Merritt Speedway
Merritt still belongs to Marcoullier at Wood Tic
Dona Marcoullier takes a victory lap. (Jim DenHamer)
MERRITT, Mich. (July 18) — Polesitter Dona Marcoullier of Houghton Lake, Mich., raced to a 40-lap victory in the 21st annual Wood Tic at Merritt Speedway, giving him a sweep of the track's biggest events. Marcoullier, who won the Who 55 at Merritt last month, earned $4,000 in a race pushed back to Sunday afternoon because of rain. | Slideshow
Rich Neiser of Fruitport, Mich., rallied from 10th to finish second while Sam Epling of Perry, Mich., started outside the front row and ended up third. Ninth-row starters Frank Seder of Alger, Mich., and Joe Pomeroy of Cass City, Mich., rounded out the top five at the 3/8-mile oval, which drew 47 Super Late Models for the UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned event. Fast qualifier Jayme Zidar of Greenfield, Wis., finished ninth.
Marcoullier jumped into the lead at the outset under sunny skies and led 19 laps. But Epling got under him in turns three and four to take the lead on the 20th lap as Seder and Pomeroy charged toward the front. A lap-29 caution appeared when Scott Baker's driveline broke, bunching the field. Marcoullier used the restart to regain the point, and he led the rest of the way to become the third driver to win back-to-back Wood Tics in 21 years.
Wood Tic: (1) Dona Marcoullier, (2) Rich Neiser, (3) Sam Epling, (4) Frank Seder, (5) Joe Pomeroy, (6) Andy Chester, (7) Mark Andersen, (8) Justin McNeill, (9) Jayme Zidar, (10) Joshua Knoll, (11) Rob Harden, (12) Chad Foster, (13) Justin Robinson, (14) Bob Hammar, (15) Scott Baker, (16) Adam Thrush, (17) Bob Hutson, (18) Brandon Thirlby, (19) David Hilliker, (20) Greg Gokey. Fast qualifier (among 47 cars): Zidar, 13.86 seconds. Heat race winners: Thirlby, Foster, Robinson, Zidar, Robinson, Marcoullier. Consolation winners: Knoll, Thrush.
