6/21/09
Burch Blazes to 4th Career MSA Win at Lorain County
By Chris Meyers
Burch Blazes to 4th Career MSA Win at Lorain County
By Chris Meyers
Middleburg Heights, Ohio driver Randy Burch has always been a fan favorite.
He has earned the respect of the entire supermodified community for his
professionalism on and off the track as well as his dedication to the
supermodified division. After piloting his own supermodified for the past
few years, Burch decided to drive for Steve Stout and ACME Racing in 2009.
After struggling with some bad luck the past few years, Burch wasn't going
to be denied Saturday night at Lorain County as he picked up an overdue PPG
Vibrance Collection Midwest Supermodified Association win.
Oswego, New York hot shoe Jason Spaulding and Sandusky, Ohio's Gene Lee
Gibson brought the field of seventeen Vibrance Collection Midwest
Supermodifieds to the green flag. The caution would fly on lap three for a
Charlie Schultz spin in turn three that saw Bobby Dawson and Denny Fisher
spin to avoid. Schultz was sent tail for bringing out the caution as the
other two drivers were given their spot back. Jimmy Paller took his
overheating supermodified to the pits for the night. Spaulding led Gibson,
Burch, Trent Stephens, and Rich Reid to the restart as a lengthy green flag
run would ensue. Current MSA points leader Timmy Jedrzejek went right to
work on the restart getting around Reid and Stephens to get into fourth
spot. Burch would motor by Gibson for the second spot and then Jedrzejek
would follow suit a lap later. On lap six, Burch then powered by Spaulding
for the lead as the ACME Racing pilot started to flex his muscle. The next
lap, Timmy J would get by Spaulding for second and the drag race was on.
Tim Ice moved the May Motorsports machine into the fourth spot getting
around Spaulding on lap eleven. Jedrzejek tried everything he could to get
the Reed's Salvage machine in the front spot but Burch was pulling away as
Timmy J had his hands full with handling issues..
On lap nineteen, Ice got by Stephens to work his way into a top three spot.
On lap twenty-one, the caution would fly for Stephens who came to an abrupt
halt in turn four while running fourth. Stephens would take his ACME Racing
machine to the pit area for the night with an ailing motor. After the
halfway point, it was Burch, Jedrzejek, Ice, Gioia, and Gibson. Dawson would
crack the top five by maneuvering around Gibson on lap twenty-four but his
stay in the top five was short lived. Ice would get by Jedrzejek for the
runner-up spot on lap thirty. Schultz charged his way up from the back to
get into the top five on lap thirty-three by getting around Dawson. At the
end though, the night belonged to Randy Burch as he dominated the forty lap
feature event holding off Tim Ice and Timmy J.
Burch's emotional win was not only special and meaningful to his wife Rhonda
and himself but to all the supermodified fans who packed the Lorain County
stands. As Burch got out of his supermodified in victory lane, he received
a thunderous roar and ovation from the fans who know the win was a longtime
coming for the popular driver. Randy stated, "I'm speechless. What a great
team. Look at this crowd! You guys are great! The car was such a great car
tonight. We didn't know what kind of car we were going to have going into
the feature. We worked on it all day. The crew did a great job. The last
few laps I knew the guys were back there. First, I saw the 8 car and then I
saw the 77 car. I didn't want a caution that's for sure. I have to thank
ACME Racing, The Chevy Network, Kasper Auto Group, Vibrance Collection,
Speed meets art, Pinnacle Tool, Del Sangro's Restaurant, and Prostar
Specialties. I put another sticker on the car and it's the last sponsor I'm
going to put on the car. I put a sticker of my son in the car right by the
steering wheel. That's what did it. I'm dedicating this win to him. We lost
him three months ago. He was definitely riding with me tonight!"
Second place finisher Timmy Ice got his best finish ever in a supermodified.
