Cindy Lorenz
Defending Champion, Mack DeMan, won the feature race Saturday night, as the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets kicked off the Hoosier Tire Velocity Weekend at Sunset Speedway. Taking over the lead from Adrian Stahle on lap 10, DeMan cruised to his first win of the season. “The car wasn’t quite right earlier in the day so I made a call to Andy Mackereth and with his advise made a few changes and it came right around. I want to thank Lucas Oil for more than 10 years of support, Crown Steering and Brake, DeMan Construction and my Dad and Mom for all their help. I am giving my Winners Trophy to the Glover Family, they have been at all my races and were my ‘good luck’ charm tonight,” said DeMan.
Stahle, starting on pole, took over the lead but had a very strong running Barry Dunn on his heals. DeMan moved into third place going into turn two. Adam Racine was running 4th followed by Rob Neely. Five laps in and Neely passed Racine while DeMan was catching Dunn. Stahle had a ten car lead over Dunn as the field was running some very quick laps. Darren McLennan in his sharp 2016 TQ model #48 charged around Racine to join the top five.
Turning up the heat DeMan found an opening and grabbed 2nd place from Dunn on lap 9. Charging up to Stahle, he wasted no time and got to the point one lap later. With his site clear ahead, DeMan opened up a sizable lead for 2 laps until the first and only caution came out as Brandon McFerran, in his first time in a Can-Am Midget, brushed the wall in turn four. As the cars returned to green, DeMan took command at the half way point. Dunn put a hard charge on Stahle and took over the second spot one lap later. Stahle, Neely and McLennan ran tightly together to fight for position as the laps ran down.
Sophomore runner Darren Dryden, in his Sharpie Art #12 was close behind McLennan as Ryan Fraser was coming thru the field from his 13th starting spot in a battle with Jeff Blackburn. The final laps ran smoothly as DeMan had the checkered flag in his sites. With 25 laps in, DeMan took the win followed by Dunn, Stahle, Neely and McLennan.
Heats were won by Racine and Dunn and Lucas Smith won the ‘B’ Main. Neely now leads the points as DeMan moved up into second place.
The Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets are off for 2 weeks until June 11th as they join the race card at Lake Erie Speedway (PA) with the ROC Modifieds.
The final results for the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets at Sunset Speedway on May 21, 2016 are….1. MACK DEMAN, 2. Barry Dunn, 3. Adrian Stahle, 4. Rob Neely, 5. Darren McLennan, 6. Darren Dryden, 7. Ryan Fraser, 8. Jeff Blackburn, 9. Steven Murdock, 10. Brandon Zavarella, 11. Craig Pitchell, 12. Lucas Smith, 13. Adam Racine, 14. Brandon McFerran (R), 15. James Marche. DNS..Todd Cresswell and John Dryden.
The Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets Drivers Points as of May 21, 2016….1. ROB NEELY…322, 2. Mack DeMan…309, 3. Steven Murdock…303, 4. Darren McLennan…292, 5. Barry Dunn…283, 6. Ryan Fraser…279, 7. Brandon Zavarella…275, 8. Jeff Blackburn…263, 9. Darren Dryden…257, 10. Adrian Stahle…252, 11. Adam Racine…246, 12. Craig Pitchell…218, 13. James Marche…183, 14. Chris Holman…120, 15. Lucas Smith…107, 16. Greg Smulders…103, 17. Cory Whittam (R)…99, 18. Brandon McFerran (R)…99, 19. Paul Rhodes (R)…95, 20. John Dryden…50, 21. Todd Cresswell…50.
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For more information on the Lucas Oil Can-Am Midgets contact Cindy Lorenz atclorenz74@yahoo.com
Photos by Paul Husby
