By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - For Mike Glynn, racing is as synonymous with summer as Lil’ John Provenzano is to idols. As the summer comes to an end the LaSalle Speedway’s 2005 season is wrapping up but this year Glynn has achieved a sought after goal.
The Late Model driver hails out of LaSalle and has passed one of his favorite drivers through the years but never en route to victory lane where he first became a fan of Provenzano.
"At the end of the race, I went over to John and told him how good it felt to beat my idol," Glynn said of their conversation. "His response, with a smile, was don’t make a habit of it."
The camaraderie between drivers is quite common especially when you grow up with racing flowing deep in your veins and have drivers you aspire to beat.
The Marseilles veteran has earned many track championships with his competitive edge and if there were a gauge to measure smart driving Provenzano would rank up there.
"I have so much respect for John and always have."
For the 25 lap feature grid, it was Kirkland’s Tom Markham on the pole with Provenzano holding the outside position. West Chicago’s Jay Fiene was following on the second row inside with John’s son Mike as his partner. Tonica’s Ryan Dauber and Frank Reaber of Bensenville were on the grid in row three.
Shortly after the momentum picked up, contact between leaders Markham and Fiene ended with Fiene in the rear of the field for the restart.
Several restarts of Lap 2 kept slowing the pace. When the action finally got underway, Markham was at the point with Lil’ John on his tail. On the back stretch John made his move and took over the lead with Markham now holding off Glynn.
Glynn looked like he had Markham but the yellow put them back in single file. Just after the lights turned green, Glynn made his move around Markham and started his hunt for the leader. During Lap 7, Glynn moved to a higher line but another caution stopped the run and showed Provenzano where he was headed.
Two laps later, Glynn again took him on from the outside and the two battled back and forth for a couple of laps until Glynn pulled away.
Quite a few more cautions would bring the pack back together but each time Glynn and John were in their own zip code. Markham kept his solid run in third going the entire distance as Martin worked his way into fourth over Reaber and Mike Provenzano. Streator’s Dan Thacker followed in seventh.
At the checkers, it was Glynn collecting the trophy for the fourth time. John finished runner up as Markham narrowly held off Martin for third. Reaber was fifth ahead of Mike Provenzano, Thacker, Ritchie Bell, Keith Piano, Ed Williams and Gary Hunt.
During earlier action, brothers Ryan and Eric Dauber of Tonica each traveled the quickest laps in their divisions for the fast time honors. Ryan in super Lates while Eric held the best time in Midwestern Late qualifying.
For the first Late Model heat race, John beat his son Mike with Travis Rokey and Reaber trailing. Markham held back a convincing run by Fiene to win the second heat. Glynn finished third with Bell in fourth.
The Midwestern Late Model feature action was not entirely full throttle racing as the division has the potential to be. Under the glow of a full moon, it was quite apparent that sheet metal suppliers would need to be on speed dial for many of the machines when the final lap was completed.
The twenty-five lapper was more then many could bear as it became a score keepers nightmare. Maintaining positions was difficult as the yellows compounded with drivers leaving the competition only to return several laps following.
For the line up grid, it was Mick Miller sitting next to Brian Ray on the front row. Behind the two was Dan Thryselius and Mark Jilbert over Tony Coglianese and John Piccatto.
Miller wasted little time taking command as Thryselius moved low for second. The first two laps was much more then two circles around the highbanks as the sixteen car field just couldn’t get it together.
During Lap 14, hard contact was made after Ralph and Mick connected. Ralph and Darin Furar then hit hard with TJ Markham becoming a victim as well. Both Furar and TJ found themselves out of the running and pitside.
Mick led much of the event until Lap 18 when he and Jilbert traded paint and Miller left the track. At this juncture only nine cars were still present. For the restart, Jilbert now sat at the lead with Ralph, Eric, Streator’s Shane Hill and Coglianese following.
Ralph continued his hard charge and passed Jilbert on the backstretch.
Coming through the final turn Hill and Jilbert tangled with Jilbert sacrificing his front finish campaign.
Ralph ended the night looking like the evening had taken its toll on his sheet metal but he took home the top honors for the third time this season. Eric Dauber was second over Hill, Piccatto, Jilbert, Jack Benson, Miller, Ray, Vance, Dave Miller and Coglianese.
Mick and Hill each won the divisional heat contests.
Several complete restarts in the Midwestern Sportsman slowed the seven car field but once green Magnolia’s Scott Cimei took control and never looked back.
Cimei made a clean sweep in his quest for his fifth season victory.
Cimei outdistanced himself for the feature win as Jake Patterson followed in second ahead of Aaron Schmitt, Chuck Leason, and Ed Scarpardine.
Ottawa’s Al Gray won his fourth Stock feature in a row making the win his sixth thus far for the season. Sitting on the pole Gray had Oglesby’s Nick Sell on the outside starting spot.
