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went right down cold but the racing was totally hot! This was the 15th Annual Great Lakes Nationals, sponsored by Victor Reinz, Mellings Engine Parts, Hastings Piston Rings, and Engine Pro. Over 174 cars and a huge crowd were on hand to help close of the season finale of 2007. The Flinn Stock feature was almost a routine deal as Cody Ordway wasted no time laying waste to the field but the battle of special interest was for second. Nick Messner held the number two spot but was getting a heavy attack from petite Emileigh Neve from almost the drop of the flag. Neve was even down the straights but Messner could edge her in the turns. After a quick caution, Neve began a fresh attack that finally took her under Messner coming out of turn four with a nose up on him. Messner turned to close the door on her move but Neve would have none of it and pushed beyond his move to overtake him, much to the large crowds delight. Ordway went on to take the win with Neve taking home a second, followed by Ryan Harper, Messner, Gary VanArsdal, Kyle Shattuck, Scott Wright, Anthony Fellows, Gavin Parks, and Adam Soule. Ordway also pocketed the heat win. The Late Model feature was a good one as well as Brian Nickerson of nearby Vestaburg, held off heavy fire from Rail Rokos, and Jeff Kohn to take home the big money and trophy. Nickerson had to deal with several cautions but each time was able to motor safely away as he chalked up his second feature win of the season. Don Marcoullier was fourth, followed by Kevin Nelson, Sr., Rick Stout, Scott Baker, Jay Van Dyke, Brandon Thirlby, and Curt Mesman. Baker and Rick Whipple took B Mains and heat gold went to Don Marcoullier, Dona Marcoullier, Tom Dusen and Stout. The Mini Stock, different from the Flinn Stocks as they can make various modifications to their engines and front end setups, was claimed by Scott Crook from Merrill. Joe Eller of nearby Sheridan brought home second place, followed by Michael Schnettler, Andy Galgoci, Josh Eller, John DeYoung, Sr., Tyler Wagener, Jordan Sherlock, Dale Wiggins, Jr. and Jeff Califf. Joe Eller posed for the heat win. Each of the top three received very large trophies and a decent payoff. The Pro Stock/Pro Truck race was a battle of some very heavy hitters that saw Dick Reynolds lead 22 of the 25 lap event. Reynolds had been running a fabulous race, moving in and out of traffic and keeping Jeff Gibson and Vern Buskirk a step behind his heels. Late in the race, Buskirk began to slowly reel in the leader, closing within two lengths or so when Reynolds went high coming into turn three to move around a slower car and that slower car decided to pit, sending Reynolds off the track. He was able to immediately resume but joined the field about five spots back, leaving the lead to Buskirk who went on to victory. In his interview, Buskirk expressed his thoughts that the race had been Reynolds except for the bad break. Gibson collected a second, followed by Bill Beardslee, Reynolds, Chaney Newland, Rodney Heikkila, Jeff Loomis, Todd Bush, Tim Hansen, and Kent Strong. Bush took the B Main with heats falling to Reynolds, Buskirk, and Nate Jones. The Street Stock event was a barn burner as any one of the top five or six drivers could have won the affair. Nearly all of those drivers came from mid pack or back and they put on quite the show coming forward. With just five to go, a restart found Kyle Borgman leading, holding a fragile lead over the rest of a very hungry pack. When the dust settled, it was Borgman with Ralph Sternberg and Robb Sternberg nearly pushing him along with Mike Vandermark, Jr. and Bill May just a couple feet behind. Jasen Wiley brought home a respectable sixth, followed by Josh Loomis, Larry Passenier, Mike Nelson, Jr., and Jeramia Richards. Willard VanHaitsma, Jr. and Wiley brought home B Main wins with Gary Buskirk, Jeremy Spencer, Vandermark Jr, Sternberg and Borgman all claiming heat wins. The Engine Pro IMCA Modifieds took the field for the last feature of 2007 at Crystal Motor Speedway with an elite group of drivers. A total of 48 Mods were on hand to fight for 22 positions. Once the feature was set and the green was flying, it was Myron DeYoung off on a tear. DeYoung was running a perfect groove on the big three eights clay oval and moving seemingly effortlessly through the turns, leaving the rest of the field to occasionally glimpse his bumper. As DeYoung set sail, Randy Ruesink, Brennan Bowen, Gary Vandermark, and Jimmy Hale Jr. battled for position behind him. With 35 laps in the books and the conclusion almost in sight, DeYoung's car hooked a sudden and hard right hand turn in the apex of turns three and four, sending him hard over the banking and un able to continue. Bowen, who had pulled within three lengths of the leader, took over the point, nervously listening to every engine tick as he lead the group the last 15 laps. Bowen went on to pocket the big payoff, six foot trophy, and his name written into Great Lakes Nationals history. He was followed by Ruesink, Hale, VanderMark, Chad Wernette, Joe Fowler, Benjamin Nieman, Terry Shank, Chad Maurer, and Buzz Lawrence. Maurer won the B Main with the Non Qualifier race going to Greg Wiles. Heats fell to Vandermark, Fowler, Eric Monk, Roger Steig, and Dan Wiggins. This event closes the doors for the season. Ron Flinn and the entire Crystal Motor family of employees thank everyone for their attendance and participation is a great year in such hard times. If you should need further information, call the track at 989.235.5200 or watch the website at www.crystalmotorspeedway,com for announcements through the winter and make plans to be with us again next April for another season of great racing at Crystal Motor Speedway.
For more information, call (989) 235-5200 • P.O. Box 152, Crystal, MI 48818 www.crystalmotorspeedway.com
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| Top photos by Rick Kimball |
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