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Troy Underwood wins Auto Value Super Sprints main event; Don Riley takes two Sportsman Features at Dixie Motor Speedway

Saturday July 4, 2009

 

By Matt Prieur and Chris Fobbe – Dixie Motor Speedway

Birch Run, Michigan (Friday, July 3, 2009): Quality Auto Parts
presented the Fourth of July Extravaganza on Friday July 3rd at the
Dixie Motor Speedway in Birch Run, Michigan as a stellar crowd
witnessed the first of three appearances by the Auto Value / Bumper to
Bumper Super Sprints Series.

The first feature of the night was the make-up Feature from the rain
out of June 19th for the Teamtech Motorsports Sportsman. Chris Stearns
and Joe Cunningham were on the front row for the 25-lap feature and it
would be Stearns beating Cunningham to the first corner to take the
early lead while the rest of the field settled in behind him.

Stearns set a rapid pace as current points leader; Don Riley
methodically passed cars until coming up to Stearns’ back bumper. With
10 laps to go, Riley drove by Stearns to take the lead and for the
fourth time this season, the Bay City, Michigan driver steered his
Stevens Cycle Chevrolet into victory lane.

Stearns was second while Chet Allen, Tony Basalone, and Julian Fluty
were the Top Five. Gary Shank Jr., was sixth and was chased by
16-year-old Jimmy Novak, Rick Osborn Jr., Buddy McGeathy, and Joe
Cunningham, who rounded out the Top 10.

The fire breathing, winged warriors of the Auto Value / Bumper to
Bumper Super Sprints Series saw veterans Mike Astrauskas and Troy
Underwood bring the stellar 18-car field to the green flag. Underwood
drove around Astrauskas heading into turns one and two to take the
early lead.

Underwood opened up a huge lead early on in the 30-lap feature as the
rest of the field jockeyed for position. Current AVSS points leader,
Chad Goff, and two-time defending AVSS Champion, Jason Blonde worked
there way up to second and third, but by the time they grabbed the
final two podiums positions, Underwood had a huge lead.

Goff and Blonde ran out of time in the caution free event that took
only Seven (7) Minutes and Five (5) Seconds around the 4/10 (0.400)
mile progressively banked d-shaped paved oval as Underwood, in his
Hamilton Trucking Sprinter would go on to lead all 30 laps giving the
Jackson, Michigan veteran his first feature win of the season.

Goff and Blonde trailed the winner while Canadian Ryan Litt was fourth
ahead of fast qualifier, Jimmy Swain who finished fifth. Michigan
Motorsports Hall of Fame driver, Bill Tyler and Jeff Bloom were sixth
and seventh while Jeff Banyas, Astrauskas, and Frank Neal completed
the Top 10.

Swain was the fastest qualifier of the night with a 12,825, which
measures out to 111.874mph at Dixie! Neal, Goff, and Litt picked up
the heat race wins. The Auto Value Super Sprints return on Friday,
August 7th as part of BIG ONE VII with the third and final round of
the Dixie Cup Triple Crown Series for Super Late Models and the
running of the 7th annual All-American Smackdown 100.

The only division on the adjoining 1/3 (0.333) mile semi-banked paved
oval was the RacingPartSales.com Bombers division as current points
leader, Jeff Roethlisberger Jr., and C.J. Davis led a strong 20-car
field to chief starter, Carl Wanks’ green flag to begin the 20-lap
feature.

Roethlisberger Jr., had defending track champion, Rob Kern on his back
bumper for the first half of the race and Kern did briefly take the
lead away from the 20-year-old on lap 11. But Roethlisberger Jr.,
fought back on the outside and retook the advantage.

From there, the Saginaw, Michigan driver extended his points lead in his Turn One High Performance Steering Chevrolet by winning his third feature of the season. Fast Qualifier, Gerry Persails Jr., finished a season high second over Cam Hiltz, Joyce Derminer, and Mike Wirsing, who finished off the top five.

Rookie of the Year Points Leader, Jamie Crandell finished a career
high sixth over Anthony Jurek, Jim Wirsing, Davis, and Brandon Adams,
who completed the Top 10. Persails Jr.‘s fast time was an 18.159 while
Ray Derminer and Troy Shinabarger won heat races.

