By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - Mike Glynn has had a stellar year in the Late Model division at LaSalle Speedway and it only got better on Saturday night. The LaSalle driver made his first "clean sweep" collecting all three of the events he competed in and staking claim to his third feature victory of the season.
For the feature starting grid Frank Reaber, the defending track champion, was on the outside of Glynn with Dixon’s Tim Hamburg third and Bart Schwartz fourth. Glynn came out of the blocks fast and took the point prior to the pack entering the first corner.
Before a lap was put in the books, Hamburg’s luck went up in smoke when he pulled into the infield with motor trouble.
By Lap 2, Reaber was working hard on his outside run while Fiene was charging through the corners low. A yellow four laps later slowed the pace. For the restart, Glynn was in command over Reaber, Fiene, Mike Provenzano, Streator’s Dan Thacker and Schwartz.
Fiene quickly started working hard on Reaber from the bottom as Glynn distanced himself. Another caution five laps later for debris brought everyone back together.
After the final yellow on Lap 11, it was green racing for the remaining fourteen laps. Glynn was untouchable while the real race was for second. Reaber was convincing on the highside with Fiene staying low and strong. The two found themselves dicing it up with Fiene pulling ahead off the corners but Reaber catching back up on the straights.
By Lap 8, Thacker had made his way up front in a strong run to follow the duo in fourth over Joe Partipilo.
When the checkers dropped, it was Glynn with the win as Reaber took second over Fiene, Thacker, Schwartz, Joe Burba, Partipilo, Mike Cardine and Provenzano.
Early in the night, Reaber grabbed the first Heat race with a pass during Lap 6. Schwartz took second ahead of Provenzano and Ritchie Bell. Glynn brought the crowd to their feet in the second Heat with a late race pass over Hamburg coming out of the last turn. Hamburg took second with Burba and Mike Cardine behind him. Qualifying has become a strong area for Glynn this season. He had no trouble setting fast time with the quickest lap around the highbanks of 12.700 on his first of two timed tries.
Darin Furar raced double duty driving in both the Midwestern Late’s and a borrowed Super Late machine. His start to the night was not so promising as trouble seemed to be mounting in both divisions for the Mark resident.
Early in the evening, Furar made a forecast to the finish that was about as accurate as the meteorologist’s prediction of cool weekend temperatures.
"I have two cars tonight and neither of them are going to finish," Furar commented about the feature.
Well, lucky for Furar he is not a ‘good guesser’. Starting sixth on the grid of the Midwestern Late’s Furar did have his work cut out for him but it didn’t seem to phase his drive to the front.
On the first lap there was a three wide battle for the lead between pole sitter David Smith, of Virgil, Johnny Heath and Steward’s Jason Bogle. Heath took the lead with Smith still there. A lap later Smith was stopped on the back stretch.
For the restart of Lap 3, Heath was still on top as Furar, TJ Markham, Bogle, Ralph Markham and Eric Rebholz lined up behind him. Five laps later, TJ powered up on the high line to grab second and start his hunt for the leader.
Heath held back TJ’s powerful charge with the two traveling side by side. TJ seemed faster out of the turns and took the lead on Lap 13. Three laps after that a three wide struggle ensued between Heath, Ralph and Furar for second. Furar kept working low and moved into second.
With only one to go, Furar made his move and stole the show taking home his first win of the season in showmanship style. TJ held on to second with Ralph, Heath, Bogle, Keith Piano, Eric Rebholz, Eric Dauber, Smith and John Piccatto completing the top ten finishers.
Dauber won the first heat and Shane Hill took home the second one. Piano set fast time.
Bobby Morgan Jr. took command of the Midwestern Sportsman feature race during Lap 2 and never looked back. Even if he would have there wasn’t anyone close enough to the Streator driver for him to see. He quickly pulled away from the competition with Tina Soberri, of Ottawa, running second far ahead of Aaron Schmidt in third.
At the finish it was Morgan with his sixth season win over Soberri, Schmidt, Jake Patterson and Ed Scarpardine.
Morgan also won the only Heat race for the class over Scott Cimei, Soberri and Fleety Beltz.
Ottawa’s Al Gray has driving passion and luck on his side. He has been on a roll this season in the Street Stock division scoring his fifth feature this year.
Starting third behind Oglesby’s Nick Sell and Steve Schwemlein, Gray lost control on the first lap taking four cars with him. A complete restart put everyone back where they had started.
It took the seventeen car field several restarts from cautions to get the pack rolling under green. Gray was sitting third when he found himself nose first into the tires coming off of turn two again taking four cars with him.
Gray got his spot back but Schwemlein was not so lucky.
Sell held the point until Gray took control on Lap 7. Gray was not to be caught and won the feature uncontested with Robert Schlappi in second over Jake Cholke, Joe Jelinek, Jay Mesarchik, Schwemlein and Mike Hughes as the only seven finishers.
Steve Lewis and Tom Otrembiak earned the Heat wins.
