Toledo Speedway

Toledo, Ohio-September 12, 2015:  Hometown favorite Jimmy McCune and A.J. Lesiecki were the victors in Saturday’s Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness/All American Coach Fastest Short Track Show in the World at Toledo Speedway.  The all-open wheel race, which was rescheduled from a June 12 rain-out to Friday night, again fell to the weather, forcing the event to Saturday night. Ron Hemelgarn presented the trophies to the winners in the 7-Up Winner’s Circle.

The 30 lap Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint feature belonged to McCune, who grabbed his second Fastest Short Track win at Toledo with the victory.  His first in Sprint competition in this event came in 2011.  McCune is also the only driver to have won this prestigious race in both classes, as he took the MSA Super Modified race in 2013.  Jimmy is also on a hot streak as 2015 winds down, grabbing his 4^th consecutive win in the Winged Sprinters.  Bobby Santos took the lead on the green and was on the fly until he lost a wheel on lap 7, sending him hard into the turn 2 wall.  He was ok.  Brian Gerster passed McCune on the restart, but Brian dropped out on lap 17, giving McCune the lead as he zipped to the win.  Ike Beasley took second, Aaron Pierce was third, Kyle Edwards fourth and Ryan Litt fifth, followed by Ryan Gillenwater, Kevin Feeney, Geoff Kaiser, Brad Wyatt and John Turnbull Jr.  Gerster, Santos, Jeff Bloom and Teddy Alberts were next in the running order.  Jason Blonde and Mike Stutsman did not start the race.  Blonde had an axle break during hot laps, pounding the turn 1 foam blocks.  Jason was shaken but walked away from the incident.   Gerster set the fast lap at an amazing 12:305, and was just short of Pierce’s 12:220 record time from June.  Pierce and Litt captured the heat race wins.

A first-ever winner emerged in the 40 lap MSA Super Modified portion of the classic, as A.J. Lesiecki powered the May Motorsports #77 to the checkered flag.  A.J. was strong out front as he sailed to the win over Jon Henes, Canadian Dave McKnight, Kyle Edwards, Sondi Eden, Charlie Schultz, Denny Fisher, Kevin Jaycox Jr. and Larry Lenhart.  Clay Karl and Jim Paller did not make the call for the green flag.  Edwards posted fast time with a lap of 13:198.  Schultz and Eden took the heat race wins.

The final race of 2015 at Toledo Speedway is set for Saturday, September 19 for the 27th Running of the Great Lakes Helicopter Glass City 200.  The 200 lap contest is the longest-distance race for the outlaw-bodied Late Models in the Midwest.  A rain date of Sunday, September 20 has been established.  Presenting sponsors for the race include the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express and Central Transport.

The race will award $6500 to the winner, with $1100 posted to start the contest.  A field of 30 cars is expected for the season-ending event. 

Race fans will have the opportunity to save $5 on advance ticket purchases by calling the track at 419-727-1100.  The advance sale will end at 5 p.m. Friday, September 18.  Both reserved and general admission tickets are being sold in this advance sale.  The ticket order form may also be downloaded from the track’s web page.  The order form may be emailed, but there are no online sales for this race.

Friday, September 18 the pit gates will open at 2 p.m.  An optional practice session will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Rig parking, pit pass sales, limited tech and tire sales will take place on Friday.  All pit pass purchasers on Friday will receive a complimentary dinner after practice, courtesy of La Chalupa/El Camino restaurants of Toledo.

A last-chance race and B Main are also on the schedule for September 19, should enough cars be entered for the 200.  A 20 minute break will take place at lap 101.  For the first time in many years, the 200 will be a stand-alone event.  The time schedule for race day has the pit gates opening at 9 a.m., practice begins at 11 a.m. and the run for the PASSTIME $500 pole award goes at 2.  An on-track autograph session is planned for 3:45 p.m., with pre-race festivities to begin at 4:30. Race time is 5 p.m.  Check www.toledospeedway.com for the updated entry list Monday afternoon, September 14.