HIGHLAND IL ( June 16,2012) The long awaited re-appearance of Johnny Crash was the highlight of the Intermission show this past Saturday at the Highland Speedway. It was the Grapperhaus Metals Night of Destruction at the Highland Speedway. Last year the daredevil from Yazoo City Mississippi, crashed the Church Van belonging to the Yazoo City First Baptist Church and Convenient Stores. This year his first attempt was to crash a four wheeler (which he obtained from an undisclosed location), but it developed mechanical problems in turn two and caught fire, when the Highland Speedway track crew came to his rescue, he jumped into the nicest push vehicle the Speedway has and with the officials trying franticly to stop him, Johnny Crash proceeded to crash the push truck into his motor home parked at the end of the Casey’s General Stores Victory Lane. Finally his was apprehended and led out of the Speedway by the tracks Security people. Shaun Horstmann, one of the tracks Factory Stock drivers won the rollover contest.
Becker Jewelers Late Models
The feature event got off to a strange start as the field of Becker Jewelers Super Late Models was rolling around the track on its parade lap something on the 81C of Kevin Cole let loose and steam or smoke came rolling out of the machine. Cole exited the racer safely and after a brief cleanup the feature event got underway.
Matt Weidner in the Circle 7 was the pole sitter and choose to start on the high side moving second place starter Shannon Kuhn to the low side of the front row. On the drop of the green Kuhn driving the 11K immediately jumped out front and led the field on the first lap, in fact he led the first six laps when a spin by current track Champion Chad Zobrist brought out the first yellow. Kuhn had built a substantial lead over Michael Kloos in the 6K who moved from his fifth place starting position into second. The first three on the restart were Kuhn, Kloos and Mike Schulte in the 27.
The race was just starting take shape with Kuhn and Schulte staying true to the low side of the track and Kloos working the top. Caution again came out on lap 8 for the 87 of Jason Zobrist and the 14U of Bruce Unterbrink. While under caution Kuhn discovered his left rear tire was beginning to come loose and while lead had to pull into the infield and was out of the night’s event. This gave the lead to Schulte in the 27S.
With clean air in front of him Schulte lead the final 17 laps and drove the 27S to the Casey’s General Stores Victory Lane. Kloos, Rick Salter, Weidner and Jason Zobrist were the top five.
UMP Late Models
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 CRCL7 Matt Weidner
2 81C Kevin Cole
3 11K Shannon Kuhn
4 27S Mike Schulte
5 1S Rick Salter
6 87 Jason Zobrist
7 41 Dan Jacober
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 27R Rodney Melvin
2 6K Michael Kloos
3 78 Chad Zobrist
4 85 Frankie Martin
5 21 Kerry Gaultney
6 14U Bruce Unterbrink
7 49 Steve Leach
Dash
Finish Car No Driver
1 CRCL7 Matt Weidner
2 11K Shannon Kuhn
3 81C Kevin Cole
4 78 Chad Zobrist
5 6K Michael Kloos
6 27R Rodney Melvin
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 27S Mike Schulte
2 6K Michael Kloos
3 1S Rick Salter
4 CRCL7 Matt Weidner
5 87 Jason Zobrist
6 27R Rodney Melvin
7 85 Frankie Martin
8 78 Chad Zobrist
9 14U Bruce Unterbrink
10 49 Steve Leach
11 21 Kerry Gaultney
12 41 Dan Jacober
13 11K Shannon Kuhn
14 81C Kevin Cole
Steve Schmitt Modifieds
After two attempts for cars spinning in the back of the field the Steve Schmitt Modifieds main event finally got under way. Dash winner Justin Ketrow in the number 6 led the field to the starting line, in fact led for the first 9 laps, but they weren’t easy laps, between negotiating lap traffic and having the 24H of Mike Harrison hot on his heels.
Harrison was pushing the walls out of the Speedway working the high side trying to overcome Ketrow. Finally on lap fifteen he managed to drive around Ketrow to take the lead. Harrison never looked back and again found himself in the Casey’s General Stores Victory Lane, Ketrow came home a very respectful second, Brad Venhaus made a fine showing in the 55V to claim third, Tyler Diebert and Chad Sellers rounded out the top five.
