Marcoullier Wins 10k 75-lap Main for 4th win of the Series
Auburn, MI (Tuesday, September 15, 2020) – The Allstar Performance Late Model Challenge series supported by American Ethanol closed out the inaugural season as part of the Battle by the Bay at Tri-City Motor Speedway. The two-day event concluded with the $10,000 to win A-Main for the UMP DIRTcar Late Models at the 3/8ths (0.375) mile dirt oval in Auburn, Michigan.
Travis Stemler of Ionia, MI came into the weekend having already clinched the Challenge Series championship with a 99-point advantage over the rest of the field. He finished 3rd in the 75-lap feature event, won by Houghton Lake, Michigan’s, Dona Marcoullier. Stemler accomplished the feat during his first season with Chad and Kayla Anklem Racing.
Friday night’s preliminaries began with 3-time UMP DIRTcar National Champion Rusty Schlenk turning a 12.598 lap time to be the overall fast qualifier. The field was separated into qualifying features (Odd/Even) where the finishes helped determine the lineup for Saturday’s A-Main. Marcoullier and Schlenk won their respective 25-lap qualifiers. The heat race victories went to Schlenk, Marcoullier, Logan Nickerson, and Chad Finley.
Stemler started on the pole position next to Marcoullier when the green flag waved on Saturday. Stemler jumped out in front in early going with torrid position battles going on behind him. It would be on lap 17 when Marcoullier would use his momentum to storm past Stemler to take over the lead. Marcoullier would lead all the remaining circuits going on to collect the $10,000 payday.
This was the fourth win of the Allstar Performance Late Model Challenge Series supported by American Ethanol for Marcoullier, the 36-year old driver of the Dennis Craft Construction / Black Diamond Chassis #6m. Schlenk was the runner up finisher. Stemler, Finley, and Greg Gokey rounded out the top five. David Mielke, Cody Bauer, Ryan Lanphierd, Dave Baker, and 3-time UMP DIRTcar Regional Champion Eric Spangler finished out the top ten.
Marcoullier also was crowned the 2020 track champion for Tri-City, his first career championship in Auburn. Marcoullier spoke highly of promoter Mike Blackmer and the things he has done with the Speedway in his first year.
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Story by - Brain Osborne, Horsepower Happenings
Photo - Randy Ellen