John Stone Memorial won by friend, Marshall
PLYMOUTH (AUG. 26, 2017) – John Stone’s life was celebrated at Plymouth Speedway Saturday night. Stone, who was instrumental in helping with the new grandstands, spent much of his free time at the racetrack, helping make it the venue what it is today. Stone’s wife Judith, and other family members, were serenaded with a couple of laps by cars from several of the track’s series: Chad Hartzell and Eric Saunders in 600 Opens; Garrett Saunders in a Pro Sprint; PeeWee Warren in a Super Stock and Frank Marshall in a Modified. Leading the laps were Plymouth Speedway employees, who then joined the rest of the track employees and the Stone family for a group photo.
With about 20 laps down, two of the four leaders in Lafayette’s Matt Mitchell and Marion’s Randy Lines bowed out with mechanical issues in the Modified race. A hard-charging Frank Marshall of Valparaiso took the win. Marshall was a close friend of Stone’s.
“I really really wanted to be here tonight for the race, and for John,” Marshalls said of winning the John Stone Memorial.” If you didn’t know John, you should have.”
Claypool’s Zeke McKenzie finished second. Darek Snyder of Mentone was third; fourth was Muskegon, Mich.’s Jeffery Erickson; fifth was Mitch Bailey of Medaryville.
Even though Lines had car trouble, he secured the track championship. Marshall is in second in season standings, 146 points back. The rest of the top five currently are: (-168) Jamie Lomax of Lake Village; (-211) Mitchell; and (-369) D.J. Streeter of Hobart.
Also from Hobart, Calvin Peek, Jr. led Merrillville’s Michael Clark to the checkers in the Super Street series, while Lowell’s Ron Wilkes came in third. Fourth was Gary’s Shaun Wiltjer and fifth was Hobart’s Bob McLean. Winamac’s David Fritz was sixth and Michael Fincher of Rochester notched his best finish of the season in seventh.
With just one more week to rack in points (Sept. 9), Fincher is tied for fourth in points with 10 consistent top 10s in his first year in the series, with Charlie Poague, who has eight top fives and two top 10s. The two are 231 points back from first place point-sitter Wiltjer, who leads with a series-high five wins and eight more top fives. Second in points is McLean, just 55 points back and third is Fritz, 73 points back from the leader. Peek, Jr. has the second most wins on the season so far, with four.
Nappanee’s Kevin Hapner won the 600 Open with Warsaw’s Blake Lamb and Granger’s Chad Hartzell coming in second and third. Hapner jumped to second in points, just 95 back from the lead; Hartzell has recorded four wins this season, a series high. “I’m just thankful to race with this group of guys out here,” Hartzell said of his unofficial points lead championship, with just one race left.
Thunder Stocks were won by Plymouth’s Tom Grall. Kevin Kerlin of Hobart was second and Hamlet’s Rick Wontorski was third, his first-time top three in his rookie season. Both from Hobart, Wade Clemmons recorded a fourth place finish and Chad McLean was fifth. Grall leads Kerlin in season points by 144. Fowler’s Clint Hall is third (-161) and McLean is fourth (-172)
The Pro Sprint race top three mirrored the points standings, as Lakeville’s Garrett Saunders was first; Plymouth’s Zane DeVault was second (-58) and Warsaw’s Michael Summers was third (-109). Goshen’s Tyler Fitzpatrick was fourth Saturday and Lakeville’s Eric Saunders was fifth, but sits in fourth in standings (-124). Eli Laken is fifth in season points (-198).
Saunders said he appreciates all the people he races against: “I want to thank all these guys for putting their cars together and coming out here and racing.
The Mini Wedge race was won by Rochester’s Preston Prater, followed by Kokomo’s Clinton Hunter and Eau Claire, Mich.’s Ryin Zelmer, who leads the season standings just slightly over Hunter (-19). Prater is third in points, 115 back.
Saturday, Sept. 2 is a night off racing due to the Marshall County Blueberry Festival weekend and the season championship will be Sept. 9. Gates open at 4 p.m., racing is at 7 p.m. Admission is free for kids 0-5; $5 for kids 6-12; and $12 for adults. Pit passes are $30.
Visit
www.plymouthspeedway.net for more. Also visit Plymouth Speedway on Facebook for the latest event information, updates and photos.
Linkback: https://www.canadianracingonline.com/smf/index.php?topic=24991.msg117557#msg117557
