7/18/2015
Winston Speedway
Dan Wilson Jr. Victorious in Tim Epplett Memorial
Rothbury, Michigan (Friday, July 17th, 2015): The Tim Epplett Memorial presented by Bolduc’s Complete Automotive was the headlining event for this past Friday evenings full racing program. This was just one part of the 7 in 1 show, which also included a Four-Cylinder Warrior Special. The Late Models, UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Michigan Dirt Modifieds, Street Stocks, and Young Guns were all in competition as well.
15-year old Gabe Flores and 14-year old Madison Crane made up the front row of the 10-lap main event for the Young Guns. Flores took the early lead. He would hold the top spot until lap 5 where he would be passed by Ronnie VanNatter. VanNatter would go on from there to pick up his fifth win of the season. Crane finished second. Devon Midkiff, Flores, and Heidi Barnhard made up the top five. Flores won the heat race.
The Michigan Dirt Modifieds were led out by Renton Joiling and Josh Grabe for what was a 15-lap feature event. Grabe pulled off with the early advantage. He would actually go unchallenged for the remainder of the event leading every lap and picking up the win. This was the 35-year old Muskegon, Michigan native earned his sixth win of the season in his Grabe Well Drilling #g5. Joe Carmean, Joiling, Brett Strunk, and Steve McClees finished off the top five. Grabe won the lone heat race as well.
The Street Stocks competed in a 20-lap main event. Paul Namey and Robbie Sternberg led the field down to the green flag. Sternberg jumped out with the early lead. He was pressured through a majority of the race by Derek Poland. But Sternberg hit his marks and was able to lead every lap of the affair, taking home the checkered flag for his first win of the season. The 23-year old from Muskegon, Michigan won driving the Stern’s Towing #73. Poland took second. Namey, Jeremy Holman, and Josh Sternberg rounded out the top five. The heat race won Poland.
Mike Epplett and Trent Musk led out the 2nd Annual Tim Epplett memorial for the Bombers presented by Bulduc’s complete automotive. The 35-lap A-Main was led by Epplett after the opening circuit. He would pull out to a healthy advantage. However, on lap 18 his car would suffer mechanical issues forcing him to leave the race. This gave the lead over to Dan Wilson Jr. who would the lead the remainder of the event leading him to pick up his fifth win of the year behind the wheel of the A&A Manufacturing #57. Steve Fairbanks finished second. Mike Fekken, Robb Sternberg, and Morgan Smith completed the top five. The heat races were won by Wilson and Fairbanks.
The Late Models 25-lap feature was out next. The front row was made up of Steve Fairbanks and Chops Barnhard. The green flag waved and Fairbanks took off with the lead in the early going. He was able to lead over half of the race, but it was on lap 17 when the pass was made by none other than six-time track champion Rich Neiser who went on from there to get the win. This was the 45-year old Fruitport, Michigan native’s fourth win of the season in the Baker Engineering #87. Faribanks was forced to settle for second. Kyle Borgman, Rob Taylor, and Matt Sprague capped off the top five. Jeramy Lange and Borgman were the heat winners.
The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds made their way out for a 20-lap main event. Andy Sprague and Tom Sprague Jr. led the field down to the green flag. Tom Sprague Jr. would lead the first lap. However on lap 2 he would spin in the turn 4 resulting in a multiple car pile up. This gave the lead over to his brother Andy who would take over from there soaring to pick up his first win of the season. The 33-year old from Muskegon won driving his Sprague Auto Parts #1s. Steve McClees was the runner up. Brian Kiester, Paul Johnson, and Mike Peterson made up the top five. Jeff Erickson Jr. and Aaron Morey won the preliminary heat races.
Finally, the Four-Cylinder Warriors squared off in a 15-lap feature event. Dave Redmon and Gary Larabee were on the front row when the green flag waved. Redmon was the early leader until lap 4 when he would lose control hitting the wall in turn 1. Larabee took over the lead from there, he would go on to get the win despite heavy pressure in the late stages from Terry Woodard. Larabee the 34-year old from Muskegon, Michigan picked up his first win of the year in the ASAP #14. Woodard was forced to settle for second. Buck Spencer, 17-year old Kristina Johnson, and Chris Gagnon rounded out the top five. Redmon and Melissa Sprague were the heat race winners.
