Toledo Speedway

Congratulations to all of the Flat Rock and Toledo Champions! The Flat Rock and Toledo Speedway awards banquet in Saturday, October 12 at the Toledo Speedway Bar and Grille banquet room at 6 p.m. http://www.arcaracing.com/news_flatrock.php?contentid=16612

Dennis Strickland won his second career Flat Rock Super Late Model Championship in 2013 ... his other was in 2007. He finished every lap in his heat and features this season with his worse finish sixth. In an email Dennis wrote: “During the race season you watch the points from week to week, keeping track of were you are in the standings, counting down how many weeks are left before championship night. Then when it comes down to the feature on championship night you and your team know exactly were you need to finish in the feature to win the championship, afterwards there is relief, excitement and a bit of sorrow that racing season is just about over with only a few invitationals races left. The 2013 Flat Rock Speedway Championship is our 11th Track/ARCA Sanctioned Championship since 1999. Its a challenge to win any Championship but for some reason Flat Rock Championships are hard to come by maybe I say that because we have finished second eight (8) times. The last couple of days have made me realize the significance of a championship by the phone calls, Facebook comments, people you work with saying congratulations, even people you run into at shopping malls etc. There are many people that make a championship season happen so I would like to thank my crew Tina Strickland, Billy Brod, Bill Dyson and his girls. Sponsors this year: Our church, Victory Christian Fellowship (Carleton Michigan), The Computer Store (Southgate, MI), Trenton Forging, and Canton Tree & Cement.”

Winning his third Flat Rock Figure 8 Championship, his first in 11 years at the track (his other championships at Flat Rock was 2002 and 2001) was Greg Studt. “I’d like to thank my Dad (Bob), Butch Clark, Jim Clark and my sponsors. I also want to thank my competitors on a good clean season.”

Winning his first championship was Grant Hedges. In an email Grant wrote: “What an incredible racing season. Being crowned an ARCA Flat Rock Speedway Champion is an absolute honor, and one I take very seriously. To have my name alongside the short track greats is an accomplishment I have dreamed about for many years. My dream as a first generation driver was to contend not just for wins, but to ultimately be a series champion. The street stock class is an extremely competitive class, and has taught me so much about driving the last three seasons. To end the season a champion in a class that is so competitive is very humbling, and very rewarding. I have to thank God for giving me the ability and strength to compete each race weekend ... and I am truly blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people who make all of this possible. I owe special thanks to my dad, Jeff, for his pivotal part in this achievement. He is the best crew chief any racecar driver could ask for. His attention to detail and drive to succeed brings out the best in me as a racecar driver each and every weekend. There are so many great people who have had a role in my racing career, and this accomplishment has been a total team effort. I owe special thanks to my beautiful girlfriend Nina for all of her love and support, to my brother Curt for all of his hard work and motivation, all of my family and friends for always believing in me. It was very special to have the majority of my family and friends in the grandstands each and every race day this season. Seeing them all celebrate together on championship night was the greatest experience of my life, and one I will strive to repeat in the near future. Special thanks to all of the ARCA & Flat Rock Speedway officials and employees for putting on a great racing show for the fans every weekend.  I wish our racing community a happy and healthy off-season, it will be time to “go round” before you know it! I look forward to representing our sport and our great race track over the off-season, and am proud to be a Flat Rock Speedway champion!”

Tom O’Leary IV won his first championship, winning the X Car Championship at Toledo.

The championship race didn’t start out for him. All he had to do was start the feature to get enough point, but isn’t that when something’s going to happen?

In an email from his proud Mom: “As far as what happened to the car before the X car feature, no, there wasn't any problems as far as they knew.  Yes, he did have to start the feature to get enough points to win the championship, but just the green flag was all he needed. When Tommy took the car out on the track to start the race, the battery blew up in the car and caused problems with the starter and flywheel. If it wasn't for Ron Dragger telling the flag man to throw the white flag when he did, Tommy would never have been able to take the green, therefore would have lost the championship (Tommy is very grateful to Ron Dragger and the rest of the ARCA staff for doing that). But at the time, Tommy wasn't sure if he took the green flag for sure or not, so that is why he jumped out of the modified and into his other car.

