Flat Rock Speedway report 2001-06-30

DANNY BYRD HONORED, STAN YEE JR. WINS AT FLAT ROCK FLAT ROCK, MI: Former track champion Danny Byrd Night was honored Saturday evening as part of the Allen Chevrolet-Cadillac/WTWR Radio Night at Flat Rock Speedway. Stan Yee Jr. scored his first win of the year, as did Randy DeMaggio. Randy Cronenwett, Gary Hawes and Mitch Crider also took feature wins. They were greeted in victory lane by Jeanette Smith of Allen Chevrolet, who presented trophies and bonus money.

Byrd was brought onto the track by former competitor and long-time friend Joy Fair in Joy's Model T and presented Danny with a plaque, while ARCA President Ron Drager awarded Byrd the ARCA lifetime membership Gold Card. Drager then had a car with the famous #08 pull out of the pit area, much to Danny's surprise. The emotional Byrd thanked countless people and was very gracious in his acceptance speech. Danny was the 1973 champ at Flat Rock and the 1965, 1973 and the 1978 champion at Toledo. He has 29 career wins at Flat Rock and 27 wins at Toledo, which ranks him 3rd in all-time wins at both tracks!

An action-packed 35 lap ARCA Allen Chevrolet-Cadillac/Cintas Late Model feature saw Paul Hahn take command over Dennis Strickland, Tim Hebert and Stan Yee Jr. on the green. The track, in perfect condition, allowed 2 wide racing all night. For 22 laps, the field battled, as Strickland and Yee took several shots on the outside. Steve Bunge and Rick Knowles also jumped outside and were on the move. Yee moved by the lead duo on lap 20 to take the lead. The red flag came out 1 lap later for an altercation in turn 3 as Hahn lost control of his machine and spun collecting Knowles, Strickland and Bunge. Yee was able to hold off Tim Hebert and a fast-closing Royce Cornett for the big win. Yee told the crowd, "This was special for me to win tonight, as Danny Byrd has been a big part of Yee Racing". Byrd drove for Stan's dad in the 1980's in the same paint scheme and #33 on the doors. Dan Ford Jr. and Steve Cronenwett rounded out the top five, with Robbie Loving, Arnold Kirsch, Len Roberts, Ron Allen and Paul Pelletier completing the top ten. The Harwood Pontiac/Buick fast time went to Royce Cornett at 11.672. Hahn, Allen and Mike Jaynes took the heat races.

The ARCA Joe Lake Tire Street Stock feature saw Terry Humphrey take the early lead while trying to hold off Tom Selmi on the outside and Terry Lilley on the inside. On lap 14, Humphrey and Lilley tangled, sending Lilley to the tail of the field and Humphrey on the tow truck. Randy DeMaggio inherited the lead and held on for his first win of the season. Kevin Butzin recorded his best-ever run with a second, with Ken Knight third, Randy Casey fourth and Ron Allen fifth, followeed by Tom Phillips, Tony Ortega, Gary Majchrzak, Arnold Hall and Earl Roth. Knight set quick time at 13.457. Gary Hawes won the 15 lap B Main event, followed by Rob Murphy, Mel Worley, Steve Chartrand and Greg Stillwell Jr. Mitch Crider won the C Main Street Stock event. The A-Dash winner was DeMaggio, while Rob Murphy won the B-Dash. Heat wins went to Randy Casey, Ed Hindall, Larry Smouthers, Rich Abel and Paul Falkenburg.

The night was finished out with the ARCA Auto Value Parts Stores/Borg Warner Figure 8 20 lap feature as Randy Cronenwett pulled out his 4th win after being challenged by point leader Greg Studt. The intersection was action packed all night and finally caught up with Studt and Eric Buck, collecting both drivers and ending their evening on lap 11. Cronenwett hung on for the win over Ricky Kargel, Ken Ahlgren, Parker Wade and Dan Apperson, Dennis Whisman, Robbie Loving, Troy Herrmann, Rich Lee and Frankie Bockstanz. Jeremy Miller and Eric Buck won the heat races.

-Scott Schultz