SOUTHERN STAR AUGIE GRILL NOTCHES 2011 GLASS CITY WIN
SOUTHERN STAR AUGIE GRILL NOTCHES 2011 GLASS CITY WIN
No one expected to see a driver from Alabama show up to run the Glass City 200. The southern states pretty much don’t run outlaw-bodied Late Models, but 2-time Snowball Derby winner Augie Grill became an instant success at Toledo Speedway in 2011. Grill, teaming with Canadian Jerry Artuso, was a surprise entrant and promptly showed his skills by sailing to the victory on an extremely bitter cold Saturday night.
Artuso, who spends time in Florida, had competed in a few Glass City 200’s over the years. When down south, Jerry would run one of Grill’s template-bodied Late Models. So Artuso returned the favor, got his black #5 ready and pulled into the pit area with Grill as his driver for Augie’s first race at the Glass City oval.
JR Roahrig (#16) set quick time at 14:718 to lead the 40 car field, which was a new track record. Grill continued to make progress and picked up speed, timing in 4th quick. 13 cars were inverted, putting Barry Hartwell and Jake Francis on the front row. Steve Sauve, who won the 25 lap B Main to advance to the 200, got caught up in a lap 2 incident and eventually dropped out of the contest. Francis was the early leader, but Grill quickly moved to the front, taking command of the number 1 spot on lap 12, as the Southern speedster showed his prowess early. Scott Hantz, who started 29th, moved up 12 spots in 17 laps, only to have a trailing arm break, ending his night.
While Grill
motored out front, the man that was on the move was Mike Luberda Jr., fresh off
2 big wins in season-ending events. Mike
began to whittle away at Grill’s advantage, but the engine gave up on lap 54 on
Luberda. Roahrig began to slow on lap 76
and he pitted. The lap 101 break saw
Grill lead Dennis Strickland and Johnny VanDoorn.
The final 99 lap portion saw VanDoorn track down Grill, while Harold Fair Jr. pitted on lap 117, adding to an already tough night for the 2-time race winner. On lap 124, VanDoorn snuck under Grill to take the lead. Augie stayed within a couple car lengths, but Johnny’s night ended on lap 135 with engine trouble. Grill again took over the point as the laps wound down. Strickland got within 2 seconds of the leader but could not cut the gap as Grill sailed to the victory over Strickland (#90), recording his top Glass City finish with a second. Johnny Belott (#0) matched his best finish in this race in third, Chad Guinn piloted the PB Fab #5 to a great 4th place finish and Dakota Carlson (#8) came home fifth.
Log onto www.toledospeedway.com for photos from the event and past Glass City 200 recaps and more photos!
The 25th Anniversary of the Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200 presented by Francis Engineering, Woodville Auto Finance, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express is set for Saturday, September 28.
We are just 2 days away from the 2013 edition and this special anniversary of one of the top outlaw-bodied Late Model races in the area, please check the website each day for stories, updates, lap money sponsors, the entry list and historic notes and photos (courtesy of ARCA historians Brian Norton, Jim Hehl and track photographer Charlie Orns and Bob Michon) of the Glass City 200.
