Close racing was the order of the day throughout the five classes that took the green flag Saturday evening at the “Playground of Power.” It was the regular weekly show featuring 600 mini-sprints, Pro-Sprints, Super Streets, Thunder Stocks and UMP Modifieds.
The 600s started the feature racing action with a B feature that transferred five into the 20 car A Feature. Nappanee’s Ronnie Hapner won the B, started 16 in the A and finished 16. This same finish as you started production was how the top four positions competed. Warsaw’s Blake Lamb would win the A Feature from the pole with Akron’s Noah Miller maintaining second, Jacob Ruppe of South Bend, started third finished third. Chad Hartzell from Granger lined up fourth and would finish there. The big mover of the feature was Plymouth’s Ed Cleveland starting 13 and finishing fifth.
The Pro-Sprints were the next class to take the green flag. Micheal Summers from Warsaw started from the pole and checked out on the start and the restarts to win the feature. The only close moment for Summers was after the checkered flag he looped it around in turns one and two, kept the car running and in gear as the rest of the field finished and streamed past.
The close racing came in positions second, third and fourth. Tyler Fitzpatrick, of Goshen, started and finished second but traded the position with Garrett Saunders, of Lakeville, numerous times often twice in one lap. Fitzpatrick was able to put a wheel in front of Garrett Saunders at the checkered flag. Finishing close in fourth was Eric Saunders, from Lakeville, waiting for either of two cars in front of him to make a mistake.
The UMP Modifieds started 15 cars in the feature won by Rennsselaer’s Derek Losh from the outside of the front row. Frank Marshall, of Valparaiso, started on the pole and lead the first third of the race. Losh was able to get below and past Marshall before catching the tail of the field. It wasn’t too many laps later and as the leaders were beginning to make their way through lapped traffic two cars spun in front of Losh. Losh was able to slow, get below the actual contact and returned to the racing by slowing to almost a stop. The racing director gave Losh his position back at the lead, ruling he did drastically slow to avoid contact but was able to keep moving past the accident and the line up is the last complete lap and he was the leader.
On the restart Losh was briefly challenged by Marshall but was able to put some distance between Marshall. When they caught the lapped cars the second time it became obvious that Losh was able to but the car were it needed to be passing low and high. Matt Mitchell from Lafayette started third and finished third but he had Michael Thayer and Derek Snyder challenging him at every corner, every lap. At the checker flag Mitchell, Thayer and Snyder would finish in that order nose to tail.
Nine cars started the Street Stock feature which was a competitive relatively clean race with only a couple yellows for lone car spins. Jason Fritz of Winamac started on the pole was challenged by Bob McLean and Hobart’s Calvin Peek Jr. throughout the race. Again the top three cars finished nose to tail. McLean leads the class in points with Ron Wilkes only eight points behind.
The final feature of the night was the Thunder Stocks. This group of cars raced hard, not afraid to rub fenders, doors and bumpers from the drop of the green flag on the heats, continued through the B Feature and didn’t let up during the A Feature. Kevin Kerlin of Hobart, the points leader, would have a rough heat race requiring him to transfer from the B. He won the B starting the 19 car A feature in sixteenth place looking more like a modified without a hood or front fenders that didn’t make it out of that rough heat race. Kerlin made steady progress through the all the rubbing and spinning of the field to win the A feature over Valparaiso’s Austen Hubbard who had lead the most laps running out front unchallenged until Kerlin showed up. Wade Clemmons of Hobart started 12 finished third by not getting bogged down in the paint trading, tire deflating and bumping that kept the majority of the class busy.
The points races are starting to shape up in all the classes with the top of the standings still close and each race beginning to take on importance not only for the win but the season standings also. Next weeks racing is another regular scheduled event with all five classes racing again. Sunday, June 24 the Indiana Dirt Karting Series makes their second appearance at the Plymouth Speedway. This is a traveling series that races at several tracks. Saturday’s show starts at the regular 6 p.m. hot laps and 7 p.m. racing. Sunday the gates will open at 10:30 p.m. with the racing starting at 1 p.m.
Friday, June 29 Tony Stewart’s Arctic Cat All-Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprint cars will be at the Plymouth Speedway. These 410 winged sprints are the fastest racing the “Playground of Power” will host. Tony Stewart will be racing his 410 winged sprint that evening. Tickets the night of the event are $25 for adults, children 6 – 12 are $8. Presale adult tickets are available online for $20 at plymouthspeedway.net.
Attached Photos: Kerlin4wide: Kevin Kerlin in the number 34, would survive this four wide racing and go on to win the feature. Bryan Banta in the 7B suffered two flat tires in the feature to finish 13th, Chad McLean in the 12 went on to finish sixth. The 33 of Zak Banta retired shortly after this and finished 19th.
Summerswin: Micheal Summers, of Warsaw, celebrates his Pro-Sprint car win on the podium with his son during the Father’s Day special night of racing.
