May 12, 2007 Springport Motor Speedway

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Springport Motor Speedway Hosts Pure Stocks

by Michelle Sprague

11 lucky young recipients posing with their brand new bicycles given away during intermission on Kid's Night.
- Bob Cantine Photo Sunny skies and cool temperatures greeted race fans, on May 12th, as Springport Motor Speedway hosted its first ever Pure Stock Invitational.

Twelve Pure Stocks, some with fresh coats of paint, took to the high banked, 3/8-mile track, many for the first time in 2007. "Big Daddy" Steve Orta, of Dimondale, took his first-ever checkered flag, and paid a visit to the Engine Pro Winner's Circle, for his heat win. Aaron Spearling, who travels 109 miles from Otisville, MI, also tallied a heat win.

Patrick McNamara brings the field down for the green with CJ Ewing on the outside.
- Bob Cantine Photo Patrick McNamara and CJ Ewing sat on the front row of the big 25-lap feature for the entry-level Pure Stock division. Spearling jumped out to the early lead, after the green flag waved, with Spencer Drake right on his bumper.

Spencer wasted no time in taking over the top spot. Lap five saw Spearling back to second, followed by Russ Potter IV, J.L. Smith, and Orta. Smith continued working his way to the front, sitting second by lap 15. He tried to reel in the leader, Drake, but ran out of laps. With only three cars remaining on the lead lap, the checker waved and it was Drake, of Dimondale, who drove into the Engine Pro Winner's Circle, with J.L. Smith, Spearling, Matt Patrick, and Orta rounding out the top five.
The Pony Stock division lined up for their 20-lap feature, with Bill McBride and rookie, Brent Marriott poised to bring the field down to the green. Charlotte's TJ Conroy shot through the middle of the pack, from his seventh starting position, and into the lead by the time the pack hit the back stretch.

Dan Gokee with a big crowd-pleasing save as he drives completely sideways through turns 3 and 4.
- Bob Cantine Photo Dennis O'Neil and John Conroy were in hot pursuit of TJ, with J. Conroy making his way around O'Neil on lap six.

A caution, on lap six, closed the field up behind the leader. Ashley Passick, began to reel in the top three, after the restart, and caught the trio by lap ten. Passick pulled alongside O'Neil and completed the pass, for third, on lap 15. She set her sights on J. Conroy, took a look under Conroy for second, but Conroy was able to hold her off. TJ Conroy scored his third win in three weeks, with J. Conroy holding down the second spot for the third time. Passick, O'Neil and Robert Fletcher came home third through fifth. Heat wins went to Fletcher and TJ Conroy.
The Sportmans division's Mike Ammerman, of Mason, kept the Engine Pro Winner's Circle hopping, as he captured both the heat and feature win for that division. Mike can be seen running that high groove, now called the "Ammerman Line", once considered the long way around the track. The 25-lap feature saw the return of Lansing's Pat Dent to the division, with a car that was no stranger to the racing scene in the Mid-Michigan area.

Jimmie Johnson's first visit to Springport Motor Speedway in the Sportsman division resulted in some bad luck as the Beacon Sales wrecker pulls him back to the pits.
- Bob Cantine Photo Dent, Matt Kirchen, Jerry Schroll Jr. and Jimmy Johnson would have to settle for a top five finish, as Ammerman led the field by as much as half of a lap.

Please join us each and every Saturday night for exciting racing action at the Springport Motor Speedway. Saturday, May 19th, marks the return of the Vintage Modifieds, along with a Mini-Stock Invitational, the Community Racing Challenge "MADD Police Pursuit" and regular divisions. It will be Autograph Night, featuring a new "Kid's Zone" where kids will be able to sign the front stretch wall. Saturday, May 26th, features all regular divisions plus the Wolverine Outlaw Midgets and a Street Stock Invitational. The Community Racing Challenge presents the "Lest They Be Forgotten 500" Armed Forces Race. For more information, directions, gate prices and times, check out the website at www.springportmotorspeedway.com. As always, we'll see you at the races!

