Mudclodbob photo
By Bob Buffenbarger
Mason, MI — (May 31, 2013) –Leroy Ellis drove to his second consecutive Spartan Sprint feature win Friday night. Ellis crossed the finish line ahead of John Turnbull, Doug Dietsch, Jim Heeney and Steve Irwin in the 30 lap main event at Spartan Speedway.
On a evening that most tracks in Michigan and surrounding states and provinces were rained out, Spartan Speedway rolled the dice and came out a winner. With impending weather threatening, it was decided all divisions would run their features to begin the night.
After an autograph session on the track that saw a majority of fans in the stands walk among the cars on the frontstretch, the A main rolled onto the track with Cody Hoover on the pole with Greg Taylor along side. As the green dropped Hoover lead the pack after one lap with John Turnbull quickly slipping into second after starting fourth.
Jim Heeney and Leroy Ellis also were on the move with Ellis up to third early on. After Turnbull passed Hoover for the top spot Ellis was on a mission and by lap nine was in second. The tenth circuit found Ellis on Turnbull’s bumper as racing for position behind them was intensifying. After dogging Turnbull, Ellis pulled even but couldn’t make the pass until lap thirteen.
At the half way point Ellis had a two car advantage over Turnbull with Heeney, Taylor and Doug Dietsch looking strong. With twenty laps in Ellis was taking command but Dietsch was giving Heeney all he could handle for third. The best racing over the final ten laps was contested by the black 0 of Dietsch and the blue 0 of Steve Irwin.
Late in the feature as Ellis was putting distance between himself and Turnbull, Dietsch made the pass over Heeney for third and Irwin passed Greg Taylor to take fifth.
At the checkers it was Ellis, Turnbull, Dietsch, Heeney, Steve Irwin, Greg Taylor and Cody Hoover.
Thanks to Jim Leasure for not throwing in the towel tonight and forging ahead with program.