This is Tommy's first championship. In fact, it's the first championship in the O'Leary family (over 40 years of racing). The whole family is very proud of him for all he has accomplished.  He has worked very hard for a championship. Racing has been a huge part of his life.   It's been a long time coming. O'Leary Family Racing would like to thank the following sponsors: Mark at King Road Auto Parts (Sylvania OH), Terry at Wood County Collision (Northwood, Ohio), Rick and Matt at Reason Sign Co. (Perrysburg, Ohio), Walt at Walt's Auto World (Toledo, Ohio), Alan Chumly at BH & H Snacks (Cygnet, Ohio), Mike at Margen Services (Toledo, Ohio), Mike at Adler's Transmissions (Walbridge Ohio0, Matt at Shipley Auto and Towing (Bowling Green, Ohio), Carey King (Toledo, Ohio). We also would like to shout out a special thanks to our pit crew members: James McClure, Michael Miller, and Adam Plonski ... and Howard Kelley Jr. for setting the car up every week. To all of our Family and friends that make it out to the track every chance they get to show support to Tommy Boy. whether you come out to the track once a year or each and every week or call all the time to see how he did, it is greatly appreciated.

 

GLASS CITY, Sept. 27

Dennis Strickland’s win in the 25th anniversary Glass City 200 was the crowning achievement for the veteran driver. He has been in all 15 of the Glass City races since the race resumed in 1999, with a second place several years his best finish going into the race. With a kiss for victory lane and throwing his steering wheel in the air, he celebrated the biggest win of his career.

In a email Dennis wrote:

“When I was in second place and restarted outside pole (my wife) Tina asked, "Do you plan on trying to pass for the lead on the restart or do you want me to let you know when you are clear to drop behind the leader?” I came back on the radio and told her that I was going for the lead. My crew guys went nuts in the pit area because they knew that I have been holding back. After I took the lead and a caution came out, I remember thinking Scott Hantz might be a problem since my car needed a couple of laps before the tires really started working good. When we took the green Scott was all over my tail trying to get a run on me. I held him off and started pulling away. Tina kept telling me to take it easy on the tires in case there was another caution, but I remember thinking I wanted to be as far away from second place as I could in case we ran into lap traffic and I got held up some. Well we ended up with a significant lead and had no pressure to the checkered flag...

  When I look back at the winners circle celebration it was not the normal winners celebration, this was the biggest win in my career! The celebration was emotional and from the heart as I stood on the door of the car and threw the steering wheel thanked god and raised the trophy with my wife. It all now seems like a dream in my mind that came true. To think that my name will be added to the list of Glass City winners like Joe Ruttman, Joy Fair, Bob Senneker, etc is a accomplishment that I never even gave any thought about before I won that race. I started racing in 1978 as a crew member for Tommy Webb, he moved to North Carolina in 1983 and I purchased my first race car and trailer for $1400 not even knowing if I could make a competitive lap, well the rest has been history,..”

  I want thank my sponsors: The Computer Company, Trenton Forging, Victory Christian Fellowship Church. Also thanks to my crew: Bill Dyson, Billy Brod, Jim Arnold, Heather and Ashely Dyson, Tina & Jess and along with Jack Burnette, Earl Bonner, Dick Barker, Pat Moran, John and Butch VanDoorn, Tony Arnold, Harley (Port City Race Cars), Ron Drager and all the ARCA Officials!, and family Mom and Les, Cindy Cline, My Dad, and Missi.

It’s been a long time since Strickland has been in victory lane at Toledo. The current Flat Rock Speedway Late Model champion won a Gold Cup race in July 2004.

Strickland becomes the 12th different winner since ARCA resumed the running of the annual Glass City 200. He is the eighth driver from Michigan to win the race (in the last 15 running).

Scott Hantz, finished second again for the third time (2002, 2010, 2013) and probably is wondering what he has to do to finally get over the hump (and hoping it’s not going to take him 15 years to win this race). “It was quite a ride, but burnt off the tires coming from the back. Dennis (Strickland) drove a smart race and he deserved it. It was a good run, but ... bridesmaid again. We’ll come back next year and maybe take the win,” said the driver of the Great Lakes Helicopter/Collins Heavyhaul/Ryman Design #72.

