September 23
Tri-City Speedway,
Granite City, IL
Sanction: MARS Late Model Championship - $5,000
Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated September 24, 12:31 pm)
Harrison wins MARS finale, Feger crowned champ
- Mike Harrison
- Jason Feger
- Logan Martin
- Gordy Gundaker
- Trevor Gundaker
- Blaze Burwell
- Bob Gardner
- Rickey Frankel
- Justin White
- Lee Williams
- Rusty Griffaw
- McKay Wenger
- Dalton Imhoff
- Cody Laney
- Dillon McCowan
- Ryan Unzicker
- Daryn Klein
- Kye Blight
- Jeff Herzog
- Brian Diveley
- Mark Voigt
Mike Harrison heads to victory in the MARS finale at Tri-City.
What won the race: Second-starting Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill., led all 30 laps unchallenged to win Saturday's $5,000 MARS Championship Late Model Series season finale at Tri-City Speedway. Harrison captured his first career MARS victory and his second of the season at Tri-City after topping July's $5,000 DIRTcar Summer Nationals stop.
Quotable: “Thank (Tri-City owners and promoters) Kevin and Tammy (Gundaker), they know I love coming here all the time," Harrison said. "I don’t care what the track conditions are, or what the rain brings us, I love supporting all my local racetracks. Thank Matt Curl with the MARS deal for putting this on, for all us local and regional guys, giving us something to go race for. It’s been fun this year, it’s definitely been a learning experience.”
Key notes: Earning 2023 MARS rookie of the year honors, Harrison collected a total of $10,000 after winning Saturday's $5,000 Modified Mania feature earlier in the evening. ... Fourth-starting Jason Feger moved into the runner-up spot on a lap-17 restart and trailed Harrison the rest of the way, finishing 1.444 seconds back; Feger's second place effort clinches his first career MARS Late Model championship. ... Logan Martin and Gordy Gundaker battled for third in the closing laps, with Martin prevailing to round-out the podium and Gundaker settling for fourth. ... Fifteenth-starting Trevor Gundaker moved into fifth on lap 21 and completed the top five. ... Rickey Frankel improved 11 positions and finished eighth. ... Lee Williams gained 10 spots and completed the top 10. ... Jeff Herzog spun from 14th to bring out the race's first caution on lap one. ... Fourth-running Dillon McCowan drew the second yellow when he hopped the turn-three cushion and hit the wall, spinning in front of the field; Ryan Unzicker, and Daryn Klein were collected, ending all of their nights. ... Rusty Griffaw slowed from seventh on lap 25, bringing out the race's fourth and final caution. ... Saturday's 30-lap feature lasted 23 minutes, with 10 drivers completing the distance and running at the finish. ... Mark Voigt started the race in Doug Tye's car after losing an engine while leading the second consolation. ... Tyler Stevens scratched from the main event lineup.
On the move: Justin White of Stevensville, Mich., started 21st and finished ninth.
Winner's sponsors: Harrison’s Steve Lampley-owned Rocket Chassis is powered by an Andy Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Midwest Excavating, Randy Korte Consulting, Aggressive Fire Prevention, Tim Logan Racing and Josh Carroll Trucking.
Points chase: Final: 1. Jason Feger (1,221); 2. Ryan Unzicker (1,082); 3. Bob Gardner (897); 4. Mike Harrison (892); 5. Blaze Burwell (813).
Current weather: Clear, 70°F
Car count: 36
Fast qualifier: Gordy Gundaker
Time: 14.591 seconds
Polesitter: Dillon McCowan
Heat race winners: Dillon McCowan, Logan Martin, Jason Feger, Mike Harrison
Consolation race winners: Brian Diveley, Dalton Imhoff
Provisional starters: Justin White, Mark Voigt
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.