9/1/2025
Auto City Speedway
August 30th Maximum Destruction - Back2School Bash Results
Auto City Speedway Results 8/30/2025
It was the “Back 2 School Bash, Labor Day Celebration Maximum Destruction” on Saturday night with something for everyone, especially the first one hundred kids as they received free backpacks with school supplies inside.
Making the night special was the annual visit to Auto City Speedway by the Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club which is always a pleasure to have them attend.
As the crowd filed in and ACE (Auto City Eagle) McFly, the Auto City mascot this year, made his rounds and the hot laps were happening, you could tell it was going to be a fun night, especially with the weather being perfect.
After the invocation and National Anthem, it was time to start the destruction. The first race on the schedule was the Chain Gang twelve lapper. When the green flew, it was the team of Josh Delong #067 (puller) and Randy Clayton Jr. (pullie) jumping out to an early lead. With the team of Justin Pepitone #948 / Gerald Persails Jr. #80 in pursuit, but unfortunately, they did spin and ended up exiting before the race was completed. When the checkered flew, it was Delong/Clayton Jr. for the win.
The wild and wooly I-75 twenty lap race was next and as the twenty-one competitors volleyed for position trying to get the timing just right, it was the likes of Pepitone, Delong, Persails Jr., Cody Lurak #10 and Anthony Richardson #422 all going for the lead. When the slowing and going was done and the twenty laps completed, it was Richardson getting the win over Delong and Persails Jr.
Before the next race, the Michigan Auto Racing Fan Club came out to present Josh Delong with a helmet bag being recognized as a true sportsman to the local Michigan short track racing scene.
The twelve lap Push race was next up on the schedule and it was Delong/Clayton Jr. battling with Pepitone/Persails Jr. and Richardson/Lurak. As they drove through lapped traffic, Delong/Clayton Jr. got wonky and almost completely spun giving the lead to Pepitone/Persails Jr. who ended up with the win over Richardson/Lurak.
It was now time for the Kiddie-Stock race, which is always entertaining. But tonight was something special. As they got the green flag, one youngster got past the track worker and started to head around the ¼ mile. The worker started after the young man, which in turn, all the other kids followed suit, except one, as the rest headed to the quarter mile. It was entertaining for sure as everyone got a kick out of seeing that.
But then, it was back to the action on the track with an eight lap Reverse Race, where drivers drive in reverse for all the laps. Scott Platz x23.1 took the early lead, but Pepitone worked his way past Platz on the backstretch of the first lap with Persails Jr. in his tracks. On lap five, Persails Jr. spun and that is all Pepitone needed to get the win.
The fifteen lap Flagpole race was next and it was the #69 of Doug Hennessy jumping out to the lead. By lap two, Delong had worked his way to the front spot putting Hennessy to second. When all the roundy-round around the two tires on the track, it was Delong followed by Richardson and Hennessy.
Now it was time for the fifty lap Enduro race. It was again Delong jumping out front with the field trying to catch him. Drivers like Persails Jr., Rod Nettleton #33, Richardson and Hennessy. Delong though had his Crown Vic on rails as he almost lapped the entire field. When the checkered flew, it was Delong getting yet another victory for the night.
There was a Burn-out contest tonight and it was Haven Hill getting the crowd's approval for the ‘tire-poppin’ burnout he did. Chris Tobias was a very close second.
The unique fifteen lap Shark Race was next and with the two ‘sharks’ lurking about trying to tag the race competitors, it was challenging on both ends to say the least, but it was Doug Hennessy avoiding the sharks to get the win after only thirteen laps.
Now it was time to go to the figure eight track starting with the ten lap, fun and exciting School Bus Figure 8 race. As the bus drivers raced side by side with some in line bump drafting, a few of the buses started to separate from the rest. One fairly new bus driver, Dylan Jacobi ended up taking the turn four turn a bit too hard and actually ‘flipped’ the Bond of Brothers bus he was driving. After the Auto City Safety crew started toward the bus, Dylan climbed out of the driver’s window (which was facing the sky) and stood on the side waving to the crowd that he was OK. Once his bus was taken off the track, it was back to racing. At the completion of the ten laps, it was Justin Pepitone in the Auto City Speedway bus getting the win.
The last race of the night was the ten lap Trailer Figure 8 race. Top runners were Josh Delong, Jason Grissom #224, Andrew Burton #05 and Anthony Richardson. By lap four, it was Richardson getting to the lead bringing with him Burton who was in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, on lap seven, Burton got loose and spun giving Richardson a cushion of a lead. When it was over and done, Richardson got the win.
Next Saturday, September 6th, the CRA-JEG Allstars and the Tri-State Sprints along with the All-American Trucks will be racing.
Check out more details at www.autocityspeedway.com or the Auto City Speedway and Outdoor Events Facebook page and “We’ll See You at the City”.
Article Credit: Randy Adam
Submitted By: Sharon Fischer
