June 6
Merritt Speedway,
Lake City, MI
Sanction: American Ethanol Late Model Tour (DIRTcar) (Merritt Showdown) - $5,000
Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated June 7, 2:08 pm)
Spangler earns repeat in Merritt Showdown
Merritt Showdown
- Eric Spangler
- David Mielke
- Andrew Terrill
- Travis Stemler
- Rich Neiser
- Brandon Thirlby
- Dona Marcoullier
- Nick Kurtz
- Rich Bell
- Greg Gokey
- Steve Casebolt
- Jeremy Tulick
- Logan Arntz
- Kory Maurice
- Bill Bray
- Gregg Haskell
- Drew Wilkerson
- Kevin Reeve
- Mike Staszak
- Michael Luberda Jr.
- Mike Vandermark
- Bob Hammar
presented by
Jim DenHamer
Eric Spangler takes the checkered flag at Merritt Speedway to win Wednesday's American Ethanol Tour event.
What won the race: Winning his second straight American Ethanol Late Model Tour main event, hometown driver Eric Spangler led all 40 laps from the pole to capture Wednesday’s Merritt Showdown. Spangler, who won last lear’s Merritt Showdown as well, earned $5,000 for finishing ahead of rookie David Mielke and Andrew Terrill.
Quotable: "I've gotta thank Tader Masters," winner Eric Spangler said while also thanking his crew. "Yesterday I drove down to MasterSbilt and we worked on this car all day. That guy knows what he's doing and he helped us to victory lane tonight."
Key notes: Spangler held a 3.680-second advantage at the halfway mark and had moved out to a four-second lead over Travis Stemler when the race’s only caution waved on lap 24 for Mike Vandermark's flat tire. … After passing Travis Stemler for second on lap 25 after a restart, Mielke stayed with Spangler and trailed by only .270 of a second at the finish after a late-race bid for the lead in traffic. … Fifteen of the 23 starters completed all 40 laps. … Merritt welcomed the Ethanol Tour for the eighth time in series history and the first of tour visits this season. ... In five series races this year there have been four different winners: Spangler (twice), Rusty Schlenk, Steve Casebolt and Brandon Thirlby. … The series returns to Merritt on Sept. 2.
On the move: Jeremy Tullick started 22nd and finished 12th.
Winner's sponsors: Spangler's MasterSbilt Race Car is sponsored by Spangler Heating & Cooling, Cyclo Products, Forbes Construction & Excavation, Mark Mitchell P.C., Atkins Electric, Taco Boy, A&L Trading Post, Babb Ford, Goodman H&C and Xtreme GrafX.
Points chase: Entering the Merritt Showdown, Steve Casebolt (290) of Richmond, Ind., led Brandon Thirlby (282), Eric Spangler (263), Nick Kurtz (262) and Travis Stemler (243).
Car count: 27
Fast qualifier: Dona Marcoullier
Time: 13.509 seconds
Polesitter: Eric Spangler
Heat race winners: Travis Stemler, Kory Maurice, Eric Spangler
Consolation race winners: Logan Arntz
Next series race: July 5, Merritt Speedway (Lake City, MI) $5,000
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.
