Toledo Speedway

TOLEDO, OH (8-22-2008)--  Jim Froling capped off a great season, with his runner-up finish in the feature sealing the deal for the 2008 ARCA National City Bank Sportsman championship Friday night at Toledo Speedway.  Ron Allen won the 50 lap Tim Hortons Season point finale.  Feature winners Josh Bunting, Kevin Little, Mike Bershback and Tyler Rycenga also visited the New Glass Bowl Lanes Winner’s Circle.  Dennis Stilwell, representing Tim Hortons, presented the trophies to the winners.

With a 50 point lead going into the 50 lap main event, Froling stayed glued to the bumper of Allen as the race began.  Allen set a quick pace as the new champ kept him in his sights while running second.  By lap 15, Howard Kelley Jr. and Rick Sheppard had moved into the top 5.  Several yellows for minor incidents slowed things, including a late yellow when Chad Guinn’s rear end in his car broke, giving Sheppard no place go. Both were done for the night.  Allen sailed out front for the win over Froling, Kelley Jr., Art Rozane, Greg Stilwell, Scott Bross, Tom O’Leary IV, Jeff King, Jarod MacZink and Scott Lockenour.  Allen set fast time with a quick lap at 17:255, with the heat wins to Kelley Jr. and MacZink.

Josh Bunting made it 2 in a row, capturing the 20 lap ARCA A-1 Auto Parts Factory Stock feature event.  Gary Cronenwett led the first 3 tours until Bunting took control.  Josh had plenty of company as Eric Huston worked the bumper of Josh for the remaining 17 laps.  Bunting held on for the win by less than a car length, with Huston second, Landon Schuster third, Dave Arnold Jr. fourth and Rick Cousino Sr. fifth, followed by Tim Shine, Mike Hassen, AJ Padgett, Jesse Carillo and Don Cox. 

Toledoan Kevin Little scored his first-ever feature win in the 10 lap B Main Factory Stock contest.  Kevin topped Matt Bunting, John Rabideau, Dennis Futrel and Dan Harper for his big victory.  Fast time for the 25 car field went to Arnold Jr. at 11:789.  Heat race wins went to Cory McCaughey, Carillo and Alan Bland Jr., with last-chance race honors to Cox.

The Michigan Legends made the trip to Toledo Friday night and put on a great show, with a 3 car battle for the win going to Tyler Rycenga.  Tyler led every lap but had lots of heat from Levi Rouster and Chance Rice in the final 7 laps.  Rice started mid-pack and zipped to the front, got to Rouster for third and the duo went after Tyler for the win, but he was up to the task.  Rouster, Rice, Skip Krassa, Brandon Mahoney, Chris Perry, Ben Rouster, Matt Todd, Jerry Warden and Tony Monge were next in line to complete the top ten.  Rice and Perry captured the heat race victories. 

The ARCA David’s Jewelry 4 Cylinder class took to the track for the 20 lap feature event, with Mike Bershback holding on to top David Price and Matt Brazeau for the win.  Rookie Eric Padgett led the first 3 laps until Mike snuck by on the inside lane for the lead.  Price and Brazeau made their moves and got to the leader with 5 to go.  Bershback had enough to take the win over Price, Brazeau, Michael Marlow, Eric Padgett, Brandon Beazeau, Perry Marlow, Mark Davis and Brad Turner.  Turner set fast time at 12:854, but tagged the wall in the heat race.  Turner jumped into Jimmy Little’s car for the feature race.

The track’s next race is now set for Sunday, August 31.  The ARCA Allegiant Air Late Model Gold Cup Series will stage their final point race with a 100 lap main event on the big ½ mile oval.  The ARCA Speedway Bar and Grille Figure 8’s and the A-1 Auto Parts Factory Stocks will also stage their championship events, with all 3 classes crowning their 2008 champions.  A Wives and Mechanics race will be held after the race program is completed.  The pits open at 2 p.m., practice begins at 4, time trials are at 6 and racing begins at 7 p.m.  The front gates also will open at 4 p.m.