By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - Bloomington’s Jason Feger finally tamed the high banks in his super Late Model Saturday night and all thoughts went to a sick family member. Feger comes from a family of racers dating back long before the 27 year old driver was born.
His Grandfather, Uncle and Father were all racers at one time or another. He and younger brother Austin, now Feger’s crew chief, helped their Mother letter race cars as children. Now the Feger brothers make a great team.
When asked about his first winning thoughts he quickly had a wish far more important then his win. "Get well Grandpa," was Feger’s response.
Feger made many visits to the victory circle when he competed in the Sportsman class at the Illinois Valley track. But since those days he has had great runs but never gotten the big one til Saturday.
For the twenty five lap main event it was West Chicago’s Jay Fiene on the pole with Feger as his front row partner over Princeton’s Travis Rokey and Mike Glynn of LaSalle. Third row hosted McHenry’s Skip Martin along side Tom Markham of Kirkland.
When the green was flown Feger shot out quick over a low running Fiene with Glynn and Rokey filing in behind them. A caution during Lap 3 slowed the pace a little. One lap later, the last driver on the grid, Tim Hamburg, had already powered his way into tenth and was on a mission to get to the front.
The trio of Feger, Fiene and Glynn distanced themselves from the fourth place running competition between Rokey, Frank Reaber and Martin. During Lap 12, the three leaders found themselves dicing it up with lapped cars. One lap later Glynn took his run three wide with two of the lapped racers.
A caution during Lap 16, brought a single file restart but the lapped traffic separated the pack. Back to green racing it was still Feger out front as Fiene and Glynn fell back to a similar groove in formation. Reaber was now in fourth with Hamburg moving forward. Another yellow stopped his run and sent him back again.
Five laps later, Hamburg was in a side by side battle with Reaber for fourth taking over the position with three laps to go. Feger, Fiene and Glynn remained untouchable in the front three spots til the last lap was scored.
Hamburg collected fourth over Martin, Reaber, Rokey, Markham, Jason Jaggers, Mike Provenzano, Cody Sommers, Joe Burba and Rich Bell.
Feger and Fiene won their heat races earlier in the night. Martin qualified the fastest lap with a time of 12.850.
Maple Park’s Ralph Markham held off cousin TJ to win the Midwestern Late Model feature race.
Before a lap could be scored, last weeks winner Johnny Heath found himself in the turn three wall and out of competition. Brian Ray took over the lead right away but during the second lap he headed straight for the wall in turn one and sacrificed the lead to Ralph.
By Lap 8, Ralph was already being chased in the same groove by TJ who had started seventh on the line up as Mark Jilbert held back a strong running Eric Dauber. Dauber, who started fourteenth had already journeyed up ten positions.
Two laps later Dauber moved around Jilbert for third but the Markham cousins had generated a lot of distance from the pack.
During the final laps, Ralph with TJ on his tail was lapping traffic while still running on the bottom as Dauber, Dave Smith, and Eric Rebholz gave chase.
When the checkers dropped Ralph collected his first feature of the season with TJ close in tow over, Dauber, Smith, Rebholz, Joe Dynek, Jilbert, Shane Hill, Ray and Dave Miller.
Dauber and Ralph each won the divisional heat races. Mick Miller posted the fastest lap with a time of 14.035.
Streator’s Bobby Morgan Jr. and Scott Cimei found themselves on the front row of the Midwestern Sportsman main race. Morgan used his outside start to power into the lead but went too high and lost it temporarily to Cimei.
With Morgan back in command, Cimei fell in behind as Tonica’s Scott Schmitt set his sights on Cimei.
Morgan took home the trophy uncontested as Schmitt picked up second ahead of Cimei, Tina Soberi, Aaron Schmitt, BJ Grabow, Jake Patterson, Rick Koltveit, Jim Beatty and Andy Atkinson.
Tom Legner won the Street Stock feature after a fourth place start. The Crest Hill driver took the point after the leader, Steve Lewis was sent to the infield mud after contact forced him to loose control.
At the end of the twelve laps it was Ottawa’s Al Gray finishing second over Jerry Legner, Oglesby’s Nick Sell, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Joe Jelinek, Mike Flanagan, Jeff Small and Gary Schmitt.
The Legends and Bandoleros made their first trip to the speedway for competition. The two seemed as though they were toy cars but put on a great showing for the fans.
Keith Moline won the Legends main with twelve cars on the track. Moline beat Matt Montieth, Rick Harris, Tom Butler, Lane Swaringer, Jim Black, Perry Mitchell, Jeremy Johnson, Craig Peekenschnieder, Keith Meyer, Troy Norton and Dave Dvorak.
