The Story From Eriez: Cole Duncan Wins Night One of Arctic Cat All-Star Circuit of Champions I-79 Summer Shootout

All-Star Circuit of Champions

On Friday July 21st Eriez Speedway hosted Tony Stewart and the Arctic Cat All-Star Circuit of Champions in front of a packed house. Thirty-Four 410 winged Sprints would sign in, including Tony himself. This would be the fourth All-Stars visit to Eriez Speedway, which also hosted the second ever ASCoC event in 1970. During Friday night qualifying a new track record was set by Hunter Schuerenberg at 13.936 seconds.

Tim Shaffer made a great save after contact in Dash 1.

Schuerenberg would be joined on the front row by Cole Duncan at the start of the All-Stars feature and would jump out to an early lead. By lap 6 he would find himself catching lap traffic and closely followed by Duncan. On the next lap, Jason Barney, Michael Bauer, and Jack Sodeman Jr. would bring out the first yellow with a spin in 2.  The following restart would see Schuerenberg lead Duncan, Brandon Spithaler, Tim Shaffer, and Spencer Bayston to the green.

They would continue to run this way until lap 12 when Shaffer would find his way under Spithaler for the third position.

Lap traffic would allow the 22c of Duncan to catch up to the tail of the 20n of Schuerenberg as they weaved around and thru slower cars during laps 16-19. On lap 19 the yellow would again fly as Tyler Esh and Lee Jacobs tangled in turn 3.

The subsequent restart would allow Duncan the opportunity to get around Schuerenberg on lap 20 and he would never look back, taking the checkers over Shaffer, Schuerenberg, Bayston and Ryan Smith.

Top Ten (25 cars – 30 laps)

1.  Cole Duncan

2.  Tim Shaffer

3.  Hunter Schuerenberg

4.  Spencer Bayston

5.  Ryan Smith

6.  Carson Macedo

7.  Brandon Spithaler

8.  Danny Holtgraver

9.  Tony Stewart

10. Chad Kemenah

RUSH Crate Late Models

The RUSH Crate Late Models would have 26 cars sign in for a non-points race on Friday night. Kyle Zimmerman and Dennis Lunger lead the field to the green flag with Zimmerman taking the early lead. A lap 2 incident deep in the pack would involve at least 6 cars and bring out the yellow. Zimmerman would lead Lunger, Chad Wright, Mike Pegher Jr. and Khole Wanzer to the green on the following restart.  Wright quickly would find his way to the second position just before John Waters and Andy Boozel would tangle bringing out the yellow again on lap 3.  Chad Wright would go high into turn 1 on the restart and find himself in the lead on lap 4.

Chad Wright would not be denied a feature win friday night.

A spin on lap 11 would again bunch up the field with Wright leading Zimmerman, Pegher, Lunger, and Mike Knight. On lap 15 Zimmerman would slip with Pegher and Knight finding their way by and looking for more, however Wright would hold on for victory as Pegher and Knight would battle side by side for second on the last lap.

Top Five (26 cars – 20 laps)

1.  Chad Wright
2.  Mike Knight
3.  Mike Pegher Jr.
4.  Kyle Zimmerman
5.  Jason Genco

Street Stocks

Nineteen Street Stocks signed in for a non-points race Friday night. Michael Reed and Bill Applebee lead the field to the green flag, with Reed taking the early lead over third starting Don McGuire.  The caution flag would first fly on lap 5 as Darr Diegelman spun in turn 2.  Reed lead Don McGuire, John Boardman, Chris McGuire and Applebee to the restart, with Boardman and Chris McGuire passing Don McGuire on the following lap. On Lap 9 Chris McGuire would use the high line to pass Boardman for second. The field would again be slowed for a spin on lap 10 by Wes Vollentine in turn 2. 

Michael Reed in heat race action Friday night.

Reed again would lead the field to the green with Chris McGuire, Boardman, Don McGuire, and Applebee behind him. In turn 4 Diegelman and Vollentine would spin bringing out the yellow just as the leaders were about to enter turn 1. As the field slowed Don McGuire, Gary Fisher, and Scott Delahoy would tangle in turn 1 requiring the hook.  The final 3 laps would find Chris McGuire using the high line to make several passing attempt on Reed to no avail.

Top 5 (19 cars – 15 laps)

1.  Michael Reed
2.  Chris McGuire.
3.  John Boardman
4.  Pat Fielding
5.  Bill Applebee