Flat Rock Speedway

Gold Cup #4, Toledo, July 8

In 20 years of the Gold Cup, no one had ever won three races in a row. With his win in the Joy Fair Memorial a couple weeks ago, Steve Needles accomplished that. No one has ever won four races in a season, let alone in a row, check that off the list too, as Steve Needles continued his winning ways in the series. And he won that fourth win, on get this, seven cylinders! "With about six laps to go we dropped a cylinder, and I thought "Oh man, you got to be kidding me, déjà vu all over again at this place". Thank God it held together and we got to the finish. The 56 (Matt Crafton) gave us a heck of a run, he was pretty good there and he had us nervous. In the end we had just enough. The car has been unbelievable … week in and week out. The guys give me an excellent race car, I couldn't ask for a better piece. I got to thank my car owner Brian Short and his son Brandon Short … they come out every week and bust their tails … I want to thank my parents, my mom she feeds us every week and keeps us going, my dad's in the shop every night and my fiancé, she puts up with me and keeps my house in order. And we have a ton of sponsors: Hutter Racing Engines, Earnest Performance (JRI Shocks), Amsdell Companies, Senneker Race Cars, Direct Detail, Landrum Springs, Maximum Elevator, Driven Racing Oil (Joe Gibbs), Trend Performance, Bicknell Racing Products, AllStar Performance and Lane Automotive.

Steve is now in fifth place on the all-time Gold Cup victories with five wins (tied with Bill Steinhilber). Brian Short racing has won 7 of the last 10 races in the Gold Cup (three wins in 2015 with Jeff Ganus).

Multiple time NASCAR Craftman Truck champion, Matt Crafton, drove the #56 normally driven by Brad Reithmeyer. "It got really slippery out there. At the beginning I was just trying to pace myself so I would have something at the end. We just lost a little too much drive off. I can thank these guys enough for giving me this opportunity to drive this car. Thank you guys for coming out and sitting through that rain," said Crafton.

Multiple Gold Cup champion, Scott Hantz finished third, "I gave it all I had and that's all I had and that was the end of that. I'd like to thank my sponsor Great Lakes Helicopter."

Another multiple Gold Cup champion, Dakota Carlson finished fourth. "We had a third place car. I pushed it too hard racing with Scott. We just didn't have the motor tonight … it's laying down on us but we had a good car otherwise. We knew we had the motor laying down, so we just rode around."

Scott Pemberton finished fifth. "Finally had a finish after all the bad things that have happened to me here. We have to tweak on it for next time, these guys are awful fast. Keep on rubbing on it as they say and try to run with the big dogs."

Dennis Strickland dropped out with a broke brake bias. Others not finishing were: Brent Jack, Chris Benson, Frank Jiovani (who led the first 11 laps), Harold Fair Jr., Nick Grodi, Jake Francis, Nick Bailey and Steve Hawes.

Ron Allen won the Sportsman feature, his 70th in the division. " These guys are good drivers, hard competitors. When you go green, white, checker that's the best way. Everyone can roll them in the trailers, go home, check them out, make them a little better. What a great night. We're just working on this new car, tweaking it. Fasttime Racing engines, I can't say enough about this new engine in this car; Giles Auto Body; Churchill Trucking; Dillon Race Cars.

Flat Rock, July 9, Triple 50s

Paul Pelletier won his first Late Model race of the season, it's the only division that still hasn't had a repeat winner in 2016 (the Figure 8s repeated a winner tonight).

"Definitely had to work for it (the win). Me and Jimmy (Theil) ran really good (together) … I love racing with him. Sometimes we get ugly but it's good. The car was getting tight on the bottom late in the race, so when we moved up (to pass the lapped traffic) it freed it up a little. Those guys held their position … they're still racing … they're racing fast laps down there. My dad did a great job spotting tonight. I want to thank my sponsors Fraza Forklifts, ABC Plumbing, Dusty's Collision, Exotic Automation, L & M Hardwood and Skids, Bluewater Air Compressor."