The man who manhandles the late model division has made his presence felt in
the supermodifieds. The "Iceman" talked about his great run. "We made some
changes after the heat race just trying to get the car to what I needed. We
were good but I didn't need the last caution. After I passed Timmy, I could
have passed the 49 if we kept going at that point. I'm really excited to do
this well. We passed a lot of good cars to get to second. I'd like to
thank Dave and Lori May for giving me this opportunity and my father in law
for doing the engines for our car at Fast Racing Engines. It's been great."
Third place finisher Timmy Jedrzejek entered the race with the points lead
over Charlie Schultz. "We had our share of problems back there but we'll
take a third place and be proud of it. Those guys ran real strong tonight
and there wasn't anything I could do. On cold tires, I thought I might of
had a shot.. Once I got some laps in the car, it was too free in the middle
of the corner and I was just holding on hoping I was not going to drop any
more positions."
ACME Racing hot shoes Randy Burch and Trent Stephens picked up heat race
wins. Charlie Schultz set the new track recording beating Dave Shullick
Jr.'s track record from 2000. The PPG Vibrance Collection Midwest
Supermodifieds return to Sandusky Speedway on Saturday June 27th, 2009 for
their second show at the half-mile.
Editors Note: Stephen Gioia III was disqualified after post race inspection
giving Charlie Schultz fourth place.
Top Qualifier: Charlie Schultz 12.306 - New Track Record
Heat One: Randy Burch, Gene Lee Gibson, Stephen Gioia III , Tim Ice, Jason
Spaulding, Lou LeVea Sr., Kyle Reed, Jack Smith, Denny Fisher, Bobby Dawson
Heat Two: Trent Stephens, Timmy Jedrzejek, Charlie Schultz, Matt Palmer,
Rich Reid, Lou LeVea Jr., Mike Haury, Jon Henes, Jimmy Paller,
Feature (40 laps-12 car inversion): Burch, Ice, Jedrzejek, Schultz, Dawson,
Smith, Spaulding, Gibson, Palmer, R. Reid, Haury, Stephens, LeVea Jr.,
Paller, D. Fisher, K. Reed, Gioia
Lap Leaders: Spaulding (1-5), Burch (6-40)
He has earned the respect of the entire supermodified community for his
professionalism on and off the track as well as his dedication to the
supermodified division. After piloting his own supermodified for the past
few years, Burch decided to drive for Steve Stout and ACME Racing in 2009.
After struggling with some bad luck the past few years, Burch wasn't going
to be denied Saturday night at Lorain County as he picked up an overdue PPG
Vibrance Collection Midwest Supermodified Association win.
Oswego, New York hot shoe Jason Spaulding and Sandusky, Ohio's Gene Lee
Gibson brought the field of seventeen Vibrance Collection Midwest
Supermodifieds to the green flag. The caution would fly on lap three for a
Charlie Schultz spin in turn three that saw Bobby Dawson and Denny Fisher
spin to avoid. Schultz was sent tail for bringing out the caution as the
other two drivers were given their spot back. Jimmy Paller took his
overheating supermodified to the pits for the night. Spaulding led Gibson,
Burch, Trent Stephens, and Rich Reid to the restart as a lengthy green flag
run would ensue. Current MSA points leader Timmy Jedrzejek went right to
work on the restart getting around Reid and Stephens to get into fourth
spot. Burch would motor by Gibson for the second spot and then Jedrzejek
would follow suit a lap later. On lap six, Burch then powered by Spaulding
for the lead as the ACME Racing pilot started to flex his muscle. The next
lap, Timmy J would get by Spaulding for second and the drag race was on.
Tim Ice moved the May Motorsports machine into the fourth spot getting
around Spaulding on lap eleven. Jedrzejek tried everything he could to get
the Reed's Salvage machine in the front spot but Burch was pulling away as
Timmy J had his hands full with handling issues..
On lap nineteen, Ice got by Stephens to work his way into a top three spot.
