LAKE ODESSA, Mich. — The American Ethanol Modified Tour Presented by Allstar Performance took on Montpelier Motor Speedway for the first time in 2019 with the POET BioFuels 30 and Will Krup won the rain-shortened event.
Zeke McKenzie and Ryan Cripe lead the field to the American Ethanol Green Flag. Cripe made quick work of McKenzie, opening up a several car length advantage within two laps. His lead wouldn’t last long though, as the first caution of the night flew when Garrett Rons, Bryant Clayton, and Brandon McComas got together in turns one and two.
On the ensuing restart, McKenzie struggled off the line, allowing Sherman to get around him for second. McKenzi held strong though, continuing to fight to get the spot back, but as he did, it allowed seventh starting Krup to close in. McKenzie powered around Sherman for second on the top of the race track, as Sherman continued to put power to the ground on the bottom. Sherman suddenly had company on the bottom, as Krup muscled his way to his inside. Krup wasted no time getting around Sherman, and was battling with McKenzie for second just two laps later. Krup cleared McKenzie after a short battle, and had his sights locked in on Crape, and was reeling him in when a single car spin on the backstretch would bring out the second caution of the race on lap 12.
Light and intermittent rain added extra pace laps to ensure the track was good to race on, and drivers prooved it was. Krup used his inside row two starting spot to pull alongside Crape on the restart. The two waged a three lap, side-by-side battle before another caution flew at the halfway point for a two-car spin in one and two – at the last completed lap, Krup had just edged Crape across the line, and would lead the field back to green.
With weather pressing down on the Speedway, driver put on their A-Game for the final laps. Krup opened up a huge lead over Crape and McKenzi, who battled heavily for nearly half a dozen laps before the final caution of the night, when Bill Lewis got high in turn four, and spun to the infield at a rapid pace, crashing through Montpelier Motor Speedway victory lane.
As officials worked to free Lewis’ car from the wooden framework, weather continued to move in, and a brief heavy rain with just five laps to go would end the night, and send Krup to YellowHose.com Victory Lane for the second night in a row.
The finish:
Will Krup, Zeke McKenzie, Ryan Cripe, Scott Orr, Tony Anderson, Ryan Sutter, Todd Sherman, Dillon Nusbaum, Darryl Banks, Jimmie Haager, Erin Orr, Andy Bishop, Scottie Williams, Bub Roberts, Bill Lewis, Daniel Sanchez, Brandon McComas, Matt Twining, Luke Hubbell, Clayton Bryant, Garrett Rons.