Race fans were greeted with cloudy skies and cool temperatures at the season opener for the Springport Motor Speedway, Sat. April 29th. The racing action was hot on this fast, 3/8ths mile, asphalt oval. First up were the WMMQ 94.9 Classic Rock MI Modifieds, with Tom Williams and Nyle Weiler making up the front row for their 30 lap feature. At the drop of the green, it was Weiler, Chris Ozanich, Tom Williams, Brian Heeney, and Jason Parish, all in a drag race to lead the first lap. Weiler was shown as the leader of lap one, with Ozanich in hot pursuit. Parish moved into third ahead of Heeney and Larry Wallace, with Leroy Ellis looking to break into the top five by lap five. Weiler put a bit of real estate between himself, Ozanich and Parish at the completion of lap 10. Parish pulled up on the outside of Ozanich on the backstretch and ran side by side at the line on lap 13. Parish got around Ozanich and started to reel in Weiler on lap 20. Weiler got caught up in slower traffic and this was the break Parish needed to further close the gap. By lap 25, Parish was all over Weiler?s bumper and Parish looked to the outside on lap 26, completing the pass by lap 27. Ozanich, Heeney, Wallace, and Ellis continued to battle behind the leaders. A spin on lap 28 set up a two-lap shootout. On the restart, Parish drove away from Weiler, and at the line, it was Parish, Weiler, Ozanich, Heeney, and Wallace. Heat winners were Weiler and Parish.

The Performance Automotive NW Street Stocks lined up 13 cars that included competitors from the Owosso Speedway. Jeremy Lutz and Rich Kinch scored heat wins in the division, and as they lined up for their 20 lap feature, it was Nate Moon and Jeremy Lutz on the front row. Matt Kirchen jumped out to the early lead, but was caught up in a lap three caution involving Ron Heeney and Rich Kinch. Marc Smith went to the point on the restart, and by lap five, Dan Lewis, Ron Heeney, Randy Ewing, and Tom Stone were all in the hunt. Lewis and Stone, sitting second and third, got side by side in a battle for second, giving Smith just a little breathing room on lap 12. Stone took care of Lewis and zeroed in on Smith, looking to the high side on lap 14. Smith held him off for two more laps, until lap 16, when Stone made his way around him. Stone then pulled away from the top five and left them to fight for position. Lewis made a run on Smith coming out of turn three on lap 18, and they ran side by side on the backstretch. Coming down to the checker, it was Stone, Lewis, Smith, Ewing, and Kirchen.

The dynamic duo of the Pure Stock division gave the Springport fans a sneak peek at what the newest entry level division had to offer. Wayne ?Daniel? Parkhurst and Brian Jenks put on any exhibition, with Jenks winning the heat race, and Parkhurst scoring another feature win, the second in two nights of racing.

The Auto Value Racing Series, MI Legends, put on a whale of a show, with 20 cars in their line up. Ryan Meldrum started on the pole and took off at the drop of the green. By lap five, he was running away from Barry Hartwell, Levi Rouster, Ben Rouster, and Jerry Warden. Caution on lap 11 diminished his lead, and by lap 13, L. Rouster had run him down and took over the lead bringing B. Rouster with him. Billy Simmons jumped into the mix ahead of Warden. As L. Rouster pulled away from the top five, B. Rouster and Meldrum got caught up in slower traffic, with Simmons right on their bumpers. Simmons took a look under Meldrum on lap 24, made it stick, and as they crossed the stripe, it was L. Rouster, B. Rouster, Simmons, Meldrum, and Warden.

Please join us next Saturday as the Springport Motor Speedway presents Albion Night. All Albion residents will be admitted for ½ price (with proof of residency). Featured divisions that evening are Modifieds, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, and Legends. Hope to see you there!