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FLYING ZERO WINS TRIFECTA AT HARTFORD

Hartford, MI – Steve Irwin sets quick time, wins heat and wins the feature in Night 1 of a double header weekend at Hartford Motor Speedway. The Great Lakes Traditional Sprints presented by Perfit (GLTS) made their first of three visits last night with 14 cars.

The night started early with engine heat at 6 pm. GLTS took the track first at 6:30 with 3 car qualifying. With the sun still high in the west, the track proved challenging the first time out, with Steve Irwin setting quick time. A visiting Parker Frederickson (Kokomo, IN) was second quick, with Max Frank (Williamston, MI), Lee Underwood (Troy, OH) and Brian Ruhlman (Clark Lake, MI) rounding out the top 5.

In the Engler Machine & Tool Heat 1, Ruhlman led 7 laps, with S Irwin getting past for the lead and the win coming out of turn 2. Ruhlman takes second with Keith Sheffer, JR (Jerome, MI) rounding out the final redraw spot. Frank and RJ Payne (Montrose, MI) finish 4th and 5th respectively.

Underwood takes the checkered flag in the Rocket Headers Heat 2. Underwood has his hands full the first 3 laps as he battled 2020 GLTS Champion Mike Galajda (Fenton, OH) for the lead. Galajda let the first lap as Underwood gets around him for the lead in the 2nd lap. Galajda regains the lead in the 3rd lap, but Underwood wouldn’t go away, securing the lead for good in the 4th lap. Mike Astraskas (Pierson, MI) ,who started on the tail after an engine problem in qualifying, worked his way through the field to take 2nd in lap 7 and finishing 2nd at the checkered flag. Galajda secures the final redraw spot while Frederickson and Joey Irwin (Davison, MI) rounded out the top 5.
Not needing any help with the night he’d been having, Steve Irwin drew a 1 in the redraw, putting him on the pole for the feature. S Irwin got out front with a clean start and was cruising with Ruhlman, Underwood and Astraskas battling for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th spots. The field clicked off 13 quick laps when Frank lost the handle in the bottom of turn 3, getting loose and spinning in front of a charging Frederickson and Payne. Unfortunately for the trio, their nights ended in lap 13.

With a clean restart, we had a new challenger that had quietly moved up to 3rd from 6th when the caution flew. Sheffer had worked his way past Astraskas and Ruhlman and was working on Underwood. He got around Underwood in lap 15 and he began reeling in the Flying Zero. Sheffer didn’t catch S Irwin who took the checkered a half second ahead of him, but he secured 2nd and the Hoosier Hard Charger Award. Underwood, Ruhlman and Galajda rounded out the top 5 spots.

Next up for Great Lakes Traditional Sprints presented by PErfit is tonight at Crystal Motor Speedway.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@GLSprints) for current events and pictures and go to our website at www.greatlakessprints.com for a complete schedule, results and points standings.

Thank you to our kind sponsors, PErfit/Engine Pro, Engler Machine & Tool, Rocket Headers, Beacon & Bridge and Hoosier Racing Tires.

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