September 5
Merritt Speedway,
Lake City, MI
Sanction: DIRTcar Supers (Allstar Performance Challenge) - $10,000
Information provided by: Track reports (last updated September 6, 9:34 am)
Schlenk storms to $10,000 victory at Merritt
Allstar Performance Challenge
- Rusty Schlenk
- Travis Stemler
- Dona Marcoullier
- Cody Bauer
- Eric Spangler
- Greg Gokey
- Brandon Thirlby
- Andrew Terrill
- Joey Burch
- Charles Powell Jr.
- J.C. Witherspoon
- Logan Love
- Blake Spencer
- Dave Bowen
- Steven Hilliker
- Jeff Geis
- Chad Finley
- Dan Hersey
- Chad Foster
- Rylee Knoll
- Ryan Lanphierd
- Mike Staszak
Randy Ellen/randyellen.smugmug.com
Rusty Schlenk picks up the hardware at Merritt Speedway.
What won the race: After trading the lead on a lap 35 restart then taking the top spot for good on lap 41, fourth-starting Rusty Schlenk of McClure, Ohio, paced the final nine circuits to win Sunday's $10,000 DIRTcar-sanctioned Allstar Performance Challenge at Merritt Speedway.
Key notes: Schlenk earned his second special event victory at Merritt this season; he also scored a $33,000 victory in the track's Wood Tic event on Aug. 7. ... After leading the first two laps from the outside front-row, Travis Stemler of Ionia, Mich., settled for the runner-up position, 1.116 seconds behind Schlenk. ... Series point leader Dona Marcoullier of Houghton Lake, Mich., who won a $10,000 Allstar Performance Challenge event on May 30, finished third on Sunday. ... A previous Allstar Performance Challenge winner at Merritt, Brandon Thirlby of Traverse City, Mich., finished seventh. ... Chad Finley of Lansing, Mich., led laps three through 34, then led lap 36 through 40 before suffering mechanical problems on lap 42, dropping him to 17th at the finish. ... Saturday's prelims were halted by rain after time trials and the remainder of the program was pushed to Sunday. … Sunday's feature was slowed by two separate incidents and lasted 17 minutes, with eight competitors completing all 50 laps.
On the move: Joey Burch of Rosebush, Mich., started 14th and finished ninth.
Winner's sponsors: Schlenk’s Domination Race Car is powered by a Mullins Engine and sponsored by Buckeye Concrete Coatings, Tom Finch Automotive, Dominator Race Products, Velocita USA, Landrum Performance Springs, VP Racing Fuel, Vahlco Racing Wheels, Wilwood and CP-Carrillo, Bilstein, ML Performance, Allstar Performance.
Points chase: Allstar Performance Challenge before Merritt: 1. Dona Marcoullier (604); 2. Brandon Thirlby (535); 3. Chad Finley (534); 4. Travis Stemler (519); 5. Logan Nickerson (489)
Current weather: Overcast, 61°F
Car count: 28
Fast qualifier: Travis Stemler
Time: 13.793 seconds
Polesitter: Chad Finley
Heat race winners: Cody Bauer, Chad Finley, Travis Stemler
Consolation race winners: J.C. Witherspoon
Provisional starters: Dan Hersey, Mike Staszak
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.