By Betty Glynn
LaSalle,IL – In the Spring it was Shannon Babb, a self proclaimed simple man, taking home the big money from LaSalle Speedway. His May 20th visit earned him $10,000 while Monday night’s victory was a little less at $6,000.
The payout may have been less but it’s dividends may add up to be more in the long run.
“I tell you we hit it right on the money,” Babb told the crowd. “We pulled it out last night and got it done here.”
The 33 year old driver who hails out of Moweaque has been traveling the grueling UMP Summer Nationals Series in dominating style. His incredible skills at mastering track conditions, chassis setup and talent behind the wheel of a Late Model has enabled him to etch his name deep in the record books with victories across the country. The wins are also packing on the points in the title chase.
So far on his Summer Nationals quest he has earned himself a staggering 11 wins and the tour still has three more races to go.
“We won here in the Spring and it has been a good summer for us,” Babb told the crowd from a victory lane interview.
Coming into Monday nights stop in the Illinois Valley Babb has nearly owned the tour for the second year in a row. Some have nicknamed the series the “Babb Nationals”.
Monday was another Babb night as he won every event with the exception of the fastest qualifying lap. His fast lap of 12.96 fell just a bit shy behind Jeep Van Wormer’s quick time of 12.712. Considering they were the only drivers to sail through the high banked ¼ mile in the twelve second range it became apparent they would be tough to beat. Especially from the front of the grid.
Babb’s Dash victory positioned him on the pole next to Randy Korte. Wendall Wallace and Van Wormer were in row two. As soon the flagman waved the green, it was Korte off to a great start. Three laps into the feature a yellow slowed their action.
The temporary delay was quickly forgotten when the twenty one cars went green. Korte tried to hold back the super fast machine of Babb. But during the tenth lap out, Babb took over on the back stretch and distanced himself from the competition.
Babb seemed to be in a time zone all his own as he traveled without contest the entire remaining thirty laps. His only obstacle came from the lapped car of Russ Scheffler. Scheffler continued to race the leaders more laps then any were hoping.
By Lap 16, it was obvious that starting up front was a major advantage as the track’s slick surface didn’t invite much in the way of door to door action. It was an unusual follow-the-leader type of racing that is not characteristic of the speed arena.
While Babb commanded the pace, Korte secured a second place run by himself over Wallace, Van Wormer, and Steve Sheppard.
During Lap 24, Dennis Erb Jr. ended his sixth place run hard into the turn two wall after losing his brakes. The unforgiving concrete barrier was still comfortably standing while the 28 car was hanging from the back of the two truck. Erb luckily left unscathed.
For the restart, Babb was positioned at the helm over the lapped machine of Scheffler, then Korte, Wallace, Van Wormer, Sheppard, Wes Steidinger, and Utica’s Tony Izzo Jr.
The remaining laps were nearly uneventful as Babb pulled to over a quarter of a track lead before collecting the checkers.
Korte picked up second in front of Wallace, Van Wormer, Steidinger, Sheppard, Izzo, Darren Miller, Jimmy Mars, Kevin Weaver, Brian Shirley, Jason Feger, Eric Smith and Scheffler.
Van Wormer won the first heat race over Sheppard, Tim Hamburg and Mars.
Korte captured the second heat with Steidinger second ahead of Weaver and Eric Jacobson. Babb was the third heat winner ahead of Erb, Miller and Billy Drake. The final heat race win was taken by Wallace over Izzo, Feger and Scheffler.
Mars, Jacobsen, Dauber, Scheffler, Drake and Shirley all earned the semi transfer positions.
A new face entered victory lane in the Open Wheel Modified showing.
Scott Bull took the twenty five lap main event and the $700 top prize much like Babb, uncontested from the front row.
Riding the rim, Bull carried the twenty car field from the end of the first lap until pulling into a great lead on Lap 13.
At the finish it was Gary Cook Jr. second over Brian Bushong, Marty Thompson, Jason Lackey, Jim Farris, Joel Funk, Ray Bollinger, Jeff Curl, Dale Lueth, Dennis Wilson, and Mike Spatola.
Jay Ledford, Farris, and Bushong won the heat races. Jim Phelps beat Ron Morris at the finish line for the semi.