Jimmy Theil finished second, "I was trying not to keep my tires too hot for the longer runs so I would have a chance to get him at the end. The lapped cars came into play and I couldn't do anything with him (Paul). My tires were really hot, running the outside like that past the lapped cars because they ran us so hard into the corners so you had to run 10 times harder. We were both sideways going into the corners and I just didn't have enough for him tonight. I want to thank all my sponsors Dusty (Collision), my dad, Matt Bullock … without them I wouldn't be there.

Third place Jeff Vrsek, "The car was really good tonight. Think we finally have our cooling issues figured out. The Diamond guys have been help with that. We've had a good car all year, just haven't been able to get the cooling issues figured out. I just followed the leaders and hope someone would get hung up high and get impatient and it could've been interesting. The car was freeing up a little at the end, which is a good thing, normally they tighten up. My sponsors are Diamond Pistons, Trend Performance, Performance Engineering, Amsoil/Pat O'Dell."

Brad Reithmeyer sat out last night at the Gold Cup while NASCAR Craftman Truck champion Matt Crafton drove the #56 (to a second place finish). Brad finished fourth tonight. "Not bad, but we had it too free, no forward drive. We have to work on that for the Big One (Yee 150), just didn't work out … change some things for sure. Last night was a lot of fun, we got to be on the other side crew chiefing for (Matt) Crafton. He gave us some great feedback on the car, so we learned some things."

Stan Yee Jr. finished fifth. "The guys have been working their butts every weeks. The ca had good balance and we're looking forward to the 150."

Nick Shanks won his second career Street Stock A division feature. His first was four years ago in 2012. "I got kind of bummed out when the 03 (Ray Monreau Jr.) got underneath me. I was just trying to hold the bottom line and just pinched the car up too much. It kicked out on me and he drove underneath me. We got in traffic and one of them pushed up and I got around him. I looked at the (score)board and wow, only five laps left. And thank you to my sponsors Downriver Motorsports Wiring, Newport Electric, Glass City Collision, Giles Auto Body."

I asked sophomore driver Ray Monreau Jr., who finished second, what he learned about lapped cars. Last week lapped cars were helpful in his first win, this week was different. "I learned that lap cars can be your best friend or worst enemy lol It is really hard to choose where to pick the right lane and I chose the wrong lane and got stuck up there 4 wide but overall it was a good night. I'd like to thank my sponsors: McColl Racing, Xpress Group, Hallmark Memorial, Rivard Snowplowing. Scooter Pro, Highland Tool, Double R Reworks, JR Graphics, London Drive Systems, George Newman, Expressway Trucks, 401 Truck Source."

Greg Studt finished third. "Just didn't have it out there, couldn't find the grip. I'm just happy to get the car back after last week (he was involved in a wreck). All-in-all it was a good night. The car was pretty wrecked last week. I have to thank my dad, Bob, Brian Norton, Paul Pelletier for their help, a lot of long hours." His sponsors are: Apollo Broach, Giles Auto Body, Jack's Garage, Budget Tire, Sportway Go-Karts, Wine Town Party Store and Mark's Toy Box.

Jeremy Vanderhoof finished fourth. "We missed in practice and in the heat … it's still too snug. Need a little more in the top side … motor. Good car, good people put me in the car and help out.. Congratulation to Nick (Shanks), he did a good job." Playoffs Sports Bar & Grill, Larry Vanderhoof, Martel Racing, Frantz Racing are the sponsors… also, the car is for sale for anyone looking for a new car or start your racing career.

Scott Selmi finished fifth, "I don't know what happens when it gets hot, it all just goes away. I think something's going on with the gear. It wasn't bad out there, had a bit of fun. It got slick out there, not sure if it was me or the track.

Troy Brehmer won the Street Stock B division feature. "I got into the corner too hard in the beginning and I thought "Settle down, you got 25 laps to do this". We haven't run a lot of the Street Stock this year, we're having a blast with the Enduro car this year."

Welcome Todd Brutscher to racing. Todd's very first race was today and his first official laps was his qualifying laps. His car is pretty famous the car formerly owned by Bill Meade and some of drivers who has driven the #86 are Ron Allen, Brian Norton, Chad Guinn, I think both Dan and Regan Ford drove it,

Thanks Todd for sending me this. If any other drivers would like to send me something about how they started, people love reading this and who knows maybe someone will like your story and sponsor you. "I went to Toledo Speedway a couple times a summer when I was four to six and loved the races. Always tried to get my dad to stay so we could go walk on the track and go look at all the cars on their trailers in the parking lot after the race. The smell of the hot oil and rubber just stayed with me.

