By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - Ryan Dauber made his way to victory lane for the sixth time of the LaSalle Speedway’s 2004 season Saturday night. Despite repeated cautions and rough racing throughout the field the Tonica native was one of the lucky ones to leave unscathed.
When the Xtreme Late Model feature line up, of nineteen comrades, graced the 1/4 mile highbanks it was Elmhurst’s Jim Partipilo on the pole next to Russ Scheffler of Wisconsin. Directly behind the two was Bret Sievert and McHenry’s Skip Martin as Dauber and West Chicago’s Jay Fiene made up the third row of competitors.
Partipilo shot off to a quick lead as Sievert and Martin followed. For the first nine laps Partipilo commanded the field while Sievert ran runner up.
Dauber was coming on strong and moved around the front runners and the leader during the tenth lap out. Two laps later the caution flag waved after what appeared to be a domino effect involving a lapped car. Numerous single file restarts within the next several attempts kept the pace slow.
Dauber held the point for the restart of Lap 14 with Partipilo still in second over Sievert, Scheffler, Tim Hamburg, Fiene, Frank Reaber, Garrett Slager and Mike Mataragas. One lap later Partipilo’s chance for victory was diminished as he pulled into the infield with mechanical trouble.
During Lap 18, with Dauber generating a good lead, Sievert found Hamburg in full action under neath his run with Scheffler hot on the trail. By Lap 21, Hamburg and Scheffler were engulfed in a contact ridden stride banging off one another..
With two more laps nearly scored the bizarre yellow flag saga grew intense. Much like the characters in Ground Hog Day, time seemed to stand still as Lap 23 just kept being reintroduced over and over.
During one of the attempts to finish the lap Hamburg and Scheffler made contact for the final time with Hamburg leaving the competition for the pits. Confusion seemed rampant as the drivers tried to figure out where they were to reline up. Sievert appeared to disagree with the decision of where he would restart the final two laps and was directed off the field.
When the white flag dropped, Dauber now had Reaber, Fiene and LaSalle’s Mike Glynn who started second to last charging to catch up. On the final turn of the race, Glynn brought the fight for third into a three wide battle from the bottom line but not enough green flag racing remained.
At the checkers, Dauber was the first to cross the line as Reaber, Fiene, Glynn, Slager, Darin Furar, Tom Newquist, Tim Brach, Scott Johnson, and Jason Jaggers completed the ten remaining finishers.
Partipilo took home the Dash victory. Dauber posted the quickest qualifying lap with a time of 12.762. Billy Weistart Jr. of Oglesby won the first Heat race in front of Furar, Mike Mataragas and Newquist. Slager held off the fastest qualifiers to secure the fast Heat victory. Hamburg took second over Reaber and Scheffler.
Pole sitter Dan Thryselius won his first feature race of the season in the Midwestern Late Model division. Thryselius carried the torch flag to flag for his big victory.
Lapping the slower cars was bitter sweet for Thryselius as he developed leverage with lapped cars separating him from tough competition but also slowed his run when several were unable to get out of the leaders path.
With nineteen laps in the scoreboard a caution brought the field back together. Ralph Markham was now looking straight into the back bumper of Thryselius and powered up to try his hand at the lead when he found himself in a spin and the field flew past leaving him in the back.
Just like the Late’s Lap 23 replayed several times until they got it right. At the finish line it was Streator’s Shane Hill ending an impressive run in second over John Piccatto, Eric Dauber who came from the back after a visit to the pits, and Eric Rebholz. Joe Adam finished sixth after a convincing run from his seventeenth place start in front of Jerry Vance, Wally Forsythe, Ralph Markham and Jason Bogle.
Travis Rokey and Cody Sommer each won the preliminary Heat races.
Genoa’s Jeff Hartzell held off a hard charging Keith Piano to win the Midwestern Sportsman main event. Bobby Morgan picked up third in front of Sharon Schlappi, Daryll Grandys, Scott Hauge, Aaron Schmitt and Jake Patterson.
Hartzell and Piano split the Heat wins.
