By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - Ryan Dauber overcomes adversity and takes home the Late Model trophy Saturday night at LaSalle Speedway. During the off season, the Tonica native was injured in an occupational accident leaving him to contend with surgeries, restricted abilities, severe scaring and pain in his arm.
Apparently the side effects are not enough to hold back this former track champion from doing what he loves most. It wasn’t long before he learned to adapt his driving techniques to suit his new handicap. Within the first laps of the season he seemed to have mastered his new style in a powerful way.
During the earlier heat action, Dauber powered his way into a three car battle with Wyanet’s Jason Jaggers and LaSalle’s Mike Glynn putting his nose in between the duo. Jaggers and Glynn made contact sending Glynn into a spin. Dauber went on to win the event and secure his pole position.
In the other divisional heat ,Dixon’s Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber of Bensenville, and Jason Feger put on an impressive battle for the top running spots. Hamburg and Reaber battled back and forth early for the lead. Hamburg took the win with Reaber just narrowly beating Feger at the checkers.
The way the new passing points works, Dauber was now on the pole with Feger on his side ahead of Jaggers and Hamburg. Once the green flag dropped the action didn’t last long as the caution was quickly signaled. For the second restart there were only seventeen competitors remaining for competition.
Dauber wasted little time leaving the pack as he flew to a generous lead and started dodging in and out of lapped traffic while Hamburg and Feger battle for second. By Lap 21, Dauber was out of sight until a caution brought the single file restart. With two lapped cars separating him from Hamburg, Feger, and Jaggers the next three laps were smooth sailing.
At the finish line it was Hamburg finishing second over Feger, Jaggers, Reaber, Schwartz, Rithie Bell, Jerry Pitts, Glynn who came from last, Travis Rokey, Jason Bogle, Ben Hamburg and Jim Loomis.
Tires continue to be a hot topic for the Late’s as drivers are split on what the better tire is. It seems that the American Race Tires have taken the favorite lead over the Good Years. The number of drivers running them doubled since last week’s opening night.
The Midwestern Late Model class was action packed from beginning to end. Eric Rebholz held the lead for the first four laps fending off Streator’s Shane Hill. Hill took to higher territory and the stole the point during Lap 5.
Hill distanced himself quickly as Rebholz and Reno Markham began their battle for the second place running position with Princeton’s Steve Oeder on their tail. On the Lap 12 restart, Hill was in command with Rebholz, Reno, Oeder, Tonica’s Eric Dauber and Johnny Heath lined up behind him.
Reno jumped the cushion and put on a powerful show from the high ground trying his hand at a part of the track everyone else seemed to steer away from. He would pick up speed and bring his door up to the second place position but couldn’t keep his nose up there.
By Lap 20, Reno was going for it when a lapped car found himself just in front of a battle for the lead. Unfortunately for Reno it was in his running path and Dauber worked his way to a door to door conflict.
Hill held the low line to capture his first win of the season. Dauber, last week’s winner, took home a well earned second after starting eleventh on the grid. Reno wound up third after an impressive run as Oeder, Ralph Markham, Rebholz, Heath, Smith, Dynek and Piccatto crossed the line after him.
Rebholz and Hill won their heat races.
The Midwestern Sportsman class has seen a major decline in the car counts with a mere eight cars showing up for competition. Scott Cimei made a clean sweep winning both the heat and feature races.
Bobby Morgan took second in both events as last week’s winner Tina Soberi of Oglesby placed third in the feature. BJ Grabow, Aaron Schmitt, Jim Beaty and Jake Patterson wrapped up the feature finishers.
Ottawa’s Al Gray was the big winner for the Street Stock competition. He claimed both his heat and feature races over Gary Schmitt.
Oglesby’s Nick Sell won his heat race to secure the pole spot next to Gray. Once under green Gray jumped out to a nice lead over Sell, Schmitt and Jerry Legner. During Lap 11, Gray made a three wide move with lapped traffic when one spun bringing out the caution.
At the finish it was Gray over Schmitt, Sell, Jerry Legner, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, Eric Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Tom Legner, Jim Kirkpatrick, Matthew Scott, Ray Buchanan, Bill Dauber, Jay Mesarchik, Billy Clemmons and Jeff Small.
