By Betty Glynn
LaSalle,IL - With a chill in the air, engines roaring, and crowds cheering
the LaSalle Speedway opened their 15th season Saturday night. By the nights
end, two drivers finished at the top of their game with people they admire
watching closely.
For one driver, Darin Furar, the person he admired had a true bird’s eye
view of his backside when he crossed the finish line. The other persons
watched from outside the ring. Furar, a Late Model driver from Granville was
okay with the thought that LaSalle’s Mike Glynn was going to finish first
and him second. It all changed when he realized he had a chance at beating
someone he respects.
“After the first lap, he got around me and I thought great I will finish
second to Mike,” Furar explained. “That’s good, second to him is good.”
Camaraderie in a sport such as racing holds deep roots. Quite often, drivers
have history together long before they are classified as the driver. Some go
back to much younger years especially with multi generational racing
families.
The Furar’s and Glynn’s are no exception. Then you mix in working on each
others cars, sharing set ups, pitting side by side and just plain hanging
out during the season and off season. If in fact there really is an “off
season”. Most of the spouses consider twelve months a year the real season
and just five or so where everyone gets to enjoy the sport on the track.
Furar and Glynn started on the front row of the Late Model’s twenty one car
field as Tonica’s Eric Dauber and Scott Schmitt rolled up in row two ahead
of Oglesby’s Keith Piano and John Piccatto of Spring Valley.
Once the green flew, Glynn used the high line to take over until numerous
yellows slowed the motion. Just after the first completed lap, Furar hugged
the bottom of the high banks to steal back the lead in turn two.
“I got more heat in the tires and I passed him back. It was all I could do
to not overdrive the car. I was pushing so hard and I knew he was still
there” Furar added.
He didn’t have much to worry about as he flew in and out of lapped cars
leaving Glynn to find new lines around the lapped traffic. With Furar out
front and Glynn following, Dauber and Piano fought for third. During Lap 13,
Piano powered the inside trek to glide into third.
As the laps were winding down, Maple Park’s Ralph Markham was on the hunt
for the front. Markham had moved himself from a fourteenth place start into
a fourth place run ahead of Dauber, James Muetze and Joe Partipillo.
At the checkers, it was Furar starting the season off in victory lane with
Glynn second. Piano crossed the line third but was later disqualified
following his final weigh in. Markham took home the third place finish over
Dauber, Muetze, Partipillo, Ed Williams, Bart Schwartz and Scott Schmitt.
In earlier action, Furar claimed the first heat over Ladd’s Dan Bardell,
Dauber and David Smith. Glynn came from sixth to beat Schmitt, Schwartz and
Partipillo in the second. Piano qualified as the new track record holder
with a time of 13.160.
A 17 year old rookie from Morris won the first Open Wheel Modified weekly
feature in front of someone he has grown up admiring. Unlike Furar, Vince
Cooper’s hero was outside the high banks watching closely.
“I grew up watching my dad race at Grundy,” Vince explained. He quickly
turned to his father Larry to recount how long he had raced.
“In between changing diapers we raced on and off fifteen years,” Larry
laughed.
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree as this kid has talent and proved it
Saturday. He not only held his own, he paved his own path en route to
claiming the top prize over 27 strong competitors.
“I raced caged carts when I was 9 til about 12”, Vince offered about his
past.
When the feature started Vince was hot off the blocks from the pole position
with Derek Line as his front row partner. Ray Bollinger and Jim Farris made
up row two.
Practice seemed to make perfect as the Modifieds struggled terribly to get
that first lap in the books. Turn four had become one troubled area as each
try something seemed to go wrong in the same region of the track.
But once under way, it was smooth sailing as Cooper did just that. Line was
far back in second over Bollinger, Farris, Mineral’s Marty Thompson, Aaron
Elgin, Phil Line, Kevin Hastings, Ben Hamburg and Peru’s Joe Adam.
Travis Kohler set the new track record for the Modifieds with a fast lap of
13.940. Bollinger won the first heat with Cooper and Hastings each winning
theirs.
