By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – Mike Provenzano dialed in his ride just perfectly to sweep the UMP Late Model class on Saturday night at La Salle Speedway. The reigning track champion is no stranger to victory lane at the Illinois Valley speed arena as he holds two crowns as one of the divisions best.
UMP Late Model’s:
Provenzano came out of the blocks full steam ahead to collect the quickest timed lap of 13.288 over the twenty drivers in attendance. He started on the pole of the first heat taking control before a lap was completed. Until the final laps, Jaggers was on his tail until Provenzano pulled away for the win. Jaggers took second over Randy Manos, Aaron Schmidt and Toby Kuntzelman. Bret Sievert was unstoppable in the second heat contest beating Billy Weistart, Ed Williams, Wayne Brau, and Matt McAdams. Mike Glynn darted to the lead during the first lap to easily win the final heat. Schmitt took second in front of Rich Bell, Russ Adams and Roger Rebholz.
Provenzano and Sievert were at the top of the feature grid in front of Glynn and Jaggers while Weistart and Schmitt rolled into the third row. Provenzano charged into the lead with Glynn passing Sievert for second and moving in on the leader. Glynn’s ride looked fast until it left the action in a puff of smoke billowing from his engine.
By the ninth circuit, Provenzano made the action a three wide dance with lapped traffic while Sievert and Jaggers gave chase. Sievert tried a high line to gain momentum but Provenzano’s machine was dialed in. During Lap 15, the leader bobbled going through turn two but lapped traffic extinguished any efforts by Sievert and Jaggers who were racing door to door. Two laps later Rebholz had a meet and greet with the concrete retaining wall ending his evening and causing a caution. Jaggers was fast after the restart and stole the second place running spot away from Sievert.
As the front runners were embarking on their final lap, Williams and Gary Schalmo tangle in turn one causing one final yellow and a single file restart. Provenzano easily took the victory while Jaggers and Sievert fought for second. Sievert claimed the runner up finish over Jaggers, Schmitt, Bell, Manos, Weistart, Schmidt, Brau, Adams, Kuntzelman, Piano, and John Piccatto.
UMP Open Wheel Modified’s:
Scott May started his evening on a good note claiming the fastest timed lap over his twenty two contenders. He took the first heat victory in front of Jacoby Hines, Kyle Neels, Jamie Balensiefen and Shane Lewis. Scott’s son AJ May won the second heat contest in front of Jason Pershy, Kevin Hastings, Justin McCoy, and Austin Hewitt. Jamie Lomax beat Jason Hastings, Kevin Hughes, Bob Silaggi and Tom Knippenberg in the final heat race.
Scott and AJ were positioned side by side at the front of the feature line up grid with Lomax and Hines behind them. Once the green was signaled, it was the younger May in the lead leaving his father in second. During the fourth lap, the two were side by side with Scott coming out on top.
Two laps later a caution brought everyone nose to tail. Shortly after, contact was made between an anxious Lomax and second place runner AJ. While under yellow, AJ and Lomax spent some angry moments on the front stretch with AJ’s front of his car connected to Lomax’s ride. It took some time to untangle the two but Lomax was able to restart the race behind Scott May. It didn’t take but four laps until Scott opened the door for Lomax to bring on a side by side challenge. During Lap 11, that challenge ended with contact and a spun out Scott May. What could have been a great race was marred by apparent refusal to share the racing surface. Lomax carried the field the remaining eight laps with nine of the original starters out of action. Lomax won over Hines, Jason Hastings, Pershy, Chris Amstead, Kevin Hastings, Tom Knippenberg, Tim Sorn, Mike Marden, Nick Lueth, Austin Hewitt, Don Cole and Scott Hauge.
UMP Street Stock’s:
Roger Rickels claimed the first heat race ahead of Mike McKinney, Matt Ramer, Keith Lucas and Randy Lucas. Nick Sell was running strong leading the entire second heat until a late race pass. At the checkers it was Jake Miller winning over Mike Hughes, Sell, Steve Schwemlein, and Curtis Radtke.
Rickels earned the pole position and rolled next to Jake Miller with McKinney and Hughes in row two. Rickels wasted no time in taking the lead to leave Miller and McKinney in a side by side duel. By the sixth lap, fifth place starter Ramer was up to challenge McKinney for the second place running spot. From the first lap of the first event Ramer’s car had plumes of thick smoke trailing in its wake. Three laps later, Rickels had a comfortable lead over Ramer, McKinney, Hughes, Jake Miller when caution was signaled. Before the start mid pack looked like bumper cars as they ping ponged nose to tail.
