Hilliker Dominates Outlaws and Seder Earns #15

                David Hilliker of Midland took honors in the Outlaw Late Model season closer at Merritt Speedway on September 5^th. Hilliker set fast time over the field, took 2^nd to Frank Seder of Alger in the Dash, won his Heat and dominated the Feature, lapping all but two competitors. Hilliker has often been the “mark to beat” in his #21 Outlaw Late Model all across the state over the last several years earning the name, “King of the Wing”. During the same event, Seder earned his 15^th Merritt Speedway Track Championship over taking Josh Knoll of Barryton when a mechanical problem proved terminal in the Heat for Knoll. Feature results, Hilliker 1^st, Wade Witherspoon of Pigeon 2^nd, Seder 3^rd, Matt Pickard of Grant 4^th, Kevin Nelson Jr. of Muskegon 5^th, Brad Harden of Ovid 6^th, Allen Markel of West Branch 7^th, Rich Robinson Sr. of Sheppard 8^th, Bob Hines of Traverse City 9^th, Mark Pifer of Coldwater 10^th, Bob Hutson of Edmore 11^th, John Swift of Coldwater 12^th, Terry Humphreys of Battle Creek 13^th, Chad Foster of McBain 14^th and Bob Hammar of Boon 15^th.

                During UMP Modified competition Mark Kurth of Gaylord won his 5^th Feature of the year to win the ’09 Merritt Speedway Track Championship. Heat 1 was won by Arnie Hoekwater of Cadillac, Bob Baldwin of Petoskey took Heat 2, Heat 3 went to Brian Brindley of West Branch and Tom Sova of Midland got the honors in the B Main. Feature results, Kurth 1^st, Greg Simmons 2^nd, Brindley 3rd, Dave Mairose of West Branch 4th, Roger Steig of Reed City 5^th, Scott Simmons of West Branch 6^th, Tom Sova of Midland 7^th, Gary McKinley Fife Lake 8^th, Brent Banning of West Branch 9^th, Bob Baldwin of Petoskey 10^th, Cody Bauer of Farwell 11^th, Jim Kregear of Merritt 12^th, Jeff Chapel of Gaylord 13^th, Jerry Kent of Cedar Lake 14^th, Arnold Hoekwater of Cadillac 15^th, Charles Kill of McBain 16^th, Dale Kaake of Jamestown, Tn 17^th, Bob Kingen of West Branch 18^th, Tim Murphy of Holland, Oh 19^th, Todd Spencer of Prescott 20^th.

                In the Pro Truck Division a 14 point differential between Adam Brinks of Cadillac over Ian Knoertzer of Gladwin set the tone for the evening. In the Heat, Knoertzer gained 2 points on Brinks with Mike Nelson Jr. of Cadillac winning Heat 1 and Bob Green of Traverse City taking Heat 2. During the Feature, Brinks sat on the pole with Knoertzer along side, Brinks grabbed the early, but was overhauled by Knoertzer on lap 8 and they ran the remainder of the 20 lapper one and two. Knoertzer won the race, but 2^nd secured Brinks the Pro Truck Track Championship. The remaining running order, Green 3^rd, Nelson Jr. 4^th, Richie Sutherland of Merritt 5^th, Jerry Mynarcik of St. Helen 6^th, Shane Branscombe of Lake City 7^th, Brent Neverth of McBain 8^th, Marvin Frey of Prudenville 9^th, Bob Hammar of Boon 10^th, Joshua Laroque of Cadillac 11^th and Dick Stout of Prudenville 12^th.

                Action in the Sportsman Division had created a tight point’s battle with only 2 separating leader Dan Hersey of Traverse City and David Mielke of Gladwin. During the Heats, Hersey and Mielke battled to the finish and were tied in points when the checkers flow with Heat 1 going to Chris Rice of Traverse City and Heat 2 to Chris Brinks of Cadillac. During the Feature the point’s race was traded back and forth as Hersey and Mielke battled all 20 laps and as the last lap was scored Hersey had edged Mielke by 1 point. Result as follows; Brinks 1^st, Hersey 2^nd, Mielke 3^rd, James Miller of Flint Twp 4^th, Ted Myer of Lake City 5^th, Tom Zundel of Fife Lake 6^th, Justin Clous of Traverse City 7^th, CJ Reisbig of Ionia 8^th, Greg Grahek of Cadillac 9^th, Jaramia Richards of Merrill 10^th, Chris Rice of Kingsley 11^th, Josh Trammell of Battle Creek 12^th, Archie Miles Jr. of Lake City 13^th and David Madden of Lake City 14^th.

                During Jimmy’s Collision Repair Center Factory Stocks Brian Steele of Prescott won the Heat, Mark Howie of Whittemore took the Feature and John Matthews of Houghton Lake won the track championship.

                The management and staff of Merritt Speedway would like to thank all fans, sponsors and racers for a great time in the 2009 season and congratulation to Frank Seder, Mark Kurth, Adam Brinks, Dan Hersey and John Matthews on their track championships.

                Bob Steele

                Merritt Speedway