Mount Pleasant Speedway
VanderVeen breaks through at Mount Pleasant
Ryan VanderVeen shows off his $2,000 winner's paycheck. (Jim DenHamer)
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (Aug. 3) — Ryan VanderVeen of Six Lakes, Mich., took advantage of his front row starting spot Friday night at Mount Pleasant Speedway and raced to a $2,000 victory in an event co-sanctioned by the Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup and Sunoco American Late Model Series. | Slideshow
VanderVeen outran Brandon Thirlby of Traverse City, Mich., to the first corner on the initial start of the race and stayed out front for the duration of the 30 lapper to earn his first victory on either series.
Curtis Roberts of Coleman, Mich., followed VanderVeen across the finish line in the second position with Brian Ruhlman of Clarklake, Mich., third. Dona Marcoullier of Houghton Lake. Mich., finished fourth while Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., charged from the tail of the 22-car field to finish fifth. Thirlby faded to sixth at the finish.
Notes: Sponsors on VanderVeen’s race car include LeFever Builders, AFCO Racing Shocks, Napa Auto Parts and Miller and Associates. … Friday’s race was the sixth event for the first-year Michigan Dirt Cup. … The ALMS tour moves to Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, Saturday night while the MDC tour will be in action at Merritt (Mich.) Raceway.
ALMS/MDC @ Mount Pleasant: (1) Ryan VanderVeen, (2) Curtis Roberts, (3) Brian Ruhlman, (4) Dona Marcoullier, (5) Jeep Van Wormer, (6) Brandon Thirlby, (7) Phil Ausra, (8) Scott Baker, (9) Rich Neiser, (10) Justin Robinson, (11) Eric Spangler, (12) Bill Bray, (13) Renton Hurley, (14) Brook Brasington, (15) Andy Galgoci, (16) Donnie Marcoullier, (17) Keith Gentz, (18) Don Gordon, (19) Brad Harden, (20) Mark Andersen, (21) Carl Ries, (22) Devin Shiels. Heat race winners (among 30 cars): Marcoullier, Thirlby, Harden, VanderVeen. Consolation winners: Neiser, Galgoci.