On lap twenty-one, the caution would fly for Stephens who came to an abrupt
halt in turn four while running fourth. Stephens would take his ACME Racing
machine to the pit area for the night with an ailing motor. After the
halfway point, it was Burch, Jedrzejek, Ice, Gioia, and Gibson. Dawson would
crack the top five by maneuvering around Gibson on lap twenty-four but his
stay in the top five was short lived. Ice would get by Jedrzejek for the
runner-up spot on lap thirty. Schultz charged his way up from the back to
get into the top five on lap thirty-three by getting around Dawson. At the
end though, the night belonged to Randy Burch as he dominated the forty lap
feature event holding off Tim Ice and Timmy J.
Burch's emotional win was not only special and meaningful to his wife Rhonda
and himself but to all the supermodified fans who packed the Lorain County
stands. As Burch got out of his supermodified in victory lane, he received
a thunderous roar and ovation from the fans who know the win was a longtime
coming for the popular driver. Randy stated, "I'm speechless. What a great
team. Look at this crowd! You guys are great! The car was such a great car
tonight. We didn't know what kind of car we were going to have going into
the feature. We worked on it all day. The crew did a great job. The last
few laps I knew the guys were back there. First, I saw the 8 car and then I
saw the 77 car. I didn't want a caution that's for sure. I have to thank
ACME Racing, The Chevy Network, Kasper Auto Group, Vibrance Collection,
Speed meets art, Pinnacle Tool, Del Sangro's Restaurant, and Prostar
Specialties. I put another sticker on the car and it's the last sponsor I'm
going to put on the car. I put a sticker of my son in the car right by the
steering wheel. That's what did it. I'm dedicating this win to him. We lost
him three months ago. He was definitely riding with me tonight!"
Second place finisher Timmy Ice got his best finish ever in a supermodified.
The man who manhandles the late model division has made his presence felt in
the supermodifieds. The "Iceman" talked about his great run. "We made some
changes after the heat race just trying to get the car to what I needed. We
were good but I didn't need the last caution. After I passed Timmy, I could
have passed the 49 if we kept going at that point. I'm really excited to do
this well. We passed a lot of good cars to get to second. I'd like to
thank Dave and Lori May for giving me this opportunity and my father in law
for doing the engines for our car at Fast Racing Engines. It's been great."
Third place finisher Timmy Jedrzejek entered the race with the points lead
over Charlie Schultz. "We had our share of problems back there but we'll
take a third place and be proud of it. Those guys ran real strong tonight
and there wasn't anything I could do. On cold tires, I thought I might of
had a shot.. Once I got some laps in the car, it was too free in the middle
of the corner and I was just holding on hoping I was not going to drop any
more positions."
ACME Racing hot shoes Randy Burch and Trent Stephens picked up heat race
wins. Charlie Schultz set the new track recording beating Dave Shullick
Jr.'s track record from 2000. The PPG Vibrance Collection Midwest
Supermodifieds return to Sandusky Speedway on Saturday June 27th, 2009 for
their second show at the half-mile.
Editors Note: Stephen Gioia III was disqualified after post race inspection
giving Charlie Schultz fourth place.
Top Qualifier: Charlie Schultz 12.306 - New Track Record
Heat One: Randy Burch, Gene Lee Gibson, Stephen Gioia III , Tim Ice, Jason
Spaulding, Lou LeVea Sr., Kyle Reed, Jack Smith, Denny Fisher, Bobby Dawson
Heat Two: Trent Stephens, Timmy Jedrzejek, Charlie Schultz, Matt Palmer,
Rich Reid, Lou LeVea Jr., Mike Haury, Jon Henes, Jimmy Paller,
Feature (40 laps-12 car inversion): Burch, Ice, Jedrzejek, Schultz, Dawson,
Smith, Spaulding, Gibson, Palmer, R. Reid, Haury, Stephens, LeVea Jr.,
Paller, D. Fisher, K. Reed, Gioia
Lap Leaders: Spaulding (1-5), Burch (6-40)
Randy Burch notched his fourth career MSA win at Lorain County Speedway
Photo by Jim Davidson
Photo by Jim Davidson