crystalmotorspeedway Archives

Harnick Powers to Victory at Crystal

By Ben Deatherage CRYSTAL, Mich. (Apr. 12, 2025) — The 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at Crystal Motor Speedway delivered a dramatic finish during the track’s 2025 opener, ultimately awarding Austin Harnick the win after a post-race penalty. Kody Johnson, the 2017 Tri-City Motor Speedway champion, edged out Nathan Paitrick to lead the opening lap before a caution slowed the field. Chase Rosebrugh jumped into second on the restart and powered around Johnson to take command on lap 5. Rosebrugh, the 2023 DeVilbiss Racing Eastern Region Rookie of the Year, set a blistering pace and opened a sizable gap over the field. Harnick, the reigning Merritt Speedway track titlist and defending Great Lakes Nationals winner, settled into second and began to chip away at the lead. As Rosebrugh encountered thick lapped traffic, Harnick closed in to set up a tense final-lap showdown. The two battled fiercely coming to the white flag with slower cars still in play. Rosebrugh crossed the finish line first, but following post-race technical inspection, he was penalized two positions for [Read More]

Harnick, Brillhart are great at Crystal’s Great Lakes Nationals

CRYSTAL, Mich. (Sept. 14, 2024) – A career-best season for Austin Harnick got even better Saturday night, while Rob Brillhart made history of his own at Crystal Motor Speedway. Harnick won the 32nd annual Great Lakes Nationals feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and $5,000 while Brillhart topped the $2,000 to win IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main, in that division’s debut at Michigan’s premier sanctioned event. Not much more than a month removed from his 22nd birthday, Harnick had the second quickest time in Friday qualifying and started outside Mitchell Hunt on the front row for the Modified 40-lapper. Winner of the Rage Chassis Race of Champions at Boone the previous weekend, Hunt saw early advantages erased by a couple cautions. Harnick took the lead following a restart 12 laps in and the front pair fought for the lead most of the way, before Harnick was able to pull away as the race wound down. “The last five laps or so was just pretty much going for it with everything I have,” said Harnick, newly eligible to [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars on Crystal’s Great Lakes Nationals show

CRYSTAL, Mich. (Sept. 9, 2024) – IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars make their first appearance while Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds return to the program for Crystal Motor Speedway’s 32nd annual Great Lakes Nationals Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13 and 14. Modifieds run for $5,000 to win in their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying event while Stock Cars run for $2,000 to win and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Eastern Region and EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region, and Michigan State points will be awarded as well. “We decided back in April to add the Stock Cars to Great Lakes Nationals,” said promoter Brian LeBaron. “We are seeing more and more Street Stocks here and the cars have a very similar rules package to the IMCA Stock Cars. The chassis that we’re seeing when we go to Boone, the Harris’ and the B & B’s, are the chassis that we’re seeing show up in our classes.” Corner Market and Deer Processing sponsors the 50-lap Modified feature. Stock [Read More]

IMCA Modified winner at Crystal to cash $1,500 check

CRYSTAL, Mich. (May 30, 2024) – Allstar Performance sponsors the Fast Shafts All-Star race and kids get autographs from all their favorite drivers this Saturday at Crystal Motor Speedway. The June 1 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature pays $1,500 to win, $1,000 for second, a minimum of $175 to finish in the top 10 and $150 for 11th through 20th place. Saturday’s show is draw/redraw. The winner becomes eligible to qualify for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational while the hard charger pockets $200 courtesy of Prime FX and Hilliard Heating and Air Conditioning. Drivers will sign autographs and hand out treats during Kids’ Night in the pits, sponsored by Artesian Well Produce and Spring Water, from 5-6 p.m. Pit passes are $35 and adult spectator admission is $15. Pits open at 2, the grandstand opens at 4 and the big track gets bust starting at 7 p.m.

Crystal checkers give DeYoung IMCA Modified wins in 30 straight seasons

CRYSTAL, Mich. (May 18, 2024) – Myron DeYoung might have raced his way into the IMCA record book Saturday night but he’ll be the first person to tell you he didn’t get there all by himself. DeYoung became the first driver to win a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified weekly feature in 30 consecutive seasons, topping the May 18 main event at home track Crystal Motor Speedway. “Winning the regional championship last year was big, but this was an even bigger accomplishment once I started thinking about it,” he said the next day. “It’s humbling to think about all the people who have helped so I can go out and win races. I didn’t do this by myself.” DeYoung earned the first of what is now 144 career victories in the class in 1995. There have been some lean seasons since but he’s added at least one IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing win every year since. Along with the 2023 DeVilbiss Racing Chassis Eastern Region crown, DeYoung has also compiled nine track titles – eight of [Read More]

