6.6.18 American Ethanol Late Models Results
Lake City, MI (Thursday, June 7, 2018) – A rare mid-week race marked the halfway point for one of the American Ethanol Tours, while also serving as the Season Opener for another. The 4th Annual Merritt Showdown from Merritt Speedway in Lake City, MI has quickly become a crown jewel event for both the American Ethanol Late Model Tour (AELMT) and the American Ethanol Modified Tour Presented by Allstar Performance (AEMODT). With a $5,000 pay day to the Don’s Auto Clinic 40 (AELMT) winner and a $2,000 prize to the Lane Automotive 30 (AEMODT) winner, the night was sure to be filled with excitement.
The evening began with Motul Motor Oil and Lubricants qualifying that saw David Mielke, who picked up a feature win at Merritt a week prior, blistering the field with at 14.448 second lap time. With that time, Mielke was a full tenth-of-a-second faster than the nearest competitor, Chad Bauer, with a 14.549. Heat race action was next for the AEMODT, with 21 cars on the property; everyone would make the main event, so it was pure bragging rights on the line. Heat race wins went to Paul Johnson, Jeffery Erickson Jr, and Curt Spalding.
The field was set for the first feature of the night during the Merritt Showdown, the Lane Automotive 30. Chad Bauer jumped out to the early lead before an incident between Hubble and Joe Rokos brought out the first caution of the evening. Bauer held the lead until lap 9 when Mielke powered by and never looked back. With nine laps to go a single car spin bought out the caution to bunch the field back up. Mielke got a great start over Bauer and a hard charging Jacob Poel (who started 13th). Mielke again started to walk away from the field and looked to be a sure winner. But with just a lap and a half to go, Mielke’s car went up in smoke with what appeared to be a blown engine. That handed things back over to Bauer and Poel for a Green-White-Checkered Finish to decide it all. The two battled side-by-side through the restart with Bauer protecting the middle to bottom of the race track, while Poel worked the outside. Coming out of turn two during the final lap, Poel edged ahead of Bauer and held on to win the Lane Automotive 30.
An emotional Poel said in victory lane that his crew had just got the car done in time for racing that night at Merritt. “Finally got this car together, JUST today to come up here to race.”
The AELMT ran second on the American Ethanol running order Wednesday night, and in Motul Motor Oil and Lubricants qualifying, Dona Marcoulier set fast time with a 13.509 second lap time. In heat race action Travis Stemler, Kory Maurice, and Eric Spangler were race winners, while only the top five from each race made it directly into the Don’s Auto Clinic 40. Drivers like Logan Arntz, Marcoulier, Greg Haskell, and Phil Ausra had to try and race their way into the show through the Carbon Green BioEnergy Last Chance Qualifier, which Logan Arntz went on to win.
A fairly uneventful main event was run as the American Ethanol night cap with 22 cars starting the 40 lap main event. Only one caution slowed the field on lap 24 when Mike VanderMark blew a tire and nearly collected race leader Spangler. No harm was done however, and Spangler went on to lead flag-to-flag to become the first repeat winner of the 2018 season. Spangler saw few challenges throughout the race. David Mielke did make a late race run coming along side of Spangler for some time, but never being able to complete the pass. Spangler thanked his sponsors and fans for their support of the Wednesday night show and of his efforts.
The next stop for the American Ethanol crew will be with the AEMODT on Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23 for the first double header weekend of their season from Hartford Speedway (Friday) and Merritt Speedway (Saturday). As for the AELMT, their next stop is also a double header weekend as they make a return trip to I-96 Speedway on Friday, June 29 and then a first ever stop to Butler Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 30.
For more information on the AELMT and the AEMODT log onto aelmt.com or aemodt.com. Find both Tours on Social Media including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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AELMT Heat Race 1
2 Travis Stemler
M14 Brandon Thirlby
1 Greg Gokey
21B Rich Bell
C9 Steve Casebolt
6M Dona Marcoullier
1W Michael Luberda
RH21 Gregg Haskell
15 Phil Ausra
AELMT Heat Race 2
79M Kory Maurice
87 Rich Neiser
87M David Mielke
41 Mike Vandermark
117 Kevin Reeve
21A Logan Arntz
3 Jeremy Tulick
16 Mike Stazak
AELMT Heat Race 3
27 Eric Spangler
4T Andrew Terrill
3 Kyle Roberts
78 Drew Wilkerson
79 Nick Kurtz
94 Bill Bray
21 Bob Hammer
7M Brad Mann
00 Rob Lewis
AELMT Last Chance Qualifier
21A Logan Arntz
6M Dona Marcoullier
94 Bill Bray
1W Michael Luberda
21 Bob Hammer
3 Jeremy Tulick
15 Phil Ausra
7M Brad Mann
00 Rob Lewis
16 Mike Stazak
RH21 Gregg Haskell
AELMT Merritt Showdown
27 Eric Spangler
87M David Mielke
4T Andrew Terrill
2 Travis Stemler
87 Rich Neiser
M14 Brandon Thirlby
6M Dona Marcoullier
79 Nick Kurtz
21B Rich Bell
1 Greg Gokey
C9 Steve Casebolt
3 Kyle Roberts
21A Logan Arntz
79M Kory Maurice
94 Bill Bray
RH21 Gregg Haskell
78 Drew Wilkerson
117 Kevin Reeve
16 Mike Stazak
3 Jeremy Tulick
1W Michael Luberda
41 Mike Vandermark
21 Bob Hammer
AEmods Heat 1
4J Paul Johnson
92 Caleb Kill
26P Michael Patrick
62 Daryl Lehn
82 Jacob Poel
9 Garrett Rons
31G Rick Gokee Jr.
AEmods Heat 2
1E Jeffery Erickson
47 Collin Thirlby
15 Dave Baker
313 Clayton Smith
63R Donnie Roberts
24N Kyle Novak
77D Anthony Deming
AEmods Heat 3
111 Curt Spalding
19 Chad Bauer
87M David Mielke
77 Joe Rokos
99 Brent Banning
18 Chase Burda
23 Luke Hubbell
AEmods Merritt Showdown
82 Jacob Poel
19 Chad Bauer
47 Colin Thirlby
111 Curt Spalding
15 Dave Baker
4J Paul Johnson
77 Joe Rokos
313 Clayton Smith
1E Jeffery Erickson Jr.
31G Rick Gokee Jr.
24N Kyle Novak
63R Donnie Roberts
92 Caleb Kill
26P Michael Patrick
62 Daryl Lehn
9 Garrett Rons
77D Anthony Deming
18 Chase Burda
87M David Mielke
23 Luke Hubble
Brent Banning