Flat Rock Speedway

FLAT ROCK MI (5-24-2008)-- Defending champ Robbie Loving won a great duel with Dennis Whisman and captured the 100 lap ARCA Speedway Bar and Grille Figure 8 race Saturday night at Flat Rock Speedway. Derek Wiley and Rich Abel were the winners in the two ARCA Greater Detroit Auto Auction Street Stock main events on a crystal-clear, yet cool evening at the track.

The 100 lap Figure 8 contest saw 3 different leaders and 2 red flags. At the start, a 7-car freight train ran nose to tail for much of the first 20 laps. With a 7 car inversion, Whisman, the fast qualifier at 20:464, and Loving, who was 2^nd quick, bided their time as they picked their way to the front. Billy Earley led the event for 19 laps until Jeremy Miller slid by to take the lead. Jeremy stayed out front for quite a while as the pack zipped in and out of the intersection traffic and battled for position. Eddie Snorf’s machine stalled in turn 2 on lap 30, bringing out the red to remove his car. The race got going again and just 4 laps later, Dan Apperson’s engine blew at the start-finish line, coating the track with oil and stopping action once again. The track crew cleaned up that mess and the race re-started again and went the final 64 laps without a break. Loving and Whisman got to the front just past lap 50 and on lap 60, Loving dove under Miller to take the lead. Whisman followed suit a lap later and the pair took off to stage their own battle. For the final 30 laps, the lead duo and another pair, Miller and Jeremy Vanderhoof, put on a show. The latter duo, running for third, swapped spots back and forth, about 10 lengths behind the leaders. Whisman went high entering the corners and dipped low coming out of the turns but Robbie had enough to stay in front of Dennis for the victory, his first of 2008 and his first win in this 100 lap race, which has been held for 4 seasons. Vanderhoof took third at the stripe, Miller was fourth and Greg Studt fifth. Sixth went to Danny Gaddis, returning to action for the first time in 6 years, in Loving’s team car. Anthony Terris, Scott Apperson, Randy Cronenwett Jr. and Ian Jezylo rounded out the top ten. The race was completed in 55 minutes despite the 2 red flags.

Derek Wiley powered his was to victory in the 25 lap ARCA Street Stock feature race. Scott Selmi was strong out front at the start, leading the first 12 laps. On lap 13, Steve Cronenwett Jr., in a new machine, moved to the front, using the outside lane. Regan Ford and Wiley had moved up to battle for the top spot and on lap 21, Cronenwett slid up the track, Ford darted low and the pair made contact, bringing out the yellow and moving that pair to the tail of the pack. Wiley took advantage of the incident to win his first race of the season over Dan Ford Jr., Tim Moore, Selmi, Rob Moore, Clyde McKee, Dave Tanner, Danny Slater, Kyle Worley and Randy DeMaggio. Rich Abel notched his 2^nd win of 2008 in the 15 lap B Main race. Defending B Main champ Bob Swanson appeared to be headed for victory lane, but on lap 12, he and Abel approached a lapped car. Abel used the car for a pick, getting Swanson caught up behind and Rich zoomed by on the outside and on to the win. Swanson came home second, with James Rae, John Huebner Sr., Joe Gramlich, Al Hasenfratz, Chris Diovardi, Ian Jezylo, Tom Freeman Jr. and James Pankow rounding out the top ten. McKee set fast time at 13:250 for the A Main, while Gramlich was quick for the B field at 13:884. Heat wins went to Selmi, DeMaggio, Tadek Stadniczuk, Jerry Farmer, Freeman Jr. and Pankow. 43 cars were on hand for the action.

The night was topped off with the track’s first version of Race Car Roller Derby. Chief Inspector Jack Franzil, fresh off his Figure 8 bus win at Toledo Friday, was the “jammer”, trying to make laps while 4 cars really took advantage of the situation and slammed Franzil into the wall and into each other in the demolition derby-style action. Franzil could not complete the task, as inspector Jason Sanderson, tire king Denny Stilwell, Jack’s daughter, Jackie, and chief starter Frankie Bockstanz applied the damage.

Saturday, May 31 the ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series makes a visit to Flat Rock for the Heritage Newspapers 100 lap main event. The Figure 8’s and Street Stocks, along with the 4 Cylinders, will provide the fun and entertainment. It’s also Scout Night, with all scouts in uniform admitted FREE to the racing program. Race time is 7 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Performance Images.