Modifieds
A Feature 1: 1. 21-Derek Losh, 13:22.954[2]; 2. 28M-Frank Marshall, 13:26.224[1]; 3. 2M-Matt Mitchell, 13:29.840[3]; 4. 14-Michael Thayer, 13:30.122[5]; 5. 49S-Darek Snyder, 13:30.900[4]; 6. 10-Bradley Jameson, 13:31.386[6]; 7. 0-Garrett Jameson, 13:33.096[10]; 8. 21C-Kenny Carlson, 13:34.181[11]; 9. 00-Cameron Head, 13:36.559[12]; 10. 08-DJ Streeter, 13:37.701[13]; 11. 1W-Larry Witt Jr, 13:46.604[14]; 12. 16W-Phil Hamand, 13:24.007[9]; 13. 41-Tyler Teegardin, 13:27.293[8]; 14. 19-Josh Knebel, 13:32.940[7]; 15. 11-Blake Spalding, 02:44.102[15]
Dash 1: 1. 28M-Frank Marshall, [2]; 2. 21-Derek Losh, [4]; 3. 2M-Matt Mitchell, [1]; 4. 49S-Darek Snyder, [3]; 5. 14-Michael Thayer, [6]; 6. 10-Bradley Jameson, [5]
Heat 1: 1. 28M-Frank Marshall, [4]; 2. 2M-Matt Mitchell, [1]; 3. 14-Michael Thayer, [5]; 4. 19-Josh Knebel, [2]; 5. 16W-Phil Hamand, [7]; 6. 21C-Kenny Carlson, [3]; 7. 08-DJ Streeter, [6]
Heat 2: 1. 49S-Darek Snyder, [2]; 2. 21-Derek Losh, [7]; 3. 10-Bradley Jameson, [3]; 4. 41-Tyler Teegardin, [1]; 5. 0-Garrett Jameson, [6]; 6. 00-Cameron Head, [4]; 7. 1W-Larry Witt Jr, [5]; 8. 11-Blake Spalding, [8]
600 Open
A Feature 1: 1. 69-Blake Lamb, 07:50.809[1]; 2. 35-Noah Miller, 07:51.625[2]; 3. 12-Jacob Ruppe, 07:51.970[3]; 4. 57-Chad Hartzell, 07:52.183[4]; 5. 45-Ed Cleveland, 07:52.410[13]; 6. 10-Garrett Wagoner, 07:52.788[12]; 7. 21-Brenton Lamb, 07:53.666[5]; 8. 07-Tyler Chalk, 07:54.018[9]; 9. 15-Andy Hall, 07:54.154[8]; 10. 0C-Andrew Cockman, 07:54.196[7]; 11. 18K-Kyle Gunkel, 07:54.661[15]; 12. 34-Wyatt Evans, 07:55.309[17]; 13. 23-Kevin Hapner, 07:55.511[18]; 14. 21F-Kevan Free, 07:56.354[11]; 15. 13-Jim Sanderson, 07:57.445[10]; 16. 3W-Ronnie Hapner, 07:57.613[16]; 17. 49-Brian Kunze, 07:58.541[14]; 18. 99-Zack Clark, 08:00.211[6]; 19. 29-Kayla Cleveland, 07:53.268[19]; 20. 88-Michael Cannon, 05:51.130[20]
B Feature 1: 1. 3W-Ronnie Hapner, [1]; 2. 34-Wyatt Evans, [3]; 3. 23-Kevin Hapner, [7]; 4. 29-Kayla Cleveland, [4]; 5. 88-Michael Cannon, [5]; 6. 9-Mike Gunkel, [6]; 7. 88C-James Case, [2]
Heat 1: 1. 35-Noah Miller, [2]; 2. 99-Zack Clark, [3]; 3. 0C-Andrew Cockman, [9]; 4. 13-Jim Sanderson, [10]; 5. 45-Ed Cleveland, [6]; 6. 3W-Ronnie Hapner, [4]; 7. 29-Kayla Cleveland, [5]; 8. 9-Mike Gunkel, [1]; (DNS) 76-Hailey Clark, ; (DNS) 88B-J.J. Billisitz,
Heat 2: 1. 69-Blake Lamb, [1]; 2. 12-Jacob Ruppe, [3]; 3. 15-Andy Hall, [2]; 4. 21F-Kevan Free, [6]; 5. 49-Brian Kunze, [5]; 6. 88C-James Case, [4]
Heat 3: 1. 21-Brenton Lamb, [2]; 2. 57-Chad Hartzell, [6]; 3. 07-Tyler Chalk, [4]; 4. 10-Garrett Wagoner, [5]; 5. 18K-Kyle Gunkel, [3]; 6. 34-Wyatt Evans, [7]; 7. 88-Michael Cannon, [1]; 8. 23-Kevin Hapner, [8]
Thunder Stocks