Tyler Bloom won the Bandoleros as Jim Uteg and Jim Uteg III finished behind him.
The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series officials recently announced the air times for the May 21st Jeff’s Enginemaster Spring Shootout at LaSalle Speedway on ESPN2. There will be two different airing dates on Thursday July 21st at 1:30 P.M. CST and Saturday July 24th at 12:00 P.M. CST.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Skip Martin 12.850
First Heat: Jason Feger, Mike Glynn, Tom Markham, Frank Reaber
Second Heat: Jay Fiene, Travis Rokey, Mike Provenzano, Jason Jaggers
Feature: Jason Feger, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Skip Martin, Frank Reaber, Travis Rokey, Tom Markham, Jason Jaggers, Mike Provenzano, Cody Sommer, Joe Burba, Rich Bell, Jerry Pitts, Matt Ramer, Ben Hamburg, Joe Partipilo, Larry Stotts, Brian Claudnic
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Mick Miller 14.035
First Heat: Eric Dauber, Tony Coglianese, Dave Smith, Jack Benson
Second Heat: Ralph Markham, Johnny Heath, Brian Ray, TJ Markham
Feature: Ralph Markham, TJ Markham, Eric Dauber, Dave Smith, Eric Rebholz, Joe Dynek, Mark Jilbert, Shane Hill, Brian Ray, Dave Miller, Tony Coglianese, Keith Piano, Jack Benson, Doug Newlin, Dan Patnoe, Johnny Heath
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Scott Cimei, Bobby Morgan, Tina Soberi, Scott Schmitt
Feature: Bobby Morgan, Scott Schmitt, Scott Cimei, Tina Soberi, Aaron Schmitt, BJ Grabow, Jake Patterson, Rick Koltveit, Jim Beatty, Andy Atkinson
Street Stock
First Heat: Steve Lewis, Gary Shmitt, Eric Legner, Jerry Legner
Second Heat: Matt Weibel, Tom Legner, Nick Sell, Al Gray
Feature: Tom Legner, Al Gray, Jerry Legner, Nick Sell, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Joe Jelinek, Mike Flanagan, Jeff Small, Gary Schmitt, Matt Weibel, Mike Hughes, Steve Lewis, Ray Buchanan
LaSalle, IL - Bloomington’s Jason Feger finally tamed the high banks in his super Late Model Saturday night and all thoughts went to a sick family member. Feger comes from a family of racers dating back long before the 27 year old driver was born.
His Grandfather, Uncle and Father were all racers at one time or another. He and younger brother Austin, now Feger’s crew chief, helped their Mother letter race cars as children. Now the Feger brothers make a great team.
When asked about his first winning thoughts he quickly had a wish far more important then his win. "Get well Grandpa," was Feger’s response.
Feger made many visits to the victory circle when he competed in the Sportsman class at the Illinois Valley track. But since those days he has had great runs but never gotten the big one til Saturday.
For the twenty five lap main event it was West Chicago’s Jay Fiene on the pole with Feger as his front row partner over Princeton’s Travis Rokey and Mike Glynn of LaSalle. Third row hosted McHenry’s Skip Martin along side Tom Markham of Kirkland.
When the green was flown Feger shot out quick over a low running Fiene with Glynn and Rokey filing in behind them. A caution during Lap 3 slowed the pace a little. One lap later, the last driver on the grid, Tim Hamburg, had already powered his way into tenth and was on a mission to get to the front.
The trio of Feger, Fiene and Glynn distanced themselves from the fourth place running competition between Rokey, Frank Reaber and Martin. During Lap 12, the three leaders found themselves dicing it up with lapped cars. One lap later Glynn took his run three wide with two of the lapped racers.
A caution during Lap 16, brought a single file restart but the lapped traffic separated the pack. Back to green racing it was still Feger out front as Fiene and Glynn fell back to a similar groove in formation. Reaber was now in fourth with Hamburg moving forward. Another yellow stopped his run and sent him back again.
Five laps later, Hamburg was in a side by side battle with Reaber for fourth taking over the position with three laps to go. Feger, Fiene and Glynn remained untouchable in the front three spots til the last lap was scored.
Hamburg collected fourth over Martin, Reaber, Rokey, Markham, Jason Jaggers, Mike Provenzano, Cody Sommers, Joe Burba and Rich Bell.
Feger and Fiene won their heat races earlier in the night. Martin qualified the fastest lap with a time of 12.850.
Maple Park’s Ralph Markham held off cousin TJ to win the Midwestern Late Model feature race.
