5.5.18 American Ethanol Late Models Results

Montpelier, IN (Saturday, May 5, 2018) – For the first time in 17 years, officials with the Montpelier Motor Speedway in Montpelier, Indiana welcomed Late Models to the semi-banked 1/4-mile bull ring. On top of that, drivers with the American Ethanol Late Model Tour (AELMT) opened their season outside of Michigan for the first time in their history; and if those ground-breaking stats weren’t enough, the cars and stars of the AELMT wrote history as well.
Prior to the first ever hot lap session for the AELMT, officials with Motorsports Broadcasting of Michigan (MBM) were told that the track record for Montpelier Motor Speedway was held by NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Christopher Bell, which he set behind the wheel of a USAC Midget in 2016 at a time of 14.141 seconds in 2016. That record would unofficially fall just 15 minutes into the evenings events, as the first hot-lap session for the AELMT had a fast lap of 13.518. However, those numbers were unofficial, so the work wasn’t done yet.
33 cars made the trip to try to make the field for the season opening American Ethanol 40, and of those drivers, Rusty Schlenk set the Motul Motor Oils and Lubricants quick time during qualifying group number one, turning a 13.8 second lap, which is now the official track record. Schlenk and two-time defending series champion Dona Marcoullier were the only two drivers to get into the 13 second bracket.
The starting line-up for the American Ethanol 40 was the perfect recipe for an action packed race, as Marcoullier missed the re-draw in his heat, and started 15th, Schlenk drew pill number 9, and heavy hitters Travis Stemler and Eric Spangler lead the field to green. A few early cautions allowed drivers to experiment with different strategies without much consequence, however after about 15 laps, the field strung out and the race was on at the front with Spangler, Schlenk and Duane Chamberlain breaking away from the field.
Spangler lead early and often, seeing few challenges from Schlenk or Chamberlain in the early going, however, Schlenk did attempt a couple “sliders” or slide-jobs through the corner, but Spangler powered back by. That all changed on lap 23 when Schlenk showed his nose coming off the fourth corner, before driving deep into turn number one to take the lead down the back stretch. Spangler attempted a similar move into turns three and four, but could not complete the pass. From there, Schlenk drove on to win the American Ethanol 40.
During his conversation with MBM’s AELMT Pit Reporter, Laura Ahac, Schlenk said that he knew it would be tough to get around Spangler, but had been setting up the pass for some time. As for Spangler, he claimed that only a couple feet of dirt separated him from victory.
“I don’t think Rusty would have completed the pass if the cushion wasn’t there,” said Spangler. “Without the cushion, Schlenk doesn’t win this race.”
Schlenk announced last night during his victory lane interview that he intends to run nearly all of the AELMT races in 2018, sighting a scheduling conflict with just two races. Schlenk looks to defend his feature win during the GetBioFuel.com Buckeye Double Header beginning Friday at Attica Raceway Park in the Bilstein 40, before going to Fremont Speedway on Saturday and competing in the GetBioFuel.com 40.
Find full results below:
Allstar Performance Heat Race 1:
21b – Rich Bell
cj1 – Rusty Schlenk
87m – David Meilke
21a – Logan Artz
6m – Dona Marcoullier
44 – Matt Shipley
23v – Ryan VanderVeen
15 – Phil Ausra
42 – Chad Finley
36 – Matt Irey
rh21 – Greg Haskell
Bilstein Heat Race 2:
m14 – Brandon Thirlby
12 – Doug Drown
27 – Eric Spangler
13 – JR Hotvy
87 – Rich Neiser
39 – Hillard Miller
1 – Greg Gokey
79m – Cory Maurice
79t – Troy Worrick
55r – Kevin Mack
p3 – Jeff Robertson
YellowHose.com Heat Race 3:
c9 – Steve Casebolt
20c – Duane Chamberlain
2 – Travis Stemler
79 – Nick Kurtz
23w – Brad Wade
95j – Jerry Bowersock
20 – Chad White
27h – Ken Hahn
7m – Brad Mann
21 – Wes Morrison
4 – Jason Playter, Jr.
Dupont Last Chance Qualifier 1:
44 – Matt Shipley
36 – Matt Irey
1 – Greg Gokey
27h – Ken Hahn
15 – Phil Ausra
21 – Wes Morrison
p3 – Jeff Robertson
95j – Jerry Bowersock
79t – Troy Worrick
NUVU Fuels Last Chance Qualifier 2:
39 – Hillard Miller
20 – Chad White
23v – Ryan VanderVeen
42 – Chad Finley
4 – Jason Playter, Jr.
7m – Brad Mann
rh21 – Gregg Haskell
79m – Cory Maurice
55r – Kevin Mack
American Ethanol 40:
cj1 – Rusty Schlenk
27 – Eric Spangler
20c – Duane Chamberlain
c9 – Steve Casebolt
6m – Dona Marcoullier
12 – Doug Drown
79 – Nick Kurtz
m14 – Brandon Thirlby
87m – David Meilke
2 – Travis Stemler
23v – Ryan VanderVeen
23w – Brad Wade
13 – JR Hotvy
44 – Matt Shipley
1 – Greg Goke
4 – Jason Playter, Jr.
87 – Rich Neiser
21b – Rich Bell
20 – Chad White
36 – Matt Irey
21a – Logan Artz
39 – Hillard Miller
For more on the AELMT, log onto aelmt.com, or find them on social media including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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