By Jack Pugh - August 9, 2003
At Highland Speedway, there were double features to be run after Mother Nature only allowed half the program to run last week.
In the makeup feature for the UMP Late Models, there were 18 cars in the starting field, but racing was something else. First off, the start was anything but smooth. It took three tries to finally get the race going as spins and contact stopped to beginning of the race.
On the front row were Frankie Martin and Mark Faust. Once the race finally got under way, Faust took the lead with Martin and Carson in tow. A combination of drivers and track conditions lead to several caution and lots of cars dropping out.
The first caution came on lap three when Brad Shelly and Dan Jacober got together in turn three. The running order was Faust, Martin Carson, Matt Taylor (28) and Aaron Kleine.
After the race tried to continue, the next yellow flag waved on lap 5 for Dean Reinacher’s spin in turn two. The top five was now Faust, Martin, Taylor, Carson and Kleine.
A few move laps were run before more action occurred. Coming out of turn four, Kleine got a little out of shape and was heading towards the wall. As he corrected, he caught Kerry Gaultney car and sent Gaultney into the front straight wall. Gaultney’s car was heavily damaged and done for the night. However, that was not the end of this incident, as Gaultney was upset with Kleine and he went after Kleine. This was added action on the track once Kleine came back around. Gaultney was asked to leave the speedway after his actions against Kleine.
The running order was now Faust, Martin, Taylor and Carson. The racing resumed again, but due to the length of the race the laps were cut to 20 rather than 25. Faust continued to be the car to catch, but Taylor was using another groove and moving forward.
The final caution came out for Kleine losing his drive shaft on lap 13. The action was not over as on the restart, Faust stopped on the track with transmission, rear end and drive shaft problems. This gave the lead to Taylor, who went on to take the checkered flag.
Taylor was driving the 28 car for this victory. Martin, Steve Meyers, Carson and Dondero to round out the top five followed him. Ten of the starting cars did not complete the feature.
In the UMP Modified makeup feature, the front row consisted of Brian Bielong and Bobby Martintoni. As did the Late Model race, this race could not get started as cars either spun or made contact. After four tries to get the race started, it was decided to start the race in single file. That got things going finally.
Bielong got the jump in to the lead that he never gave up. The racing did not last too long as on lap 2, Kent Schoeck sup in turn three. The running order was Bielong, Martintoni, Sugg, Harrison and Taylor.
Several laps were run before the top five order was altered. On lap seven Harrison made contact with Sugg coming out of turn four. Sugg had a left rear flat and was done, as was Harrison also out for the race. The running order now was Bielong, Martintoni, Taylor, Thornton, and Sellers.
This feature was also shortened, as the normal 20-lap feature was now 15 laps. The final eight laps were run caution free and Bielong got the win over Martintoni, Taylor, Thornton and Seller.
With 19 cars left to race, the regular night of racing took place. There were no time trails as the clock was broken the week before and had to be sent away for repairs. The heats were lined up by the draw.
The first heat went to Michael Kloos over Randy Perkins, Steve Meyers, Tom Carson, Vince Grondzki, Dan Jacober, and Lenny Garson. The second heat saw the win go to Rick Standridge followed by Matt Taylor, Frankie Martin, Rick Salter, Rick Rhodes, and Brad Shelly. The third heat went to Mike Schulte followed by Aaron Kleine, Jim Morrison, Brent Kreke, Dan Dondero and Joe Garson. The dash saw the win go to Schulte over Taylor, Standridge, Perkins, Kloos and Kleine.
The front row of Schulte and Taylor started the race, which continued to be 20 laps. Taylor jumped into the lead and never looked back. The race went green with no cautions.
The racing was a lot better than the first feature as several cars made some good forward movement. 11th starting Salter made some good moves to advance to second place. Ninth starting Morrison advanced to third. Pole starting Schulte finished fourth while eight starting Martin finished fifth.
Drivers used top and bottom to race their way to the end. Only three cars dropped out of the race.
In the UMP Modified class, there were 17 cars to compete. In the first heat, Jim Werner took the win followed by Bobby Martintoni, Roger Fohne, Steve Ellison, Mike Harrison, Chad Sellers, Matt Weidner, Dave Smith, and Kent Schoeck. In the second heat, Marty Smith took the victory followed by Dave Thornton, Scott Sugg, Matt Taylor, Todd Gailuis, Dave McDougal, Brian Bielong, and Mark Clary. In the dash, it was Smith with the win followed by Werner, Thornton, Martintoni, Sugg, and Fohne.
The front row for the feature started with Smith and Werner. Werner took the lead and he never looked back.
The race only lasted two laps before the first caution appeared for McDougal’s spin in turn one. The running order was Werner, Smith, Sugg, Taylor and Thornton. The race was not to be as it took two tries to get the race back under way as each time the restart was tried something happen to prevent the start.
It was Werner’s race to lose as he continued to hold the lead. Smith and Sugg did all they could to get to the front.
At the end of the 15-lap race it was Werner the winner. Following Werner was Sugg, Smith, Harrison and Martintoni to round out the top five.