Scott Schmitt won the Street Stock division with Tom Legner second. John Peterson posted a third place finish as Al Gray, Dan Filkowski, Gary Schmitt, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Jerry Legner, Robert Schlappi and Nick Sell completed the top eleven finishers,
Next Saturday night the final points night is scheduled with a regular full program.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Xtreme Late Model
Qualifying: Ryan Dauber 12.762
Dash: Jim Partipilo, Russ Scheffler, Bret Sievert, Skip Martin
First Heat: Billy Weistart Jr., Darin Furar, Mike Mataragas, Tom Newquist
Second Heat: Garrett Slager, Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber, Russ Scheffler
Feature: Ryan Dauber, Frank Reaber, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Garrett Slager, Darin Furar, Tom Newquist, Tim Brach, Scott Johnson, Jason Jaggers, Joe Burba, Bret Sievert, Russ Scheffler, Mike Mataragas, Tim Hamburg, Jim Partipilo, Joe Partipilo, Skip Martin, Billy Weistart Jr.
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.448
First Heat: Travis Rokey, Jerry Vance, Eric Rebholz, Joe Adam
Second Heat: Cody Sommer, Ralph Markham, Rob Piper, Mark Jilbert
Feature: Dan Thryselius, Shane Hill, John Piccatto, Eric Dauber, Eric Rebholz, Joe Adam, Jerry Vance, Wally Forsythe, Ralph Markham, Jason Bogle, Cody Sommer, Mike Lock, Travis Rokey, Allen Christy, Rob Voice, Mick Miller, Ken Fischer, Brian Ray, Rob Piper, Doug Newlin, Mark Jilbert
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Jeff Hartzell, Bobby Morgan, Brian Claudnic, Daryll Grandys,
Second Heat: Keith Piano, Duane Peterson, Dan Goodhand, Scott Hauge
Feature: Jeff Hartzell, Bobby Morgan, Sharon Schlappi, Daryll Grandys, Scott Hauge, Aaron Schmitt, Jake Patterson, Brian Claudnic, BJ Grabow, Dan Goodhand, Scott Cimei, Duane Peterson
Street Stock
First Heat: Scott Schmidt, Tom Legner, Chuck Leason, Al Gray
Second Heat: Dan Filkowski, John Peterson, Jay Mesarchick, Craig Hoffman
Feature: Scott Schmitt, Tom Legner, John Peterson, Al Gray, Dan Filkowski, Gary Schmitt, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Jerry Legner, Robert Schlappi, Nick Sell, Mike Stewart, Matthew Scott, Steve Lewis, Jay Mesarchick, Craig Hoffman
LaSalle, IL - Ryan Dauber made his way to victory lane for the sixth time of the LaSalle Speedway’s 2004 season Saturday night. Despite repeated cautions and rough racing throughout the field the Tonica native was one of the lucky ones to leave unscathed.
When the Xtreme Late Model feature line up, of nineteen comrades, graced the 1/4 mile highbanks it was Elmhurst’s Jim Partipilo on the pole next to Russ Scheffler of Wisconsin. Directly behind the two was Bret Sievert and McHenry’s Skip Martin as Dauber and West Chicago’s Jay Fiene made up the third row of competitors.
Partipilo shot off to a quick lead as Sievert and Martin followed. For the first nine laps Partipilo commanded the field while Sievert ran runner up.
Dauber was coming on strong and moved around the front runners and the leader during the tenth lap out. Two laps later the caution flag waved after what appeared to be a domino effect involving a lapped car. Numerous single file restarts within the next several attempts kept the pace slow.
Dauber held the point for the restart of Lap 14 with Partipilo still in second over Sievert, Scheffler, Tim Hamburg, Fiene, Frank Reaber, Garrett Slager and Mike Mataragas. One lap later Partipilo’s chance for victory was diminished as he pulled into the infield with mechanical trouble.
During Lap 18, with Dauber generating a good lead, Sievert found Hamburg in full action under neath his run with Scheffler hot on the trail. By Lap 21, Hamburg and Scheffler were engulfed in a contact ridden stride banging off one another..
With two more laps nearly scored the bizarre yellow flag saga grew intense. Much like the characters in Ground Hog Day, time seemed to stand still as Lap 23 just kept being reintroduced over and over.
During one of the attempts to finish the lap Hamburg and Scheffler made contact for the final time with Hamburg leaving the competition for the pits. Confusion seemed rampant as the drivers tried to figure out where they were to reline up. Sievert appeared to disagree with the decision of where he would restart the final two laps and was directed off the field.
When the white flag dropped, Dauber now had Reaber, Fiene and LaSalle’s Mike Glynn who started second to last charging to catch up. On the final turn of the race, Glynn brought the fight for third into a three wide battle from the bottom line but not enough green flag racing remained.
