Great Lakes Lightning Sprints

7/22/2020

Great Lakes Lightning Sprints

BIG MACK BAGS WIN

Merritt, MI – Mack Erickson (South Boardman, MI) takes his first win of the season with Great Lakes Lightning Sprints presented by Maxima Racing Oils.

Saturday, July 18th the Lightning Sprint class made their first visit to Merritt Speedway of the 2020 Season. In 2018 and 2019, this class was a weekly class and were regulars at Merritt. In the Fall of 2019, Great Lakes Lightning Sprints was formed as a traveling group to start visiting other local dirt tracks around the state and potentially into northern Ohio and Indiana.

The newly formed group was well represented with 18 cars registered and signed in, to race. Due to the hot temperatures and trying to preserve the moisture in the track, the group qualifying was cancelled and the pill draw numbers were used to fill in the 3 heats.

In the Engler Machine and Tool Heat 1, Mack Erickson took the win with Randy Plamondon (South Boardman, MI) taking second, putting them both in the redraw. Lindsey Erickson (South Boardman, MI), Richard Clay (Fife Lake, MI) and Justin Ward (Benzonia, MI) rounded out the top 5 finshers.

Jac Nickles (Harrod, OH) started on the tail of the Chaney Creek Construction Heat 2 and took the checkered flag to win the heat with Scott Flees (Mesick, MI) grabbing second and the other redraw spot. Bill Dunham (Bellevue, MI), Matt Cogley (Findlay, OH) and Paul King (Kalkaska, MI) rounded out the top 5.

The Beacon & Bridge Markets Heat 3 started out with some excitement on the front stretch as Alex Cogley (Findlay, OH) lost his front wheel as he past the flag stand and Rusty Havens (Traverse City, MI) hit the wheel and looked like he was launched off a ramp! After a double file restart, Brendon Cascadden (Traverse City, MI) was able to secure the victory with Havens securing second and the last redraw spot. Paul Erickson (South Boardman, MI), Chuck Erickson (South Boardman, MI) and Bud Schrader (Benzonia, MI) rounded out the top 5 finishers.

During the redraw, Randy Plamondon drew a number 1 and the pole position, Nickles would start on the outside of the front row with Cascadden and Flees in the second row and Havens and Mack Erickson rounding out the 3rd row.

As Plamondon brought the field around turn 4 and with the green flag flying, Nickles was off like a shot, leading all cars the first lap with an average speed of 97 mph or a 13.9 second lap! After completing 5 laps, Cascadden who was running 2nd, brought out a red flag as he flipped, ending his night.

After the restart, Nickles continued to lead until the 14th lap when he had rear-end trouble and brought out the caution flag, ending his night. After the restart, with Mack Erickson now leading, Matt Cogley’s front end bit into the track causing him to flip twice and come to rest upside down in the top of turn 2, bringing out another red flag.

With the race shortened due to time constraints, Mack Erickson was the winner with Bill Dunham finishing 2nd and Scott Flees, Alex Cogley and Lindsey Erickson rounding out the top 5 finishers.

In the initial posts Saturday night, it was shown that Matt Cogley finished 3rd, but that was incorrect. Matt was running 3rd at the time of his flip and as the lineups were frozen, Cogley was placed into 3rd. But because he brought out the red flag and caused the caution he officially finished 11th.

Thank you to our sponsors, Maxima Racing Oils, Engler Machine & Tool, Chaney Creek Construction, Beacon & Bridge Markets and Specialty Fuels & Logistics. Please support these fine businesses whenever you can.

Our next scheduled race is Saturday, August 1st at Crystal Motor Speedway. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and follow our website at www.greatlakessprints.com.

ENGLER MACHINE & TOOL HEAT 1