The annual two-day Great Lakes Nationals event was held this weekend at Crystal Motor Speedway with a huge fan turnout and car counts of 203 on Saturday and 173 on Sunday in attendance.
The Michigan Traditional Sprints were on hand 28 cars strong on Saturday evening. Steve Irwin of Fenton moved up from eighth to take the feature, followed by Cooper Clouse of Ohio City, Ohio, and Joe Bares of Traverse City while Chris Pobanz of Sebewang advanced by winning the B main feature. Heats went to Clouse, Travis Lacombe, Grand Haven, Gregg Dalman, Bellevue, and Mike Astrauskas of Pierson.
The Daily News Mini Wedge Beginners division six to nine-year-old saw Zayden Buskirk of Crystal take the feature, followed by Lilyann Montgomery, Crystal, Zayden Olger, St. Johns, Jazzlyn Hale, Crystal, Eli Fellows, Crystal, Mikah Kurkowski, Sidney, and Teegan Williams of Stanton. Montgomery triumphed in the heat. Over in the ten to fourteen-year-old feature, it was Dillon Kohn of Sheridan taking the win over Andrew Bogart, Alexis Morris, Katie Robinson, Mount Pleasant, Zevon Nemetz, Crystal, Riley Bowen, Sheridan, and Brent Wonch of Stanton. Robinson claimed the heat win.
In the Kentucky Fried Chicken Late Model feature, Ryan VanderVeen of Six Lakes was on the fly again, moving up from his ninth place starting position to overtake the pole sitter Scott Baker of Ionia in the closing laps to take the win. Zack Olger of Saint Johns was third out of a thirty-one car field. Blake Spencer of St Augustine, FL and Taylor Wiles of Hubbardston gathered B main wins with heats going to Megan Carpenter, Laingsburg, VanderVeen, Derrick Hilliker, Midland, and Baker. VanderVeen claimed the Saturday Night Special.
The Lane Automotive IMCA Modified event was the big attraction of the weekend, attracting thirty-five cars. In a very stout filed, it was Austin Wonch of Stanton outlasting a race long chase from John McClure of Clarksville and AJ Ward of Ionia to take home the win, pocketing the $3000 winners purse. John Taylor of Shepherd and Shannon Fisk of Lowell captured B main wins while heats fell to Ward, Mitchell Hunt of Greenville, Wonch, and Chad Wernette of Sheridan.
The Next Level Graphic and Design Street Stock event went to Will Stanley of Weidman in a wild event, with Josh Sternberg and Robbie Sternburg, both of Muskegon, finishing out the top three in a thirty-two car field. Dale Kaake III, Cass City, Joel Knapp, Stanton, Stanley, and Robbie Sternberg gathering heat events. Josh Sternburg won the Saturday Night Special event.
Devon Wiley of Belding brought home the win in the Races On The Web Flinn Stock event over Mike Currier, Fenwick, and Draven Grosvenor with twenty-nine cars comprising the field. Heats fell to Collin Schafer, Muir, Dennis Buchner, Hesperia, and Matt Brooms of Sheridan. Schafer took the Saturday Night Special event.
Mike VanderMark Jr. of Cedar Springs, held off Jeff Kohn of Sheridan Weidman’s Josh Loomis to capture the top honor in the Port City Race Cars Pro Stock event. Chad Spencer of Kingston and VanderMark took heats while Kohn won the Saturday Night Special in a nineteen car field.
In the Engine Pro Pro Truck feature, it was Jim Beltz of Kent City taking the win over Curtis Rice, Muskegon, Kenny Dittenber of Carson City. Tim Tuttle of Muskegon won the heat with Curtis Rice claiming the Saturday Night Special.
This weekend marks the end of the 2017 season for Crystal Motor Speedway. A Kenny Wallace Dirt Racing Experience is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, October 15th. The driver’s banquet will be held January 13th. Drivers and fans should call the office at 989.235.5200 or visit the website for details on both events.
