Race fast, turn left!
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Race fast, turn left!
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John Hayes Wins at Michigan!!!!!
The SORS EAST division saw 15 of their best teams bring their haulers through the gates at Michigan International Speedway for the second of two races held here each year. This tracks wide straightaway’s and sweeping turns are always home to some great 2 and 3 wide high speed racing! There’s plenty of room for passing here as well and lead changes often become almost commonplace. The loyal fans have become accustomed to fierce battles at Michigan and this race proved to be a crowd pleaser!!!
Cloudy skies and mild temperatures in the low 70’s were the rule here this week and after the teams worked through practice to get set up for the weather the qualifying began. Mike Steger landed the pole starting position with a blazing 39.002 lap in his Army National Guard #20 Chevy MonteCarlo. Bob Dionne nailed down the outside of row one in his #33 Chevrolet. Al Rosemeyer claims the inside of row two with the #42 Acoustical Plus MonteCarlo and John Hayes put his #87 Snap-on Tools Chevy in the 4th starting spot. Mike Brazier rounds out the top 5 driving his #04 Universal Funding Chevrolet. 6th spot goes to Steven Flinn in the #29 Texas Networking Solutions Chevy and 7th is Dann Danley’s #109 LaMotte Technologies MonteCarlo. 8th on the field is Billy Stratton’s #07 WWAY TV3 Ford followed by Brian Whipple’s #62 Artisticrete Design Chevy in 9th. 10th on the grid is Brent Gagne in the #01 Chevrolet with Bob Wigent’s #13 Bass Pro Shops MonteCarlo in 11th. Starting 12th is Les Mecteau’s #10 C R Klewin Building Chevy and in 13th is Nathan Sicko’s #89 Pontiac. Don Young’s #54 Velocity DLS MonteCarlo starts 14th and Dewey Brown’s #023 Chevrolet closes the field in 15th.
The field is readied, drivers and crews run their last minute checklists and not a seat in the stands is being used as the most awaited word's in motor racing are finally heard……
Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!!
Warm up and pace laps are done, cloudy skies but no threat of rain, it's’ time to go racing..….
GREEN, GREEN, GREEN!!!!!!!
Mike Steger takes the field to green and the pack swarms turn 1.
Bob Dionne gets hung out on the high side on lap 1 and falls from the 2nd starting spot to 8th then Steven Flinn gets sideways going into turn 1 on lap 2 right in front of Bob! Despite going to the outside wall with Steven, Bob looks to have come away with no damage. The yellow flag flies and Steven Flinn is going to need the service of his crew, there’s some damage on the #29 Chevy. A few of the cars from mid pack back pit, but the big story is our 2nd place starter, Bob Dionne. Bob has had some kind of electrical problem and looses 2 laps under the yellow in the pits. The #33 crew gets their car going again before the green flag but Dionne has a tough day staring at him now. The field reforms and we’re back to racing on lap 6……
Lap 8 sees Bob Wigent turn his #13 car around out of turn 2, he brushes the inside retaining wall but continues without damaging the sheetmetal. The racing continues under green.
Did I say there was plenty of room to pass here? I must not be the only one who thinks this way, it’s lap 9 of 100 and on the front stretch heading for turn 1 there’s a 3 Wide battle for 2nd going on!!! All three guys hold onto their positions and get back into a line out of turn 2……
Then on lap 11 Mike Brazier takes his #04 inside Al Rosemeyer in turn 2 for 2nd spot!
Lap 12 and Al Rosemeyer is all over Mike Brazier going into turn 3, maybe a little to “all over”……
Al makes contact with Mike’s #04 Chevy and plants the brakes to keep from turning Mike around. The #42 sticks the right front into the outside wall while Mike Brazier does a masterful job of saving his car, Mike looses a few spots but gets back to race speed quickly. Al’s #42 suffers substantial right front body damage but stays on the track though slightly off the pace. No yellow flag, we keep racing!
On the very next lap (13) John Hayes goes low on Mike Steger into turn 1 and puts the #87 on the point!!!……
While further back in the field Nathan Sicko hangs the #89 out sideways in turn 2, he contacts the outside wall a couple times but the damage isn’t enough to force a pit stop just yet and the field remains under green……
Same lap, up front again, Dann Danley and Brent Gagne draft up on the inside of Mike Steger down the back stretch to take over 2nd and 3rd! Don’t sit down just yet folks, we’re just getting the tires warmed up!
Lap 14 and Mike Brazier is challenging Mike Steger for the 4th spot down the back stretch! Brazier’s #04 takes the position into turn 3……
Then on lap 16 Nathan Sicko loops the #89 out of turn 2 in front of Bob Wigent, the yellow flag waves for the second time and a couple of guys running with damage breath a sigh of relief.
