5/24/2014
Winston Speedway
Neiser and Mielke Dominate Memorial Day Weekend at Winston Speedway
Rothbury, Michigan (Saturday, May 24th, 2014): Sunny skies and warm temperatures were the perfect setting for the Memorial day racing weekend at the fast 3/8ths (0.375) mile semi banked dirt oval of the Winston Speedway located just north of Muskegon off of US 31 in Rothbury, Michigan. The UMP DIRTcar Late Models headlined the full racing program. They were joined by UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks, Factory Stocks / Bombers, Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks, Four-Cylinder Warriors, and Young Guns.
The night’s main event features began with the running of the 10-lap Young Guns race. Jordan Leak and Bailie Wynbelt led the field down to the green flag. Gabe Flores took the lead on the opening lap, but then lost it Morgan Smith. Smith held the lead until lap 7 when 13-year old Trent Musk powered his way past to the top spot and he held on for the win.
The driver who calls’s Muskegon, Michigan home scored his fifth win on the season in his Wylie Electric / Honda. Smith had to settle for second. 16-year old Kristina Johnson, Flores, and Wynbelt made up the top five finishing spots. The heat race win went to Smith.
The Bombers were next out for a 15-lap A-main. The front row consisted of Mike Pickard and Nate Trick. The green flag dropped and it was Pickard taking the early race lead. Although on lap 2 the lead was then taken away by Jerid Bisson who remained there until lap 14. That was when Bisson, Josh Grabe, and Dan Wilson made the final attempt for the win on the final lap and the first to the checkered flag was Wilson.
This was the Muskegon, Michigan native’s second win of the season. He finished just ahead of Bisson who was the runner up. Grabe, Mike Fekken, and Bill Delong rounded out the top five. The preliminary heat races were won by Grabe and Wilson.
The UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks hit the track for their feature event. 14-year old Drew Wilkerson started on the pole alongside Mark Farber when the green flagged waved. Wilkerson took the advantage early on, and would see the defending UMP DIRTcar national champion Josh Frye take over the lead. However his tenure there was short lived as a mid-race caution saw him to leave the speedway giving the lead back to Wilkerson who would manage to hold his position despite what the other competitors attempted and would go on to victory lane for his very first ever win behind the wheel of a UMP DIRTcar street stock.
The 14-year old from Ravena, Michigan earned the victory driving his Wilkerson & Son’s Excavating / Ford. Second place went to Mike Epplett. Chuck Smith, Derek Poland, and Mark Farber finished the top five. Smith was the winner of the lone heat race.
The UMP DIRTcar Late Models then came out led by Bry Sloan and Matt Christiansen ready to do battle in another stellar feature event. Christiansen jumped out front after the drop of the green. However it didn’t take long of the six-time and defending track champion Rich Neiser to find his way to front of the field and put a healthy distance between himself and everyone else. He would go on to take home the checkered flag.
This was Neiser’s first win of the season in his Baker Engineering / Mastersbilt Racecar. Eric Spangler finished in the second position. 2012 track champion Tom Sprague Jr., Bill Bray, and Christiansen capped off the top five positions. Aaron Morey was the winner of the lone heat race.
It was then time for the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds to hit the speedway for their feature event. Paul Johnson and John Pierson made up the front row of the field. Once the race was underway it was Johnson who took the lead. However shortly after that the defending UMP DIRTcar Modified Michigan State champion David Mielke found his way out front into the clean open air and would not look back from there as he picked up the win.
The 22-year old from Gladwin, Michigan earned his fourth win of the season in his Krompetz Elevators/ Rocket by Ruhlman Racecar. Steve Fairbaks was the runner up finisher. Defending track champion Andy Sprague, Travis Stemler, and Johnson completed the top five. Stan Dodds and Jeff Erickson Jr. won the heats.
Jeremy Gryka and Ric Nic led out the feature field for the Four-Cylinder Warriors. The top three positions were all under some fierce competition in the early stages. Once everyone had settled in the car driven by Gary Larabee was at the front of the pack, and he was able to hang on and pick up his second victory of the year.
The 33-year old Muskegon, Michigan driver won while behind the wheel of his ASAP Towing / Dodge. Ryan Hamm took second place. Randy Larabee, Mike Goodwin, and Nic rounded out the top five. The lone heat race was won by Mike Goodwin.
The final event of the night belonged to the Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks. Christian Wynbelt and Bob Cook were on the front row. After the drop of the green however it was the veteran 2011 UMP DIRTcar east region sport compacts and track champion Paul Namey weaving his way thorugh the field to the lead, and no one was stopping him from going to victory lane as held picked up the win.
This was the 56-year old Ada, Michigan driver’s third win in as many weeks in his Riverside Motor Sales / Honda. Rich Lieb had to settle for the second spot. Brian Carson, Chris Gagnon, and Wynbelt were the top five. The heat race was won by Brian Carson.
This Saturday May 31st the Winston Speedway will again feature a full program headlined by the weekly racing program sanctioned by the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar. Leading the way will be the high-powered UMP DIRTcar Late Models, UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, UMP DIRTcar Street Stocks, Factory Stocks / Bombers, Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks, and Young Guns. Plus the Four-Cylinder Warriors who will all be going head to head for a special $300 to win presented by Arizona Charlie’s. The Pit Gates Open at 3:30p.m., Grandstands Open at 4:30p.m., Practice Starts at 5:30p.m., and Racing Begins at 7:00p.m.
Winston Speedway is located at 7834 South 72nd Avenue in Montague, Michigan. For more information, please call: 1 (231) 737-9223 or go to the website located at: www.racewinston.com You can also follow everything that is happening on and off the track by becoming a fan on the tracks Facebook Fan Page and following along on Twitter as well. Just go to: www.facebook.com/WinstonSpeedway and www.twitter.com/WinstonSpeedway and click on “Like" and “Follow” buttons today.
Article Credit: Brian Osborne
Submitted By: Brian Osborne
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