Race Recap Elite O'Reilly Series
Michigan International Speedway
Tue, Sep 30, 2025Round 2
Crosby Dominates Michigan International Speedway: Leads from Pole to Victory
Race at a Glance
🏁Field Size
9
🔄Laps
95
⏱Avg Lap Time
41.534
🔀Lead Changes
8
🛡️Clean Runners
7
🏎️Lead Lap Finishers
8
Winner Spotlight
John W Crosby
P1 Finish
John W Crosby
Started P1 • Inc 0
Brian Sousa
Started P5 • Inc 0
Ira Kohlhaas
Started P4 • Inc 0
John Crosby delivered a masterful wire-to-wire performance at Michigan International Speedway, leading all 95 laps from pole position to capture his first O'Reilly Series victory of the season. The #73 machine proved untouchable on the high banks, maintaining his advantage through a remarkable caution-free race that saw seven of nine drivers complete the distance without incident. Behind Crosby, Brian Sousa in the #60 car mounted a strong charge from his fifth-place starting position to claim runner-up honors, while Ira Kohlhaas rounded out the podium in third after advancing one spot from his fourth-place grid position.
The real story unfolded behind the leaders, where championship contenders Tom Ringer and Shaun Dionne engaged in a season-defining battle. Ringer, driving the #68 car, produced the drive of the day by slicing through traffic from eighth on the grid to finish fourth, earning hard charger honors with his four-position gain. This crucial performance netted Ringer 33 points and vaulted him from a tie atop the standings to the championship lead.
Meanwhile, defending points leader Shaun Dionne could only manage eighth place in the #14 machine after starting ninth, gaining just one position throughout the race. The modest 29-point haul proved insufficient to maintain his championship hopes, as Ringer's superior finish created a four-point gap that would prove decisive. Todd Parent's championship aspirations took a significant hit as the #69 driver plummeted from second on the grid to seventh at the checkered flag, accumulating six incidents that hampered his title bid.
With this season finale result, Tom Ringer claimed his first O'Reilly Series championship by the narrowest of margins, finishing just four points ahead of Dionne in the final standings at 161-157. Chuck Burley's consistent sixth-place run from third on the grid secured him third in the championship hunt at 127 points, while Parent's troubled outing dropped him to fourth overall despite entering the race as a title contender.
Top Movers
Tom Ringer68
▲ +4Brian Sousa60
▲ +3Brent Thompson45
▲ +2Finishing Order
| Finish | Start | +/- | Car # | Driver | Inc | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 73 | John W Crosby | 0x | 40 |
| 2 | 5 | +3 | 60 | Brian Sousa | 0x | 35 |
| 3 | 4 | +1 | 29 | Ira Kohlhaas | 0x | 34 |
| 4 | 8 | +4 | 68 | Tom Ringer | 0x | 33 |
| 5 | 7 | +2 | 45 | Brent Thompson | 0x | 32 |
| 6 | 3 | -3 | ![]() | Chuck Burley | 0x | 31 |
| 7 | 2 | -5 | 69 | Todd Parent | 6x | 30 |
| 8 | 9 | +1 | 3 | Shaun Dionne | 0x | 29 |
| 9 | 6 | -3 | 14 | Jacob L Williams | 9x | 28 |