Fast forward 40 some years and I get to drive a racecar at MIS with the Richard Petty Driving Experience with my dad and brother and sister. Now I'm in a real racecar!

Two years later went to the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience at Toledo Speedway, Wow, even better! I went again that fall and the next year twice. I had over 160 laps around Toledo in their cars over three years! Finally, this year I had a little money come in from some selling our sawmill. I was going to go drive at Toledo again (at the Rusty Wallace Experience) but thought no, I've done all that can offer.

Started looking for a Toledo sportsman, but was told that's a big step and maybe I ought to learn to race first. Decided that the competition and number of cars in Flat Rock Street Stock was a better choice. Chanced into a car with far more history than I ever realized, and now I'm out here actually doing what I dreamed about since I was six!

We were going to change the number on the car and make it my own, but the more I read about the #86 and the people who have driven her I couldn't ... it wouldn't be fair. We would have never met so many people that were attached to the car over the years.

I was looking at past drivers of that car...Brian Norton, Ron Allen, Reagan Ford, Landon Shuster... three of the top four feature winners all time drove it.

Got to meet the previous owner, Jack Burdette from Jack's Garage. ...he said his five-year old son picked the number because he was born in 1986 ...that's year I graduated High School!

I've had a blast so far and hope to keep learning and improving. My friend and crew chief Kerry "Bear" Rouse is in this with me. He had some experience from racing Factory Stocks at Toledo and ARCA trucks for a while, but he last ran dirt late models so we're both learning this track"

Billy Earley won the Figure 8 feature, his second at Flat Rock in 2016. "That was a lot of fun. When you get the lapped traffic, that's when the racing comes in. Just bide your time and let the laps run out. It was getting so that the traffic was all over the place, but it's fun racing with these guys. I have to thank the good Lord, (didn't catch first sponsor), Downriver Deisel, B&H Race Parts, my dad and Steve Bunge

Dennis Whisman got second, "I'm so proud watching my son running up there tonight (Dennis Jr. led the first two thirds of the race), I got into the moment and gave Jeremy (Vanderhoof) a bad look that he mistook for doing something wrong, but didn't mean it as he did something wrong, just mad at what happened to him. We've been having trouble with this car, Richie (Lee, car owner) and my brother Joey threw everything at it tonight, it was totally different, it definitely worked out. It'll be better next week. I get to run with these guys for a while."

Jeremy Vanderhoof finished third in the Figure 8s (and fourth in the Street Stock A division), "That wasn't too bad. I hated that situation I had with Little Dennis (Whisman Jr.). He came up on that lapped car and checked up and hit him and then I hit him. That upset me, we hit pretty hard, something's bent in the steering in the front end. I ran as hard as I could without running over the guy next to me. I had a first place car and finished third."

Dan Apperson finished fourth. "The car went away after I spun."

Jeremy Miller finished fifth. "The car was good at the beginning … just missed the setup. This is pretty good we're mid-season and just got our first repeat winner." His sponsors are: Grafton Inn, Miller Built Race Cars, Miller Built Race Engines.

Dennis Whisman Jr. led the majority of the race before tangling with a lapped car. " I would like to thank A-1 transmission, Leppen Chiropractic, Marks toy box, Mikes barber shop, car owner Rich and Mindy Lee I had a very fast car thanks to them and everyone who helped my dad, Joe Whisman, Jeff Minnick thank you to everyone and hopefully we can bring one home this year."

