By Betty Glynn
LaSalle,IL – Being runner up isn’t a bad thing when there are over twenty competitors but for a true racer winning can be almost everything. LaSalle’s Mike Glynn started the 2006 racing season at LaSalle Speedway very similar to last year but was still trying to capture his first checkered flag.
In 2005, Glynn finished second five times and won five feature races. With seven nights in the books, Glynn has been very successful in his heat races, crossed the feature finish line second four times, third once and twelfth once. He was due for a trophy and finally got his chance to end the drought on Saturday evening.
He qualified the second fastest lap behind Dixon’s Tim Hamburg. The two then compete in separate heat events. Knowing the passing points system, the two veterans work hard to put on a good heat showing and work their way past the competition to gain a front feature spot advantage.
Maple Park’s Ralph Markham held off Hamburg for the first heat race win while Aaron Schmidt took third ahead of John Piccatto of Spring Valley.
Glynn won his heat from sixth place over Tonica’s Scott Schmitt, Eric Dauber and Doug Newlin.
The main event grid hosted Hamburg on the pole with Glynn as his outside partner. This has been the scene frequently this year.
After the green was signaled Hamburg shot to the lead but Glynn was right on his tail. During the second lap out, Glynn used the inside trek going into turn three to put the first and final pass on Hamburg.
The twenty five lap race was one of the longest this season as the twenty one drivers struggled to keep the green flag flying and the yellow seemed to take over.
When the action was green, Granville’s Darin Furar was on the move in the right direction as he started mid pack and made his way up to third behind Hamburg. Yellow after yellow kept his pace stalled but he still had a great run.
When the checkers dropped it was Glynn flying solo. Hamburg took home second over Furar and Dauber. Schmitt, a talented young driver who seems to have mastered his ride, finished fifth ahead of Bartlett’s Ed Williams Sr., Eric Rebholz, Virgil’s Dave Smith, Jerry Vance and Shawn Kemp.
Kewanee’s Ray Bollinger took away the glory for the Open Wheel Modified feature. Seventeen drivers signed in for the night’s action.
The reigning dominator, Vince Cooper of Morris, set fast time early in his qualifying run. In preliminary action, Bollinger was victorious over Dalzell’s Jim Phelps, Cooper, and Ottawa’s Dale Lueth. Newcomer, Jason Pershy beat Bill Theodorf, Brandon Kessinger and Derek Line to the flag stand for the second heat race.
For the main event, Phelps had the best run of his season leading the pack.
He lost his line on the slick track and spun. Next to spin was Cooper.
Bollinger took command and finished with his first visit to victory lane.
Phelps posted a strong second place finish in front of Robert Pohlman Jr., Pershy, Kessinger, Brian Bushong, Lueth, Cooper, Mark Vervynck, Mark Novorolski and Stan Vervynck.
Leon Cade won the chase in the Street Stock division. In his police replica machine he made the move around Oglesby’s Nick Sell and took command of the field during Lap 5.
Cade held an open track advantage over the sixteen car field leaving Sell to fend off Matt Ramer and Rick Koltveit.
Cade collected his win in sheriff style with the lights on top of his car illuminated for the crowd. Ramer had moved into second with nine laps in the books and held on until the end. Sell finished third over Koltveit, Ed Williams Jr., John Peterson, Gary Schmitt, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, and Joe Jelinek.
Sell outran Williams for the first heat with Jake Cholke third and Peterson in fourth. Cade won the second heat over Ramer, Koltveit and Steve Schwemlein.
Fourteen Hornets made their way to the highbanks with Alex Clubb taking home the top honors. Dan Leonard ended his run in second with Mark Sutton third over John Clubb, Nathan Lyday, Gabe Koncor, John Small, Jon Wagner, Cory West and Tony Harlacher.
Monday night, the UMP Summer Nationals will take the Illinois Valley speed arena by storm. The twenty fourth stop for the grueling traveling series is set to top the venue with a payday of $6,000 to the Late Model victor.
With a combined series purse of $800,000 the touring series boasts some of the best dirt track racing drivers in the country. Twenty seven events in thirty one days is a shear test of endurance. Add in the local talent at each track and the adrenaline rush flows high.