A pacing error causes a split in the field during pit stops and the running order takes a twist. Can’t really explain it, just have to run with it. Green flag racing resumes on lap 21 and the new order goes like this: Mike Brazier leads, Les Mecteau 2nd, Don Young 3rd, Steven Flinn 4th, Brian Whipple 5th, Billy Stratton 6th, Bob Wigent 7th, Al Rosemeyer 8th, John Hayes 9th, Mike Steger 10th, Brent Gagne 11th, Dewey Brown 12th, Dann Danley 13th and Bob Dionne 14th. Nathan Sicko has taken the #89 to the garage. As you can see, some of the early leaders are now coming from the back of the pack, this ought to be quite a show. Mike Brazier leads the field off to what will be an incredible 80 lap green flag run to the checkered flag. Tighten up those belts boys, here we go!!!……
One lap after the green the action starts, Heading down into turn 1 Don Young looks inside Les Mecteau for 2nd, and takes it……
And right behind them, Billy Stratton makes a move on Brian Whipple to take the 5th spot.
Lap 23 and Les Mecteau gets loose out of turn 4, He gathers it up but the field goes by……
Bob Dionne looks inside the leader, Mike Brazier, and makes the pass stick down the back stretch. Bob has to be begging for a yellow flag now in order to get one of his laps back from the earlier problems, Dionne’s #33 car proves to be capable of running with anyone on the track but unfortunately he never gets the break he needs……
Or will he? Bob Wigent is seen going sideways down the back stretch on lap 24, there appeared to be contact with a couple other cars before Bob’s #13 slid over into the grass but the green flag is still out and everyone else clears the spin at speed. Wigent takes the #13 to the garage for the day after hitting the inside wall and #33’s crew chief is seen in a heated “discussion” with a NASCAR official, presumably about the lack of a yellow flag!
Next lap (25) Don Young hangs out the back of his #54 Chevy over in turn 1, He hangs on to his ride, just lightly touches the wall and gets right back after it. Don slips from 2nd to 5th as Steven Flinn, Billy Stratton and Brian Whipple go by……
Don Young regains the 4th spot with this move in turn 3 on lap 28……
Lap 29 sees Don taking back 3rd spot going into turn 3, his car seems to be fine after that brush with the wall. The top 6 begin to break away, and tighten up!
Still lap 29 and Steven Flinn looks inside Mike Brazier out of turn 4 for the lead and gets it! Less than a third of the way through this 100 lap event and these guys are really crankin’ it up!……
More action on lap 31 as Don Young brings his #54 Chevy to the inside of 2nd place Mike Brazier in turn 4 and takes the spot! Right behind Don comes the freight train of Billy Stratton, Brian Whipple and John Hayes to put Mike Brazier back to 6th. Mike drops back a little in his #04 Chevy, a handling problem or just cooling the tires?……
Then on lap 34, Don Young brings his #54 back from the earlier slip to challenge Steven Flinn’s #29 for the lead and moves into 1st place!!! I don’t think any of the seats in the stands have been used yet!
On lap 35 John Hayes gets by Brian Whipple with this run to take over 4th place……
2 laps later (37) Billy Stratton makes a run on Steven Flinn down the front stretch for 2nd and takes the spot!……
Same lap, John Hayes takes 3rd away from Steven down the back stretch! The action here is non stop folks, move the cooler closer to your seat, you can’t afford to look away! On lap 39 the #10 of Les Mecteau drops into the pits and goes straight for the hauler, Les was unavailable for comment.
Lap 41 and here comes another lead change! Billy Stratton gets a huge run on our leader, Don Young, coming out of turn 2 and takes the lead! John Hayes slides into Billy’s draft and passes Don to take over 2nd. Bob Dionne hangs tight with the leaders, still maintaining position to score a lap back if he would have had the chance……
Next lap (42) Brian Whipple finds his way into 4th with this run on Steven Flinn down the frontstretch……
The very next lap (this is just crazy, we’re not even half way yet) John Hayes takes Billy Stratton down the front stretch to put his #87 Chevy on the point!
Just lap 45 now and Steven Flinn drives his #29 Chevy around Brian Whipple and Don Young to retake the 3rd spot……
Midway through the race and I can finally take a breath, John Hayes leads as the top 4 have pulled away and spread out a little. Billy Stratton runs 2nd, Steven Flinn in 3rd and Brian Whipple in 4th. The rest of the order at halfway is Dann Danley, Mike Steger, Brent Gagne, Mike Brazier, Al Rosemeyer and Dewey Brown on the lead lap. Don young runs 1 lap down and Bob Dionne runs 2 laps down.
