By: SMS correspondent, Michelle Sprague

    It was Ladies Night at the Springport Motor Speedway, and Mother Nature decided she would show up and try to put a damper on the racing program for the evening. After a couple of passing rainshowers, bolts of lightening, strong winds, and a 20 degree temperature drop in a matter of minutes, it was put before the racers if they wanted to race or not. Moments later, the drivers were assisting with track drying efforts and it was “on with the show.”

   The Valvoline Instant Oil Change Modifieds saw Battle Creek’s Jim Davis take the lead in the feature, with Horton’s Darel Wooley taking over after caution waved. Woolsay had company though as Hanover’s Earl Miles, Charlotte’s Jim Butler and Holt’s Trei Deubel were breathing down his neck. Miles took the lead from the high side and pulled away from the pack. Butler and Deubel got around Woolsey, and had to run down Miles. Caution closed up the field behind Miles, giving Butler a shot at taking over the lead. Butler worked his way around Miles, with nine laps to go, leaving Miles to fend off Deubel. As the top three battled for position, Battle Creek’s Dusty Carl worked his way into the top five, just ahead of Leslie’s Craig Willett. At the line, it was Butler, Miles, Deubel, Carl, and Willett. Butler took the Four Car Dash win, while Miles won his heat.

   Leslie’s Nate Moon took off like a shot, once the green flag waved, signaling the start of the Performance Automotive NW Sportsman feature. Leslie’s Dave Thorburn tried to keep him in the crosshairs, while Charlotte’s Matt Kirchen and Leslie’s Damon Place battled for third. Leslie’s Ron Heeney and Holt’s Jimmy Scavarda charged up though the field, sitting first and second by lap twelve. Mason’s Scott Sigman and Okemos’ Steve Oberst were making their way into contention, when Sigman took a wild ride through the infield. Caution on the restart for Moon and Oberst shuffled the field, with Place, Kirchen, and Sigman battling for position as the green flag waved. Heeney and Scavarda ran away from the pack, while the battle at mid-pack between Place, Kirchen and Sigman stole the show. After 20 laps, it was Heeney, Scavarda, Place, Sigman, and Kirchen. Scavarda win the Four Car Dash, while Moon took the heat win.

   The Pure Stock division saw point leader, Matt Patrick, of Munith, take the lead on the start, but Dimondale’s Spencer Drake took it away, with five laps to go, and went on to win the 15-lap feature, with Patrick coming home in second. Spring Arbor’s Jonathan Smith, Dansville’s Mark Carson and Concord’s CJ Ewing rounded out the top five. Drake also scored the heat win.

   The Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stock division saw Jackson’s Edson Rowley III jump out to the early lead, with Charlotte’s Todd Metz Sr. and Lansing’s Bill McBride poised to give him a run for this money. Four laps later, it was Metz to the lead, with Eaton Rapids JT Leach getting into the mix behind Rowley and McBride. Caution wiped out Metz’s lead, giving McBride the opportunity to get around Rowley on the restart for second. Leach also got around Rowley, and ran down McBride for a shot at second. McBride faded with two laps to go, and at the checker, it was Metz, Leach, Rowley, McBride, and Charlotte’s Todd Metz Jr. Metz Sr. took the Four Car Dash win and Garry Sanfilippo of Charlotte took the heat win.

   Please join us each and every Saturday night, as the 2008 season winds down, for exciting, family-friendly, racing action. August 16th will feature the Wolverine Midgets, Performance Automotive NW Sportsmans, Pure Stocks, Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stocks, and the Mini-Cup Series. August 23rd features the Short Track Truck 75-lap feature, along with Sportsmans, Pure and Pony Stocks. August 30th is Season Championship Night for all divisions. For more information, check us out at www.springportmotorspeedway.com. As always, we’ll see you at the races!