Lake Odessa, MI — (May 15, 2015) — From MPH Promotions
Lake Odessa, MI — (May 15, 2015) — The fifth anniversary 2015 racing season for the Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modified Tour Presented by Allstar Performance continued with race #2 of the year. The track that hosted the inaugural race back in 2011, the fast 3/8 (0.375) mile semi-banked clay oval of I-96 Speedway, located east of Grand Rapids and west of Lansing in Lake Odessa, Michigan served as hosts of the Spring Brawl 40 Presented by Allstar Performance on Friday, May 15th.
As an added bonus and in celebration of the fifth anniversary season, the MDC Modified Tour increased the start pay from $200 to $250 to start for MDC Member drivers and it brought a stellar field to the facility. In five previous MDC races there have been five different winners. At the end of 40 laps, 2013 Tour Champion, David Mielke took the lead on lap nine from Mark Anderson and from then on, it was all Mielke as his #87 Krompetz Elevator / Kirk Cameron Forest Products machine pulled away to a dominating victory, his second in a row to start the year and sixth career MDC win.
Anderson and Adam Thrush would bring the 23-car field down to Chief Starter, Brett Farmer’s green flag and from it would be Anderson sliding into the first corner ahead of Thrush and the rest of the pack to take the early lead. Mielke, who started fifth, quickly fought his way up to the second position and began challenging the early race leader right away. On lap 10, Mielke would drive around the pole-sitter to take the lead for himself and begin pulling away from the rest of the field.
Despite two quick cautions on lap 16, Mielke would be able to pull away from the field on each restart and would start putting real estate and several lapped cars between himself and the rest of the field. In the end, the 23-year-old driver from Gladwin, Michigan would walk away with the victory and the $1,500 payday for his efforts. In addition, it was also Mielke’s second career MDC victory at I-96 to snap a five races with five different winner’s streak at the Lake Odessa, Michigan speed plant for MDC. In addition, Mielke extended his early season points lead in the process.
For the second race in a row, Defending Tour Champion, Travis Stemler came home in the runner-up spot in his #2 Gilboe’s Lock & Safe open-wheeled entry. The Ionia, Michigan driver, the MDC last winner at I-96 on September 20th, 2014 barely edged Anderson’s #43 Accurate Engines machine at the line to give the 24-year-old driver his second consecutive runner-up finish. Anderson led the first nine laps before the Lowell, Michigan veteran finished third. The 44-year-old competitor has led laps in both MDC races so far in 2015.
Finishing in fourth for the second race in a row was West Olive, Michigan driver, Aaron Morey in his #2K Performance Engineering ride. The 35-year-old competitor did climb to third in the early season long points standings after his two consecutive fourth place efforts. Two-Time Tour Champion, Jacob Poel completed the top five in his #7A Thrive For Life entry. The Spring Lake, Michigan driver, who has been behind the wheel of Prairie State Car Owner, Kevin Mysz’s entry rebounded from a subpar performance at the season opener a week ago at Winston Speedway to complete the top five.
Collin Thirlby posted a sixth place finish to move up to fourth in the season long points chase while Andy Sprague posted a seventh place effort to move from ninth to sixth in points. Chad Bauer, in his first appearance of the 2015 racing season finished eighth as Brian Brindley finished in the ninth spot to move up the standings as well from seventh to fifth. Buckeye State invader, Shawn Valenti completed the top 10 in his first ever MDC appearance.
Dave Baker started in 19th and finished 11th to earn the QuickCar Racing Products Hard-Charger Award while Mike Peterson was the highest finishing Rookie competitor in 16th. Earlier in the evening in the Howe Racing Enterprises Qualifier Heat Races, Aaron Morey, David Mielke and Travis Stemler were the winners while the Last Chance Race was scrapped due to time constraints and with the withdraw of the nights events by Brad Wilson and Harold Patrick.
The third straight Friday night of Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modified Tour Presented by Lane Automotive racing in three weeks concludes with a date at the 1/3 (0.333) mile semi-banked dirt oval of Mt. Pleasant Speedway in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan on Friday, May 22nd. The Memorial Day Holiday Weekend Shootout Presented by Lane Automotive will kick off the holiday weekend and will be the tours’ fourth all-time appearance at the Mid-Michigan facility. Three different winners have visited victory lane with Andy Sprague taking the latest win in 2014. Brian Ruhlman and Aaron Morey have also won there as well.
To learn more about the Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup Modified Tour Presented by Lane Automotive, go to the website at: www.michigandirtcup.com. You can also follow MDC all season long on Facebook and Twitter at: www.facebook.com/midirtcup and www.twitter.com/michigandirtcup. For further information, email Michigan Dirt Cup, Director of Operations Scott Menlen at smenlen@michigandirtcup.com Finally, for more information about Mt. Pleasant Speedway, the host track for the third race of the season, log onto their website at: www.mtplesantspeedway.com.
Makeup feature winners from last week at I-96 Speedway included Austin Wonch in the UMP Pro Mods, Josh Frye in street stocks, and Bryce McCune in the farm fun division.
Feature winners in the weekly classes at I-96 included Brody Bowser in Pro Mods and Marty French in street stocks.