During the tenth circuit, Ramer was heavy on the gas and took the lead when a lapped car spun out in front of the pack narrowly missing the stalled ride of Keith Miller. Since a lap was not completed, Rickels took the helm back over Ramer, McKinney, and Hughes. Ramer again tried his pass but slid higher than anticipated and back to third.
As the pack took the final turn, contact between the leaders threw Rickels off kilter and gave McKinney enough room to steal the show at the finish line. The recent high school graduate claimed his fourth win in a row. Rickels was left to accept second in front of Ramer, Jake Miller, Hughes, Keith Lucas, Justin Hamm, Aaron Near, Sell, and Schwemlein.
UMP 4 Cylinder Hornet’s:
Phil Burdette claimed the only heat race for the eleven 4 Cylinder Hornet’s. His win was over Cody Williams, J.R. Brown, Lukas Gash, and Jerry Legner.
Early in the feature competition a four car wreck in turn two included the rolled over ride of Aaron Sutton ending his flip on the drivers door. Aaron was not injured in the wreck.
During the fourth lap, Brown and Burdette were providing door to door excitement until a lapped car got in Brown’s path. Burdette used the opportunity to take the lead. Brown never gave up and brought his ride back into a side by side excursion to give one final go at the leader. When the checkers dropped it was Burdette blocking every attempt from Brown and heading to victory lane. Brown finished second in front of Gash, Josh Larson, Cody Williams, Dan Slover and Erik Miller.
La Salle Speedway Results 05/26/12
UMP Late Models: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Mike Provenzano 13.288
Heat 1: Mike Provenzano, Jason Jaggers, Randy Manos, Aaron Schmidt, Toby Kuntzelman
Heat 2: Bret Sievert, Billy Weistart, Ed Williams, Wayne Brau, Matt McAdams
Heat 3: Mike Glynn, Scott Schmitt, Rich Bell, Russ Adams, Rogert Rebholz
Feature: Mike Provenzano, Bret Sievert, Jason Jaggers, Scott Schmitt, Rich Bell, Randy Manos, Billy Weistart, Aaron Schmidt, Wayne Brau, Russ Adams, Toby Kuntzelman, Keith Piano, John Piccatto, Ed Williams, Gary Schalmo, Matt McAdams, David McAdams, Rober Rebholz, Mike Glynn
UMP Modifieds: 22 Cars
Qualifying: Scott May 14.726
Heat 1: Scott May, Jacoby Hines, Kyle Neels, Jamie Balensiefen, Shane Lewis
Heat 2: AJ May, Jason Pershy, Kevin Hastings, Justin McCoy, Austin Hewitt
Heat 3: Jamie Lomax, Jason Hastings, Kevin Hughes, Bob Silaggi, Tom Knippenberg
Feature: Jamie Lomax, Jacoby Hines, Jason Hastings, Jason Pershy, Christ Amstead, Kevin Hastings, Tom Knippenberg, Tim Sorn, Mike Marden, Nick Lueth, Austin Hewitt, Don Cole, Scott Hauge, Jamie Balensiefen, Scott May, Kyle Neels, Bob Silaggi, Kevin Hughes, Justin McCoy, AJ May, Ken Fischer, Shane Lewis
UMP Street Stocks: 16 Cars
Heat 1: Roger Rickels, Mike McKinney, Matt Ramer, Keith Lucas, Randy Lucas
Heat 2: Jake Miller, Mike Hughes, Nick Sell, Steve Schwemlein, Curtis Radtke
Feature: Mike McKinney, Roger Rickels, Matt Ramer, Jake Miller, Mike Hughes, Keith Lucas, Justin Hamm, Aaron Near, Nick Sell, Steve Schwemlein, Phil Grutsch, Mike Prokup, Curtis Radtke, Dan Klapp, Keith Miller, Randy Lucas, Joe Blameuser
UMP 4 Cylinder Hornets: 11 Cars
Heat 1: Phil Burdette, Cody Williams, J.R. Brown, Luks Gash, Jerry Legner
Feature: Phil Burdette, J.R. Brown, Lukas Gash, Josh Larson, Cody Williams, Dan Slover, Erick Miller, Jerry Legner, Crystal Provenzano Broyles, Rick Wagner, Aaron Sutton