Toledo Speedway

Hometown favorite Jimmy McCune took the lead back after losing it for 3 laps, then sped away to the checkered flag in the all-green flag Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Super Sprint feature Friday night at Toledo Speedway. The All American Coach/Super Fitness/Hemelgarn Racing Fastest Short Track Show in the World also saw the MSA Super Modifieds in action, as A.J. Lesiecki topped Kyle Edwards to grab the win.

Ron Hemelgarn and Tom and Jim McGuire, both from All American Coach, greeted the winners in Victory Lane.

McCune grabbed the lead at the start of the 30 lap Sprint feature, setting sail as the rest of the pack hunted him down to contend for the top spot. 2016 Toledo winner Ryan Gillenwater dove low on a lapped car as he and McCune got to turn 1, taking the lead on lap 19. McCune stormed right back 3 laps later to again take the point, but more heat was on the way as Ryan Litt began his move to the front. With 5 go to, the fleet Canadian was right with McCune. Ryan looked both low and high but Jimmy had the power to stay in front for the big win, his 3^rd in this event. Litt was second, Gillenwater third, Bobby Santos fourth and Brian Gerster fifth, followed by Kyle Edwards, Anthony McCune, Kevin Feeney, Chris Randolph, Frank Neill, Brian Gibbs, Jason Blonde and Doug Stepke.

Edwards thrilled the crowd during the always-anticipated qualifying session, pulling off a lap of 12:270, just short of Aaron Pierce’s mark of 12:220. Santos and Gerster captured the heat wins.

The first 12 laps of the MSA Super Modified Glass City Nationals was shaping up to be a great battle. 2016 winner Dave McKnight took the lead at the green, but had company at Talon Stephens ran strong in the high groove. Talon would nose out ahead, only to have McKnight storm back on the inside. The duo ran side by side for several laps, with McKnight gaining control of the top spot on lap 11. A lap later, Dave had his engine come unglued going into turn 3 and coated the track with oil, taking the 2-3-4 runners-Stephens, fast qualifier Mike McVetta (13:467) and Charlie Schultz with him into the foam blocks in a spectacular crash, with McVetta’s machine getting upside down. All drivers were ok.

The decision was made to make the race now 35 laps instead of the 50 as planned. The race restarted and the new leader was A.J. Lesiecki, a previous winner of the event. Kyle Edwards followed A.J. lap after lap, looking for the opening. With 2 to go, Kyle appeared to have an opening but Lesiecki held on for the win, worth $4000. A.J.’s brother, Jonathan, was third, Jim Paller fourth and Larry Lenhart fifth. Kenny Sharp, Mark Miller, McKnight, Stephens, McVetta and Schultz completed the running order. Paller and Schultz took the heat wins.