Saturday, August 1, was a day that Highland Speedway seemed doomed to close down. Rains came in the middle of the afternoon, but the track crew did an excellent job in getting the track ready to race when the skies cleared. Leading off the evening was the 23 car UMP Late Models. It was the circle 7 car of Matt Weidner who took the first checkered flag of the evening by winning the first heat over Michael Kloos, Frankie Martin, and Aaron Kleine. Second heat saw Chad Zobrist take the lead over Mike Schulte, Brent Helmkamp, and Rick Salter. Third heat went to Marty Smith, Jr, then Mark Faust, Paul Bailey and Danny Ripperda. First repeat winner of the night was Chad Zobrist who raced to victory in the dash leading Smith, Jr, Kloos, and Faust. In the Feature it was Mark Faust who took his sixth checkered flag of the season. Chasing him across the finish line were Chad Zobrist, Kloos, Weidner, Smith, Jr, Martin, Kleine, Mark Voigt, Salter, Helmkamp, Brian Bielong, Bailey, Steve Leach, Jimmy Burwell, Mike Hammerlee, Danny Ripperda, Michael Jacober, John Cory, Jason Zobrist, Shannon Kuhn, Justin Vosholler, Patrick Tretter, and Schulte.

There were also 23 Steve Schmitt Modified cars that came to race. First winner was new comer Danny Jolly who took the checkered flag in the first heat over Steve Ellison, Eric Goetter, and Ron Hartnagel. Second heat top dog was Mike Harrison, then Brian Bielong, Jim Werner, Jr, and Steve Lach. Third heat leader Chad Sellers beat out Rusty Griffaw, Craig Kern, and Andy Oswald. It was Steve Ellison who crossed the finish line first in dash, then Harrison, Griffaw, and Sellers. Mike Harrison grabbed his third Feature win of the season by leading Werner, Jr, Sellers, Griffaw, Jolly, Chris Smith, Bielong, Tim Hancock, Kern, Lach, Aaron Kleine, Tyler Deibert, Andy Oswald, Eric Faust, Goetter, Paul Becker, Roger Fohne, Dave McDougal, Jake Seets, Stephen Plog, Ellison, and Ron Hartnagel.

There were 18 UMP Sportsman drivers who came to become winners.  The first winner in the division was Tory Ernst who took the first heat win over Jimmy Cummins, Allan Geiseking, and Rob Lee. Second heat went to Russell Eilers, then Jim Lafferty, Danny Beard, and Aaron Melton. Third heat top dog was Jimmy Miller who led Greg Spencer, Mark Bohnenstiehl, and Rick Johnson. However, the dash belonged to Greg Spencer who was chased by Miller, Russell Eilers, and Cummins.  It was Russell Eilers who continued to dominate the division who won his 12^th Feature of the season. Following him in the Feature was Spencer, Cummins, Miller, Ernst, Lee, Ryan Eilers, Lafferty, Geiseking, Bryan Slover, Jon Ripperda, Andy Casper, Melton, Danny Beard, Jon Huegen, Joe Wagner, Johnson, and Bohnenstiehl.

Next up was the 23 car Street Stock division. It was newly wed Jake Hewitt who took the first heat win over Michael Ripperda, Jr, Terry McCann, and Jeff Buss. Second heat leader was Stephen Fohnewho beat out   AJ Cline, Jordan Bauer, and Stephen Flannery, Jr. Third heat saw Fred Sparks take the lead over Billy Kruep, TJ Eilers, and Brad Venhaus. The Feature had Michael Ripperda, Jr take his sixth checkered flag of the season. Order of finish behind Ripperda, Jr was Hewitt, Fohne, Billy Kruep, Cline, Venhaus, Bauer, Eilers, Dusty Sampson, McCann, Justin Leichsenring, Marcus Kruep, Vince Pratt, Sparks, Michael Leichsenring, Matt Koch, Stephen Flannery, Jr, Dennis Hornbostel, Buss, Zach Hoffman, James Rhoades, Jr, Jon Huegen, and Bill Austin.

The UMP Factory Stock also had 23 cars. The only driver who brought his broom to the track was Aaron Wood. Aaron Wood started off by winning the second heat leading Trevor Isaak, Charlie Durbin, and Jason Suhre. First heat saw Austin Isaak take the win over Justin Hall, Justin Shaw, and Matt Hamblin. The third heat top dog was Eddie Sterns who was chased by Sean Denison, Dale Bohnenstiehl, and Rick Viviano. Aaron Wood finished his sweep and the evening by crossing the finish line first in the Feature. Chasing him was Shaw, Austin Isaak, Denison, Sterns, Bohnenstiehl, Trevor Isaak, Durbin, Jason Suhre, Jordan Suhre, Hamblin, Hall, Willy Myers, Justin Suhre, Scott Egbert, Travis Horner, Jordan Lake, Kyle Swip, Jeremy Izard, Viviano, Lacey Egbert, Shea Gagne, and DNS Any Hellmann.

Saturday, August 8^th, will see a return of the Gateway Vintage cars to the Highland Speedway. The Extreme Sportsman series will also be racing. This will be Ladies night. All ladies will get into the grandstand for half price of general admission of $12. Lee’s Loans of Highland will sponsor a diamond dog during intermission. Any lady wanting to participate must sign up for a chance at Lee’s Loans on the square in Highland. Check out our website www.highlandspeedway.com.