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Elsie Curtiss Memorial Gives Great Racing

Friday, May 8th.
It was finally race day this past Friday. After countless battles with Mother Nature we had some cooperation with the weather lady! A breezy low 60 degree day was sure to make for some great racing and it was delivered in full force. The cool temps didn’t keep fans away as a strong crowd was on hand for the start of the 2026 racing season. 104 cars were on the property. The Buckeye Outlaw Sprints joined forces with the Great Lakes Traditional Sprints for what was to shaping up to be an absolute thriller of a night.
The night started off with Choice Concrete UMP Late Models qualifying. Travis Stemler (#4) would top the board early on with a lap of 16.083 to start the night but would then be knocked off the top by Dona Marcoullier (#6M) laying down a lap of 15.587. It would then be Rusty Schlenk (#91) ripping the lip with a time of 15.195 bumping Marcoullier off the top of the charts and being the overall quick time of the evening.
Heat races followed shortly after qualifying wrapped up as the Choice Concrete Late Models took to the track once again. Picking up heat race wins was Travis Stemler (#4), Dona Marcoullier (#6M), and Rusty Schlenk (#91). Top 5 Finishing Order Listed Below.
Heat Race #1:
Travis Stemler #4
Logan Nickerson #21
Cody Bauer #19X
Bill Bray #94
Jeffery Erickson #1E
Heat Race #2:
Dona Marcoullier #6M
Colin Shipley #46
Eric Spangler #27
Chase Burda #18
Justin White #20W
Heat Race #3:
Rusty Schlenk #91
Devin Shiels #51
Brayden Shiels #51B
Jacob Stuhr #18S
Brady Lajoye #23
Following Choice Concrete UMP Late Models was the Hubbco Race Products IMCA Modifieds. Heat race winners were Myron DeYoung (#7D), Casey Smith (#83), and Dan Hubbell (#32H).
Heat Race #1:
Myron DeYoung (#7D)
Shannon Fisk (#43)
Brenton DeYoung (#71)
Mitchell Hunt (#38)
Kody Johnson (#19JR)
Heat Race #2:
Casey Smith (#83)
Mark Anderson (#43A)
Jeff Reay (#12)
Calvin Stemler (#5)
Nick Ely (#15E)
Heat Race #3:
Dan Hubbell (#32H)
Bree Wonch (#10W)
Zach Sweet (#400)
Luke Hubbell (#23)
Denny Mooney (#8)
Next Level Coating Street Stocks hit the track afterwards with Carland Forsythe (#67), and Gary Vandermark (#10) picking up heat race wins.
Heat Race #1:
Carland Forsythe (#67)
Mike Lynn (#96)
Randy Woodbury (#1BB)
Jay Scott (#7S)
Britany Devries (#70)
Heat Race #2:
Gary Vandermark (#10)
Payton Cunningham (#27P)
Trinedy Huey (#24)
Jon Nagel (#33)
Hunter Evans (#2)
Final heat races of the evening were the Compacts. Heat race winners were Drew Phillips (#22), and Bryan Woodall (#27W).
Heat Race #1:
Drew Phillips (#22)
Mike Currier (#00)
David Wolfe (#81X)
Johnathan Wood (#329)
Trenton Dingman (#31)
Heat Race #2:
Bryan Woodall (#27W)
Blake Huitema (#62)
Austin Terryn (#49)
Adam Gray (#12)
Irving Carey (#23C)
First A-Main of the night was the Choice Concrete UMP Late Models. Two heavy hitters would make up the front row being Rusty Schlenk (#91) on the pole and to his outside was Logan Nickerson (#21). Drop of the green it would be Schlenk to jump out to an early lead with Dona Marcoullier (#6M) in pursuit of the McClure, OH native. A late race caution would shake things up with Marcoullier throwing a heavy slide job on Schlenk just for Schlenk to throw a slider of his own the next corner to retake the lead and hold on to capture his first win at I-96 Speedway in 2026 and his 3rd win overall at the speedway.
Top 5 finishers listed below.
A-Main Top 5:
Rusty Schlenk (#91)
Cody Bauer (#19x)
Dona Marcoullier (#6M)
Logan Nickerson (#21)
Eric Spangler (#27)
Up next was the Hubbco Race Products IMCA Modified A-Main. What seemed to be a race of attrition quickly shaped up to be a very close battle within the top 5. Bringing the field to the green flag was Mark Anderson (#43A), and Bree Wonch (#10W). In short time Myron DeYoung (#7D) would take over the top spot and hold the lead for a vast majority of the race until disaster struck causing DeYoung falling off the pace giving the lead to Casey Smith (#83) who was hot on DeYoung’s heels. Smith would hold onto the lead until a late race caution came out causing the race to end due to time limitations. Smith would sweep the night winning both his heat and feature in the Hubbco Race Products IMCA Modifieds.
Top 5 Listed Below.
A-Main Top 5:
Casey Smith (#83)
Brenton DeYoung (#71)
Mark Anderson (#43A)
Mitchell Hunt (#38)
Shannon Fisk (#43)
Following the Hubbco Race Products IMCA Modifieds would be the Next Level Coatings Street Stocks. The Street Stock A-Main was full of thrills and spills as shortly after the green flag came out the red flag was displayed for Jay Scott (#7S) who had started on the pole but soon would end up on his side in turn 1. Luckily Scott was not injured but was not able to continue once safety officials got his machine right side up or down? Pun intended. Once things got cleaned up it would be Randy Woodbury (#1BB) on the pole and Mike Lynn (#96) to his outside making up the front row. Lynn would jump out to an early lead but soon it would be defending 2025 Track Champion Carlind Forsythe (#67) challenging for lead and eventually taking over the top spot to go on and win the Next Level Coatings Street Stocks A-Main.
Top 5 Listed Below.
A-Main Top 5:
Carlind Forsythe (#67)
Mike Lynn (#96)
Gary Vandermark (#10)
Jon Nagel (#33)
Randy Woodbury (#1BB)
Finally closing out the night would be the Compacts. A pair of strong individuals would make up the front row being Drew Phillips (#22) on the pole and Adam Gray (#12) outside pole. Green comes out and it’s Phillips with the early lead but hot on his heels would be Mike Currier (#00) who would eventually power his way by Phillips. Currier would fend off Phillips after few late race cautions to hold on and pick up the win in the compacts.
Top 5 Listed Below.
A-Main Top 5:
Mike Currier (#00)
Drew Phillips (#22)
Blake Huitema (#62)
Bryan Woodall (#27W)
Jordan Siegel (#14)

Please join us this Friday, May 15th for Frist Responder Night!

Photo Credit: Mike Powell

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