Merritt Speedway
Spangler earns $4,000 for third Wood Tic victory
Eric Spangler celebrates in victory lane. (Bob Steel)
MERRITT, Mich. (July 20) — Reigning track champion Eric Spangler of Lake City, Mich., captured his third career Wood Tic 100 victory Saturday at Merritt Speedway, rallying from his 10th starting spot for a $4,000 victory on the Allstar Performance Michigan Dirt Cup tour.
Spangler took the checkers ahead of series title contender J.R. Hotovy of Covert, Mich., while Rich Neiser of Fruitport, Mich., the winner of Friday’s $1,500 prelim, was third.
Joe Pomeroy of Cass City, Mich., was fourth and Bill Bray of Spring Lake, Mich., rounded out the top five. Consolation race winner Justin Robinson of Shepherd, Mich., rallied from 16th to sixth.
Front-row starters Dave Hartman of Howard City, Mich., and Brook Brasington of Evart, Mich., finished deep in the 21-car field.
Spangler’s victory was his second of the season on the Michigan Dirt Cup and third of his career on the 2-year-old circuit.
Notes: Spangler’s MasterSbilt Race Car is sponsored by Spangler Heating and Cooling, Mark. R. Mitchell Attorney and AFCO. ... Drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Reigning series champion Brandon Thirlby, Adam Thrush, Butch Strait Jr., Andy Galgoci, Andy Chester, Brad Finkbeiner, Steven Nieuwenhuis, Derrick Waldfogel, Bret Darling, Charlie Liggett, Ryan VanderVeen, Bob Hammar, Jim Billett, Alex Hupert, Merv Hudson, Jeremy Tulick, Keith Gentz, Jim Waldfogel, Bob Harden and Adam Erickson. ... With an Aug. 3 race at Plymouth (Ind.) Speedway cancelled, the series finale is set for Sept. 14 at a dirt-covered Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich.
Wood Tic: (1) Eric Spangler, (2) J.R. Hotovy, (3) Rich Neiser, (4) Joe Pomeroy, (5) Bill Bray, (6) Justin Robinson, (7) Brad Harden, (8) Kyle Borgman, (9) Josh Knoll, (10) Scott Phillips, (11) Mike Kresnak, (12) Chad White, (13) Kris Patterson Jr., (14) Chris Brindley, (15) Renton Hurley, (16) David Hilliker, (17) Dave Hartman, (18) Sam Epling, (19) Brook Brasington, (20) Tom Sprague Jr,m (21) Jordan Erickson. Fast qualifiers (among 45 cars in group qualifying): Neiser, Hupert, Pomeroy, White, Patterson. Dash winner: Pomeroy. Heat race winners: Neiser, Bray, Brasington, Knoll, Hartman. Consolation winners: Robinson, Borgman.
Correction: Fixes spelling of second-place finisher J.R. Hotovy's first name.
