ESCANABA, Mich. (June 12, 2010) – Over 2,500 fans and 73 competitors convened to show their support for the Upper Peninsula International Raceway opener Saturday despite inclement weather. Although the skies stayed murky all evening, at the end of the night one thing was clear – racing belongs in Escanaba.
Adam Johnson raced from a last-place starting spot in the small car division to win the curfew-shortened, mayhem-filled feature event. Johnson raced his way to second in the 18-car field and inherited the win after Luke Sanville tangled with a lapped racer to bring out the final caution of the race.
Due to the two inches of rain received Friday, the newly-deposited clay surface had its rough portions, which led to a caution-marred feature for the small cars. Scheduled for 25-laps, the field was led to green by pole sitter Guy Hubble, who led the first three circuits of the event. Hubble had to survive several early cautions for stalled machines.
After a lap-two restart Sanville had charged into the top three. Sanville swung to the outside of Hubble on lap three and snatched the lead exiting turn four. As Sanville hit the stripe, Rodney Lemerand’s machine stalled entering turn three, brining out the third caution of the race. On the restart, Johnson, who had worked his way through traffic using the high line, swiped the second spot from Hubble using the high groove.
Two more cautions ensued due to stalled cars. On each restart, Adams was able to challenge early, but faded off the back bumper of Sanville. While the two leaders broke away from traffic, John Bordeau used the high line to work his way to third by lap seven.
Another caution for the stalled racer of Kyle Adams set up a final chance for Johnson to surpass Sanville. As he did on the prior restarts, Sanville broke away from Johnson and the remainder of the pack. Sanville’s luck turned sour, however, when he tangled with the lapped car of Bradley Osterman. The caution flew for Sanville, the lead was given to Johnson and officials were forced to end the race on lap ten due to curfew.
Bordeau was credited with second, Kim Sanville was third, Steve Labre fourth and Robbie Iverson rounded out the top five.
Small Car winner Adam Johnson (Cathy Winling photo)
The Micro Sprints split into three divisions for their feature events. The highlighting division was the 600 class, which contained several former asphalt late model drivers.
After winning the heat race earlier in the evenings, Nick Pinar proved tough to beat in the 600 class feature. With an invert after the heat race, Pinar watched Jason Kressin and Ben Ives lead the field to green. Kressin marched away from Ives at the drop of the green. Ives brought out the lone caution in the 12-lap feature when he looped his Micro Sprint exiting turn four on lap two.
Pinar restarted alongside Kressin, but was unable to capture the lead on the restart. After tucking behind Kressin on lap three, Pinar decided to test the outside. Exiting the final turn, Pinar took the lead for good at the start/finish line on lap four. Watching Pinar speed away, Kressin held on for second and Scott Degnan secured third.
Micro Sprint 600 winner Nick Pinar (Cathy Winling photo)
The 650 class of Micro Sprint saw a less decisive margin of victory by Paul Hoskings. Cole Possi used his outside-front-row stating position to secure the initial lead. On lap three, Possi spun exiting turn two, handing the lead to Hoskings. Hoskings held a comfortable lead until lap six when Trenton Stone moved into second.
A lap-seven caution for a Bill Gagne spin erased Hoskings’ lead. On the restart Hoskings disposed of Stone, only to see Stone regenerate with two laps remaining in the 15-lap feature. Although he was close enough to strike, Stone was unable to mount an attack on the lead spot and was forced to settle for second. John Mathias finished third.
Micro Sprint 650 class winner Paul Hoskings (Cathy Winling photo)
Just as in the 600 class, there was a sweep by the feature winner of the Kids’ class. Jordan Ives won his heat race and lapped the other two competitors in the 10-lap feature event.
The Tough Truck/Car division determined the final feature of the evening. After the 18 entrants wowed the crowd in their first runs, times dropped in the second time trips for all but four drivers. Dan Arts recorded the fastest time, completing the course in 21.79 seconds. Scott Lamarche (22.46 seconds) and Bill Quarfoot (22.48 seconds) rounded out the top three.
The second leg of the 2010 UPIR Triple Crown is scheduled for Saturday, July 31 at 7 p.m. (EST) with the same three divisions competing toward an overall win. The final leg is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 21 in conjunction with the U.P. State Fair with a start time scheduled for 1 p.m.
UPIR is an abbreviated 1/8-mile clay-surfaced course carved out of the existing course at the Delta Co. Fairgrounds. A Triple Crown in 2010 will be used to gauge the interest of race fans in the area and to fund the efforts of reopening the facility featuring a 3/8-mile asphalt oval in 2011.
Rules and registration are available by contacting Boyd Widdis at 906-450-5112. For more information visit upirracing.blogspot.com or http://www.deltami.org/.
The Tough Truck/Car division determined the final feature of the evening. After the 18 entrants wowed the crowd in their first runs, times dropped in the second time trips for all but four drivers. Dan Arts recorded the fastest time, completing the course in 21.79 seconds. Scott Lamarche (22.46 seconds) and Bill Quarfoot (22.48 seconds) rounded out the top three.
The second leg of the 2010 UPIR Triple Crown is scheduled for Saturday, July 31 at 7 p.m. (EST) with the same three divisions competing toward an overall win. The final leg is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 21 in conjunction with the U.P. State Fair with a start time scheduled for 1 p.m.
UPIR is an abbreviated 1/8-mile clay-surfaced course carved out of the existing course at the Delta Co. Fairgrounds. A Triple Crown in 2010 will be used to gauge the interest of race fans in the area and to fund the efforts of reopening the facility featuring a 3/8-mile asphalt oval in 2011.
Rules and registration are available by contacting Boyd Widdis at 906-450-5112. For more information visit upirracing.blogspot.com or http://www.deltami.org/.