Sportsman

Qualifying

Pos No. Name                Best Tm Diff  Gap
1   16  Mike Ammerman       17.077  -.--- -.---
2   6   Pat Dent            17.669  0.592 0.592
3   36  Matt Kirchen        17.867  0.790 0.198
4   76  Dennis Rockey       18.282  1.205 0.415
5   2x4 Jerry Schroll Jr    18.895  1.818 0.613
6   48  Jimmy Johnson       18.909  1.832 0.014

Mike Ammerman crosses the stripe and gets the checkered flag waved by Doug Allen in the Sportsman heat race.
- Bob Cantine photo

Heat #1

Pos No. Name
1   16  Mike Ammerman
2   6   Pat Dent
3   36  Matt Kirchen
4   2x4 Jerry Schroll Jr
5   48  Jimmy Johnson
6   76  Dennis Rockey

Mike Ammerman picks up his second feature victory of 2007 and shares the Engine Pro Victory Circle with two lovely young ladies.
- Bob Cantine photo

Feature

Pos No. Name
1   16  Mike Ammerman
2   6   Pat Dent
3   36  Matt Kirchen
4   2x4 Jerry Schroll Jr
5   48  Jimmy Johnson

Pure Stock

Qualifying

Pos No. Name                Best Tm Diff  Gap
1   28  Spencer Drake       19.754  -.--- -.--- RWD
2   51  J L Smith           19.765  0.011 0.011 RWD
3   25  Matt Patrick        20.022  0.268 0.257 RWD
4   13  Daniel Parkhurst    20.080  0.326 0.058 RWD
5   8   Aaron Spearling     20.207  0.453 0.127 RWD
6   10  Russ Potter IV      20.278  0.524 0.071 FWD
7   30  Ian Shafer          20.763  1.009 0.485 RWD
8   32  Steve Orta          20.791  1.037 0.028 RWD
9   99  CJ Ewing            21.221  1.467 0.430 RWD
10  94  Patrick McNamara    21.390  1.636 0.169 FWD
11  103 Justin Lewis        21.587  1.833 0.197 RWD
12  76  Craig Rockey        22.307  2.553 0.720 RWD

Steve Orta (32) on is way to his first victory of 2007 in heat race #1 for the Pure Stocks.
- Bob Cantine photo

Heat #1

Pos No. Name
1   32  Steve Orta         RWD
2   30  Ian Shafer         RWD
3   99  CJ Ewing Jr        RWD
4   94  Patrick McNamara   FWD *
5   103 Justin Lewis       RWD +

* Winner of FWD class
+ penalized 1 lap for breakout rule

Aaron Spearling scores his first victory for 2007 in heat race #2 for the Pure Stocks.
- Bob Cantine photo

Heat #2

Pos No. Name
1   8   Aaron Spearling     RWD
2   51  John L Smith        RWD
3   10  Russ Potter IV      FWD *
4   13  Daniel Parkhurst    RWD
5   28  Spencer Drake       RWD
6   25  Matt Patrick        RWD

* Winner of FWD class

Spencer Drake picks up the class win for the rear wheel drives and the overall win in the Pure Stock division.
- Bob Cantine photo

Russ "Donk" Potter IV gets the front wheel drive class win in the Pure Stocks.
- Bob Cantine photo

Feature

Pos No. Name
1   28  Spencer Drake       RWD
2   51  John L Smith        RWD
3   8   Aaron Spearling     RWD
4   25  Matt Patrick        RWD
5   32  Steve Orta          RWD
6   10  Russ Potter IV      FWD *
7   30  Ian Shafer          RWD
8   94  Patrick McNamara    FWD
9   99  CJ Ewing Jr         RWD
10  103 Justin Lewis        RWD
11  13  Daniel Parkhurst    RWD

* Winner of FWD class

Pony Stock

Qualifying

Pos No. Name                Best Tm Diff  Gap
1   17y TJ Conroy           19.957  -.--- -.---
2   66  John Conroy         19.976  0.019 0.019
3   007 Ashley Passick      20.260  0.303 0.284
4   95  Dennis O'Neil       20.403  0.446 0.143
5   55  Dan Gokee           20.437  0.480 0.034
6   09  Robert Fletcher     20.594  0.637 0.157
7   94  Steve Wrenn         20.705  0.748 0.111
8   14  Jerry LaFontaine    20.887  0.930 0.182
9   11  Brent Marriott      22.419  2.462 1.532
10  80  Bill McBride        22.924  2.967 0.505
11  99  Brent McCort        -.---   -.--- -.---

Robert Fletcher shows the way in heat race #1 for the Pony Stocks.
- Bob Cantine photo

Heat #1

Pos No. Name
1   09  Robert Fletcher
2   14  Jerry LaFontaine
3   94  Steve Wrenn
4   80  Bill McBride
5   11  Brent Marriott

TJ Conroy continues to be tough as he wins heat race #2 for the Pony Stocks.
- Bob Cantine photo

