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Started from the Bottom Now we're here

Feature Winners 7/18/25
UMP LM-#M14 Brandon Thirlby
Hubbco IMCA Mods-#12 Jeff Reay
Pro Stocks-#35 Billy Trueblood Jr.
Street Stocks-#96 Mike Lynn
Midwest Dirt Compacts-#222 Mike Workman
MW Unrestricted-#71K Karsyn Crosby
MW Restricted-#6 Lola Stemler

It was a great night to return to your Home for Friday Night Dirt Track Racing after three long weeks away. The featured class of the evening was the Midwest Dirt Compact Touring Series and the show did not disappoint. We also kicked off the first of two nights of Suicide Awareness and Prevention. Always remember, there are people there to help, so if you're hurting, reach out, please!

There was so much great racing and passes throughout the night that it would normally be too hard to pick out the most impressive run, except, in the Midwest Dirt Compact Touring Series Feature, we would see the winner come all the way from dead last in a stacked field to park it in victory lane. Michael Workman was leading his Heat race when he had mechanical issues that made him pull to the pit area causing him to start last in the A Main. That would not be enough to stop him from getting it done as he worked his way through the field while some of the heavy hitters had mechanical issues of their own. 1st-#222 Michael Workman 2nd-#88 Estevan Martinez 3rd-#G14 Greg Marlow 4th-#70 Nick Williams 5th-#41 James Sumerix. Heat races were won by #11 Dominic Morehouse and #44 Roy Moses.

I would argue, and most would agree, that I-96 has some of the best UMP Dirt Late Model drivers in the nation, and they never fail to put on a show. Every week, you will find the usual contenders up front, but sometimes, the results don't tell the story. One of the perennial contenders, Chad Finley, had mechanical issues right at the start of the day during hot laps. He came out a bit later for extra hot laps and didn't appear to solve the issue. However, after failing to make qualifying, and missing his Heat, he had to start last and worked his way all the way forward to finish in 3rd. So, yet another race with tons of passing. Finley, or even Travis Stemler, for that matter, would not have enough for the winner as Brandon Thirlby had the M14 hooked up and on a rail the entire feature to park it in the Lane Automotive/Allstar Performance Victory Lane after laying down the fastest lap of the race and winning by 2.461 seconds. 1st-#M14 Brandon Thirlby 2nd-#4 Travis Stemler 3rd-#42 Chad Finley 4th-#15 Dave Baker 5th-#11 Greg Gokey. Heat race winners were Thirlby and Stemler. Quick Time for qualifying was a 15.287 laid down by Thirlby.

The theme of the night seemed to be great runs from drivers deep in the field and the Hubbco Racing Products IMCA Modified A Main was no exception. Finding his way to victory lane all the way from the 10th starting spot would be the 12 machine of Jeff Reay. Reay would have to work his way to the front through other hard chargers moving up 5 spots each themselves, in Mark Anderson and Brenton Deyoung and veteran driver, Myron Deyoung along with the previous race nights winner, John McClure. 1st-#12 Jeff Reay 2nd-#43 “Mr. Excitement” Mark Anderson 3rd-#71 Brenton Deyoung 4th-#12 John McClure 5th-#7D Myron Deyoung. Honorable mention to the “Portland Powerhouse” Casey Smith, for moving up 9 positions to finish just outside the top 5 in 6th. Heat races were won by Myron Deyoung and #32 Dan Hubbell

Once again, the class of the field in Pro Stocks seemed to be point leader, Billy Trueblood Jr. Trueblood has almost been unbeatable, winning 5 of the 6 Features ran this season at I-96 Speedway, claiming his 5th Friday Night. 1st-#35 Billy Trueblood Jr. 2nd-#45 Mike Husted 3rd-#87 Rob Putt 4th-#23 Jarred Decker 5th-#C4 Cody Forsythe. Heat race was won by Putt.

The Street Stock class continues to grow and has been putting on quite a show with many different contenders all equally capable of winning on any given night. This night would see Muskegon driver, Mike Lynn, starting from the outside pole and appeared to be off to a convincing victory until a late race caution involving two contenders, Dave Schmidt and Michael Rogers, bunched the field back up and made him get up on the wheel with many drivers coming for the crown. The caution would give Forsythe and Brandt a chance to really put the pressure on Lynn and thats exactly what they did. Lynn would have just enough to get it done in the end. 1st-#96 Mike Lynn 2nd-#67 Carlind Forsythe 3rd-#65 Bill Brandt Jr. 4th-#27 Peyton Cunningham 5th-#7S Trinedy Huey. Heat race was won by Brandt.

Unrestricted Mini Wedge (10-14) drivers all had a tall task ahead of them as the point leader, Karsyn Crosby, had pole position. Throughout the race, Karsyn would be challenged by Racer Smith, Waylon King, RJ Sternberg and Jordan Hendrick, but Karsyn proved too strong out front to be beaten. 1st-#71K Karsyn Crosby 2nd-#37 “Baby Shark” Robbie Sternberg Jr. 3rd-#2 Jordan Hendrick 4th-#32 Waylon King 5th-#85 “Speed” Racer Smith. Heat was won by Smith.

Restricted Mini Wedge (6-9) has been dominated by two drivers, Lola Stemler and Axle Smith, and this proved true again with Lola getting her 4th A Main win of the season by beating out “Wild Child” Axle Smith. 1st-#6 Lola Stemler 2nd-#85 “Wild Child” Axle Smith 3rd-#2 Roy “Bubba” Tharp Jr. 4th-#9M Ty McClure 5th-#39 Grace Shomin. Heat race was won by Smith.

You don't wanna miss the action this next Friday at your Home for Friday Night Dirt Track Racing, I-96 Speedway, as the Great Lakes Super Sprints stop by once again to put on a show. It will be night two of Suicide Awareness and Prevention along with the Street Stock Blowout. So, come on out, bring the whole family for a great night of exciting racing at I-96 Speedway “Where Excitement Lives!!”

Photo Credit Just Shoot Me Photography & Design by Katie

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