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On another very warm night at Tri-City Motor Speedway, eight pastors from churches around the area not only showed up to raise money for charity of their choice, but to race in the 2nd annual Faster Pastor Race Night. The Auburn Hotel Bar and Grill Street Stocks as well had a big night head of them as they had a chance to break the track record and also race for $555 in a 33-lap feature.
The Faster Pastor race began the main event of the night as they raced for their church and all the members who showed up on race night, for the 6 foot trophy and most importantly the charities they raised money for. Out of the eight pastors that started off the night only four (two from each heat) would race in the main event. Pastors Rob Schmidt and Mark Burns were able to pick-up the wins in the heat races. Andy Lindke and David Warren would also join the two winners in the eight-lap shootout for the feature win. Once the green flag waved the drivers had to get use to their bomber cars, especially Rob Schmidt, who was trying to get used to a stick shift. After a few restarts the pastors get control and had clean racing to the very end. Rob Schmidt figured out the shifting and thanks to some race tips from bomber driver Andy Koczenasz before the race, he raced the high line and looked like he has been doing it for years. Schmidt dominates the main event and picks up the win in the Faster Pastor event and for Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church and his charity, ELCA National Youth Gathering-Scholarship Fund. Overall, the charities for all the drivers were the winners Friday night, as all the charities combined to raise $14,823.
The Auburn Hotel Bar and Grill Street Stock would show of their skills during the second main event of the night as the drivers had to try and keep their car under control in a crazy 33-lap feature, racing for the win and $555. The race started off in a very rare fashion as 21 Street Stocks lined up three-wide to start of the race and for an extra $30 in their paychecks. When the green flag waved, seven rows of three-wide car came speeding into turn one with a lot of beating and banging, but were able to keep all the cars under control and earn that extra cash. #21E Dan Engel would come to the line to lead lap one, but #57 T.J Gilbert would find some room and take the lead. The craziness would begin on lap three as #19 Mike Kosha lost control of his car in turn four, was hit by two other cars and was flipped over to bring out the red flag. Mike Kosha and everyone would be ok from the crash. As we when back to green on lap six, #75S Kevin Strong would be able to make a move on Gilbert and take the lead. Gilbert would take that lead right back though as he would make a move on lap 11. Then on lap 18, more trouble happened as #08 Josh Loomis saw points leader and the fastest driver in qualifying #7R Dave Newcomb and #75S Kevin Strong making contact and causing Strong to spin out. Loomis tried to avoid the crash but heat race three winner, #28 Jared Rizer and #51 Todd Winchell could not avoid Loomis causing him to flip on the backstretch. Once again the race was red flagged and everyone would be all right. A few more lead changes before the end and some more big name drivers in the Street Stocks series were unable to control their cars on the clay track. #57 T.J. Gilbert, who was involved in a crash on lap 25 and was able to make his way back to the front and take the lead on lap 32, takes his 2nd win of the year in the Auburn Hotel Bar and Grill Street Stock series. #02 Will Stanley would end up in second, followed by #51 Todd Winchell, #X5 Eric Lake, and #28 Jared Rizer, who were all involved in a crash in the race and rounds out the top five.
Up next were the Hasting Racing Rings Dirt late motels in their 25-lap event. #91 Mike Curtis would lead the field to the green. #11CR Carl Ries had a strong run out of turn two and would take the lead. It didn’t take long for #0P Kris Patterson Jr. would find his way through the field and take the lead from Ries on lap five. After a clean 25-laps of racing, Patterson Jr. pulled away and took it easy at the end to pick up his third feature win of the season. #11CR Carl Ries would hold on and take the second spot, #24 Alex Hupert in third, #5B Brook Brasington in fourth and #0X Zack Olger would take the fifth spot.
The night’s final event had the Main Street Seed and Supply IMCA Modifieds in a 20-lap main event. #7S Lucas Small would lead the field to the green, but #38 Mitchell Hunt would find some room on the backstretch down low and take the lead and lap one. Runner-up in points, last year’s champion and heat race winner #20W A.J Ward make his way from the middle of the pack and found his way to the lead on lap four. Point’s leader #7D Myron DeYoung would make his way up to the second position, but did not have the car to keep up with Ward. #20W A.J. Ward picks up his six win of the season and cuts into Myron's points lead. #7D Myron DeYoung would finish second, #615 Chad Wernette would finish third, follow by #27 Matt Szecsodi in fourth and #D42 Don Sautter rounding out the top five.
Next Friday, July 31st, it is Mystery Night. What is going to happen..., well you know as much as we do so you will have to come on out and find out yourself. What is not a mystery is that we will have a full show (Late Models, IMCA Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks Bombers) and from 6-8 PM before the races begin, Tri-City Motor Speedway has partnered with the Saginaw Spirit, McLaren Bay Medical Foundations and SOS (Survivors of Suicide) to bring our community a Mental Health Awareness and Resource Event, in honor of A.J. Leisentritt. For every adult admission ticket that is sold, Tri-City will donate $2 to the McLaren Bay Medical Foundation. Also, the Saginaw Spirit will match TCMS donations up to $1,000. Then, on August 7th, we will cringe, we will close our eyes and we will crown a Figure-8 champion. For more information on TCMS or on results, drivers and a whole lot more, check out www.tricityracetrack.com.
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