In the second Teamtech Motorsports Sportsman 25-lap feature of the
night, defending track champion, Kevin Harder started on the pole and
would pace the field for the first four laps until Don Riley, who won
the June 19th make-up feature earlier in the evening, worked his way
around Harder to take the lead on lap five.

Harder didn’t give up though and after regrouping, he retook the point
from Riley on lap 15. But again, it would be Riley, who rebuilt the
momentum in the second groove and grabbed the lead back away from
Harder. From there, it was all Riley as the Bay City, Michigan veteran
in his Stevens Cycle Chevrolet won his second feature of the night and
fifth feature of the season.

Harder settled for second while Chris Stearns was third ahead of Chet
Allen, Tony Basalone, Gary Shank Jr., Julian Fluty, Buddy McGeathy,
Rick Osborn Jr., and Joe Cunningham who would complete the top 10.
Riley was the fastest qualifier for the seventh time this season with
a 17.44 while Stearns and Harder won the heat races.

The final feature of the night was the 15-lap Checkered Flag
Promotions Figure 8s feature as Tony Williams started on the pole and
led all 15 laps to seemingly score his first career feature win!

Unfortunately at post-race tech, Williams was disqualified, giving the
win and the points lead to Flint, Michigan veteran, Ray Derminer, as
the driver of the Kim’s Barber Shop Chevrolet won his first feature of
the 2009 campaign.

Gerry Persails Jr., inherited second as John Hitsman, Rob Kern, Troy
Shinabarger, Ricky Casey, Mike Wines, Ricky Dinius Sr., C.J. Davis,
and Ricky Dinius Jr., were the top 10. The Figure 8s do not qualify or
run heats. They draw for there starting positions in the feature
during the drivers meeting with the previous weeks winner starting last.

The second night of exciting racing action to be held over the Fourth
of July Holiday Weekend will be on Sunday, July 5th as the Often
Copied, Often Imitated, but Never EVER duplicated EVE OF DESTRUCTION
returns for Round II as the always exciting night of carnage will
close out the nations 233rd birthday weekend celebration.

On Tap will be the School Bus Figure 8s, Figure 8 Trailer Race,
Chain-Gang Race, Dixie Crash Cars, the all new and exciting Flagpole
Race, and Spectator Drags will highlight the evening of carnage and
destruction.

Also in action and on the ovals will be the first of two appearances
by the Vintage Racing Organization of America (V.R.O.A.) Modifieds who
will tackle the 4/10s (0.400) mile progressively banked d-shaped paved
oval. The Vintage Modifieds feature pre-1948 machines with in-line
straight six cylinder engines, straight axels, leaf springs, and much
more made only in the United States and Canada.

In addition, a special Street Stocks Invitational will also be
conducted on the adjoining 1/3 (0.333) mile semi-banked paved oval.
Although the Street Stocks Invite is a “non-points” race, all
participants who are in attendance will receive 15 “show-up” points
for there efforts. There night will be capped off by an exciting
30-lap Feature!

Cars from Dixie Motor Speedway, Owosso Speedway, Whittemore Speedway,
and Auto City Speedway are invited providing they are “Non-Panhard
Bar” cars. A 108” minimum wheelbase is required with a 500 stock type
gauge legal Holly Carburetor. 3,200 lbs., minimum on Hoosier 970 tires
(NO SOAKING). This race will be $500 to win and $100 to start.

For Sunday shows only, the Pit Gates will open at 12:00p.m. The
Grandstand Gates Open at 3:00p.m., as Rotating Practice for the oval
track divisions also starts at 3:00p.m. Qualifying for the Street
Stocks and V.R.O.A. Modifieds will start at 4:00p.m., and Racing gets
underway at 5:00p.m.

Grandstand Admission Prices for Sunday, July 5th are: Adults (18-59)
$15.00 – Seniors (60 and Over) $13.00 – Students (13-17) $12.00 – Kids
(6-12) $6.00 – Children (5 and Under) are always FREE. Pit Passes are
always $25.00.

For more information, please call: 1 (989) 624-9778 or 1 (989)
709-6113. You can also log onto the website as well at:
www.dixiemotorspeedway.com

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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.

 

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