks. After a hard fought battle with Grant Hedges and Rob Moore, Clyde inched ahead at the checkered flag to win his second feature in a row. After doing a awesome burnout, “Nice tight rotation” and a polish victory lap he said, “Grant (Hedges) ran me clean, really clean and that’s hard to find. I want to thank him for that. I knew they were all coming. I want to thank everyone from coming out. I want to thank my sponsors, Trailer Connection, Faline Trailer Repairs, Mac’s Towing, Patrick Seigns, SP Guns N Ammo, Madco Truck Plaza, B & F 4x4 and Leppen’s Chiropractic.”

Tim Moore wasn’t in his normal #83, but instead in Gary Calhoun’s #89. Tim’s car suffered considerable damage in an accident on the 11th and it wasn’t quite done yet. I was going to say it was still at MAACO, but not sure he still has that sponsor.

Robbie Loving had a good weekend, winning the features at Toledo on Friday and Saturday at Flat Rock. “We had our luck go our way. Didn’t get the tires on the car in time for qualifying. Thanks to my family, crew and sponsors, RJS Racing Equipment, Brownstown Liquor, Flow Air, Blossom Florist.”

I’m sure I’ve missed some new drivers and new sponsors. I love hearing from the teams, so send me anything you want me to add to my article by Tuesday night. My email is icechips@hotmail.com or send me a message on Facebook or Twitter @1ceCh1ps.