Sprints on Dirt Merritt results 2006-08-12

Grubaugh Garners ASCS Sprints on Dirt Gelt at Merritt

MERRITT, Mich. (August 12, 2006) -- Ryan Grubaugh survived a mid-race scare in lapped traffic to score his second Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by Victor Reinz feature win of the season in Saturday night's 25-lap main event at Merritt Speedway.

Grubaugh clipped a lapped car in turn two on the 13th round and did a quick 360-degree spin. The St. Johns, MI, shoe recovered to hold on to the lead and fought off Dustin Daggett to score the win aboard the Dowker-powered Maple Rapids Lumber Mill No. 00 Maxim.

"You catch lapped traffic here so fast that it makes it tough," Grubaugh commented afterward. "That lapped car got out of shape in front of me and I clipped him with my right front and looped it, I had to keep it going though."

Grubaugh gridded the feature field outside the front row, but it was polesitter Louie Carufel gunning into the early lead ahead of Grubaugh and third-starter Ken Mackey, as two-time ASCS SOD kingpin Dustin Daggett climbed from eighth to fourth by the third round.

Grubaugh kept the pressure on Carufel in the opening rounds before charging by to take command on the fifth lap, with the race's first caution flying a lap later when Dain Naida and Wayne Morrison tangled in turn two. Naida returned to action, while Morrison was done for the night.

Grubaugh slipped away to a near half straightaway lead when action resumed as Carufel fought off Mackey and Daggett for second. But Grubaugh's advantage disappeared on the 13th lap when the lapped car of Jim Lingar spun directly in front of him. Grubaugh executed a quick spin and held a slight lead as Daggett charged into contention on the high side.

The lap thirteen adventure wasn't over yet as Grubaugh dove low under the lapped car of Tank Brakenberry entering turn three with Daggett on the high side. Brakenberry's powerplant let go in the corner, dropping fluids on the racing surface with Daggett narrowly averting disaster. Carufel wasn't as fortunate, hitting the slick surface and spinning to a stop.

Back under way, Daggett challenged for the lead several times before Grubaugh slipped way in the final rounds. Daggett settled for second, with Mackey moving one step closer to the ASCS Sprints on Dirt championship with a third-place showing.

Gregg Dalman advanced four positions over the final half of the race to snare fourth, with Joe Bares rounding out the top five. Mike Galajda crossed the stripe sixth, with 14th-starter Gary Fast, Davey Brown, Naida and Bill Johnson completing the top ten.

Heat race wins were claimed by Carufel, Grubaugh and Mackey, with Ernie Kuehneman, Jr., winning the "B" Main.

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by Victor Reinz Results:

Heat Races -- Top 16 in Passing Points to "A" Main

Ohsweken Speedway Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 47x-Louie Carufel, 2. 2-Mike Galajda, 3. 33k-Kyle Patrick, 4. 41-Jim Goetgeluck, 5. 2T-Ralph Brakenberry, 6. 70-Jim Lingar, 7. 02-Tim Deming. DNS: 8-Corey Bevard.

Engler Machine and Tool Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 00-Ryan Grubaugh, 2. 49T-Gregg Dalman, 3. 34-Kevin Atkins, 4. 13-Davey Brown, 5. 33-Bill Johnson, 6. 99-Wayne Morrison, 7. 79-Brett Mann, 8. 22T-Tank Brakenberry.

Lane Automotive Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 25m-Ken Mackey, 2. 19b-Joe Bares, 3. 85-Dustin Daggett, 4. 6n-Dain Naida, 5. 26-Gary Fast, 6. 66-Ernie Kuehneman, Jr., 7. 54J-Joel Hummel.

"B" Main -- Top 4 to "A" Main

"B" Feature (8 Laps): 66-Ernie Kuehneman, Jr., 2. 99-Wayne Morrison, 3. 79-Brett Mann, 4. 54J-Joel Hummel, 5. 22T-Tank Brakenberry. DNS: 02-Tim Deming, 8-Corey Bevard. Note: Brett Mann scratched from the "A" Feature.

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints on Dirt presented by Victor Reinz "A" Main Event:

"A" Feature (25 Laps): 1. 00-Ryan Grubaugh, 2. 85-Dustin Daggett, 3. 25m-Ken Mackey, 4. 49T-Gregg Dalman, 5. 19b-Joe Bares, 6. 2-Mike Galajda, 7. 26-Gary Fast, 8. 13-Davey Brown, 9. 6n-Dain Naida, 10. 33-Bill Johnson, 11. 47x-Louie Carufel, 12. 54J-Joel Hummel, 13. 41-Jim Goetgeluck, 14. 70-Jim Lingar, 15. 2T-Ralph Brakenberry, 16. 22T-Tank Brakenberry, 17. 99-Wayne Morrison, 18. 66-Ernie Kuehneman, Jr., 19. 33k-Kyle Patrick, 20. 34-Kevin Atkins.

Engine Pro ASCS Sprints On Dirt presented by Victor Reinz Points (Top Ten): 1. Ken Mackey 2,281, 2. Gary Fast 2,214, 3. Gregg Dalman 2,205, 4. Dain Naida 2,199, 5. Kyle Patrick 2,183, 6. Kevin Atkins 2,114, 7. Joe Bares 2,040, 8. Ryan Grubaugh 2,016, 9. Louie Carufel 1,989, 10. Davey Brown 1,908.

-credit: ascs