Super Lates Open Their Season at Spartan

By Michelle Sprague

On May 6th, the Sawyers Superstore Super Late Models made their first appearance for the 2011 racing season, at the Spartan Speedway. Logan Beckwith picked right up where he left off in 2010, scoring the first win of the season over Dave Stehouwer. Dave Watson and Beckwith started on the pole, with Beckwith taking the lead. Jon McNett took over the second spot, while Watson, Jimmy Gallagher, and Stehouwer battled for third. Caution waved for McNett , moving Watson into second for the restart. Stehouwer charged his way into second on the restart with McNett already back into third. Stehouwer’s task at hand was to reel in Beckwith, while McNett, Gallagher, Watson and Chris Hettinger ran in a tight little pack, followed by Scott Sigman and, 15-year old developmental driver, Dominique VanWieringer. As Beckwith opened up his lead, McNett took a shot at getting around Stehouwer for second, resulting in McNett hitting the wall and Gallagher and Hettinger getting together to avoid McNett. Caution waved and all three retired to the pit for the evening. On the restart, Beckwith was able to fend off Stehouwer’s challenge for the lead and went on to take the win. After 40 laps, it was Beckwith, Stehouwer, Watson, Sigman, and VanWieringer as the top five. Tim Ryan scored the heat win for the division.

Misty Allen, after making the move from the Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stocks to the Lipari Foods Spartan Stocks, proved she is right where she belongs. Allen led 12 laps of the 20-lap A feature, falling to prey to fast qualifier, Damon Place (heat winner), and veteran Chuck Ammerman, in the closing laps. Darrell Taylor gave Allen a run for her money from the fourth position, but couldn’t get around Allen for third. At the checker, it was Place, Ammerman, Allen, Taylor, Jordan Harvey, Steve Prucnell, and Tom Dumbauld Jr.

Marc Childers looked like he was on his way to a victory in the 20-lap B feature for the Lipari Foods Spartan Stocks, but Scott Rodgers made a run up through the pack, got into Childers in turn two on lap 14, resulting in Matt Childers ducking under both to take away the lead. Rodgers and Marc Childers both continued on, with Marc’s race car dramatically slower on the track. At the line, it was Matt Childers, Rodgers, Jason Luce, Jim Sawade and Tyler Hawkins. Ken Dollarhite was the B heat winner.

The Modified division saw veteran Larry Wallace make an appearance in the Winner’s Circle for the first time in 2011. Megan Carpenter jumped out to lead the first eight laps, fending off wily veteran, Ron Parish. Parish took the lead, while Dwarf Car transplant, Craig Curtis (heat winner), made his presence known. As Curtis and Parish battled for the lead, Wallace made his way to the back bumper of Curtis and took the second spot away. Wallace took the lead from Parish on lap 20, while John Mamula issued the challenge for second. Mamula dove under Curtis to take second as Leroy Ellis worked his way back up into fourth from the rear of the field. At the checker, it was Wallace, Mamula, Curtis, Ellis and Parish.

Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stock A feature saw Todd Metz Sr. take his first Spartan Speedway win. Scott Sparagowski (heat winner) was a man on a mission when the green flag dropped on the 20-lap feature. Patrick Denison (heat winner) steadily reeled him in though and took the lead on lap eight, while Todd Metz Sr. and Todd Metz Jr. made a Beckner sandwich out of Brian Beckner, resulting in a caution for a flat tire. The On the restart, it was four-wide into turn one and Todd Metz Jr. came out on the short end, ducking into the pit with flat that brought out the caution once again. On the restart, Metz Sr. got around first Sparagowski and Rich Roberts, then Denison, for the lead. Metz Jr. cut a path to the front, bringing Aaron Taylor with him. Metz Sr. came home the winner, with Beckner Jr., Metz Jr., Taylor and Kyle Crump rounding out the top five.

Bryan Jenks looked to be the man to beat, leading the first seven laps of the Pony Stock B feature. Darrell Taylor issued a challenge in the early laps, but R.J. Miller motored past both Taylor and Jenks to take the lead on lap eight. Miller opened up a good lead, with Taylor running alone in second and Jenks a distant third. After 20 laps, it was Miller, Taylor, Jenks, Brandon Moody and Brad Harbenski.