What’s this? Don Young a lap down? No way to explain it except a momentary alien abduction as the #54 car crossed the start/finish line. The mothership returned Don to the track after he had completed a lap and the scoring system didn’t pick it up. I’m sure the proceeds from Don’s book on alien abductions will offset the losses he has today, be sure and pick up your copy when it’s published!
Back to the racing, position and lead changes have been the rule most every lap so far but with gas and tires going away fast the field has spread out a bit and stabilized. Don’t relax folks, pit window opens soon!!!
Lap 55, Mike Brazier brings his #04 car to his pit stall for service out of 8th position.
Lap 57 and Dann Danley catches and passes Brian Whipple. Mike Steger follows Dann in the low line and overtakes Brian as well, moving Dann and Mike into 4th and 5th respectively……
Lap 62 and, after Steven Flinn pitting on lap 59 out of 3rd, Mike Steger moves his #20 Chevy under Dann Danley to take over 3rd.
More pit stops now, Dann Danley on lap 63 out of 4th, Brian Whipple on lap 64 out of 4th, Brent Gagne on lap 65 out of 4th, Mike Steger on lap 66 out of 3rd, John Hayes on lap 69 out of the lead, Bob Dionne on lap 70 out of 11th, Dewey Brown on lap 71 out of 4th and Billy Stratton out of the lead, Don Young on lap 72 out of 4th and Al Rosemeyer on lap 73 out of the lead to complete the pit stop cycle. By lap 75 the running order has shaken out from the round of green flag pit stops and goes like this: Steven Flinn leads followed by John Hayes, Dann Danley, Mike Steger, Billy Stratton, Mike Brazier and Brian Whipple on the lead lap. Al Rosemeyer, Brent Gagne, Dewey Brown and Don Young are 1 lap down in that order and Bob Dionne runs in 12th 2 laps down. The field is a little spread out now after pit stops but don’t go away, these guys aren’t finished just yet!
On lap 77 Brian Whipple picks off Mike Brazier through turns 3 + 4 to take over the 6th position……
2 laps later (79), Billy Stratton looks inside Mike Steger going into turn 3 and makes the pass to move into 4th spot……
2 more laps run now and Don Young overhauls Dewey Brown down the back stretch to move himself back into the top ten.
With 20 laps to go the top 2 spots are almost a replay from last week at Watkins Glen. Steven Flinn’s #29 holds down the lead with a 7 second lead over John Hayes in the #87 Chevy. Dann Danley’s #109 hangs onto 3rd less than a second off John’s bumper while 4th spot is held by Billy Stratton’s #07 with Mike Steger’s #20 right behind in 5th. Last 2 on the lead lap are Brian Whipple’s #62 in 6th followed closely by Mike Brazier’s #04 in 7th position. Brent Gagne’s #01 runs in 8th, 1 lap down, with Al Rosemeyer’s #42 close behind him in 9th. Don Young’s #54 and Dewey Brown’s #023 are in a battle for 10th and 11th spot’s in that order and Bob Dionne’s #33 runs in 12th still 2 laps down as he hasn’t had the lucky breaks he needed to recover from the early race electrical problem.
With 10 laps to go now Steven Flinn’s lead has all but vanished as the 2nd through 5th place cars are closing in fast, none faster than John Hayes who is now just a handful of car lengths behind our leader!……
Lap 91 of 100 and John is putting serious pressure on Steven over in turn 3 and 4.
John Hayes pulls his #87 Chevy along side our leader, Steven Flinn, down the front stretch……
And takes the lead going into turn 1 on lap 92!!!!
Hayes stretches out his lead over Flinn with 5 laps left and……
Danley, Stratton and Steger seem to have 3rd, 4th and 5th locked up with just half a lap remaining!
Congratulations to John Hayes, driver of the #87 Snap-on Chevy!!!!!
1st Place - #87, John Hayes
2nd - #29, Steven Flinn 9th - #42, Al Rosemeyer
3rd - #109, Dann Danley 10th - #54, Don Young
4th - #07, Billy Stratton 11th - #023, Dewey Brown
5th - #20, Mike Steger 12th - #33, Bob Dionne
6th - #62, Brian Whipple 13th - #10, Les Mecteau
7th - #04, Mike Brazier 14th - #13, Bob Wigent
8th - #01, Brent Gagne 15th - #89, Nathan Sicko
It’s hard to put into words the level of excitement created by the type of all-out, no holds barred racing the SORS EAST teams dished out here at Michigan International Speedway! We had only 2 yellow’s worth 7 of the first 20 laps, then an awesome 80 lap green flag run to the finish complete with 12 lead changes by an incredible 9 different drivers! I can say this for sure, nobody left the stands disappointed after this display of professional level racing. The track, the drivers, the cars, all lived up to anyone’s expectations!
Hope you enjoyed the race and see you next week from Bristol Motor Speedway!