Before a lap could be scored, last weeks winner Johnny Heath found himself in the turn three wall and out of competition. Brian Ray took over the lead right away but during the second lap he headed straight for the wall in turn one and sacrificed the lead to Ralph.
By Lap 8, Ralph was already being chased in the same groove by TJ who had started seventh on the line up as Mark Jilbert held back a strong running Eric Dauber. Dauber, who started fourteenth had already journeyed up ten positions.
Two laps later Dauber moved around Jilbert for third but the Markham cousins had generated a lot of distance from the pack.
During the final laps, Ralph with TJ on his tail was lapping traffic while still running on the bottom as Dauber, Dave Smith, and Eric Rebholz gave chase.
When the checkers dropped Ralph collected his first feature of the season with TJ close in tow over, Dauber, Smith, Rebholz, Joe Dynek, Jilbert, Shane Hill, Ray and Dave Miller.
Dauber and Ralph each won the divisional heat races. Mick Miller posted the fastest lap with a time of 14.035.
Streator’s Bobby Morgan Jr. and Scott Cimei found themselves on the front row of the Midwestern Sportsman main race. Morgan used his outside start to power into the lead but went too high and lost it temporarily to Cimei.
With Morgan back in command, Cimei fell in behind as Tonica’s Scott Schmitt set his sights on Cimei.
Morgan took home the trophy uncontested as Schmitt picked up second ahead of Cimei, Tina Soberi, Aaron Schmitt, BJ Grabow, Jake Patterson, Rick Koltveit, Jim Beatty and Andy Atkinson.
Tom Legner won the Street Stock feature after a fourth place start. The Crest Hill driver took the point after the leader, Steve Lewis was sent to the infield mud after contact forced him to loose control.
At the end of the twelve laps it was Ottawa’s Al Gray finishing second over Jerry Legner, Oglesby’s Nick Sell, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Joe Jelinek, Mike Flanagan, Jeff Small and Gary Schmitt.
The Legends and Bandoleros made their first trip to the speedway for competition. The two seemed as though they were toy cars but put on a great showing for the fans.
Keith Moline won the Legends main with twelve cars on the track. Moline beat Matt Montieth, Rick Harris, Tom Butler, Lane Swaringer, Jim Black, Perry Mitchell, Jeremy Johnson, Craig Peekenschnieder, Keith Meyer, Troy Norton and Dave Dvorak.
Tyler Bloom won the Bandoleros as Jim Uteg and Jim Uteg III finished behind him.
The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series officials recently announced the air times for the May 21st Jeff’s Enginemaster Spring Shootout at LaSalle Speedway on ESPN2. There will be two different airing dates on Thursday July 21st at 1:30 P.M. CST and Saturday July 24th at 12:00 P.M. CST.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Skip Martin 12.850
First Heat: Jason Feger, Mike Glynn, Tom Markham, Frank Reaber
Second Heat: Jay Fiene, Travis Rokey, Mike Provenzano, Jason Jaggers
Feature: Jason Feger, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Skip Martin, Frank Reaber, Travis Rokey, Tom Markham, Jason Jaggers, Mike Provenzano, Cody Sommer, Joe Burba, Rich Bell, Jerry Pitts, Matt Ramer, Ben Hamburg, Joe Partipilo, Larry Stotts, Brian Claudnic
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Mick Miller 14.035
First Heat: Eric Dauber, Tony Coglianese, Dave Smith, Jack Benson
Second Heat: Ralph Markham, Johnny Heath, Brian Ray, TJ Markham
Feature: Ralph Markham, TJ Markham, Eric Dauber, Dave Smith, Eric Rebholz, Joe Dynek, Mark Jilbert, Shane Hill, Brian Ray, Dave Miller, Tony Coglianese, Keith Piano, Jack Benson, Doug Newlin, Dan Patnoe, Johnny Heath
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Scott Cimei, Bobby Morgan, Tina Soberi, Scott Schmitt
Feature: Bobby Morgan, Scott Schmitt, Scott Cimei, Tina Soberi, Aaron Schmitt, BJ Grabow, Jake Patterson, Rick Koltveit, Jim Beatty, Andy Atkinson
Street Stock
First Heat: Steve Lewis, Gary Shmitt, Eric Legner, Jerry Legner
Second Heat: Matt Weibel, Tom Legner, Nick Sell, Al Gray
Feature: Tom Legner, Al Gray, Jerry Legner, Nick Sell, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Joe Jelinek, Mike Flanagan, Jeff Small, Gary Schmitt, Matt Weibel, Mike Hughes, Steve Lewis, Ray Buchanan