Brian LeBaron takes dream job as new Crystal promoter

CRYSTAL, Mich. (Feb. 27, 2023) – He’s already been a race car driver and owner, but Brian LeBaron sees a childhood dream come true this season as the new promoter and general manager at Crystal Motor Speedway. “One of the things I love most in life is dirt track racing. This is something I always hoped would happen,” said LeBaron, who takes over the helm of the 3/8-mile Michigan clay oval now owned by his brother Jake and childhood friend Steve Vernon and purchased from long-time owners Ron and Mary Jane Flinn. “It’s something we started talking about at the 2021 awards banquet. It has taken a while but it finally happened.” “I know there are big shoes to fill, literally, and Ron left us an incredibly good product,” he continued. “I love the family atmosphere at Crystal and look forward to seeing my racing family again.” Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds have run at Crystal, the longest continuously sanctioned track in both Michigan and the Eastern Region, since 1988. Saturday night IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly [Read More]

Hall of fame career ends for Crystal promoter Ron Flinn

CRYSTAL, Mich. (Feb. 15, 2023) – Looking back at the end of one era and the beginning of another, Ron Flinn hopes to be remembered for the respect he showed the drivers, race teams and fans. It’s a good bet he’ll be remembered for his height and his sense of humor, too. Owner and promoter Flinn and his wife Mary Jane have announced the sale of Crystal Motor Speedway, Michigan’s longest continuously sanctioned Friesen Performance IMCA Modified track. The Flinns and son Ryan have handed the keys to Jake LeBaron, Steven Vernon and Brian LeBaron and will help the new ownership team in the transition. “It’s been a long and treasured ride for sure. I have been so blessed,” said the 81-year-old Flinn, the tallest promoter in IMCA at 6-8 and a regular in senior basketball action across the country when not at the track. “I have been blessed by my racing families and my basketball families, to say nothing about my personal family. They are all near and dear.” Now a Michigan Motorsports Hall [Read More]

Brenten DeYoung is best at Great Lakes Nationals

CRYSTAL, Mich. (Sept. 18, 2022) – The latest addition to Team DeYoung’s Great Lakes Nationals trophy collection will have a special place in the display case. Brenten DeYoung topped the 50-lap, $3,000 to win special for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds Sunday at Crystal Motor Speedway. The checkers were his career first at one of the premier events for the division in Michigan and in the Dirt Works Eastern Region, and came ahead of his father and seven-time Great Lakes Nationals king Myron. “It’s incredible,” the younger DeYoung said following his second feature win of the season at the family’s long-time home track. “This is a race I’ve wanted to win for a long time and I’m grateful to finally pull it off.” Fourth on the initial grid, he moved up to the outside of the front row following a lap one restart, used the outside line to pass pole starter Nathan Patrick going into the first turn and led every time around the track. Multiple cautions kept the field close throughout before DeYoung was able [Read More]

Crystal mourns loss of Brandon Bogart

By Verwayne Greenhoe CRYSTAL, Mich. (May 14, 2022) – Crystal Motor Speedway canceled events scheduled for Saturday night due to wet conditions and the threat of rain. Racing aside, the track would like to take a moment to recognize our loss. Early in the afternoon of May 11, Crystal Motor Speedway and Montcalm County lost an employee, a faithful friend, family member, and a wonderful human being. Brandon Bogart had worked at the track since he was 12 and was a fireman for Crystal Township, Home Township and the Stanton Community fire departments. He had been fighting cancer for over a year at Metro Hospital and finally laid down his fireman’s coat and went ‘home.’ Brandon fought the disease with courage and humor. Ron Flinn, CMS owner and promoter said, “Brandon was a great person who always went above and beyond to help people at the track and in the community for a lot of years. We will miss him.” Visitation will be on Wednesday, May 18, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. [Read More]

Crystal preps for 35th IMCA Modified season with test and tune this weekend

CRYSTAL, Mich. (April 4, 2022) – With spring in the air, Crystal Motor Speedway is preparing for the 2022 season, its 35th consecutive running the IMCA Modified division. Test and tune for any race car will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10 from noon-5 p.m. Pit passes will be $20 with free admission to the grandstands. The race season will begin April 16 with a full show for all divisions. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing will start approximately at 7:30 p.m. Pit passes are $30, grandstand tickets are $15 for adults, and kids 5-11 are $5. Family passes on regular race events will be $35 for two adults and two children. Further information can be obtained by visiting the track website at crystalmotorspeedway.com or calling the office at 989 235-5200.