Results Summary:
Late Models -
Heat 1 - (10 Laps)
- 02-Jeramy Lange[2] ; 2. 1-Eric Midkiff[5] ; 3. 62-Chops Barnhard[3] ; 4. 30M-Tim Moorman[9] ; 5. 34-Alan Vochaska[4] ; 6. 11S-Tim Stott[1] ; 7. 44-Rob Taylor[6] ; 8. 10-Matt Sprague[8] ; 9. 3-Jamie Gilmore[7]
Heat 2 - (10 Laps)
- 72-Kyle Borgman[2] ; 2. 17-Kevin Nelson JR[4] ; 3. 87-Richard Neiser[6] ; 4. 51-Steve Fairbanks[3] ; 5. 4-Jason Playter Jr.[5] ; 6. 30-Bob Bray[8] ; 7. 7-Lowell Webster[7] ; 8. 7C-Denise Christiansen[1]
A-Main 1 - (25 Laps)
- 87-Richard Neiser[8] ; 2. 51-Steve Fairbanks[1] ; 3. 72-Kyle Borgman[5] ; 4. 44-Rob Taylor[13] ; 5. 10-Matt Sprague[15] ; 6. 4-Jason Playter Jr.[4] ; 7. 62-Chops Barnhard[2] ; 8. 02-Jeramy Lange[6] ; 9. 30M-Tim Moorman[9] ; 10. 1-Eric Midkiff[3] ; 11. 7-Lowell Webster[14] ; 12. 17-Kevin Nelson JR[7] ; 13. 7C-Denise Christiansen[16] ; 14. 11S-Tim Stott[11]
UMP Modifieds -
Heat 1 - (8 Laps)
- 1E-Jeffery Erickson Jr[2] ; 2. 1S-Andy Sprague[4] ; 3. 87H-John Hammerle[1] ; 4. 46-Dave Schmidt[3] ; 5. 01-Steve McClees[6] ; 6. 89-Brian Kiester[5]
Heat 2 - (8 Laps)
- 2K-Aaron Morey[5] ; 2. 1-Tom Sprague Jr[1] ; 3. 14C-Kevin Cavanaugh[6] ; 4. 4J-Paul Johnson[4] ; 5. 3-Mike Petersen[2] ; 6. 34-Luis Conley[3]
A-Main 1 - (25 Laps)
- 1S-Andy Sprague[1] ; 2. 01-Steve McClees[9] ; 3. 89-Brian Kiester[11] ; 4. 4J-Paul Johnson[8] ; 5. 3-Mike Petersen[10] ; 6. 1E-Jeffery Erickson Jr[5] ; 7. 87H-John Hammerle[4] ; 8. 34-Luis Conley[12] ; 9. 14C-Kevin Cavanaugh[3] ; 10. 46-Dave Schmidt[7] ; 11. 1-Tom Sprague Jr[2] ; 12. 2K-Aaron Morey[6]
Michigan Dirt Mods -
Heat 1 - (8 Laps)
- G5-Josh Grabe[1] ; 2. 0-Renton Joling[2] ; 3. 66-Brad Bates[4] ; 4. 01-Steven McClees[3] ; 5. 7-Joe Carmean[6] ; 6. 5-Brett Strunk[5]
A-Main 1 - (15 Laps)
- G5-Josh Grabe[2] ; 2. 7-Joe Carmean[4] ; 3. 0-Renton Joling[1] ; 4. 5-Brett Strunk[6] ; 5. 01-Steven McClees[5] ; 6. 66-Brad Bates[3]
Street Stocks -
Heat 1 - (10 Laps)
- 13-Derek Poland[3] ; 2. 74-Paul Namey[4] ; 3. 18-Jeremy Holman[2] ; 4. 73RJ-Robbie Sternberg[8] ; 5. 23H-Rick Huisken[1] ; 6. 07-Billy Frey[6] ; 7. 83-Josh Sternberg[5] ; 8. 6-Mark Farber[7]