LaSalle Speedway Results
UMP Summer Nationals: 33 Cars
Qualifying: Jeep Van Wormer 12.712
Dash: Shannon Babb, Randy Korte, Wendall Wallace, Jeep Van Wormer Heat One: Jeep Van Wormer, Steve Sheppard, Tim Hamburg, Jimmy Mars Heat Two: Randy Korte, Wes Steidinger, Kevin Weaver, Eric Jacobson Heat Three: Shannon Babb, Dennis Erb Jr., Darren Miller, Billy Drake Heat Four: Wendall Wallace, Tony Izzo Jr., Jason Feger, Russ Scheffler Semi Feature: Jimmy Mars, Eric Jacobsen, Ryan Dauber, Eric Smith, Jack Sullivan, Kerry Matthew, Mike Glynn, Steve Zakrachek, Rich Bell, Brian Claudnic
Feature: 1. Shannon Babb(1), 2. Randy Korte(2), 3. Wendall Wallace(3), 4.
Jeep Van Wormer(4), 5. Wes Steidinger(6), 6. Steve Sheppard(5), 7. Tony Izzo Jr.(8), 8. Darren Miller(11), 9. Jimmy Mars(13), 10. Kevin Weaver(10), 11.
Brian Shirley(18), 12. Jason Feger(12), 13. Eric Smith(21), 14. Russ Scheffler(14), 15. Jack Sullivan(19), 16. Billy Drake(16), 17. Dennis Erb Jr.(7), 18. Mike Glynn(20), 19. Tim Hamburg(9), 20. Ryan Dauber(17), 21.
Eric Jacobsen(15)
Modifieds: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Jay Ledford 14.507
Heat One: Jay Ledford, Gary Cook Jr., Joel Funk, Marty Thompson Heat Two: Jim Farris, Ray Bollinger, Jason Lackey, Mike Spatola Heat Three: Brian Bushong, Scott Bull, Vince Cooper, Denise Wilson Semi Feature: Jim Phelps, Ron Morris, Mark Novorolsky, Leah Monfries, Stanley Vervynck
Feature: 1. Scott Bull, 2. Gary Cook Jr., 3. Brian Bushong, 4. Marty Thompson, 5. Jason Lackey, 6. Jim Farris, 7. Joel Funk, 8. Ray Bollinger, 9.
Jeff Curl, 10. Dale Lueth, 11. Dennis Wilson, 12. Mike Spatola, 13. Jay Ledford, 14. Kevin Hastings, 15. Ron Morris, 16. Jason Pershy, 17. Jim Phelps, 18. Mark Vervynck, 19. Vince Cooper, 20. Brad Willis
LaSalle,IL – In the Spring it was Shannon Babb, a self proclaimed simple man, taking home the big money from LaSalle Speedway. His May 20th visit earned him $10,000 while Monday night’s victory was a little less at $6,000.
The payout may have been less but it’s dividends may add up to be more in the long run.
“I tell you we hit it right on the money,” Babb told the crowd. “We pulled it out last night and got it done here.”
The 33 year old driver who hails out of Moweaque has been traveling the grueling UMP Summer Nationals Series in dominating style. His incredible skills at mastering track conditions, chassis setup and talent behind the wheel of a Late Model has enabled him to etch his name deep in the record books with victories across the country. The wins are also packing on the points in the title chase.
So far on his Summer Nationals quest he has earned himself a staggering 11 wins and the tour still has three more races to go.
“We won here in the Spring and it has been a good summer for us,” Babb told the crowd from a victory lane interview.
Coming into Monday nights stop in the Illinois Valley Babb has nearly owned the tour for the second year in a row. Some have nicknamed the series the “Babb Nationals”.
Monday was another Babb night as he won every event with the exception of the fastest qualifying lap. His fast lap of 12.96 fell just a bit shy behind Jeep Van Wormer’s quick time of 12.712. Considering they were the only drivers to sail through the high banked ¼ mile in the twelve second range it became apparent they would be tough to beat. Especially from the front of the grid.
Babb’s Dash victory positioned him on the pole next to Randy Korte. Wendall Wallace and Van Wormer were in row two. As soon the flagman waved the green, it was Korte off to a great start. Three laps into the feature a yellow slowed their action.
The temporary delay was quickly forgotten when the twenty one cars went green. Korte tried to hold back the super fast machine of Babb. But during the tenth lap out, Babb took over on the back stretch and distanced himself from the competition.
Babb seemed to be in a time zone all his own as he traveled without contest the entire remaining thirty laps. His only obstacle came from the lapped car of Russ Scheffler. Scheffler continued to race the leaders more laps then any were hoping.
By Lap 16, it was obvious that starting up front was a major advantage as the track’s slick surface didn’t invite much in the way of door to door action. It was an unusual follow-the-leader type of racing that is not characteristic of the speed arena.