Next Saturday night a full racing program plus the Hornets is on the schedule.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Mike Glynn 12.86
First Heat: Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber, Jason Feger, Brad Schwartz
Second Heat: Ryan Dauber, Jason Jaggers, Jay Fiene, Ritchie Bell
Feature: Ryan Dauber, Tim Hamburg, Jason Feger, Jason Jaggers, Frank Reaber, Brad Schwartz, Ritchie Bell, Jerry Pitts, Mike Glynn, Travis Rokey, Jason Bogle, Ben Hamburg, Jim Loomis, Matt Ramer, Joe Partipilo, Joe Burba, Darin Furar, Jay Fiene, Tom Markham
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.63
First Heat: Eric Rebholz, Dave Miller, Jerry Vance, Doug Newlin
Second Heat: Shane Hill, Reno Markham, Johnny Heath, John Piccatto
Feature: Shane Hill, Eric Dauber, Reno Markham, Steve Oeder, Ralph Markham, Eric Rebholz, Johnny Heath, Dave Smith, Joe Dynek, John Piccatto, Doug Newlin, Mick Miller, Al Christy, Keith Piano, Wally Forsythe, Jerry Vance, Will Harris, Dave Miller, Nick Vowles, Robert Voice
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Scott Cimei, Bobby Morgan, Jake Patterson, Aaron Schmitt
Feature: Scott Cimei, Bobby Morgan, Tina Soberi, BJ Grabow, Aaron Schmitt, Jim Beaty, Jake Patterson
Street Stock
First Heat: Nick Sell, Robert Schlappi, Steve Lewis, Ray Buchanan
Second Heat: Al Gray, Gary Schmitt, Tom Legner, Jerry Legner
Feature: Al Gray, Gray Schmitt, Nick Sell, Jerry Legner, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, Eric Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Tom Legner, Jim Kirkpatrick, Matthew Scott, Ray Buchanan, Bill Dauber, Jay Mesarchik, Billy Clemmons, Jeff Small
LaSalle, IL - Ryan Dauber overcomes adversity and takes home the Late Model trophy Saturday night at LaSalle Speedway. During the off season, the Tonica native was injured in an occupational accident leaving him to contend with surgeries, restricted abilities, severe scaring and pain in his arm.
Apparently the side effects are not enough to hold back this former track champion from doing what he loves most. It wasn’t long before he learned to adapt his driving techniques to suit his new handicap. Within the first laps of the season he seemed to have mastered his new style in a powerful way.
During the earlier heat action, Dauber powered his way into a three car battle with Wyanet’s Jason Jaggers and LaSalle’s Mike Glynn putting his nose in between the duo. Jaggers and Glynn made contact sending Glynn into a spin. Dauber went on to win the event and secure his pole position.
In the other divisional heat ,Dixon’s Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber of Bensenville, and Jason Feger put on an impressive battle for the top running spots. Hamburg and Reaber battled back and forth early for the lead. Hamburg took the win with Reaber just narrowly beating Feger at the checkers.
The way the new passing points works, Dauber was now on the pole with Feger on his side ahead of Jaggers and Hamburg. Once the green flag dropped the action didn’t last long as the caution was quickly signaled. For the second restart there were only seventeen competitors remaining for competition.
Dauber wasted little time leaving the pack as he flew to a generous lead and started dodging in and out of lapped traffic while Hamburg and Feger battle for second. By Lap 21, Dauber was out of sight until a caution brought the single file restart. With two lapped cars separating him from Hamburg, Feger, and Jaggers the next three laps were smooth sailing.
At the finish line it was Hamburg finishing second over Feger, Jaggers, Reaber, Schwartz, Rithie Bell, Jerry Pitts, Glynn who came from last, Travis Rokey, Jason Bogle, Ben Hamburg and Jim Loomis.
Tires continue to be a hot topic for the Late’s as drivers are split on what the better tire is. It seems that the American Race Tires have taken the favorite lead over the Good Years. The number of drivers running them doubled since last week’s opening night.