A familiar face made a valiant return to winners circle in the Street Stock
class. Jeff Hamilton, the former divisional champ, returned to take home
another trophy. It has been sometime since Hamilton was a regular at the
speedway but it didn’t show as he charged from fifth to victory.
Rick Koltveit started the event on the front outside and took command
quickly but Hamilton was already on his back quarter by the end of Lap 1.
Four laps later, Hamilton brought the action into side by side duel and
eventually got the lead he wanted.
Eric Whittington started sixth but moved up quickly. He was on the move and
even led several laps before Hamilton claimed his spot back.
At the finish line, it was Hamilton, Whittington, Kevin Lenzen, Koltveit, Ed
Williams, Nathan Balanseiefen, Matt Ramer, Gary Schmidt, Leon Cade, Robert
Schlappi and Mike Hughes.
Koltveit, Chuck Provenzano and Williams each won the heat races. Brad Severs
took home the semi win.
The Four Cylinder cars will be making a weekly showing as well. Karl Hayes
won the first seasonal feature over Dan Leonard, Alex Clubb, Ryen Johnson,
the 1F car, John Clubb, Jarred Fosdick, Gabe Koncor, Asa Robar and Jon
Wagner.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model:
Qualifying: Keith Piano 13.160 New Track Record
Heat One: Darin Furar, Danny Bardell, Eric Dauber, David Smith
Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Scott Schmitt, Bart Schwartz, Joe Partipilo
Feature: Darin Furar, Mike Glynn, Keith Piano- DQ’d, Ralph Markham, Eric
Dauber, James Muetze, Joe Partipillo, Ed Williams, Bart Schwartz, Scott
Schmitt, Eric Rebholz, Wally Forsythe, Jerry Vance, Robert Voice, Dave
Miller, Shawn Kemp, David Smith, Aaron Schmidt, John Piccatto, Billy
Weistart Jr., Danny Bardell
Modifieds:
Qualifying: Travis Kohler 13.940 New Track Record
Heat One: Ray Bollinger, Jim Farris, Travis Kohler, Aaron Elgin
Heat Two: Vince Cooper, Phil Line, Joel Funk, James Thompson
Heat Three: Kevin Hastings, Derek Line, Eric Vaughn, Joe Adam
Semi Feature: Ben Hamburg, Ron Morris, Jim Phelps, Leah Monfries, Bill
Satek, Mike Dyas, Mike Lindsay
Feature: Vince Cooper, Derek Line, Ray Bollinger, Jim Farris, Marty
Thompson, Aaron Elgin, Phil Line, Kevin Hastings, Ben Hamburg, Joe Adam,
Eric Vaughan, Steve McCarty, Travis Kohler, James Thompson, Ron Morris,
Justin McCoy, Shawn Schipler, Joel Funk
Street Stock:
Heat One: Rick Koltveit, Jeff Hamilton, Kevin Lenzen, Joe Brown
Heat Two: Chuck Provenzano, Eric Whittington, Nathan Balensiefen, Steve
Lewis
Heat Three: Ed Williams, Gary Schmidt, Jake Cholke, Mike Hughes
Semi Feature: Brad Severs, Tim Loomis, John Peterson, Joe Jelinek, Jeff
Small, Tom Legner
Feature: Jeff Hamilton, Eric Whittington, Kevin Lenzen, Rick Koltveit, Ed
Williams, Nathan Balensiefen, Matt Ramer, Gary Schmidt, Leon Cade, Robert
Schlappi, Mike Hughes, Jake Cholke, Tim Loomis, Brad Severs, Steve Lewis,
Billy Dauber, Joe Brown
Four Cylinders:
Heat One: Dan Leonard, Ryen Johnson, Jerrod Thomas, Jimmy Johnson
Heat Two: Karl Hayes, Alex Clubb, 1F, Tony Harlacher
Feature: Karl Hayes, Dan Leonard, Alex Clubb, Ryen Johnson, 1F, John Clubb,
Jarred Fosdick, Gabe Koncor, Asa Robar, Jon Wagner, Tony Harlacher, John
Small, Tony Provenzano Jr., Jimmy Johnson, Jamison Derforth, Jerrod Thomas
LaSalle,IL - With a chill in the air, engines roaring, and crowds cheering
the LaSalle Speedway opened their 15th season Saturday night. By the nights
end, two drivers finished at the top of their game with people they admire
watching closely.
