FAIR JR. SCORES MILLER LITE/MARCO’S PIZZA 100 TOLEDO WIN
FAIR JR. SCORES MILLER LITE/MARCO’S PIZZA 100 TOLEDO WIN
Toledo, Ohio-August 5, 2017: Harold Fair Jr. captured the victory in the Saturday night Miller Lite 100 fueled by Marco’s Pizza for the ARCA Super 6 Gold Cup/Main Event Late Models at Toledo Speedway. The Miller Lite Girls and Chef Marco greeted Fair Jr. in victory lane. Howard Kelley Jr., Dennis Whisman Jr. and Jacob Thomas were also feature winners in the Saturday night special.
A total of 19 Late Models hit the track for the 100 lap contest. Nick Grodi grabbed the lead at the start and began to receive pressure from Frankie Jiovani by lap 18. Fair Jr. caught the lead duo at lap 32, making it a 3 car battle for the top spot. A lap 42 yellow bunched the field, and Jiovani got the advantage on the restart to take the lead and held that spot until a lap 65 yellow slowed the action. On this restart, Grodi, running perhaps his best race of his career at Toledo, was able take the lead. Nick built up a straight-away cushion. Mike Root grabbed second and tried to reel in the fleet Grodi. At lap 85 the red flag came out when Jiovani’s car got loose and swapped ends coming off turn 2 and tagged the wall. Great driving by the field avoided any further damage to the #45 and his fellow competitors. Root was poised to become the leader and did just that on the restart, edging by Grodi. Fair Jr., however, had other ideas as he became the 4th and final leader, taking the top spot on lap 89 and zipped to the victory. Root was second, Grodi’s great run gave him third spot, fourth was Billy Roberts and Scott Pemberton was fifth, followed by Jimmy Thiel (in Jim Ward’s #6), Dennis Rederstorf, Joe Hawes, Tommy O’Leary IV and Jimmie Ward Jr. Jiovani, Scott MacKenzie, Dennis Strickland, RJ White, Glenn Gault Jr., Tom Cronenwett, Dave Stehouwer, Chris Benson and Kevin Stahl Jr. complete the finishing order.
Root set fast time at 15:193 for the final event for the Late Models at Toledo prior to the Glass City 200 September 16.
Howard Kelley Jr. continued his winning ways, scoring win number 3 of the season in the 35 lap ARCA Aramark Late Model Sportsman feature. Kent McCloskey led lap 1 until Andy Harding took the point on lap 2. His lead, however, was short-lived as Kelley Jr. zipped by on lap 5 for the top spot. Several yellows slowed the action, but Kelley stayed in command throughout, despite the pressure from Ron Allen. Ron looked to the high lane on several laps to get around the #11 as Kelley grabbed the win over Allen, Tommy O’Leary IV, Jim Froling, Gerald Wheaton, Greg Stilwell, Harding, McCloskey, James Pankow (in his first-ever Sportsman start) and Craig Osenbaugh. Mike Young, Kevin Stahl, Cory McCaughey (also in his first start on the ½ mile at Toledo) and Landon Schuster rounded out the finishing order. Kelley Jr. and McCloskey took the heat wins, with Froling posting the fast time at 17:257. Froling and Allen made repairs from a heat race crash just in time to make it on track for the feature race.
Dennis Whisman Jr. led every lap on the way to his win in the 20 lap ARCA Victory Lane Quick Oil Change Figure 8 feature contest. Eugene Worden, who returned to action after several seasons away from the sport, tried to catch Jr, and then it was Dan Apperson’s turn to pursue the #2 of Whisman. Dennis stayed in front all the way to the checkered flag over Apperson, Dennis Whisman Sr., Scott Apperson, Worden, Joseph Vanderhoof, Randy Roberts, Travis Earley and James Vanderhoof. Earley was the heat race winner.
A new face entered victory lane as Monroe, MI resident Jacob Thomas took the lead on lap 12 and edged out Matt Ringger for his first-ever feature win in the 20 lap ARCA Factory Stock main event. Cory McCaughey, Craig Osenbaugh, James Good, Jesse Carrillo, Paul Martell, Mike Miller, Tommy O’Leary IV and Kenny Heebsh trailed the lead duo at the stripe. McCaughey and Osenbaugh were the heat race winners.
It is back to Friday racing, August 11 as Toledo Speedway presents the Glass Bowl Lanes/R & M Recycling Night. The ARCA Aramark Late Model Sportsman will battle in a 50 lap feature on the ½ mile. The race is the third and final leg of the R & M Recycling Silver Cup Series for the class. A 50 lap ARCA Factory Stock feature is also on tap, along with a Figure 8 Train Race. For the first time, a Kids Power Wheels Demo will be held at the track.
The pit gates open at 4:30, the front gates and ticket office will open at 6, practice will also begin at 6, time trials are set for 7 and racing is at 7:30 p.m.