By T.J. Buffenbarger
LAKE ODESSA, Mi. (May 18, 2019) — Steve Irwin opened the season for the Lane Automotive Michigan Traditional Sprints in dominating fashion on Saturday night at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Michigan. Irwin took the lead on lap four and never looked back.
The win was particularly special for Irwin due to some engine issue that almost forced the team to miss the opening event of the season for MTS until one of Irwin’s friends offered to help.
“My buddy Max Stambaugh ran here last week. Him and his Dad gave me a motor to run. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here.”
After Irwin took the lead lapped traffic was his biggest nemesis.
“A lot of these guys it’s their first night out and this place is pretty fast,” said Irwin of I-96 Speedway’s 3/8-mile track layout. “In Michigan we race for five months and sit for seven months. All the lapped guys did good for the most part and got out of the way when I showed them a nose, and they are racing for position too. It was good and I was just trying to be as careful as I could through there.”
Behind Irwin the race for second position as intense with Jay Steinebach and Travis LaCombe trading the position several times until Steinebach took the spot back on lap 15 with a three-wide move through slower traffic on LaCombe.
A late race caution for Christy Graham spinning off the track with two laps could not phase Irwin in route to the victory. Steinebach held off a last lap charge by LaCombe to finish in the runner up position. LcCombe, Mike Moore, and Joe Irwin rounded out the top five.
Lane Automotive Michigan Traditional Sprints
I-96 Speedway
Lake Odessa, MI
Saturday May 19, 2019
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 10S – Jay Steinebach, 2. 5M – Mike Moore, 3. 13 – Ian Hunter, 4. 3A – Mike Austrauskas, 5. 61 – Lucas Smith, 6. 9H – Gary Hayward, 7. 7 – Bill Hartman.
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 1. 00 – Joe Irwin, 2. 35 – Ralph Brakenberry, 3. 4T – Christy Graham, 4. 44 – Tom Davies, 5. 10 – Cody Howard. DNS: 31 – Matt Kinzinger, 0C – Chris Vanderwiele.
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 0 – Steve Irwin, 2. 11 – Travis LaCombe, 3. 91L – Lexi Adgate, 4. 25 – Max Frank, 5. 56 – Mark Irwin, 6. 54 – Joel Hummel. DNS: 26 – Gobby Darling
Feature (20 Laps): 1. 0 – Steve Irwin, 2. 10S – Jay Steinebach, 3. 11 – Travis LaCombe, 4. 5M – Mike Moore, 5. 00 – Joe Irwin, 6. 13 – Ian Hunter, 7. 10 – Cody Howard, 8. 61 – Lucas Smith, 9. 3A – Mike Astrauskus, 10. 7 – Bill Hartman, 11. 25 – Max Frank, 12. 54 – Joel Hummel, 13. 56 – Mark Irwin, 14. 91L – Lexi Adgate, 15. 44 – Tom Davies, 16. 9H – Gary Howard, 17. 0C – Chris Vanderwiele, 18. 4T – Christy Graham, 19. 35 – Ralph Brakenberry. DNS: 26 – Gobby Darling, 31 – Matt Kinzinger.