From - Scott Schultz.
DANNY BYRD HONORED, STAN YEE JR. WINS AT FLAT ROCK FLAT ROCK, MI: Former
track champion Danny Byrd Night was honored Saturday evening as part of
the Allen Chevrolet–Cadillac/WTWR Radio Night at Flat Rock Speedway. Stan
Yee Jr. scored his first win of the year, as did Randy DeMaggio. Randy
Cronenwett, Gary Hawes and Mitch Crider also took feature wins. They were
greeted in victory lane by Jeanette Smith of Allen Chevrolet, who presented
trophies and bonus money. Byrd was brought onto the track by former competitor
and long-time friend Joy Fair in Joy’s Model T and presented Danny with
a plaque, while ARCA President Ron Drager awarded Byrd the ARCA lifetime
membership Gold Card. Drager then had a car with the famous #08 pull out
of the pit area, much to Danny’s surprise. The emotional Byrd thanked countless
people and was very gracious in his acceptance speech. Danny was the 1973
champ at Flat Rock and the 1965, 1973 and the 1978 champion at Toledo.
He has 29 career wins at Flat Rock and 27 wins at Toledo, which ranks him
3rd in all-time wins at both tracks!
An action-packed 35 lap ARCA Allen Chevrolet-Cadillac/Cintas
Late Model feature saw Paul Hahn take command over Dennis Strickland,
Tim Hebert and Stan Yee Jr. on the green. The track, in perfect condition,
allowed 2 wide racing all night. For 22 laps, the field battled, as Strickland
and Yee took several shots on the outside. Steve Bunge and Rick Knowles
also jumped outside and were on the move. Yee moved by the lead duo on
lap 20 to take the lead. The red flag came out 1 lap later for an altercation
in turn 3 as Hahn lost control of his machine and spun collecting Knowles,
Strickland and Bunge. Yee was able to hold off Tim Hebert and a fast-closing
Royce Cornett for the big win. Yee told the crowd, “This was special for
me to win tonight, as Danny Byrd has been a big part of Yee Racing”. Byrd
drove for Stan’s dad in the 1980’s in the same paint scheme and #33 on
the doors. Dan Ford Jr. and Steve Cronenwett rounded out the top five,
with Robbie Loving, Arnold Kirsch, Len Roberts, Ron Allen and Paul Pelletier
completing the top ten. The Harwood Pontiac/Buick fast time went to Royce
Cornett at 11.672. Hahn, Allen and Mike Jaynes took the heat races.
The ARCA Joe Lake Tire Street Stock feature
saw Terry Humphrey take the early lead while trying to hold off Tom Selmi
on the outside and Terry Lilley on the inside. On lap 14, Humphrey and
Lilley tangled, sending Lilley to the tail of the field and Humphrey on
the tow truck. Randy DeMaggio inherited the lead and held on for his first
win of the season. Kevin Butzin recorded his best-ever run with a second,
with Ken Knight third, Randy Casey fourth
and Ron Allen fifth, followeed by Tom Phillips, Tony Ortega, Gary Majchrzak,
Arnold Hall and Earl Roth. Knight set quick time at 13.457. Gary Hawes
won the 15 lap B Main event, followed by Rob Murphy, Mel Worley, Steve
Chartrand and Greg Stillwell Jr. Mitch Crider won the C Main Street Stock
event. The A-Dash winner was DeMaggio, while Rob Murphy won the B-Dash.
Heat wins went to Randy Casey, Ed Hindall,
Larry Smouthers, Rich Abel and Paul Falkenburg.