The Open Wheel Modifieds will be on tap as well.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Midwestern Late Model: 21 Cars
Qualifying: Tim Hamburg 13.623
Heat One: Ralph Markham, Tim Hamburg, Aaron Schmidt, John Piccatto Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Scott Schmitt, Eric Dauber, Doug Newlin
Feature: Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Darin Furar, Scott Schmitt, Ed Williams Sr., Dave Smith, Jerry Vance, Shawn Kemp, Aaron Schmidt, Dave Miller, John Piccatto, Rob Piper, Jack Benson, Robert Voice, Ralph Markham, Wally Forsythe, Danny Bardell, Scott Langer, Doug Newlin
Modifieds: 17 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper 14.547
Heat One: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, Vince Cooper, Dale Lueth Heat Two: Jason Pershy, Bill Theodorf, Brandon Kessinger, Derek Line
Feature: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, Robert Pohlman, Jason Pershy, Brandon Kessinger, Brian Bushong, Dale Lueth, Vince Cooper, Mark Vervynck, Mark Novorolski, Stan Vervynck, Mike Dyas, Derek Line, Ron Morris, Ben Hamburg, Leah Monfries, Bill Theodorf
Street Stock: 16 Cars
Heat One: Nick Sell, Ed Williams Jr., Jake Cholke, John Peterson Heat Two: Leon Cade, Matt Ramer, Rick Koltveit, Steve Schwemlein
Feature: Leon Cade, Matt Ramer, Nick Sell, Rick Koltveit, Ed Williams Jr., John Peterson, Gary Schmitt, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, Joe Jelinek, Jimmy Partipilo, Jake Cholke, Bill Dauber, Steve Schwemlein, Jeff Small, Roger Rickels
Four Cylinder Hornets: 14 Cars
Heat One: Dan Leonard, Alex Clubb, John Moreland, Tony Provenzano Jr.
Heat Two: Mark Sutton, Jamie Deford, John Small, Jon Clubb
Feature: Alex Clubb, Dan Leonard, Mark Sutton, John Clubb, Nathan Lyday, Gabe Koncor, John Small, Jon Wagner, Cory West, Tony Harlacher, Timmy Faust, Jamie Deford, Tony Provenzano, John Moreland
LaSalle,IL – Being runner up isn’t a bad thing when there are over twenty competitors but for a true racer winning can be almost everything. LaSalle’s Mike Glynn started the 2006 racing season at LaSalle Speedway very similar to last year but was still trying to capture his first checkered flag.
In 2005, Glynn finished second five times and won five feature races. With seven nights in the books, Glynn has been very successful in his heat races, crossed the feature finish line second four times, third once and twelfth once. He was due for a trophy and finally got his chance to end the drought on Saturday evening.
He qualified the second fastest lap behind Dixon’s Tim Hamburg. The two then compete in separate heat events. Knowing the passing points system, the two veterans work hard to put on a good heat showing and work their way past the competition to gain a front feature spot advantage.
Maple Park’s Ralph Markham held off Hamburg for the first heat race win while Aaron Schmidt took third ahead of John Piccatto of Spring Valley.
Glynn won his heat from sixth place over Tonica’s Scott Schmitt, Eric Dauber and Doug Newlin.
The main event grid hosted Hamburg on the pole with Glynn as his outside partner. This has been the scene frequently this year.
After the green was signaled Hamburg shot to the lead but Glynn was right on his tail. During the second lap out, Glynn used the inside trek going into turn three to put the first and final pass on Hamburg.
The twenty five lap race was one of the longest this season as the twenty one drivers struggled to keep the green flag flying and the yellow seemed to take over.
When the action was green, Granville’s Darin Furar was on the move in the right direction as he started mid pack and made his way up to third behind Hamburg. Yellow after yellow kept his pace stalled but he still had a great run.
When the checkers dropped it was Glynn flying solo. Hamburg took home second over Furar and Dauber. Schmitt, a talented young driver who seems to have mastered his ride, finished fifth ahead of Bartlett’s Ed Williams Sr., Eric Rebholz, Virgil’s Dave Smith, Jerry Vance and Shawn Kemp.
Kewanee’s Ray Bollinger took away the glory for the Open Wheel Modified feature. Seventeen drivers signed in for the night’s action.