Gray and Sell each earned their heat wins but tangled early in the feature race ending any chance for Sell to give him a run.
At the end of the race it was Gray with the win. Robert Schlappi took second place over Jake Cholke. Steve Lewis crossed the finish line in fourth but was later disqualified. After him was Jim Kirkpatrick, Joe Jelinek, Jeff Small, Mike Stewart, Jay Mesarchik and Mike Hughes.
Next Saturday night, a full program is on the schedule with the Sportsman Special topping the venue in their last night of activity. The Street Stock and Sportsman Champions will be honored as well.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Ryan Dauber 12.989
First Heat: Lil’ John Provenzano, Mike Provenzano, Travis Rokey, Frank Reaber
Second Heat: Tom Markham, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Ritchie Bell
Feature: Mike Glynn, Lil’ John Provenzano, Tom Markham, Skip Martin, Frank Reaber, Mike Provenzano, Dan Thacker, Ritchie Bell, Keith Piano, Ed Williams, Gary Hunt, Joe Partipilo, Don Bell, Bart Schwartz, Tim Hamburg, Jay Fiene, Joe Burba, Travis Rokey, Ryan Dauber
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.590
First Heat: Mick Miller, Brian Ray, Dan Thryselius, James Muetze
Second Heat: Shane Hill, TJ Markham, Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber
Feature: Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber, Shane Hill, John Piccatto, Mark Jilbert, Jack Benson, Mick Miller, Brian Ray, Jerry Vance, Dave Miller, Tony Coglianese, James Muetze, TJ Markham, Darin Furar, Dan Thryselius, David Smith
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Scott Cimei, Aaron Schmitt, Jake Patterson, BJ Grabow
Feature: Scott Cimei, Jake Patterson, Aaron Schmitt, Chuck Leason, Ed Scarpardine, Rick Koltveit, BJ Grabow
Street Stock
First Heat: Al Gray, Tom Otrembiak, Jake Cholke, Robert Schlappi
Second Heat: Nick Sell, Mike Flanagan, Joe Jelinek, Bill Dauber
Feature: Al Gray, Robert Schlappi, Jake Cholke, Steve Lewis - DQ’d, Jim Kirkpatrick, Joe Jelinek, Jeff Small, Mike Stewart, Jay Mesarchick, Mike Hughes, Mike Flanagan, Nick Sell, Steve Schweimlein, Bill Dauber
LaSalle, IL - For Mike Glynn, racing is as synonymous with summer as Lil’ John Provenzano is to idols. As the summer comes to an end the LaSalle Speedway’s 2005 season is wrapping up but this year Glynn has achieved a sought after goal.
The Late Model driver hails out of LaSalle and has passed one of his favorite drivers through the years but never en route to victory lane where he first became a fan of Provenzano.
"At the end of the race, I went over to John and told him how good it felt to beat my idol," Glynn said of their conversation. "His response, with a smile, was don’t make a habit of it."
The camaraderie between drivers is quite common especially when you grow up with racing flowing deep in your veins and have drivers you aspire to beat.
The Marseilles veteran has earned many track championships with his competitive edge and if there were a gauge to measure smart driving Provenzano would rank up there.
"I have so much respect for John and always have."
For the 25 lap feature grid, it was Kirkland’s Tom Markham on the pole with Provenzano holding the outside position. West Chicago’s Jay Fiene was following on the second row inside with John’s son Mike as his partner. Tonica’s Ryan Dauber and Frank Reaber of Bensenville were on the grid in row three.
Shortly after the momentum picked up, contact between leaders Markham and Fiene ended with Fiene in the rear of the field for the restart.
Several restarts of Lap 2 kept slowing the pace. When the action finally got underway, Markham was at the point with Lil’ John on his tail. On the back stretch John made his move and took over the lead with Markham now holding off Glynn.
Glynn looked like he had Markham but the yellow put them back in single file. Just after the lights turned green, Glynn made his move around Markham and started his hunt for the leader. During Lap 7, Glynn moved to a higher line but another caution stopped the run and showed Provenzano where he was headed.
Two laps later, Glynn again took him on from the outside and the two battled back and forth for a couple of laps until Glynn pulled away.
Quite a few more cautions would bring the pack back together but each time Glynn and John were in their own zip code. Markham kept his solid run in third going the entire distance as Martin worked his way into fourth over Reaber and Mike Provenzano. Streator’s Dan Thacker followed in seventh.
At the checkers, it was Glynn collecting the trophy for the fourth time. John finished runner up as Markham narrowly held off Martin for third. Reaber was fifth ahead of Mike Provenzano, Thacker, Ritchie Bell, Keith Piano, Ed Williams and Gary Hunt.
During earlier action, brothers Ryan and Eric Dauber of Tonica each traveled the quickest laps in their divisions for the fast time honors. Ryan in super Lates while Eric held the best time in Midwestern Late qualifying.
