It was a night of “firsts” at Dixie Motor Speedway last Friday night.
Track Manager Jeff Parish kicked the Church Youth Group Night at Dixie into high gear by explaining the intermission show: The Faster Pastor Go-Kart race. The words Jeff used encouraged good clean competition between the local area Clergymen, but beneath the words lie subtle suggestions of rubbing, nudging and paint transfer.
After a Bomber Division Make-Up Feature and the regular heat races, a makeshift mini-track was set up on the front stretch with safety cones. Six Youth Group Pastors and Directors donned the appropriate safety gear and strapped in for 10 laps around the track. The fans cheered as the Clergy rubbed fenders and went two wide around the turns (taking out at least two of the safety cones!) as Dixie held true to its’ motto “First in Family Entertainment."
Dixie fans also witnessed two first career feature wins Friday night.
Cam Hiltz No. 49 passed Chad Congdon No. 4 in lap two of the RacingPartSales.com Bombers Make-Up Feature. Hiltz led the race by four and five car lengths all the way to the checkered flag.
“We’ve been at it for awhile,” Hiltz said. “It looks like we’re getting there. We work on making the car better every week.”
Mark Welch No. 00 dominated the 30-lap Top Notch Motorsports Pro Late Model event. Lonnie Saumier Jr. No. M15 was the Schaefer and Bierlein Dodge of Frankenmuth Hard Charger; starting in 14th and moving up 10 spots for a top five finish in fourth.
Two-time defending track Champion Chuck Silva landed on the pole after the invert for the 30-lap Wieland Contracting Modified feature.
He jumped out in front and led the entire race.
Lonnie Saumier, Jr. No. M15 took the lead in lap three of the regularly scheduled RacingPartSales.com Bombers feature. Saumier held off hard charges from competitor Jeff Roethlisberger Jr. for his first Bomber feature win of the season and one of three top five finishes that night.
“My biggest competitor in the Bomber race was Jeff Roethlisberger,” Lonnie said. “The whole night was really exciting, especially starting 14th in the late model feature and finishing fourth.”
The first date of the Auto Value/Bumper to Bumper Michigan Legends Series Michigan Spring Regionals brought the defending Series Champion Chance Rice one step closer to the National Championship race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC.
After 10 years of racing, veteran Maverick Morrow No. 57 won his first career feature win in the 25-lap Speedway Graphix Street Stock feature. Morrow was almost speechless with his first win, but he did manage one word, “Unbelievable!”
Another first at Dixie last Friday was the combining of two features in the Checkered Flag Promotions Figure 8 division. A make-up feature from May 15 and the regularly scheduled feature were put together for a Crazy 20-lap, Double Points Figure 8 extravaganza!
Andrew Burton No. 05 took advantage of the huge points opportunity, snagged the lead in lap six and drove like a wild man to the finish line.
“The race went great,” Burton said. “As soon as I knew the race was for double points, I ran as hard as I could.”
Dixie has two shows next weekend.
Autograph and Picture Night on Friday and the first Eve of Destruction Night of the season on Sunday June 7th.
The Special Sunday Show also has special race times. Pit Gates will open at Noon, practice is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., qualifying at 4 p.m., and racing begins at 5 p.m.
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