UMP Modifieds
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 6 Justin Ketrow
2 24H Mike Harrison
3 55V Brad Venhaus
4 84 Tyler Deibert
5 55 Marty Smith, Jr
6 99K Dustin Knerrer
7 71 Lynn Tidwell
8 15 Chris Smith
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 11 Chad Sellers
2 70 Brian Bielong
3 42 Steve Lach
4 13 Aaron Kleine
5 19 Jimmy Cummins
6 24J Jacob Steinkoenig
7 316 Stephen Plog
8 8A Bill Austin
Dash
Finish Car No Driver
1 6 Justin Ketrow
2 11 Chad Sellers
3 70 Brian Bielong
4 24H Mike Harrison
5 55V Brad Venhaus
6 42 Steve Lach
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 24H Mike Harrison
2 6 Justin Ketrow
3 55V Brad Venhaus
4 84 Tyler Deibert
5 11 Chad Sellers
6 70 Brian Bielong
7 99K Dustin Knerrer
8 55 Marty Smith, Jr
9 15 Chris Smith
10 24J Jacob Steinkoenig
11 71 Lynn Tidwell
12 316 Stephen Plog
13 42 Steve Lach
14 13 Aaron Kleine
15 19 Jimmy Cummins
16 8A Bill Austin
Miller Lite Pro Late Models
Jordan Bauer returned this week driving his familiar number 9Star Pro Late Model and using lap traffic to his advantage found his way into the Casey’s general Stores victory Lane, Bobby Dauderman, Billy Knebel Jr, Rick Salter and Daniel Heck were the top five
UMP Pro Late Models
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 18 Bobby Dauderman
2 9* Jordan Bauer
3 24N Jeff Nash
4 52 Billy Knebel, Jr
5 48 Bobby Martintoni
6 67X Aaron Heck
7 96 Matt Koch
8 9T Travis Horner
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 67 Mark Oller
2 USA1 Rick Salter
3 6E Ray Emling
4 24 Dick Taylor
5 55 Daniel Heck
6 20 John Cory
7 13R Dustin Reese
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 9* Jordan Bauer
2 18 Bobby Dauderman
3 52 Billy Knebel, Jr
4 USA1 Rick Salter
5 55 Daniel Heck
6 48 Bobby Martintoni
7 67 Mark Oller
8 24 Dick Taylor
9 96 Matt Koch
10 6E Ray Emling
11 9T Travis Horner
12 13R Dustin Reese
13 67X Aaron Heck
14 20 John Cory
15 24N Jeff Nash
Sport Mods
Rob Lee driving the Wonder Acres number 88 again found the Casey’s General Stores Victory Lane to his liking as he again won another Sport Mod Feature.
UMP Limited Modifieds (SportMods)
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 55 Marty Smith, Jr
2 63 Brett Eilerman
3 14 Jeremy Thoele
4 84 Tyler Deibert
5 11L Curt Loddeke
6 33L Caleb Lintezenich
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 88 Rob Lee
2 92J Rick Johnson
3 56B Jim Lafferty, Jr
4 18 Jerry Thompson
5 1G Len Garson
6 21 Dan DuBree
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 88 Rob Lee
2 55 Marty Smith, Jr
3 92J Rick Johnson
4 56B Jim Lafferty, Jr
5 84 Tyler Deibert
6 14 Jeremy Thoele
7 1G Len Garson
8 11L Curt Loddeke
9 18 Jerry Thompson
10 33L Caleb Lintezenich
11 21 Dan DuBree
12 63 Brett Eilerman
Factory Stock
Roll over contest winner Shaun Horstmann also took home the trophy in the Factory Stocks.
UMP Factory Stocks (Bombers)
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 6I Austin Isaak
2 379 Steve Steele
3 8T T J Eilers
4 29H Cale Hartnagel
5 M16 Jeremy Embrich
6 36 Eric Harris
7 5H James Hale
8 T24 Travis Raterman
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 54 Shaun Hortsmann
2 441 Cody Ventimiglia
3 7C Mike Conlee
4 53 Justin Leichsenring
5 30* Wade Carson
6 9X Trevor Isaak
7 68B Ron Hartmann
8 32T Jacob Tompkins
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 54 Shaun Hortsmann
2 8T T J Eilers
3 441 Cody Ventimiglia
4 379 Steve Steele
5 M16 Jeremy Embrich
6 36 Eric Harris
7 32T Jacob Tompkins
8 68B Ron Hartmann
9 30* Wade Carson
10 53 Justin Leichsenring
11 29H Cale Hartnagel
12 5H James Hale
13 T24 Travis Raterman
14 9X Trevor Isaak
15 6I Austin Isaak
16 7C Mike Conlee
UMP Sport Compacts (Hornets)
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 18 Kenny Elliott
2 47R Robert Shaw
3 97 Bobby Funderburk
4 0 Chris Dicken
5 7S Kate Smith
6 128 Zach Schantz
7 787 Cody Zobrist
Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 47L Christian Lee
2 19* Josh Bauer
3 22 Duane Dubree
4 121V Rick Viviano
5 81LE Lacey Egbert
6 8B Robbie Bindrim
Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 47L Christian Lee
2 18 Kenny Elliott
3 47R Robert Shaw
4 97 Bobby Funderburk
5 19* Josh Bauer
6 121V Rick Viviano
7 7S Kate Smith
8 8B Robbie Bindrim
9 128 Zach Schantz
10 787 Cody Zobrist
11 81LE Lacey Egbert
12 0 Chris Dicken
13 22 Duane Dubree
Coming Events
June 20 2012 Summer Nationals Wednesday sponsored by Kettle River Furniture
June 23 2012 DOUBLE FEATURES NIGHT sponsored by B-Wet B-Dry – Frozen T-shirt Night Plus just added demo Derby $10.00 Admission
For more information about the Highland Speedway and the Madison County Fair Association visit their respective web sites: Highland Speedway .com, and Mad Co Fair .com. Also visit their respective Face Book pages.