By: SMS correspondent, Michelle Sprague

    While other mid-Michigan tracks were cancelling their shows, the Springport Motor Speedway proceeded with the full racing program, and was able to get the entire program in, and the racing action was as hot as the weather. Sunny skies and hot temps prevailed for a better portion of the evening, as fifteen Valvoline Instant Oil Change Modifieds took to the track. Trei Deubel, of Holt, and Jason Parish, of Eaton Rapids, brought the field down to the green, as Parish grabbed the top spot, with Deubel, Dan Loughan, of Charlotte, and Earl Miles, of Jackson, in tow. Leroy Ellis, of Vermontville, joined the top five. Miles took several looks to the inside of Loughan who was running a higher line, as he was looking for a way around Deubel. Parish was checking out on the field as Loughan made his way around Deubel with just five laps to go. A spin on lap 23 closed the field up behind Parish, something Parish didn’t want to see happen. On the restart, Loughan looked to the high-side once again, and with one lap to go, the top two ran side by side, with Loughan nipping Parish at the line for the win. Deubel, Miles and Ellis rounded out the top five. Leslie’s Ken Buchner and Loughan made trips to the Corrigan Oil Winner’s Circle for their heat wins. 

  The Performance Automotive NW Sportsman division saw only six cars, with Al “Gator” Williams making his return to the big 3/8-mile oval. Charlotte’s Matt Kirchen took off like a shot, as the green flag waved, but Mason’s Scott Sigman charged to the front to take the lead away, just two laps into the 20-lap feature. Sigman ran away from the field, as Okemos’ Steve Oberst made his way around Kirchen for second. Leslie’s Nate Moon held down the fourth spot, while Williams came home in fifth. It was another sweep for Sigman, as he also took the heat win, stretching his win streak to four wins out of five nights of competition. 

  Toledo, Ohio’s James Hammond, fresh off his first ever heat win from the previous week, took command on the start and led the first eight laps as Jackson’s Edson Rowley III came charging up through the field. Todd Metz Sr. didn’t make it easy for Rowley, as he held down the second position for a number of laps, favoring the high line that Rowley has been running. Rowley dropped to the bottom of the track, and ducked under Metz for second. He began reeling in Hammond, the leader, and took away the position at the halfway point. Metz drove around Hammond and tried to keep Rowley in his sights. Lansing’s Bill McBride had a stellar run, holding down the third position by lap 14. Caution on lap 17 closed the field up behind Rowley, but Metz and McBride had nothing for the four-time feature winner. Make it five for Rowley at the stripe, with Metz, McBride, Charlotte’s Steve Wrenn, and Garry Sanfilippo, of Eaton Rapids, coming home as the top five. 

  Mark Carson, of Dansville, grabbed his first ever feature win at the Springport Motor Speedway. Charlotte’s Josh Sattler and Jackson’s Larry Surber Jr. brought the field down for the start, with Sattler taking the lead. It was short-lived though, as Holt’s Bryan Jenks took over for a couple of laps. Carson had already begun his march through the field and took the lead on lap six. He had company though, as Jackson’s Jeremy Lutz pulled up onto his back bumper. Jonathan Smith, of Spring Arbor, took a couple of looks under Lutz for second but couldn’t get it done. Munith’s Matt Patrick tried to chase down Smith for third, as Sattler made the pass on Jenks for fifth. At the stripe, it was Carson, Lutz, Smith, Patrick and Sattler. Sattler was the FWD winner, and made a trip to the Corrigan Winner’s Circle along with Carson as the RWD winner. Smith (RWD) and Charlotte’s Pastor Randy Royston (FWD) tallied heat wins for the evening. 

  Detroit’s Ed Welch went immediately to the front on the start for the Super Mini-Cup division. Munith’s Dave Harrison ducked under Welch for the lead at the halfway mark. Charlotte’s Maurice Randall, who started at the rear of the field by virtue of being the fast qualifier, patiently picked off cars to sit in second after 10-laps. Randall took away the lead on lap 16 and never looked back. Randall took the win, followed by Harrison, Welch, Baird, and Vermontville’s Trent Jensen. Harrison and Welch won their heats. 

  Please join your friends and neighbors at the Springport Motor Speedway for family-friendly, exciting racing action each and every Saturday night. Check out our website at www.springportmotorspeedway.com for more information about upcoming events. Saturday, June 14th will be a full show with Valvoline Instant Oil Change Modifieds, Performance NW Sportsmans, Pure Stocks, Boss Snow Equipment Pony Stocks, plus the VROA and Mini-Cups. As always, we’ll see you at the races!