For one driver, Darin Furar, the person he admired had a true bird’s eye
view of his backside when he crossed the finish line. The other persons
watched from outside the ring. Furar, a Late Model driver from Granville was
okay with the thought that LaSalle’s Mike Glynn was going to finish first
and him second. It all changed when he realized he had a chance at beating
someone he respects.
“After the first lap, he got around me and I thought great I will finish
second to Mike,” Furar explained. “That’s good, second to him is good.”
Camaraderie in a sport such as racing holds deep roots. Quite often, drivers
have history together long before they are classified as the driver. Some go
back to much younger years especially with multi generational racing
families.
The Furar’s and Glynn’s are no exception. Then you mix in working on each
others cars, sharing set ups, pitting side by side and just plain hanging
out during the season and off season. If in fact there really is an “off
season”. Most of the spouses consider twelve months a year the real season
and just five or so where everyone gets to enjoy the sport on the track.
Furar and Glynn started on the front row of the Late Model’s twenty one car
field as Tonica’s Eric Dauber and Scott Schmitt rolled up in row two ahead
of Oglesby’s Keith Piano and John Piccatto of Spring Valley.
Once the green flew, Glynn used the high line to take over until numerous
yellows slowed the motion. Just after the first completed lap, Furar hugged
the bottom of the high banks to steal back the lead in turn two.
“I got more heat in the tires and I passed him back. It was all I could do
to not overdrive the car. I was pushing so hard and I knew he was still
there” Furar added.
He didn’t have much to worry about as he flew in and out of lapped cars
leaving Glynn to find new lines around the lapped traffic. With Furar out
front and Glynn following, Dauber and Piano fought for third. During Lap 13,
Piano powered the inside trek to glide into third.
As the laps were winding down, Maple Park’s Ralph Markham was on the hunt
for the front. Markham had moved himself from a fourteenth place start into
a fourth place run ahead of Dauber, James Muetze and Joe Partipillo.
At the checkers, it was Furar starting the season off in victory lane with
Glynn second. Piano crossed the line third but was later disqualified
following his final weigh in. Markham took home the third place finish over
Dauber, Muetze, Partipillo, Ed Williams, Bart Schwartz and Scott Schmitt.
In earlier action, Furar claimed the first heat over Ladd’s Dan Bardell,
Dauber and David Smith. Glynn came from sixth to beat Schmitt, Schwartz and
Partipillo in the second. Piano qualified as the new track record holder
with a time of 13.160.
A 17 year old rookie from Morris won the first Open Wheel Modified weekly
feature in front of someone he has grown up admiring. Unlike Furar, Vince
Cooper’s hero was outside the high banks watching closely.
“I grew up watching my dad race at Grundy,” Vince explained. He quickly
turned to his father Larry to recount how long he had raced.
“In between changing diapers we raced on and off fifteen years,” Larry
laughed.
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree as this kid has talent and proved it
Saturday. He not only held his own, he paved his own path en route to
claiming the top prize over 27 strong competitors.
“I raced caged carts when I was 9 til about 12”, Vince offered about his
past.
When the feature started Vince was hot off the blocks from the pole position
with Derek Line as his front row partner. Ray Bollinger and Jim Farris made
up row two.
Practice seemed to make perfect as the Modifieds struggled terribly to get
that first lap in the books. Turn four had become one troubled area as each
try something seemed to go wrong in the same region of the track.
But once under way, it was smooth sailing as Cooper did just that. Line was
far back in second over Bollinger, Farris, Mineral’s Marty Thompson, Aaron
Elgin, Phil Line, Kevin Hastings, Ben Hamburg and Peru’s Joe Adam.
Travis Kohler set the new track record for the Modifieds with a fast lap of
13.940. Bollinger won the first heat with Cooper and Hastings each winning
theirs.