A-Main 1 - (20 Laps)
- 73RJ-Robbie Sternberg[2] ; 2. 13-Derek Poland[4] ; 3. 74-Paul Namey[1] ; 4. 18-Jeremy Holman[3] ; 5. 83-Josh Sternberg[7] ; 6. 6-Mark Farber[8] ; 7. 07-Billy Frey[6] ; 8. 23H-Rick Huisken[5]
Bombers -
Heat 1 - (8 Laps)
- 57-Dan Wilson Jr[1] ; 2. 99E-Mike Epplett[2] ; 3. 15-Nate Triick[3] ; 4. 37-Morgan Smith[4] ; 5. 2-Robert Erickson[5] ; 6. 22-Evan Shotko[6]
Heat 2 - (8 Laps)
- 21-Steve Fairbanks[3] ; 2. 34F-Mike Fekken[4] ; 3. 5X-Trent Musk[2] ; 4. 41x-Kevin Rake[6] ; 5. 83-Mel Whitten[1] ; 6. 37S-Robb Sternberg[5]
A-Main 1 - (35 Laps)
- 57-Dan Wilson Jr[4] ; 2. 21-Steve Fairbanks[6] ; 3. 34F-Mike Fekken[3] ; 4. 37S-Robb Sternberg[12] ; 5. 37-Morgan Smith[7] ; 6. 41x-Kevin Rake[8] ; 7. 5X-Trent Musk[2] ; 8. 2-Robert Erickson[9] ; 9. 22-Evan Shotko[11] ; 10. 99E-Mike Epplett[1] ; 11. 83-Mel Whitten[10] ; 12. 15-Nate Triick[5]
Warriors -
Heat 1 - (8 Laps)
- 04-Dave Redmon[4] ; 2. 2-Buck Spencer[3] ; 3. 14-Gary Larabee[5] ; 4. 82-Mindi Holy[8] ; 5. 77-Don Fenner[7] ; 6. 18-Chad French[6] ; 7. 9-Randy Woodbury[1] ; 8. 97-Chris Gagnon[2]
Heat 2 - (8 Laps)
- 10-Melissa Sprague[2] ; 2. 3-Terry Woodard[4] ; 3. 1K-Kristina Johnson[5] ; 4. 29-Brian Hammond[6] ; 5. 11-Brett Tanner[7] ; 6. 7H-Bob Halberstadt[3] ; 7. 15-Drue Bauwman[1]
A-Main 1 - (15 Laps)
- 14-Gary Larabee[2] ; 2. 3-Terry Woodard[3] ; 3. 2-Buck Spencer[8] ; 4. 1K-Kristina Johnson[6] ; 5. 97-Chris Gagnon[15] ; 6. 04-Dave Redmon[1] ; 7. 29-Brian Hammond[4] ; 8. 10-Melissa Sprague[7] ; 9. 82-Mindi Holy[5] ; 10. 11-Brett Tanner[10] ; 11. 77-Don Fenner[9] ; 12. 7H-Bob Halberstadt[12] ; 13. 18-Chad French[11] ; 14. 9-Randy Woodbury[13]
Young Guns -
Heat 1 - (6 Laps)
- 16-Gabe Flores[3] ; 2. 36-Ronnie VanNatter[1] ; 3. 3-Heidi Barnhard[2] ; 4. 12-Madison Crane[4] ; 5. 17-Nathan Magner [5] ; 6. 1-Devon Midkiff[6]
A-Main 1 - (12 Laps)
- 36-Ronnie VanNatter[4] ; 2. 12-Madison Crane[2] ; 3. 1-Devon Midkiff[6] ; 4. 16-Gabe Flores[1] ; 5. 3-Heidi Barnhard[5]
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