CMS '07 Season Ended Tonight

Saturday night at Crystal Motor Speedway was a cool afternoon that 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.

Another season has come to an end. We have all had our ups and downs this year, well - except for Cody Ordway, he probably wishes they could all be like his rookie year. We all look forward to a good winter as we prepare to see the first green flag of 2008 fall over the track at Crystal Motor Speedway - See you then!

Bowen Takes The Big Check!
DeYoung Early Leader, Spins out at 35 Laps

FEATURE WINNER - Brennan Bowen

The Engine Pro IMCA Modifieds took the field for the last time 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.

TENTATIVE FINAL IMCA POINTS STANDINGS!

1 19F Joe Fowler 680
2 B1 Brennan Bowen 608
3 54M Chad Maurer 599
4 7D Myron DeYoung 588
5 48 Randy Ruesink 581
6 10 Gary VanderMark 566
7 7M,62 Jimmy Hale, Jr. 535
8 615 Chad Wernette 527
9 776 Rusty Zeigler 518
10 19L Buzz Lawrence 499
11 79 Nate Jones 485
12 111 Josh Borton 443
13 24 Clifford Denman 441
14 112 Jason Borton 428
15 77B Rob Brillhart 422
16 22 Roger Flinn III 421
17 0 Luke Olger 410
18 13 Paul Grosnickle 409
19 1 Carl Thayer 407
20 76 Greg Wiles 376

Ordway Makes Routine Finish
We've Lost Count - How Many Was That?

FEATURE WINNER - Cody Ordway

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.

Crook, Eller Score Mini Wins
Special Class For GL Nats

FEATURE WINNER - Scott Crook

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.

FEATURE WINNER - Vern Buskirk

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.

Nickerson Holds On To Fourth LM Win -
Runs Away Each of Several Restarts

FEATURE WINNER - Brian Nickerson

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.

FEATURE WINNER - Kyle Borgman

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.

Comment From Behind The Scenes -

Another full season of racing at CMS has ended and I'm still down here in North Carolina, wishing that racing at the local dirt tracks here was just as well organized as that of Crystal Motor Speedway. For all of the hoohah about great racing down south... nope, I think it's regional hype. Sure, NASCAR® was born here, and a couple of the dirt tracks within a few miles of my new abode have a great history of hosting some of the legends, but for the most part the shows today are nothing when compared to the skill of the drivers and the quality of the management team seen each week at Crystal.

Yes, I'm biased. After all, I literally grew up around the banks of the old place. It's impossible for me not to think of 'racing' as something that was always in my back yard, just on the other side of the Giles' corn field.

Lowes Motor Speedway is just ten minutes from my front door. The impact of the track upon the local economy is overwhelming. It seems like there are race shops, or support companies, on every major road for miles around. It's tempting to spend a day or two each week just tooling through their parking lots, trying to get a glimpse and maybe a quick conversation with one of the drivers.

Had it not been for a couple of unfortunate in-patient visits to the local hospitals in the last 18 months I probably would have been employed by one of the old legendary teams - they thought I had enough talent to work in their PR department. BUT, the job required extensive travel and I wasn't up to it at the moment. As we all know, life isn't always fair and those that work the hardest are not always rewarded properly. I know a few of you CMS drivers understand that concept fully.

Verwayne has worked very hard to bring CMS fans complete coverage of action at Crystal. Frankly, had I been facing what he has endured during this season I don't think you would have even seen the first banner headline. But he hung in there and has finished the season, and has plans to return with even better toys next year. I hope you will support him and his efforts to keep CMS one of the most special places in the Michigan. He'll spend the next several months recuperating in Florida and I'm sure when tax day comes around next year that you'll see 'Big V' wandering through the pits to the infield with a camera in hand...or maybe he'll be in a warm booth sitting in a chair that says 'Producer.'

However your off season works out, always remember that even on the snowiest days of the coming winter; when high drifts cover the front stretch wall and ice hangs precariously from the flag stand, the first day of a new season is only a few weeks away. And on that day, above the noise and confusion of 100 cars in the pits, you will be able to look about in every direction and see the faces of your friends. Regardless of the temperature, the warmth of their friendships will help you through another cold night of challenges. That's how Leland Dolloff envisioned this place over five decades ago - and that's how I want to remember it.

-Lee Wonnacott
Concord, North Carolina