The reigning dominator, Vince Cooper of Morris, set fast time early in his qualifying run. In preliminary action, Bollinger was victorious over Dalzell’s Jim Phelps, Cooper, and Ottawa’s Dale Lueth. Newcomer, Jason Pershy beat Bill Theodorf, Brandon Kessinger and Derek Line to the flag stand for the second heat race.
For the main event, Phelps had the best run of his season leading the pack.
He lost his line on the slick track and spun. Next to spin was Cooper.
Bollinger took command and finished with his first visit to victory lane.
Phelps posted a strong second place finish in front of Robert Pohlman Jr., Pershy, Kessinger, Brian Bushong, Lueth, Cooper, Mark Vervynck, Mark Novorolski and Stan Vervynck.
Leon Cade won the chase in the Street Stock division. In his police replica machine he made the move around Oglesby’s Nick Sell and took command of the field during Lap 5.
Cade held an open track advantage over the sixteen car field leaving Sell to fend off Matt Ramer and Rick Koltveit.
Cade collected his win in sheriff style with the lights on top of his car illuminated for the crowd. Ramer had moved into second with nine laps in the books and held on until the end. Sell finished third over Koltveit, Ed Williams Jr., John Peterson, Gary Schmitt, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, and Joe Jelinek.
Sell outran Williams for the first heat with Jake Cholke third and Peterson in fourth. Cade won the second heat over Ramer, Koltveit and Steve Schwemlein.
Fourteen Hornets made their way to the highbanks with Alex Clubb taking home the top honors. Dan Leonard ended his run in second with Mark Sutton third over John Clubb, Nathan Lyday, Gabe Koncor, John Small, Jon Wagner, Cory West and Tony Harlacher.
Monday night, the UMP Summer Nationals will take the Illinois Valley speed arena by storm. The twenty fourth stop for the grueling traveling series is set to top the venue with a payday of $6,000 to the Late Model victor.
With a combined series purse of $800,000 the touring series boasts some of the best dirt track racing drivers in the country. Twenty seven events in thirty one days is a shear test of endurance. Add in the local talent at each track and the adrenaline rush flows high.
The Open Wheel Modifieds will be on tap as well.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Midwestern Late Model: 21 Cars
Qualifying: Tim Hamburg 13.623
Heat One: Ralph Markham, Tim Hamburg, Aaron Schmidt, John Piccatto Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Scott Schmitt, Eric Dauber, Doug Newlin
Feature: Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Darin Furar, Scott Schmitt, Ed Williams Sr., Dave Smith, Jerry Vance, Shawn Kemp, Aaron Schmidt, Dave Miller, John Piccatto, Rob Piper, Jack Benson, Robert Voice, Ralph Markham, Wally Forsythe, Danny Bardell, Scott Langer, Doug Newlin
Modifieds: 17 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper 14.547
Heat One: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, Vince Cooper, Dale Lueth Heat Two: Jason Pershy, Bill Theodorf, Brandon Kessinger, Derek Line
Feature: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, Robert Pohlman, Jason Pershy, Brandon Kessinger, Brian Bushong, Dale Lueth, Vince Cooper, Mark Vervynck, Mark Novorolski, Stan Vervynck, Mike Dyas, Derek Line, Ron Morris, Ben Hamburg, Leah Monfries, Bill Theodorf
Street Stock: 16 Cars
Heat One: Nick Sell, Ed Williams Jr., Jake Cholke, John Peterson Heat Two: Leon Cade, Matt Ramer, Rick Koltveit, Steve Schwemlein
Feature: Leon Cade, Matt Ramer, Nick Sell, Rick Koltveit, Ed Williams Jr., John Peterson, Gary Schmitt, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, Joe Jelinek, Jimmy Partipilo, Jake Cholke, Bill Dauber, Steve Schwemlein, Jeff Small, Roger Rickels
Four Cylinder Hornets: 14 Cars
Heat One: Dan Leonard, Alex Clubb, John Moreland, Tony Provenzano Jr.
Heat Two: Mark Sutton, Jamie Deford, John Small, Jon Clubb
Feature: Alex Clubb, Dan Leonard, Mark Sutton, John Clubb, Nathan Lyday, Gabe Koncor, John Small, Jon Wagner, Cory West, Tony Harlacher, Timmy Faust, Jamie Deford, Tony Provenzano, John Moreland