The Midwestern Late Model class was action packed from beginning to end. Eric Rebholz held the lead for the first four laps fending off Streator’s Shane Hill. Hill took to higher territory and the stole the point during Lap 5.
Hill distanced himself quickly as Rebholz and Reno Markham began their battle for the second place running position with Princeton’s Steve Oeder on their tail. On the Lap 12 restart, Hill was in command with Rebholz, Reno, Oeder, Tonica’s Eric Dauber and Johnny Heath lined up behind him.
Reno jumped the cushion and put on a powerful show from the high ground trying his hand at a part of the track everyone else seemed to steer away from. He would pick up speed and bring his door up to the second place position but couldn’t keep his nose up there.
By Lap 20, Reno was going for it when a lapped car found himself just in front of a battle for the lead. Unfortunately for Reno it was in his running path and Dauber worked his way to a door to door conflict.
Hill held the low line to capture his first win of the season. Dauber, last week’s winner, took home a well earned second after starting eleventh on the grid. Reno wound up third after an impressive run as Oeder, Ralph Markham, Rebholz, Heath, Smith, Dynek and Piccatto crossed the line after him.
Rebholz and Hill won their heat races.
The Midwestern Sportsman class has seen a major decline in the car counts with a mere eight cars showing up for competition. Scott Cimei made a clean sweep winning both the heat and feature races.
Bobby Morgan took second in both events as last week’s winner Tina Soberi of Oglesby placed third in the feature. BJ Grabow, Aaron Schmitt, Jim Beaty and Jake Patterson wrapped up the feature finishers.
Ottawa’s Al Gray was the big winner for the Street Stock competition. He claimed both his heat and feature races over Gary Schmitt.
Oglesby’s Nick Sell won his heat race to secure the pole spot next to Gray. Once under green Gray jumped out to a nice lead over Sell, Schmitt and Jerry Legner. During Lap 11, Gray made a three wide move with lapped traffic when one spun bringing out the caution.
At the finish it was Gray over Schmitt, Sell, Jerry Legner, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, Eric Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Tom Legner, Jim Kirkpatrick, Matthew Scott, Ray Buchanan, Bill Dauber, Jay Mesarchik, Billy Clemmons and Jeff Small.
Next Saturday night a full racing program plus the Hornets is on the schedule.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Mike Glynn 12.86
First Heat: Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber, Jason Feger, Brad Schwartz
Second Heat: Ryan Dauber, Jason Jaggers, Jay Fiene, Ritchie Bell
Feature: Ryan Dauber, Tim Hamburg, Jason Feger, Jason Jaggers, Frank Reaber, Brad Schwartz, Ritchie Bell, Jerry Pitts, Mike Glynn, Travis Rokey, Jason Bogle, Ben Hamburg, Jim Loomis, Matt Ramer, Joe Partipilo, Joe Burba, Darin Furar, Jay Fiene, Tom Markham
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.63
First Heat: Eric Rebholz, Dave Miller, Jerry Vance, Doug Newlin
Second Heat: Shane Hill, Reno Markham, Johnny Heath, John Piccatto
Feature: Shane Hill, Eric Dauber, Reno Markham, Steve Oeder, Ralph Markham, Eric Rebholz, Johnny Heath, Dave Smith, Joe Dynek, John Piccatto, Doug Newlin, Mick Miller, Al Christy, Keith Piano, Wally Forsythe, Jerry Vance, Will Harris, Dave Miller, Nick Vowles, Robert Voice
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Scott Cimei, Bobby Morgan, Jake Patterson, Aaron Schmitt
Feature: Scott Cimei, Bobby Morgan, Tina Soberi, BJ Grabow, Aaron Schmitt, Jim Beaty, Jake Patterson
Street Stock
First Heat: Nick Sell, Robert Schlappi, Steve Lewis, Ray Buchanan
Second Heat: Al Gray, Gary Schmitt, Tom Legner, Jerry Legner
Feature: Al Gray, Gray Schmitt, Nick Sell, Jerry Legner, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, Eric Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Tom Legner, Jim Kirkpatrick, Matthew Scott, Ray Buchanan, Bill Dauber, Jay Mesarchik, Billy Clemmons, Jeff Small