Flat Rock, July 16

Stan Yee Jr. won his first feature even since September 2010 (season championship). "I liked to thank my crew for their incredible dedication, they're why I’m here. They take time off work to go testings, And thank you to my sponsors Diamond Pistons, Winners Electric, Arrow Uniform, EELS, PMS (Paver Maintenance Specialist, Senneker Performance, Sommers Marine, Stan Yees Collision , & Driven Oil. Also my Crew, Nicky Yee, Leif Glasius, Joe Genise, Joey Genise, Chris Yee. Craig (Everage) got into me but he's a class act, I consider him my friend. He was just racing hard, trying to get around me and got into me. Hey that's just hard racing. Some of the drivers complain when you bump and tap them, but that's just racing. Think this is the best we've been a race team and the car going into my dad's race (Stan Yee Memorial), winning this race, there's a lot of good cars here … qualifying well, running well. We tried to make a little change in the heat and it went haywire, so we went back to our original setup and it came right back. I'm really excited. I also want to thank my wife, she never gives me flack about racing and supported me fully… for all my 27 years of racing.

Jeremy Vanderhoof won the Street Stock A division feature. "We tightened it up for the heat race, and I'm not sure what happened with qualifying, but it worked out. Normally cautions kill you, but the car was only good for two three solid laps, then it would start getting super tight … so they actually helped us tonight. I want to thank Rich Frantz for giving a car to drive, my uncle Larry for the engine and transmission, Playoffs Sports Bar & Grill, Martel Racing, Frantz Racing … my family, ARCA and all the fans for coming out."

Don Roberts won his first Street Stock B division feature in the last few years. "Oh geez, I kept waiting for someone to come hit me, push me, knock me out of the way, and never felt no one. I thought, 'keep doing what you're doing' and get on it and go. So that's what I did. I stayed on the high side, I learned if you run the low side, they always run into you, so I leave room on the bottom if they want to get around me. I want thank my wife and daughter they're my great supporters and the rest of the family that comes out and watches."

Congrats to Danny Apperson who won the Figure 8 feature.

July 23, Stan Yee 150

Dakota Carlson won his first Stan Yee Memorial 150 at Flat Rock.

The last six years have had a different winner and 10th different winner of the Gold Cup 150-lap at Flat Rock. There has been 18 years that the 150-lap race has been run at the track, since 2009 it's been the Stan Yee Memorial. It's been four years since there's been a repeat winner between the Joy Fair Memorial 100 and Stan Yee 150 which are both part of the Gold Cup Series.

The win, Dakota's fourth Gold Cup victory, ranks him seventh on the all-time list. "I thought all day long it was going to come down to (Brian) Berggaker, (Scott) Hantz, and myself. Us three seemed to have the best three cars all day. And yeah the track was greasy but we were all dealing with the same conditions so it didn’t really matter. Just want to thank Tony and Denice LeClair for the great equipment as well as Mike McMillan, Alan Deveau and my dad for everything they do. Our only sponsor is Performance Engineering." It was Dakota's first Flat Rock Gold Cup win, but he did win a weekly race in April 2013.

Dakota missed the first two Gold Cup wins, despite this he's fifth in points (my estimate) and during this three race timeframe, has accumulated the most points of any driver, 575 (points leader Steve Needles and Scott Hantz have 500, Harold Fair Jr. has 470, Frank Jiovani 460).

This the 21st year of the Gold Cup, Dakota is the seventh different driver to win races in three consecutive years. (Dave Kuhlman won in six consecutive years; Harold Fair four and also another streak of three; Scott Hantz, Steve Bunge, Royce Cornett, and Bill Steinhilber also have three consecutive years of wins).

2013 Gold Cup champion Scott Hantz, led the most laps of the Stan Yee 150. "Right at the end … I think I ran it too hard at the beginning and kind of lost the right front at the end. We need a, what, 135 lapper next year. The car was good. I got to thank John Lojko for helping me out with the car, I couldn't do it without him," said the driver of the Great Lakes Helicopter #72.

Bobby Stremme made his first appearance in a late model at Flat Rock for the Yee 150 and finished third (he did run a dwarf here in 1999). "You know I raced for many many years against Bobby Blount back home. We hated each other for the longest time because we were always winning back there. He called me a couple weeks back to run his dad's memorial race at New Paris Speedway (Ind.) and it meant the world to me because he's taught me a lot. My coming here, I love memorial races, they're a bad sign, but it's awesome to come run for someone's memorial it means a lot to the family. Great racing … I thought we were done after the mix-up in turn 1-2 … the steering was all screwed up. I came in and he said see what it'll do. It was fun! It was a blast!" said the driver of the All Star Performance, Lane Automotive, GT Products AP Motor, Hoosier Tire #16.

