From Dave Buchanan
Smithton, PA — (September 10, 2011) — It was a historical night for Trent Stephens of Ravenna, Ohio as he captured the Midwest Supermodified Association Piney Lasky Memorial 50 at the Motordrome Speedway. It was the first ever Supermodified race contested at the fast ½-mile oval in Smithton, PA.
Stephens began the day etching his name in the record book during time trials as he set quick time with a lap of 15.332 seconds in the fastest lap ever run in Motordrome history. For the 50-lap feature the 22-year-old pilot of the ACME Racing #49 had a challenge ahead of him as he started 10th in the 13-car field.
Mike McVetta and Denny Fisher led the field to the initial green flag. McVetta was a last-second replacement driver for the Paller Racing #64. He was originally slated to maintain his points lead in the Buckeye Super Sprints at Sandusky Speedway but that event rained out.
McVetta led early on as a six-car pack that included McVetta, Charlie Schultz, Dave Shullick, Jr., Tim Ice, Kyle Edwards and Stephens broke away from the field.
The lead group remained in that order until the halfway point when Stephens decided to make a charge to the front. He passed Edwards and Ice by lap 28 and caught McVetta just three laps later.
Stephens made a run around the outside of McVetta coming off turn four on lap 32 to take the lead in what turned out to be the race winning pass. Stephens then stormed away from the field winning the event by a half lap as the 50-lap affair ran caution free much to the delight of the fans in attendance.
The second half surge by Stephens was not by design “I was trying to keep everyone in sight,” Stephens said, “I wasn’t very good the first 15 laps and I started playing with my line a little bit and the car got better.”
It was the second MSA win of the year for Stephens and it increases his point lead going into the final race of the year next weekend at Sandusky. For Stephens it was a real treat to win the first ever MSA race at Motordrome.
“It was a really bumpy track but it was fun track race at,” Stephens said, “it was challenging because you could run two, three grooves and you had to go where your car wanted to work.”
It was one-two finish for ACME Racing as Dave Shullick, Jr. crossed the finish line behind his teammate. The May Motorsports machines of Charlie Schultz and Tim Ice finished third and fourth. Kyle Edwards rounded out the top five. Mike McVetta finished sixth after leading the first 31 laps.
The MSA will next race on September 17 at Sandusky Speedway in the third annual MSA/Oswego Non-Wing Challenge. More information about this event and all MSA races can be found on www.MidwestSupers.com
Midwest Supermodified Association Piney Lasky Memorial 50 Finish – TRENT STEPHENS, Dave Shullick, Jr., Charlie Schultz, Tim Ice, Kyle Edwards, Mike McVetta, Brandon Fisher, Denny Fisher, Matt Palmer, Jon Henes, Jack Smith, Jeff Banyas, Cord Ehrhart DNS: AJ Lesiecki, Larry Lenhard
Heat Winners – Brandon Fisher, Charlie Schultz
Time Trials – Trent Stephens 15.332 (New Track Record)