The Kinross Speedway held it’s final points night of the 2003 season and began the preparation for their big invitational this past Saturday night.
A 5-in-1 show was on hand as six of the Northern Michigan Speedway Pro 4-Cylinders were in attendance to put on an exhibition on the ¼ mile here in Kinross. Also on tap was the regular Super Late Models, Factory Stocks, Pure Stocks and 4-Cylinder cars.
Dave Vansloten (33) set fast time in the Super Late Model division with a lap time of 13.880.
Mark Howland (45) won the four car dash while Todd Jackson (21) took the heat race honours.
The 20-lap feature would see Mark Howland withstand the pressure to hold on to his first career Super Late Model Feature win. Vansloten and Tim Aho (27) took the top 3 spots.
The 2003 Super Late Model track champion is #33 Dave Vansloten.
The Pure Stock division saw the closest qualifying laps of the season and Soo, Michigan native Larry Young Jr. (25) would set fast time at 16.780 seconds.
Ray Golladay Jr. (20) won the four car dash while Richard Huyck (27) continued his dominance of the Australian Pursuits by taking that races checkered flag.
Bill Cryderman (61) and Todd Ferguson (57) won their respective heat races.
The 25-lap main event would see 12 cars start the race in what would prove to be one of the best races of the year. Once again the respect and driving ability of these drivers shone through as 3-wide racing went on through the duration of this race. Bob Laphew (99) would take his 10th starting position to the front on lap 20 and hold on for his 2nd feature win of the season. That pass for the lead would prove to be the 6th lead change in the race. Cryderman, Ben Huyck (28), Ray Golladay (22) and Al Odbert III (32) rounded out the top 5 positions.
Todd Ferguson won the Pure Stock division last-chance race.
Dafter, Michigan native Ray Golladay is the 2003 Pure Stock track champion.
Wear, tear and endurance has taken it’s toll on the Factory Stock division the last few weeks as the final points night would see this divisions lowest car count of the season. Jason Prayser (5) set fast time with a lap of 15.530.
Jerry Ball (8) won the four car dash before Kevin Johnson (37) found victory lane in the 10-lap heat race.
The feature would be minus 2 cars that had hotlapped earlier in the day as Cecil Piche (88) and Dave Devine (4) would have their cars loaded early after seeing both blow up their engines.
Despite the lower car count the field of Factory Stock cars would put on a tight race in their final points event of the season.
Trout Lake, Michigan native Jerry Ball (8) would reel in his 2nd feature of the season while Josh Ware (7) would finish 2nd following two post-race disqualifications.
Jerry Ball (8) is the 2003 Factory Stock track champion by a mere 8-point advantage over Jason Praysner (5).
John Clawson (35) was the fastest of the nine four cylinder cars that made their way to the Speedway on this evening clocking in at 18.150 seconds.
Jared Nightlinger (48) won the 4-car dash while James Thompson took the Australian Pursuit victory. Nightlinger captured his 2nd checker flag of the evening in the 10-lap heat race.
The 20-lap feature would see only 2 caution flags displayed and when the checkered flag would fall John Mayer (9) would be the victor followed by Clawson, Nighltinger, Tim Gregory (25) and James Thompson (8) making up the top 5.
Thompson would later win the Last Chance race for this division.
Jared Nightlinger is the 2003 4-Cylinder Division track champion.
The fifth and final division on this night was the Northern Michigan Speedway Pro 4-Cylinders. Pumped and ready to put on an exhibition for the loyal Kinross crowd #24 Don Sevenski set the fast lap at 15.680.
#405 of John Flickenger won the four-car dash while Sevenski was victorious once again in the Australian Pursuit and 10-lap heat race.
Flickenger would be able to withstand the hot competition to reel in the feature event later in the night followed by Sevenski, John Clancy (28) and Jerry Fitzgerald (F4).
The final race of the night at Kinross was the Mechanics Race and Soo, Michigan’s Dan Shumbarger (7) would take the checkered flag.
This show marked the Speedway’s final points night of the 2003 season while preparing everyone for the big show to take place this coming weekend.
The Randy Dewitt Memorial Invitational is set for this coming Saturday, September 13th with a full show of Limited Late Models, Factory Stocks, Pure Stocks and 4-Cylinders.
This event will see the Kinross Speedway pay it’s respect to former promoter, racer and friend, Randy Dewitt.
We are expecting over 100+ cars from across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ontario as we officially wrap up the 2003 season here at Kinross.
Please note the special start times as qualifying will begin at 2:30 p.m. with racing to follow at 4:30 p.m.
In the event of a rainout on Saturday the event will be held the very next day, Sunday, September 14th at the exact same times.
As we conclude another week of exciting racing here in Kinross we would like to thank each and everyone of you and hope to see your backside trackside next Saturday night!!