At Highland Speedway, there were double features to be run after Mother Nature only allowed half the program to run last week.
In the makeup feature for the UMP Late Models, there were 18 cars in the starting field, but racing was something else. First off, the start was anything but smooth. It took three tries to finally get the race going as spins and contact stopped to beginning of the race.
On the front row were Frankie Martin and Mark Faust. Once the race finally got under way, Faust took the lead with Martin and Carson in tow. A combination of drivers and track conditions lead to several caution and lots of cars dropping out.
The first caution came on lap three when Brad Shelly and Dan Jacober got together in turn three. The running order was Faust, Martin Carson, Matt Taylor (28) and Aaron Kleine.
After the race tried to continue, the next yellow flag waved on lap 5 for Dean Reinacher’s spin in turn two. The top five was now Faust, Martin, Taylor, Carson and Kleine.
A few move laps were run before more action occurred. Coming out of turn four, Kleine got a little out of shape and was heading towards the wall. As he corrected, he caught Kerry Gaultney car and sent Gaultney into the front straight wall. Gaultney’s car was heavily damaged and done for the night. However, that was not the end of this incident, as Gaultney was upset with Kleine and he went after Kleine. This was added action on the track once Kleine came back around. Gaultney was asked to leave the speedway after his actions against Kleine.
The running order was now Faust, Martin, Taylor and Carson. The racing resumed again, but due to the length of the race the laps were cut to 20 rather than 25. Faust continued to be the car to catch, but Taylor was using another groove and moving forward.
The final caution came out for Kleine losing his drive shaft on lap 13. The action was not over as on the restart, Faust stopped on the track with transmission, rear end and drive shaft problems. This gave the lead to Taylor, who went on to take the checkered flag.
Taylor was driving the 28 car for this victory. Martin, Steve Meyers, Carson and Dondero to round out the top five followed him. Ten of the starting cars did not complete the feature.
In the UMP Modified makeup feature, the front row consisted of Brian Bielong and Bobby Martintoni. As did the Late Model race, this race could not get started as cars either spun or made contact. After four tries to get the race started, it was decided to start the race in single file. That got things going finally.
Bielong got the jump in to the lead that he never gave up. The racing did not last too long as on lap 2, Kent Schoeck sup in turn three. The running order was Bielong, Martintoni, Sugg, Harrison and Taylor.
Several laps were run before the top five order was altered. On lap seven Harrison made contact with Sugg coming out of turn four. Sugg had a left rear flat and was done, as was Harrison also out for the race. The running order now was Bielong, Martintoni, Taylor, Thornton, and Sellers.
This feature was also shortened, as the normal 20-lap feature was now 15 laps. The final eight laps were run caution free and Bielong got the win over Martintoni, Taylor, Thornton and Seller.
With 19 cars left to race, the regular night of racing took place. There were no time trails as the clock was broken the week before and had to be sent away for repairs. The heats were lined up by the draw.
The first heat went to Michael Kloos over Randy Perkins, Steve Meyers, Tom Carson, Vince Grondzki, Dan Jacober, and Lenny Garson. The second heat saw the win go to Rick Standridge followed by Matt Taylor, Frankie Martin, Rick Salter, Rick Rhodes, and Brad Shelly. The third heat went to Mike Schulte followed by Aaron Kleine, Jim Morrison, Brent Kreke, Dan Dondero and Joe Garson. The dash saw the win go to Schulte over Taylor, Standridge, Perkins, Kloos and Kleine.
The front row of Schulte and Taylor started the race, which continued to be 20 laps. Taylor jumped into the lead and never looked back. The race went green with no cautions.
The racing was a lot better than the first feature as several cars made some good forward movement. 11th starting Salter made some good moves to advance to second place. Ninth starting Morrison advanced to third. Pole starting Schulte finished fourth while eight starting Martin finished fifth.
Drivers used top and bottom to race their way to the end. Only three cars dropped out of the race.
In the UMP Modified class, there were 17 cars to compete. In the first heat, Jim Werner took the win followed by Bobby Martintoni, Roger Fohne, Steve Ellison, Mike Harrison, Chad Sellers, Matt Weidner, Dave Smith, and Kent Schoeck. In the second heat, Marty Smith took the victory followed by Dave Thornton, Scott Sugg, Matt Taylor, Todd Gailuis, Dave McDougal, Brian Bielong, and Mark Clary. In the dash, it was Smith with the win followed by Werner, Thornton, Martintoni, Sugg, and Fohne.
The front row for the feature started with Smith and Werner. Werner took the lead and he never looked back.
The race only lasted two laps before the first caution appeared for McDougal’s spin in turn one. The running order was Werner, Smith, Sugg, Taylor and Thornton. The race was not to be as it took two tries to get the race back under way as each time the restart was tried something happen to prevent the start.
It was Werner’s race to lose as he continued to hold the lead. Smith and Sugg did all they could to get to the front.
At the end of the 15-lap race it was Werner the winner. Following Werner was Sugg, Smith, Harrison and Martintoni to round out the top five.
