By: Spartan correspondent, Michelle Sprague

    Dewitt’s Jon McNett found the Corrigan Oil Winner’s Circle for his win in the Andrews Chevrolet Super Late Model 40-lap feature. McNett had struggled with engine woes, running a borrowed engine for a couple of weeks, but was back on track with McNett smoke under the hood.

   On the start, Jackson’s Dale Lewis jumped out to the early lead, with Columbus’s George Rangle in hot pursuit. Rangle took away the spot on lap four, with Muskegon’s Dave Stehouwer poised to strike. Stehouwer dove under Rangle for the lead, on lap eight, with Lansing’s Doug Finley and McNett sitting second and third. Mechanical problems for Finley gave the second spot to McNett, and on the restart, McNett was on the move, taking the top spot from the leader. McNett led the remaining 26 laps, leaving Stehouwer the task of reeling him in. Dimondale’s Jimmy Gallagher held down the third position, while Jackson’s Evan Barrett and Rangle tried to keep the leaders in their crosshairs. At the line, it was McNett, Stehouwer, Gallagher, Barrett, and Rangle. Eaton Rapids’ Doc Dutton and Gallagher tallied heat wins for the evening.

   Charlotte’s Dan Loughan led wire to wire to take the win for the Valvoline Instant Oil Change Modified division. Loughan started on the pole and pulled away from the field, leaving them to sort themselves out for the battle to the front. Bill Heeney Jr., of Stockbridge, ran a solid second, with Charlotte’s Perry Davenport holding down the third spot. Lap 10 saw the caution fly, and on the restart, it was Loughan bringing the field down to the green. Lansing’s Chris Ozanich made his move around Davenport, bringing Vermontville’s Leroy Ellis with him. Ellis took a number of looks under Ozanich, then jumped to the high side and made his way around Ozanich on lap 24. Making the second groove work for him, Ellis picked off Heeney for second, but ran out of laps to run down Loughan. At the stripe, it was Loughan, Ellis, Heeney, Ozanich and Davenport. Ozanich and Okemos’s Ron Parish won their heats.

   East Lansing’s Jack Koone Jr. notched another win in the Performance Automotive NW Sportsman division, making that his fourth of the season. Competition was going to be fierce, as Mason’s Scott Sigman set fast time, his first of the season at Spartan, with Charlotte’s Dane Long just a couple of ticks behind. Leslie’s Nate Moon took command on the start, with Leslie’s Damon Place taking over the reins at lap four. Koone, however, had a different idea, as he took the lead away on lap five. Long had to make his way around Place, with Sigman tacked to his rear bumper, while Koone put some daylight between himself and second. Long began to reel Koone in, sitting right behind him by lap 13. From there on out, it was a two-car battle for the lead. Long got a couple of looks to the outside of Koone, but Koone always managed to shut the door. At the checker, it was Koone, Long, Sigman, Place, and Holt’s Jimmy Scavarda. Scavarda also took the heat win.

   Dimondale’s Spencer Drake tallied his 5th win of the season in the Pure Stock division. Marc Childers of Charlotte took command at the green, but was no match for Drake. Childers and Davison’s Chad Lamson ran a hard fought battle for second, while Lansing’s Ian Schafer and Dimondale’s Steve Orta duked it out for fourth. After 15 laps, it was Drake, Lamson, Childers, Orta, and Schafer. Lamson took the heat win for the division.

   The Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stock division was out in full force, with 18 cars timing in for their 20-lap feature. Lansing’s Brian Beckner took command after the drop of the green, with Jackson’s Edson Rowley III and Lansing’s Dan Gokee in hot pursuit. Eaton Rapids Joe Bates and Gregory’s Jeremy LaFontaine were both having stellar runs, until a fire under the hood of Bates car brought out the caution, closing the field up behind Rowley who had just grabbed the lead from Beckner. Gokee got around Beckner on the restart and tried to reel in Rowley. LaFontaine began his charge to the front, with Lansing’s Lex Jarecki following suit. LaFontaine took second from Gokee, with Jarecki also getting around Gokee. LaFontaine slid up the track, coming out of turn 2, as Jarecki ducked under him for second. Gokee made his way around LaFontaine, while Eaton Rapids Patrick Denison worked his way into the top five. At the line, it was win number six for Rowley, followed by Jarecki, Gokee, LaFontaine, and Denison. Lansing’s Brian and Wayne Beckner Jr. took the heat wins.

   As the 2008 racing season winds down, please join us on Friday, August 15th, as it is Motorcycle Night, sponsored by Scotts Lawn Care of Holt. Anyone riding to the track on a motorcycle will receive half-off general admission. Our racing program will include Andrews Chevrolet Super Late Models, Valvoline Instant Oil Change Modifieds, Performance Automotive NW Sportsmans, Pure Stocks, and Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stocks. August 22nd is Season Championship Night, featuring all divisions. August 29th features Wolverine Midgets, Dwarfs, Legends, VROA and Bandoleros, while Sunday, the 31st brings a special show, Poor Paul’s Harvest 275. For more information, check us out at www.spartanspeedway.com. As always, we’ll see you at the races!