Multi-time Flat Rock Late Model champion, Eric Lee finished third in one of his infrequent starts at Flat Rock this year. "I just was riding that whole race and thought I had more left … the right rear tire left. She got loose on me those last 20 laps. Everyone got bottled up there at the end and I was trying to play it safe, but probably should've pushed to the outside, I think I would've been okay out there. All-in-all a decent finish. The car's getting better, we'll take it back, work harder on it and be better next time," said the driver of the Action Drywall, Arrow Uniform, Lee Motorsports, Detroit Performance, Dusty's Collision #5.

Fifth place went to another multiple Late Model track champion, Paul Pelletier. "We got tangled in that early wreck. The guys knocked it out… think we pitted three four times with it and made some changes. We had a five lap car. Congrats to Dakota (Carlson) and Tony (LeClair) and the guys, they earned it. It was a hard fought race. We'll be back here in a couple weeks. I owe it to my guys getting me back out. It was pretty mangled on both corners … everyone stopping, no patience in the middle of the race," said the driver of the #44 sponsored by Fraza Forklifts, Dusty's Collision, Wolverine Crane Service, Exotic Automation.

Nick Grodi won the B main "We struggled with the car all day … it was loose so bad, pushing … I'll take it (the win in the B main). The B isn't where we hoped to be, but it was nice to get some tire money back," said the driver of the Offshore Performance Marine Repair, Lubrication Engineers #40.

Jeff Vrsek was there on Saturday night but did not race because of mechanical problems. Everyone else got to race.

Ray Monreau Jr. won his second career Street Stock A division race. If I remember this is the first time since Regan Ford way back in the late 90's that a rookie won two races. "I don't do know what happened in practice but the car just hooked to the right I thought that we weren't even going to get out and if we did I thought we were going to just start and park it for the feature but the crew worked their butts off to get the car ready and made it right.

I have to thank My crew and would like to say thanks to all of the other drivers and crew members offering parts.

Thanks to my sponsors: McColl racing, Xpress group, Hallmark memorial, Rivard Snowplowing , Highland tools , Scooter Pro, JR Graphics, Double R Reworks, George Newman , London Drive Systems, 401 Truck Source , Expressway Trucks."

Thanks Ray and Todd for sending me their quotes.

Todd Brutscher won the B main in his third start. "Managed to improve a bit!

I knew Ron Allen by reputation only, had watched him race often, and introduced myself to him at the suggestion of Jeffrey Kurzyniec when I told Jeff that I needed to get the car looked at by an experienced hand so I could get a feel for what "right" felt like......where else would a competitor do that?!

After my second race Ron offered to go over his old car for me and adjust the ride and suspension so I had a solid base to work from ... another "I can't believe my luck" moment … but I think it's really just the spirit of these drivers ... somewhere along the way someone helped or encouraged them, they remember what it's like to be the new guy, and they pass the help along willingly. Without competition you don't get to race!

Not only Jeffrey but probably half of the B main guys have friended me on Facebook and a couple of A guys have offered advice or help if I had a question or problem … I can't say enough about the sportsmanship of the competitors in the class! I received congratulations on my first win from so many of my "rivals" This is the spirit I hope to continue ... race well, improve, have a good time, and roll it back on the trailer at the end of the night.

Winning was great, the car is handling well and now it's time for me to get more experience and learn the line...I was sooo high I'm very lucky I didn't knock the wall down. But that win doesn't come without the work of my crew chief Kerry "Bear" Rouse, crewman Chad Ingram, and the help of Ron Allen, Jeffery Kurzyniec, and all the other drivers and past drivers that came to us in the pits and offered help and advice.

My goals are to keep improving, get consistent, and get a reputation as a driver that can be trusted. Successes and disappointments will both come, but I want to always be able to look in the rearview mirror at the car on the trailer on my way home from the track and smile and think "I got to race today!"

Missed any of the Flat Rock or Toledo racing visit Mike Miller's YouTube page ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omRdTIHitro

Want to get sponsors mentioned? All it takes is a couple sentences on your night (no negative blaming). You can contact me on Facebook or send it to icechips@hotmail.com