Last year’s Glass City winner, Terry Senneker, finished third. “That first caution ... I felt so bad ... it was my fault. I got in there so hot, the 90 car (Dennis Strickland) checked up and I spun myself out, and everyone piled in. My crew guys did a great job putting the car back together. We just sort of hung on the first 100 ... we actually didn’t have too bad of piece ... it was wounded a little bit, but I think we could’ve still had a shot at it (the win) there. It was neat to see Dennis win, he’s a great guy and I love racing with him ... congratulations to him,” said the driver of the Senneker Performance, Baker Engineering,  Enterprise Iron and Metal, Oetman Excavating, Zent Motorsports#37.

Nick Bailey finished a career high fourth in the Glass City 200. “It was fun. I’ll tell you what, that was a hard 200 laps. These guys race really hard for all 200 laps. I had a long-run race car tonight and it was just too tight to hold on my position all night. The car wouldn’t’ go for the first three-four laps I couldn’t get out my own way ... I was just happy no one ran over me to be honest with you. It was a handful. I can’t thank everybody enough my family, my grampa Pete, giving us this race car and this opportunity, my wife, my kids, everybody, my mom and dad, all the guys on the crew ... Artie’s Suspension, Automotive Race Specialist Race Engines, Schaeffer Oil, PB Fabrication, CGS Imaging. And also the fans, we couldn’t do it without everyone’s help and support.

Jake Francis finished 5th. “It was a hard fought fifth place finish. We got into the wall and the guys thrashed their butts off on the car and got us back out there. Everything’s still bent on the right front suspension. I want to thank my dad, brother, my spotter, everyone that helped us during the break,“ said the driver of the Francis Engineering, HABCO Tool, Bonner Farms, S.B. Cox, Schaeffer Feed and Supply, Midco Manufacturing, Sommers Marine #33.

Including Strickland’s and Bailey’s career finishes, eight of the 11 cars that finishers had career nights. Nick Grodi finished sixth (12th previous best) and Chris Benson’s Aday Roofing, BM Collision finished 12th (Although Chris thought he had a 10th, all I could find was a 14th place previous best).

Besides the career best finishers, we had many first timers this year.

2013 Toledo Sportsman champion Jim Froling finished seventh. His car was unique as it was the only V-6 powered car in the pits. Also his Jack’s Garage #86 ran the ENTIRE 200 lap feature on one set of tires and finished all 200 laps!

Mike Young who won his first career Sportsman feature earlier in the day finished eighth in his PB Fabrication sponsored car in the Glass City 200.

Dave Stewehouwer attempted to run a Glass City race years ago but was unable to compete. So tonight was his first Glass City in a long career. He finished ninth aboard his Rusche Trucking/Machine Ethics/Precision Collision #33.

Brian Clay finished 10th in the cleverly sponsored car “ME” (as in me, myself and I).

There was a bunch of cars that suffered rear end problems with their cars, including Don St. Denis who was showing everyone the rear end gears from his car. I don’t know much about gears but even I know they weren’t suppose to have broken teeth on them. Another driver who had rear end problems with his car was Jimmy Theil who was driving the #6 in honor of Bob Ward.

Congrats to the X car Champion, Tommy O’Leary IV for his win in the X car feature.

And what were some of the Flat Rock Street Stock drivers doing after the season. Running at Kalamazoo Speedway at the Super Shoe. Clyde McKee finished, 18th in the C main, former Flat Rock driver Tom Freeman finished 23rd in the same feature.

Stephanie Bradley, “I started fourth in the heat, finished third ... started 16th in the last chance race and finished second ... only beat by a nose. Started 22nd in the feature and finished sixteenth. With 7 laps to go, I slowed for a caution and the girl behind me did not ... but it was a fun weekend and I will do it again. Thanks to my mom, dad, kids, the Harbin family and we made a lot of new friends.” (Note, Stephanie was in the D main).

I tried to get something back from all the champions, but didn’t get everyone, for which I’m sorry. Congrats to Dennis Whisman who won the Figure 8 championship at Toledo, David Katafiasz, 4 cylinder Champion and Jim Froling, Sportsman Champion.

If you would still like to send me something something on your season, I’ll put together another article in November.

I must’ve got my articles in too late this summer, because they haven’t been posted. I will post them in my notes section on Facebook by this weekend if anyone wants to read them. https://www.facebook.com/icechips . You can send me a message here or at icechips@hotmail.com.