For the first Late Model heat race, John beat his son Mike with Travis Rokey and Reaber trailing. Markham held back a convincing run by Fiene to win the second heat. Glynn finished third with Bell in fourth.
The Midwestern Late Model feature action was not entirely full throttle racing as the division has the potential to be. Under the glow of a full moon, it was quite apparent that sheet metal suppliers would need to be on speed dial for many of the machines when the final lap was completed.
The twenty-five lapper was more then many could bear as it became a score keepers nightmare. Maintaining positions was difficult as the yellows compounded with drivers leaving the competition only to return several laps following.
For the line up grid, it was Mick Miller sitting next to Brian Ray on the front row. Behind the two was Dan Thryselius and Mark Jilbert over Tony Coglianese and John Piccatto.
Miller wasted little time taking command as Thryselius moved low for second. The first two laps was much more then two circles around the highbanks as the sixteen car field just couldn’t get it together.
During Lap 14, hard contact was made after Ralph and Mick connected. Ralph and Darin Furar then hit hard with TJ Markham becoming a victim as well. Both Furar and TJ found themselves out of the running and pitside.
Mick led much of the event until Lap 18 when he and Jilbert traded paint and Miller left the track. At this juncture only nine cars were still present. For the restart, Jilbert now sat at the lead with Ralph, Eric, Streator’s Shane Hill and Coglianese following.
Ralph continued his hard charge and passed Jilbert on the backstretch.
Coming through the final turn Hill and Jilbert tangled with Jilbert sacrificing his front finish campaign.
Ralph ended the night looking like the evening had taken its toll on his sheet metal but he took home the top honors for the third time this season. Eric Dauber was second over Hill, Piccatto, Jilbert, Jack Benson, Miller, Ray, Vance, Dave Miller and Coglianese.
Mick and Hill each won the divisional heat contests.
Several complete restarts in the Midwestern Sportsman slowed the seven car field but once green Magnolia’s Scott Cimei took control and never looked back.
Cimei made a clean sweep in his quest for his fifth season victory.
Cimei outdistanced himself for the feature win as Jake Patterson followed in second ahead of Aaron Schmitt, Chuck Leason, and Ed Scarpardine.
Ottawa’s Al Gray won his fourth Stock feature in a row making the win his sixth thus far for the season. Sitting on the pole Gray had Oglesby’s Nick Sell on the outside starting spot.
Gray and Sell each earned their heat wins but tangled early in the feature race ending any chance for Sell to give him a run.
At the end of the race it was Gray with the win. Robert Schlappi took second place over Jake Cholke. Steve Lewis crossed the finish line in fourth but was later disqualified. After him was Jim Kirkpatrick, Joe Jelinek, Jeff Small, Mike Stewart, Jay Mesarchik and Mike Hughes.
Next Saturday night, a full program is on the schedule with the Sportsman Special topping the venue in their last night of activity. The Street Stock and Sportsman Champions will be honored as well.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Ryan Dauber 12.989
First Heat: Lil’ John Provenzano, Mike Provenzano, Travis Rokey, Frank Reaber
Second Heat: Tom Markham, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Ritchie Bell
Feature: Mike Glynn, Lil’ John Provenzano, Tom Markham, Skip Martin, Frank Reaber, Mike Provenzano, Dan Thacker, Ritchie Bell, Keith Piano, Ed Williams, Gary Hunt, Joe Partipilo, Don Bell, Bart Schwartz, Tim Hamburg, Jay Fiene, Joe Burba, Travis Rokey, Ryan Dauber
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.590
First Heat: Mick Miller, Brian Ray, Dan Thryselius, James Muetze
Second Heat: Shane Hill, TJ Markham, Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber
Feature: Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber, Shane Hill, John Piccatto, Mark Jilbert, Jack Benson, Mick Miller, Brian Ray, Jerry Vance, Dave Miller, Tony Coglianese, James Muetze, TJ Markham, Darin Furar, Dan Thryselius, David Smith
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Scott Cimei, Aaron Schmitt, Jake Patterson, BJ Grabow
Feature: Scott Cimei, Jake Patterson, Aaron Schmitt, Chuck Leason, Ed Scarpardine, Rick Koltveit, BJ Grabow
Street Stock
First Heat: Al Gray, Tom Otrembiak, Jake Cholke, Robert Schlappi
Second Heat: Nick Sell, Mike Flanagan, Joe Jelinek, Bill Dauber
Feature: Al Gray, Robert Schlappi, Jake Cholke, Steve Lewis - DQ’d, Jim Kirkpatrick, Joe Jelinek, Jeff Small, Mike Stewart, Jay Mesarchick, Mike Hughes, Mike Flanagan, Nick Sell, Steve Schweimlein, Bill Dauber