Heat #2

Pos No. Name
1   17y TJ Conroy
2   66  John Conroy
3   007 Ashley Passick
4   95  Dennis O'Neil
5   55  Dan Gokee

It's a 1-2 finish again for the father/son combination with TJ Conroy taking the Pony Stock feature win ahead of his Dad, John Conroy.
- Bob Cantine photo

Feature

Pos No. Name
1   17x TJ Conroy
2   66  John Conroy
3   007 Ashley Passick
4   95  Dennis O'Neil
5   09  Robert Fletcher
6   94  Steve Wrenn
7   55  Dan Gokee
8   11  Brent Marriott
9   14  Jerry LaFontaine
10  80  Bill McBride
11  99  Brent McCort

Back to results index

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11 lucky young recipients posing with their brand new bicycles given away during intermission on Kid's Night. - Bob Cantine Photo	Sunny skies and cool temperatures greeted race fans, on May 12th, as Springport Motor Speedway hosted its first ever Pure Stock Invitational.
Twelve Pure Stocks, some with fresh coats of paint, took to the high banked, 3/8-mile track, many for the first time in 2007. "Big Daddy" Steve Orta, of Dimondale, took his first-ever checkered flag, and paid a visit to the Engine Pro Winner's Circle, for his heat win. Aaron Spearling, who travels 109 miles from Otisville, MI, also tallied a heat win.
Patrick McNamara brings the field down for the green with CJ Ewing on the outside. - Bob Cantine Photo	Patrick McNamara and CJ Ewing sat on the front row of the big 25-lap feature for the entry-level Pure Stock division. Spearling jumped out to the early lead, after the green flag waved, with Spencer Drake right on his bumper.
Spencer wasted no time in taking over the top spot. Lap five saw Spearling back to second, followed by Russ Potter IV, J.L. Smith, and Orta. Smith continued working his way to the front, sitting second by lap 15. He tried to reel in the leader, Drake, but ran out of laps. With only three cars remaining on the lead lap, the checker waved and it was Drake, of Dimondale, who drove into the Engine Pro Winner's Circle, with J.L. Smith, Spearling, Matt Patrick, and Orta rounding out the top five. The Pony Stock division lined up for their 20-lap feature, with Bill McBride and rookie, Brent Marriott poised to bring the field down to the green. Charlotte's TJ Conroy shot through the middle of the pack, from his seventh starting position, and into the lead by the time the pack hit the back stretch.
Dan Gokee with a big crowd-pleasing save as he drives completely sideways through turns 3 and 4. - Bob Cantine Photo	Dennis O'Neil and John Conroy were in hot pursuit of TJ, with J. Conroy making his way around O'Neil on lap six.
A caution, on lap six, closed the field up behind the leader. Ashley Passick, began to reel in the top three, after the restart, and caught the trio by lap ten. Passick pulled alongside O'Neil and completed the pass, for third, on lap 15. She set her sights on J. Conroy, took a look under Conroy for second, but Conroy was able to hold her off. TJ Conroy scored his third win in three weeks, with J. Conroy holding down the second spot for the third time. Passick, O'Neil and Robert Fletcher came home third through fifth. Heat wins went to Fletcher and TJ Conroy. The Sportmans division's Mike Ammerman, of Mason, kept the Engine Pro Winner's Circle hopping, as he captured both the heat and feature win for that division. Mike can be seen running that high groove, now called the "Ammerman Line", once considered the long way around the track. The 25-lap feature saw the return of Lansing's Pat Dent to the division, with a car that was no stranger to the racing scene in the Mid-Michigan area.
Jimmie Johnson's first visit to Springport Motor Speedway in the Sportsman division resulted in some bad luck as the Beacon Sales wrecker pulls him back to the pits. - Bob Cantine Photo	Dent, Matt Kirchen, Jerry Schroll Jr. and Jimmy Johnson would have to settle for a top five finish, as Ammerman led the field by as much as half of a lap.
Please join us each and every Saturday night for exciting racing action at the Springport Motor Speedway. Saturday, May 19th, marks the return of the Vintage Modifieds, along with a Mini-Stock Invitational, the Community Racing Challenge "MADD Police Pursuit" and regular divisions. It will be Autograph Night, featuring a new "Kid's Zone" where kids will be able to sign the front stretch wall. Saturday, May 26th, features all regular divisions plus the Wolverine Outlaw Midgets and a Street Stock Invitational. The Community Racing Challenge presents the "Lest They Be Forgotten 500" Armed Forces Race. For more information, directions, gate prices and times, check out the website at www.springportmotorspeedway.com. As always, we'll see you at the races!