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Ryan Ruhl Rules MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge At Merritt Speedway

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2007 Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP Rookie of the Year, Ryan drove from his 7th place starting position to win Saturday’s caution-free 25 lap MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge at Merritt Speedway, Michigan’s Premier Dirt Track.

Mike Astrauskas took the lead from the pole and held the lead for twenty laps, fighting off challenges by Brad Lamberson who pulled alongside at one point.  Meanwhile, Ruhl steadily moved through the field and took the lead out of turn 4 from race long leader Astrauskas with five laps to go and went on to win his second feature of the 2017 racing season.  The 30-year-old from Coldwater, Michigan in his popular #16 C&C Contractors/J&J Chassis/Rider Racing Engines sprinter would score career win #15 and the victory moves him into a tie for ninth all-time in SOD history. Brad Lamberson finished second ahead of two-time SOD Champion, Gregg Dalman while Astrauskas and 2001 SOD Champion, Steve Irwin completed the top five in the third race of the MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge Series Race #3.

Thomas Schinderle, leading both SOD Championship and MAHLE/Clevite BLC points going into the show, experienced engine problems that ended his night before qualifying, costing him both point leads.  Steve Irwin now leads Gregg Dalman and Schinderle in SOD Championship points.  Irwin also leads the MAHLE/Clevite BLC points over Schinderle and Robert Huisken now.

Qualifying – Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition Fast Masters (fast qualifiers) $50 each

Group Time # Driver
Engler Machine & Tool Heat 14.557 27 Brad Lamberson
COMP Cams Heat 14.862 49T Gregg Dalman

 

Heat Races – Winners $100 each

Engler Machine & Tool Heat #1
  # Driver Contingency
1 16 Ryan Ruhl
2 27 Brad Lamberson Kistler Racing Products
3 71H Ryan Grubaugh Racing Optics
4 6 Tyler Bearden
5 47 Robert Bulloch
6 16x Nic Rogers
7 31 Tanner Astrauskas
8 10J Chris Jones
9 58 Tony Bures
10 41 Thomas Schinderle

 

COMP Cams Heat #2
  # Driver Contingency
1 49T Gregg Dalman
2 0 Steve Irwin Allstar Performance
3 3A Mike Astrauskas Racing Optics
4 46 Robert Huisdken
5 77 Andrew Scheid
6 8 Justin Ward
7 1a Mark Aldrich
8 27x Jared Lamberson
9 81 Ricky Ferkel

 

Dash – $100 to win

RockAuto.com Dash for Cash
  # Driver Contingency
1 77 Andrew Scheid
2 47 Robert Bulloch Kistler Racing Products
3 8 Justin Ward Racing Optics
4 16x Nic Rogers
5 31 Tanner Astrauskas
6 1a Mark Aldrich

Feature

  # Driver Starting Position
Contingencies
1 16 Ryan Ruhl 7 Rod End Supply
2 27 Brad Lamberson 5 Rod End Supply
3 49T Gregg Dalman 2 Rod End Supply
4 3A Mike Astrauskas 1 Schoenfeld Headers
5 0 Steve Irwin 8 ATL Racing Fuel Cells
6 46 Robert Huisken 3
7 8 Justin Ward 11 Allstar Performance
8 16x Nic Rogers 12
9 77 Andrew Scheid 9 King Racing Products
10 71H Ryan Grubaugh 4
11 1a Mark Aldrich 14 Keizer Aluminum Wheels
12 47 RobertBulloch 10
13 27X Jared Lamberson 16
14 81 Ricky Ferkel 17
15 10J Chris Jones 15
16 6 Tyler Bearden 6
17 31A Tanner Astrauskas 13
DNS 58 Tony Bures
DNS 41 Thomas Schinderle

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger – Ryan Ruhl (+6)
BR Motorsports Contingency (feature top 10 draw) – Brad Lamberson
DMI (Diversified Machine) Contingency (feature 12-16 draw) – Robert Bulloch
Perfit Corporation Lucky Dog – Steve Irwin

For more information about Engine Pro go to www.enginepro.com.  For more information about ARP, go to www.arp-bolts.com.  The full 2017 Sprints on Dirt schedule, rules, current news, and other information are available at www.sprintsondirt.com.

Engine Pro Sprints On Dirt presented by ARP is brought to you in 2017 by many important sponsor partners including: Engine Pro (Title Sponsor), ARP (Title Sponsor), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official SOD Tire), MAHLE/Clevite (Beyond Limits Challenge Sponsor), Driven Racing Oil (Battlegrounds Bash Sponsor), King Engine Bearings (King of Michigan Sponsor), Lane Automotive/MSD Ignition (Fast Masters Sponsor), Engler Machine & Tool (Heat Race Sponsor), COMP Cams (Heat Race Sponsor), RockAuto.com (Heat Race Sponsor), The Perfit Corporation (Lucky Dog Sponsor), KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Sponsor), XYZ Machining (Season Sportsman & Crew Chief Sponsor).  In addition, SOD contingency sponsors include: Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, BR Motorsports, Diversified Machine Inc. (DMI), K2W Precision/Keizer Aluminum Wheels, King Racing Products, Kistler Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Motor City Racing Promotions, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Racing Products, Walker Performance Filtration.

 

 




Race Day – Saturday, July 8th, 2017 – Merritt Speedway (MI) – MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge Series Race #3

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Today (Saturday, July 8th) is Race Day! The Engine Pro Sprints on Dirt presented by ARP return to action after an extended period of time off and are at Merritt Speedway, located west of Houghton Lake in Lake City, Michigan for the Lake City SOD Rumble. This event is the postponed date from June 24th that was rained out and also the first of two appearances by the fire breathing, winged warriors of SOD at the fast ¼ (0.250) mile semi-banked dirt oval. This event will be the 45th appearance all-time by SOD at Merritt.

 

The third round of the MAHLE/Clevite Beyond Limits Challenge Series see Perfit Corporation Rookie of the Year points leader, Thomas Schinderle leading not only the freshman title chase, but the Overall points and the MAHLE/Clevite standings as well. A trio of former SOD Champions, Steve Irwin (2001), Dain Naida (1999) and Gregg Dalman (2015 & 2012) are all chasing him down. The winner of the last three SOD Features, Chad Blonde will look to extend that winning streak with a potential fourth Feature win in a row as the SOD teams have made the trek to the “Great White North.”

 

Schedule of Events – Saturday, July 8th, 2017 – Merritt Speedway – Lake City, Michigan

4:00p.m. – Pit Gates Open / SOD Draw Opens
4:50p.m. – SOD Draw Closes
5:00p.m. – SOD Drivers Meeting
5:15p.m. – SOD Engine Heat
6:00p.m. – SOD Hot Laps/Group Qualifying

6:55p.m. – Pre-Race Ceremonies
7:00p.m. – Racing Begins

 

Click on the link provided for more event information: merrittspeedwaymi.com

 

Click on the link provided to follow live timing and scoring, via MCRP & Race Monitor:
motorcityracing.co/livetiming

 

Follow SOD on Twitter for exclusive live updates throughout Race Day at:
Twitter.com/SprintsOnDirt

 

Like SOD on Facebook for pictures and more from behind the scenes throughout Race Day at:
Facebook.com/sprintsondirt