Late race pass propels Curt Michael to ESS win at Thunder Mountain

2015 ESS Empire Super Sprints Top Story

From Mike Mallett

Center Lisle, NY — (September 5, 2015) — Curt Michael used a late race restart to muscle his way by Chuck Hebing to score his first Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprint victory of the season in the 25-lap NAPA Auto Parts Tour of the U.S. A-Main at the Thunder Mountain Speedway on Saturday night. The win was worth $2,050 and it was the sixth of Michael’s career and his first win in the state of New York since 2008 with ESS.

Michael was the high-side hustler on this night working the extreme outside of the speedway while everyone else elected to hug the bottom of the track. With the top lane open, the Ocean View, Del., driver made a quick pace allowing him to move to the front of the field from the tenth starting position. That lane proved to be the difference maker as he went on to score the victory over Chuck Hebing and Robbie Stillwaggon.

“This means a hell of a lot to get a win,” said Michael. “These guys are good up here. I’m just glad to win in front of all these fans. (Brett) Deyo, thank you for putting on a great show. I don’t think you could get any more cars in the pits. The track was perfect, the top was there and I love this little racey joint. If it’s like this all the time I’m going to try to come up here as much as I can.”

Paulie Colagiovanni led the first lap of the event before succumbing to a high-side pass by Hebing on the second circuit. Hebing blasted around the Marcellus, N.Y., driver in turns one and two and showed the way until a lap five jingle involving several cars slowed the pace of the feature.

Hebing stayed in front once action resumed with Colagiovanni on his heels. He never allowed Hebing to get more than a couple car lengths away as he fought to stay with the veteran on the tight third-mile oval.

The race reached the mid-point with Hebing and Colagiovanni battling at the front of the field and Michael moving into the top five. Two laps later both Hebing and Colagiovanni found themselves together in slower traffic as Michael continued around the high groove.

With 18 showing complete, Hebing and Colagiovanni came to the line side-by-side while Michael took third away from Stillwaggon. He remained high on the track surface as the top two battle for position on the bottom in slower traffic.

Hebing struggled in traffic which allowed Colagiovanni to actually wrestle the race lead away from him on lap 19 before Hebing drove back underneath him on the exit of turn four to take back the top spot one lap later. While this battle waged for the lead, Michael was watching from third waiting for his opportunity.

Michael grabbed the lead on lap 24 but before the lap was completed the red flag was necessary as Parker Evans got sideways and flopped slightly over on his side doing damage to the rear of his No. 61. Michael now had to find another way by Hebing.

Hebing elected the outside lane for the restart and as the pair raced down into the first corner where contact was made between the two as Michael came up the speedway looking for the cushion. Both drivers straightened out their cars with Michael gaining the advantage down the backstretch.

“On the restart I didn’t get as good of a start as I wanted to because the car kind of stumbled there,” commented Michael. “I was hoping I’d have a bigger lead when I went into the corner and when I got in I had the wing so far back I got a little push and I got into him a little. I’ve raced with Chuck (Hebing) for years and he knows I didn’t do nothing dirty just two old guys racing hard for the win.”

Michael went on to win the feature while Hebing crossed the line second just holding off Stillwaggon. Hebing was disappointed that the contact hindered his efforts but he was pleased with his car otherwise on the night.

“Second sucks,” said Hebing. “It was a good run and we had a good car tonight. I just should have moved up when I couldn’t get by the lapped traffic. Things just didn’t work out.”

Stillwaggon crossed the line in the third position. Stillwaggon’s car came on late in the race and had it gone green until the end the Burlington, N.J., driver might have had something for the top two.

“It was a good race there,” said Stillwaggon. “I would have liked to see the thing stay green right until the checkered; I think we would have had a better shot at it. Lapped traffic was crucial there. There were five or six of us right there all battling for the lead. It was a really good race there.”

Steve Poirier battled his way up through after starting ninth to finish fourth as he chases his sixth overall championship while Colagiovanni held on to finish a close fifth at the conclusion of the feature.

ESS/Thunder Mountain Notes – 26 cars took part of Sprint Car Saturday Night….Stillwaggon, Jimmy Stitzel and Jeremy Quick made their first starts of 2015…Quick, Chad Miller and Thomas Radivoy did double duty racing with the CRSA Sprint Cars as well.

Lucas Oil A-Main – Curt Michael ($2,050), Chuck Hebing ($1,075), Robbie Stillwaggon, ($825), Steve Poirier ($630), Paulie Colagiovanni ($565), Joe Trenca ($660), Jason Barney ($655), Thomas Radivoy ($420), Tommy Wickham ($485), Paul Kinney ($500), Chad Miller ($385), Cory Sparks ($320), Jimmy Stitzel ($300), Shawn Donath ($390), Jeff Cook ($360), George Suprick ($330), Mike Stelter ($325), Dylan Swiernik ($295), Dave Axton ($90), Parker Evans ($335), Larry Kelleher ($255), Mike Mahaney ($275), Matt Tanner ($250).

Did Not Qualify – Keith Prutzman, Jeremy Quick, Pete Richardson

Lap Leaders – Colagiovanni 1, Hebing 2-23, Michael 24-25