A Feature 1: 1. 34-Kevin Kerlin, 17:58.089[16]; 2. 114-Austen Hubbard, 17:58.378[4]; 3. 48C-Wade Clemmons, 18:04.006[12]; 4. 57-Chris Joseph, 18:04.298[5]; 5. 1-Tim Grall, 18:04.746[7]; 6. 12-Chad McLean, 18:05.335[6]; 7. 5C-Tim Craig, 18:05.727[18]; 8. 18-Doug Grall, 18:07.137[13]; 9. 21-Kenny Lavedas, 18:07.742[10]; 10. 111T-Kirby Trent, 18:08.417[19]; 11. 19-Gregg Tarr, 18:08.755[2]; 12. 22-Ralph Neeley, 17:35.139[3]; 13. 7B-Bryan Banta, 14:35.884[15]; 14. 82-Tyson Wilson, 12:47.976[9]; 15. 45-Rodger Dillon, 06:49.430[1]; 16. 51-Rob Fiscus, 06:58.300[8]; 17. 11-Rodney Allen, 07:02.622[20]; 18. 355-Jerry Luttrel, 06:19.939[11]; 19. 33-Zak Banta, 01:33.982[17]; (DNS) 5-Shane Sanders, 01:33.982
B Feature 1: 1. 34-Kevin Kerlin, [2]; 2. 33-Zak Banta, [9]; 3. 5C-Tim Craig, [1]; 4. 111T-Kirby Trent, [6]; 5. 11-Rodney Allen, [8]; 6. 7L-Randy Lambert, [3]; (DNS) 9-Ed Yost, ; (DNS) 53H-Curtis Hart, ; (DNS) 0-Bruce Fase,
Heat 1: 1. 12-Chad McLean, 07:42.216[5]; 2. 57-Chris Joseph, 07:46.868[8]; 3. 1-Tim Grall, 07:47.778[3]; 4. 21-Kenny Lavedas, 07:48.056[4]; 5. 18-Doug Grall, 07:48.502[7]; 6. 5C-Tim Craig, 07:50.024[6]; 7. 9-Ed Yost, 07:13.361[1]; 8. 53H-Curtis Hart, 01:53.378[2]
Heat 2: 1. 45-Rodger Dillon, 09:20.056[2]; 2. 22-Ralph Neeley, 09:22.650[7]; 3. 51-Rob Fiscus, 09:29.402[1]; 4. 355-Jerry Luttrel, 09:09.212[6]; 5. 5-Shane Sanders, 08:13.733[5]; 6. 34-Kevin Kerlin, 04:00.951[8]; 7. 0-Bruce Fase, 04:01.156[3]; 8. 11-Rodney Allen, 04:01.156[4]
Heat 3: 1. 114-Austen Hubbard, [1]; 2. 19-Gregg Tarr, [2]; 3. 82-Tyson Wilson, [5]; 4. 48C-Wade Clemmons, [3]; 5. 7B-Bryan Banta, [4]; 6. 7L-Randy Lambert, [8]; 7. 111T-Kirby Trent, [6]
Super Streets
A Feature 1: 1. 51-Jason Fritz, [1]; 2. 15-Bob McLean, [2]; 3. 88-Calvin Peek Jr, [4]; 4. 12-Matt Koval, [7]; 5. 82-Joe Spiewak Sr, [5]; 6. 79-Mike Fincher, [3]; 7. 28-Joe Spiewak, [6]; 8. 83-Greg Marlow, [8]; 9. 425-Conner East, [9]
Heat 1: 1. 51-Jason Fritz, [8]; 2. 15-Bob McLean, [7]; 3. 88-Calvin Peek Jr, [3]; 4. 12-Matt Koval, [9]; 5. 82-Joe Spiewak Sr, [6]; 6. 79-Mike Fincher, [1]; 7. 28-Joe Spiewak, [4]; 8. 83-Greg Marlow, [2]; 9. 425-Conner East, [5]
Pro Sprints
A Feature 1: 1. 18-Micheal Summers, 08:54.612[1]; 2. 57-Tyler Fitzpatrick, 08:56.085[2]; 3. 71-Garrett Saunders, 08:56.134[5]; 4. 349-Eric Saunders, 08:57.136[6]; 5. 70-Eli Lakin, 09:00.834[7]; 6. 42-Brayden Clark, 09:05.624[4]; 7. 99-Jack James, 09:07.404[9]; 8. 48-Nicholas Hull, 09:05.549[3]; (DNS) 3G-John Gurley, 09:05.549
Heat 1: 1. 18-Micheal Summers, [2]; 2. 42-Brayden Clark, [1]; 3. 57-Tyler Fitzpatrick, [5]; 4. 70-Eli Lakin, [4]; 5. 99-Jack James, [3]
Heat 2: 1. 349-Eric Saunders, [1]; 2. 71-Garrett Saunders, [3]; 3. 48-Nicholas Hull, [4]; (DNS) 3G-John Gurley,
