Young driver Trent Stephens swept to the front late in the going of the MSA presented by Town
Money Saver feature race at Sandusky (OH) Speedway last Saturday night and hung on to get the
checkered flag. Coming into the third Sandusky event of 2011 Stephens was the series points
leader with solid top three finishes all season long, but the win had escaped him until now. Coming
from the back with less than ten laps to go the hard charging young gun shot past the cagey
veteran racer Tim Ice to put his ACME Racing Stout team car in victory lane. This may have been
the first checkers of 2011 for Stephens; however, it was team ACME racings third series victory of
the season.
With an officials roll of the dice the 30 lap feature inversion was set at ten putting young Matt
Palmer on the pole with Pennsylvania visitor Chris DeRitis on the outside front row. Palmer’s pole
position start was short lived as just after the green flag dropped a three wide move under the flag
stand sent Palmer up the track hard into the outside barrier as he road the wall all the way down to
the track exit before coming to a stop. The red would fly as clean up was made and a complete
restart would ensue with Jack Smith now moving up to the front row. After two restarts the field
was finally in motion. However, the 28 car of three time series winner this season Bobby Dawson
would get crossed up in traffic and spin up the track in turn one, his night was finished with a
broken racer. Once back to green Smith set a torrid pace with some outstanding lap times. Both Ice
and Mike Lichty where coming hard as the field sailed to the half way point. At the crossed flags it
was Ice, Lichty, and Smith as the top three. As Ice set the pace, Stephens now pulled up into fourth
from his tenth starting position and began to pour it on as the laps clicked off. Once Stephens
caught up to Ice the chess match was on. Lap after lap Stephens would try a new line and pull up
beside Ice. Finally, with just five laps to go Stephens was on the point and drawing away it seemed
in cruise control. At the wire it was Stephens, Ice, Lichty, 2010 MSA Champion Charlie Schultz
drove to fourth, and Smith held on to round out the top five.
Money Saver feature race at Sandusky (OH) Speedway last Saturday night and hung on to get the
checkered flag. Coming into the third Sandusky event of 2011 Stephens was the series points
leader with solid top three finishes all season long, but the win had escaped him until now. Coming
from the back with less than ten laps to go the hard charging young gun shot past the cagey
veteran racer Tim Ice to put his ACME Racing Stout team car in victory lane. This may have been
the first checkers of 2011 for Stephens; however, it was team ACME racings third series victory of
the season.
With an officials roll of the dice the 30 lap feature inversion was set at ten putting young Matt
Palmer on the pole with Pennsylvania visitor Chris DeRitis on the outside front row. Palmer’s pole
position start was short lived as just after the green flag dropped a three wide move under the flag
stand sent Palmer up the track hard into the outside barrier as he road the wall all the way down to
the track exit before coming to a stop. The red would fly as clean up was made and a complete
restart would ensue with Jack Smith now moving up to the front row. After two restarts the field
was finally in motion. However, the 28 car of three time series winner this season Bobby Dawson
would get crossed up in traffic and spin up the track in turn one, his night was finished with a
broken racer. Once back to green Smith set a torrid pace with some outstanding lap times. Both Ice
and Mike Lichty where coming hard as the field sailed to the half way point. At the crossed flags it
was Ice, Lichty, and Smith as the top three. As Ice set the pace, Stephens now pulled up into fourth
from his tenth starting position and began to pour it on as the laps clicked off. Once Stephens
caught up to Ice the chess match was on. Lap after lap Stephens would try a new line and pull up
beside Ice. Finally, with just five laps to go Stephens was on the point and drawing away it seemed
in cruise control. At the wire it was Stephens, Ice, Lichty, 2010 MSA Champion Charlie Schultz
drove to fourth, and Smith held on to round out the top five.
6/26/11
MSA Points leader Stephens gets first checkers of 2011
Recap and photos by Todd Ridgeway
MSA PR
MSA Points leader Stephens gets first checkers of 2011
Recap and photos by Todd Ridgeway
MSA PR
| Race winner Bobby Dawson, now two in a row |
| Three wide action in the MSA 30 lap feature with Chris DeRitis (66), Dave Shullick Jr (8) and Bobby Dawson (28) |
| ACME team Stout drivers Trent Stephens (L) and Liquid Lou Cicconi (R), the team now has 3 wins in 2011 |
| Trent Stephens (19) chases after Tim Ice (77) in the MSA feature race |
Stephens set fast time on the night with a lap of 14.510 in his first lap and had to let the second lap
go as he broke the right rear hub. “All I got to say is my car was awesome,” stated the happy
winner. “Ice had a really good car, I just kept working the outside and working the outside figuring
where my car would and would not stick. I finally got it right and when I finally got around him I
never looked back. The car was perfect. I got the best crew in Supers. They do anything I want,
they fix anything, and probably faster than anyone. My car owner Steve ran back to our shop and
welded something today because it broke and did it and was back here within 45 minutes. I have
been so close this year; this is the first race I feel everything has gone right. Lets hope they keep
coming. Everything went right and I drove a smart race so to hang on to this points lead now we
have to keep finishing races,” finished the hard charger.
go as he broke the right rear hub. “All I got to say is my car was awesome,” stated the happy
winner. “Ice had a really good car, I just kept working the outside and working the outside figuring
where my car would and would not stick. I finally got it right and when I finally got around him I
never looked back. The car was perfect. I got the best crew in Supers. They do anything I want,
they fix anything, and probably faster than anyone. My car owner Steve ran back to our shop and
welded something today because it broke and did it and was back here within 45 minutes. I have
been so close this year; this is the first race I feel everything has gone right. Lets hope they keep
coming. Everything went right and I drove a smart race so to hang on to this points lead now we
have to keep finishing races,” finished the hard charger.
“He has been really running well this year, he has matured a lot,” said runner up Ice. “Trent has
matured and I think he has really got a feel for what he is trying to do. I would have had to really run
him hard, he got there and I just didn’t have much for him. If I moved up where I really needed to be
I got a little tight. I had to run right around the bottom and that was my best line. I was making some
pretty good time and was just hoping nobody would get out there, but he did and I couldn’t hold
him off. We had a good car and a good finish. We have just been struggling with a real tight race
car this season, and no luck to go along with it. We did pretty good tonight, we made a big change
just before the feature and it showed,” finished the cagey veteran.
matured and I think he has really got a feel for what he is trying to do. I would have had to really run
him hard, he got there and I just didn’t have much for him. If I moved up where I really needed to be
I got a little tight. I had to run right around the bottom and that was my best line. I was making some
pretty good time and was just hoping nobody would get out there, but he did and I couldn’t hold
him off. We had a good car and a good finish. We have just been struggling with a real tight race
car this season, and no luck to go along with it. We did pretty good tonight, we made a big change
just before the feature and it showed,” finished the cagey veteran.
| Tim Ice thinks about feature time adjustments |
| Trent Stephens gets first win of 2011 |
The 30 lap race was slowed by just the one red flag on the initial start and two other cautions, both
coming just before three laps where complete. The heat winners where Jack Smith and the other
ACME Stout team car of “Liquid” Lou Cicconi. In qualifying seven of the 18 cars on hand went
under the 15 second mark.
coming just before three laps where complete. The heat winners where Jack Smith and the other
ACME Stout team car of “Liquid” Lou Cicconi. In qualifying seven of the 18 cars on hand went
under the 15 second mark.