At the checkers, Dauber was the first to cross the line as Reaber, Fiene, Glynn, Slager, Darin Furar, Tom Newquist, Tim Brach, Scott Johnson, and Jason Jaggers completed the ten remaining finishers.
Partipilo took home the Dash victory. Dauber posted the quickest qualifying lap with a time of 12.762. Billy Weistart Jr. of Oglesby won the first Heat race in front of Furar, Mike Mataragas and Newquist. Slager held off the fastest qualifiers to secure the fast Heat victory. Hamburg took second over Reaber and Scheffler.
Pole sitter Dan Thryselius won his first feature race of the season in the Midwestern Late Model division. Thryselius carried the torch flag to flag for his big victory.
Lapping the slower cars was bitter sweet for Thryselius as he developed leverage with lapped cars separating him from tough competition but also slowed his run when several were unable to get out of the leaders path.
With nineteen laps in the scoreboard a caution brought the field back together. Ralph Markham was now looking straight into the back bumper of Thryselius and powered up to try his hand at the lead when he found himself in a spin and the field flew past leaving him in the back.
Just like the Late’s Lap 23 replayed several times until they got it right. At the finish line it was Streator’s Shane Hill ending an impressive run in second over John Piccatto, Eric Dauber who came from the back after a visit to the pits, and Eric Rebholz. Joe Adam finished sixth after a convincing run from his seventeenth place start in front of Jerry Vance, Wally Forsythe, Ralph Markham and Jason Bogle.
Travis Rokey and Cody Sommer each won the preliminary Heat races.
Genoa’s Jeff Hartzell held off a hard charging Keith Piano to win the Midwestern Sportsman main event. Bobby Morgan picked up third in front of Sharon Schlappi, Daryll Grandys, Scott Hauge, Aaron Schmitt and Jake Patterson.
Hartzell and Piano split the Heat wins.
Scott Schmitt won the Street Stock division with Tom Legner second. John Peterson posted a third place finish as Al Gray, Dan Filkowski, Gary Schmitt, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Jerry Legner, Robert Schlappi and Nick Sell completed the top eleven finishers,
Next Saturday night the final points night is scheduled with a regular full program.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Xtreme Late Model
Qualifying: Ryan Dauber 12.762
Dash: Jim Partipilo, Russ Scheffler, Bret Sievert, Skip Martin
First Heat: Billy Weistart Jr., Darin Furar, Mike Mataragas, Tom Newquist
Second Heat: Garrett Slager, Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber, Russ Scheffler
Feature: Ryan Dauber, Frank Reaber, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Garrett Slager, Darin Furar, Tom Newquist, Tim Brach, Scott Johnson, Jason Jaggers, Joe Burba, Bret Sievert, Russ Scheffler, Mike Mataragas, Tim Hamburg, Jim Partipilo, Joe Partipilo, Skip Martin, Billy Weistart Jr.
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.448
First Heat: Travis Rokey, Jerry Vance, Eric Rebholz, Joe Adam
Second Heat: Cody Sommer, Ralph Markham, Rob Piper, Mark Jilbert
Feature: Dan Thryselius, Shane Hill, John Piccatto, Eric Dauber, Eric Rebholz, Joe Adam, Jerry Vance, Wally Forsythe, Ralph Markham, Jason Bogle, Cody Sommer, Mike Lock, Travis Rokey, Allen Christy, Rob Voice, Mick Miller, Ken Fischer, Brian Ray, Rob Piper, Doug Newlin, Mark Jilbert
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Jeff Hartzell, Bobby Morgan, Brian Claudnic, Daryll Grandys,
Second Heat: Keith Piano, Duane Peterson, Dan Goodhand, Scott Hauge
Feature: Jeff Hartzell, Bobby Morgan, Sharon Schlappi, Daryll Grandys, Scott Hauge, Aaron Schmitt, Jake Patterson, Brian Claudnic, BJ Grabow, Dan Goodhand, Scott Cimei, Duane Peterson
Street Stock
First Heat: Scott Schmidt, Tom Legner, Chuck Leason, Al Gray
Second Heat: Dan Filkowski, John Peterson, Jay Mesarchick, Craig Hoffman
Feature: Scott Schmitt, Tom Legner, John Peterson, Al Gray, Dan Filkowski, Gary Schmitt, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Jerry Legner, Robert Schlappi, Nick Sell, Mike Stewart, Matthew Scott, Steve Lewis, Jay Mesarchick, Craig Hoffman