While Babb commanded the pace, Korte secured a second place run by himself over Wallace, Van Wormer, and Steve Sheppard.
During Lap 24, Dennis Erb Jr. ended his sixth place run hard into the turn two wall after losing his brakes. The unforgiving concrete barrier was still comfortably standing while the 28 car was hanging from the back of the two truck. Erb luckily left unscathed.
For the restart, Babb was positioned at the helm over the lapped machine of Scheffler, then Korte, Wallace, Van Wormer, Sheppard, Wes Steidinger, and Utica’s Tony Izzo Jr.
The remaining laps were nearly uneventful as Babb pulled to over a quarter of a track lead before collecting the checkers.
Korte picked up second in front of Wallace, Van Wormer, Steidinger, Sheppard, Izzo, Darren Miller, Jimmy Mars, Kevin Weaver, Brian Shirley, Jason Feger, Eric Smith and Scheffler.
Van Wormer won the first heat race over Sheppard, Tim Hamburg and Mars.
Korte captured the second heat with Steidinger second ahead of Weaver and Eric Jacobson. Babb was the third heat winner ahead of Erb, Miller and Billy Drake. The final heat race win was taken by Wallace over Izzo, Feger and Scheffler.
Mars, Jacobsen, Dauber, Scheffler, Drake and Shirley all earned the semi transfer positions.
A new face entered victory lane in the Open Wheel Modified showing.
Scott Bull took the twenty five lap main event and the $700 top prize much like Babb, uncontested from the front row.
Riding the rim, Bull carried the twenty car field from the end of the first lap until pulling into a great lead on Lap 13.
At the finish it was Gary Cook Jr. second over Brian Bushong, Marty Thompson, Jason Lackey, Jim Farris, Joel Funk, Ray Bollinger, Jeff Curl, Dale Lueth, Dennis Wilson, and Mike Spatola.
Jay Ledford, Farris, and Bushong won the heat races. Jim Phelps beat Ron Morris at the finish line for the semi.
LaSalle Speedway Results
UMP Summer Nationals: 33 Cars
Qualifying: Jeep Van Wormer 12.712
Dash: Shannon Babb, Randy Korte, Wendall Wallace, Jeep Van Wormer Heat One: Jeep Van Wormer, Steve Sheppard, Tim Hamburg, Jimmy Mars Heat Two: Randy Korte, Wes Steidinger, Kevin Weaver, Eric Jacobson Heat Three: Shannon Babb, Dennis Erb Jr., Darren Miller, Billy Drake Heat Four: Wendall Wallace, Tony Izzo Jr., Jason Feger, Russ Scheffler Semi Feature: Jimmy Mars, Eric Jacobsen, Ryan Dauber, Eric Smith, Jack Sullivan, Kerry Matthew, Mike Glynn, Steve Zakrachek, Rich Bell, Brian Claudnic
Feature: 1. Shannon Babb(1), 2. Randy Korte(2), 3. Wendall Wallace(3), 4.
Jeep Van Wormer(4), 5. Wes Steidinger(6), 6. Steve Sheppard(5), 7. Tony Izzo Jr.(8), 8. Darren Miller(11), 9. Jimmy Mars(13), 10. Kevin Weaver(10), 11.
Brian Shirley(18), 12. Jason Feger(12), 13. Eric Smith(21), 14. Russ Scheffler(14), 15. Jack Sullivan(19), 16. Billy Drake(16), 17. Dennis Erb Jr.(7), 18. Mike Glynn(20), 19. Tim Hamburg(9), 20. Ryan Dauber(17), 21.
Eric Jacobsen(15)
Modifieds: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Jay Ledford 14.507
Heat One: Jay Ledford, Gary Cook Jr., Joel Funk, Marty Thompson Heat Two: Jim Farris, Ray Bollinger, Jason Lackey, Mike Spatola Heat Three: Brian Bushong, Scott Bull, Vince Cooper, Denise Wilson Semi Feature: Jim Phelps, Ron Morris, Mark Novorolsky, Leah Monfries, Stanley Vervynck
Feature: 1. Scott Bull, 2. Gary Cook Jr., 3. Brian Bushong, 4. Marty Thompson, 5. Jason Lackey, 6. Jim Farris, 7. Joel Funk, 8. Ray Bollinger, 9.
Jeff Curl, 10. Dale Lueth, 11. Dennis Wilson, 12. Mike Spatola, 13. Jay Ledford, 14. Kevin Hastings, 15. Ron Morris, 16. Jason Pershy, 17. Jim Phelps, 18. Mark Vervynck, 19. Vince Cooper, 20. Brad Willis