A familiar face made a valiant return to winners circle in the Street Stock
class. Jeff Hamilton, the former divisional champ, returned to take home
another trophy. It has been sometime since Hamilton was a regular at the
speedway but it didn’t show as he charged from fifth to victory.
Rick Koltveit started the event on the front outside and took command
quickly but Hamilton was already on his back quarter by the end of Lap 1.
Four laps later, Hamilton brought the action into side by side duel and
eventually got the lead he wanted.
Eric Whittington started sixth but moved up quickly. He was on the move and
even led several laps before Hamilton claimed his spot back.
At the finish line, it was Hamilton, Whittington, Kevin Lenzen, Koltveit, Ed
Williams, Nathan Balanseiefen, Matt Ramer, Gary Schmidt, Leon Cade, Robert
Schlappi and Mike Hughes.
Koltveit, Chuck Provenzano and Williams each won the heat races. Brad Severs
took home the semi win.
The Four Cylinder cars will be making a weekly showing as well. Karl Hayes
won the first seasonal feature over Dan Leonard, Alex Clubb, Ryen Johnson,
the 1F car, John Clubb, Jarred Fosdick, Gabe Koncor, Asa Robar and Jon
Wagner.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model:
Qualifying: Keith Piano 13.160 New Track Record
Heat One: Darin Furar, Danny Bardell, Eric Dauber, David Smith
Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Scott Schmitt, Bart Schwartz, Joe Partipilo
Feature: Darin Furar, Mike Glynn, Keith Piano- DQ’d, Ralph Markham, Eric
Dauber, James Muetze, Joe Partipillo, Ed Williams, Bart Schwartz, Scott
Schmitt, Eric Rebholz, Wally Forsythe, Jerry Vance, Robert Voice, Dave
Miller, Shawn Kemp, David Smith, Aaron Schmidt, John Piccatto, Billy
Weistart Jr., Danny Bardell
Modifieds:
Qualifying: Travis Kohler 13.940 New Track Record
Heat One: Ray Bollinger, Jim Farris, Travis Kohler, Aaron Elgin
Heat Two: Vince Cooper, Phil Line, Joel Funk, James Thompson
Heat Three: Kevin Hastings, Derek Line, Eric Vaughn, Joe Adam
Semi Feature: Ben Hamburg, Ron Morris, Jim Phelps, Leah Monfries, Bill
Satek, Mike Dyas, Mike Lindsay
Feature: Vince Cooper, Derek Line, Ray Bollinger, Jim Farris, Marty
Thompson, Aaron Elgin, Phil Line, Kevin Hastings, Ben Hamburg, Joe Adam,
Eric Vaughan, Steve McCarty, Travis Kohler, James Thompson, Ron Morris,
Justin McCoy, Shawn Schipler, Joel Funk
Street Stock:
Heat One: Rick Koltveit, Jeff Hamilton, Kevin Lenzen, Joe Brown
Heat Two: Chuck Provenzano, Eric Whittington, Nathan Balensiefen, Steve
Lewis
Heat Three: Ed Williams, Gary Schmidt, Jake Cholke, Mike Hughes
Semi Feature: Brad Severs, Tim Loomis, John Peterson, Joe Jelinek, Jeff
Small, Tom Legner
Feature: Jeff Hamilton, Eric Whittington, Kevin Lenzen, Rick Koltveit, Ed
Williams, Nathan Balensiefen, Matt Ramer, Gary Schmidt, Leon Cade, Robert
Schlappi, Mike Hughes, Jake Cholke, Tim Loomis, Brad Severs, Steve Lewis,
Billy Dauber, Joe Brown
Four Cylinders:
Heat One: Dan Leonard, Ryen Johnson, Jerrod Thomas, Jimmy Johnson
Heat Two: Karl Hayes, Alex Clubb, 1F, Tony Harlacher
Feature: Karl Hayes, Dan Leonard, Alex Clubb, Ryen Johnson, 1F, John Clubb,
Jarred Fosdick, Gabe Koncor, Asa Robar, Jon Wagner, Tony Harlacher, John
Small, Tony Provenzano Jr., Jimmy Johnson, Jamison Derforth, Jerrod Thomas
