By Andrew D. Hayn Pilot Correspondent
PLYMOUTH — The Mid-Season Championship for the Dually Depot Outlaw Late Models roared at Plymouth Speedway Saturday night. The other four classes ran a regular program. The night was action-packed in a lot of different ways.
The night began with qualifying, where Michael Thayer set the fast time for the late models with a time of 12.955.
In the sportsmen division it was Matt Elliott with a time of 14.907. Cecil VanBlaricom set the pace for the mini stocks with a time of 15.352. It was VanBlaricom’s and Thayer’s first fast qualifying rewards of the 2008 racing season at the Plymouth Speedway.

    After opening ceremonies it was time to get underway with the racing action. It all started with the fastest six cars in the late model division going six laps in the dash. Picking up the win was Steve Stacey. With the dash complete it was time for the heats to begin.
    The first late model heat win went to Shane Sanders of Mishawaka. The final and fast late model heat went to Steve Stacey. Stacey got his second win of the night in his attempt for the Mid-Season sweep.
    The sportsmen heat races consisted of eight laps each and three heat races total for the 25 cars in attendance. John Streeting Junior captured the first heat of the night. Racking up the second heat win was Billy Rumbaugh, while Tim Craig won the fast heat event for the division.
    The mini stocks also ran eight-lap heat races. The first heat win went to Drew Davis of South Bend. The second and fast heat win was rewarded to Patrick Tranter of Syracuse.
    The thundercars ran one heat of eight laps. The winner of the heat was Cory Lindsey. The front wheel drives wrapped up the heat racing action with a single eight-lap heat event. The winner of their heat was Kelton Kaechle of Valparaiso.
    At intermission “Scarecrow”, the tracks mascot, made an appearance in an infield stunt. He attempted and cleared a 32-feet long motor coach. The jump totaled 75 feet from the ramp to the landing spot. After the stunt it was time for the feature events.    
    Kicking it off was the 50-lap Mid-Season Champion-ship for the late models. It was a fast and furious race that saw the top eight competitors side-by-side, nose-to-tail with fifteen laps to go under green.
Shane Sanders lost the lead to Scott Hantz in final four laps and Hantz drove on for the victory. The second spot went to Brian Ross on a pass at the line over Sanders and Sanders finished in the third position.
    The sportsmen were up next for their 30-lap feature event. In all, 24 cars made the call for the race. However, it was Brandon Maynard’s night as he dominated his way to victory lane. Billy Rumbaugh finished in second while Mike Schewchuck held on for third and final podium position.
    The mini stocks had an exciting feature event that went 25 laps. Michael Mast in his first showing at the Plymouth Speedway drove with finesse to nab the win Saturday night ahead of Cecil VanBlaricom in second and Matt Norem in the third spot.
    The thundercars went twenty laps and Dave Long Junior of Bourbon had a strong run that allowed him to rack up his second win of ‘08. He held off Troy Lindsey of Michigan in second and coming across the line in third was Joe Clark.
    The final event of the night was the front wheel drives which ran a fifteen lap affair. The racing action was fast but Kelton Kaechle proved to continue his hot streak with his second feature win in a row. He finished ahead of Eric Kiser in second and Steve Reinholt in third.
    This Saturday night at the Plymouth Speedway marks the return of the Supercups. They will be on hand along with the late models, sportsmen, mini stocks, and thundercars. The racing action will begin at seven o’clock. For more information visit them online at www.plymouthspeedway.net .