Next Saturday night is the final points night and it is sure to be exciting down to the finish. The points are tight in many divisions including the Late Model championship as four drivers are still in contention for the coveted title.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Mike Glynn 12.700
First Heat: Frank Reaber, Bart Schwartz, Mike Provenzano, Ritchie Bell
Second Heat: Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Joe Burba, Mike Cardine
Feature: Mike Glynn, Frank Reaber, Jay Fiene, Dan Thacker, Bart Schwartz, Joe Burba, Joe Partipilo, Mike Cardine, Mike Provenzano, Ritchie Bell, Travis Rokey, Darin Furar, Tim Hamburg
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Keith Piano 13.447
First Heat: Eric Dauber, Jack Benson, Mick Miller, David Miller
Second Heat: Shane Hill, TJ Markham, Eric Rebholz, Johnny Heath
Feature: Darin Furar, TJ Markham, Ralph Markham, Johnny Heath, Jason Bogle, Keith Piano, Eric Rebholz, Eric Dauber, David Smith, John Piccatto, Shane Hill, Mick Miller, Tony Coglianese, Brian Ray, David Miller, Jack Benson, Dale Theobald
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Bobby Morgan, Scott Cimei, Tina Soberri, Fleety Beltz
Feature: Bobby Morgan, Tina Soberri, Aaron Schmitt, Jake Patterson, Ed Scarpardine, Fleety Beltz, Scott Cimei
Street Stock
First Heat: Steve Lewis, Nick Sell, Al Gray, Mike Flanagan
Second Heat: Tom Otrembiak, Steve Schwemlein, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi
Feature: Al Gray, Robert Schlappi, Jake Cholke, Joe Jelinek, Jay Mesarchik, Steve Schwemlein, Mike Hughes, Nick Sell, Mike Flanagan, Bill Dauber, Ray Buchanan, Bill Clemmons, Jeff Small, Tom Legner, Don Exline, Steve Lewis, Eric Legner
LaSalle, IL - Mike Glynn has had a stellar year in the Late Model division at LaSalle Speedway and it only got better on Saturday night. The LaSalle driver made his first "clean sweep" collecting all three of the events he competed in and staking claim to his third feature victory of the season.
For the feature starting grid Frank Reaber, the defending track champion, was on the outside of Glynn with Dixon’s Tim Hamburg third and Bart Schwartz fourth. Glynn came out of the blocks fast and took the point prior to the pack entering the first corner.
Before a lap was put in the books, Hamburg’s luck went up in smoke when he pulled into the infield with motor trouble.
By Lap 2, Reaber was working hard on his outside run while Fiene was charging through the corners low. A yellow four laps later slowed the pace. For the restart, Glynn was in command over Reaber, Fiene, Mike Provenzano, Streator’s Dan Thacker and Schwartz.
Fiene quickly started working hard on Reaber from the bottom as Glynn distanced himself. Another caution five laps later for debris brought everyone back together.
After the final yellow on Lap 11, it was green racing for the remaining fourteen laps. Glynn was untouchable while the real race was for second. Reaber was convincing on the highside with Fiene staying low and strong. The two found themselves dicing it up with Fiene pulling ahead off the corners but Reaber catching back up on the straights.
By Lap 8, Thacker had made his way up front in a strong run to follow the duo in fourth over Joe Partipilo.
When the checkers dropped, it was Glynn with the win as Reaber took second over Fiene, Thacker, Schwartz, Joe Burba, Partipilo, Mike Cardine and Provenzano.
Early in the night, Reaber grabbed the first Heat race with a pass during Lap 6. Schwartz took second ahead of Provenzano and Ritchie Bell. Glynn brought the crowd to their feet in the second Heat with a late race pass over Hamburg coming out of the last turn. Hamburg took second with Burba and Mike Cardine behind him. Qualifying has become a strong area for Glynn this season. He had no trouble setting fast time with the quickest lap around the highbanks of 12.700 on his first of two timed tries.
Darin Furar raced double duty driving in both the Midwestern Late’s and a borrowed Super Late machine. His start to the night was not so promising as trouble seemed to be mounting in both divisions for the Mark resident.
Early in the evening, Furar made a forecast to the finish that was about as accurate as the meteorologist’s prediction of cool weekend temperatures.
"I have two cars tonight and neither of them are going to finish," Furar commented about the feature.
Well, lucky for Furar he is not a ‘good guesser’. Starting sixth on the grid of the Midwestern Late’s Furar did have his work cut out for him but it didn’t seem to phase his drive to the front.
On the first lap there was a three wide battle for the lead between pole sitter David Smith, of Virgil, Johnny Heath and Steward’s Jason Bogle. Heath took the lead with Smith still there. A lap later Smith was stopped on the back stretch.
For the restart of Lap 3, Heath was still on top as Furar, TJ Markham, Bogle, Ralph Markham and Eric Rebholz lined up behind him. Five laps later, TJ powered up on the high line to grab second and start his hunt for the leader.
Heath held back TJ’s powerful charge with the two traveling side by side. TJ seemed faster out of the turns and took the lead on Lap 13. Three laps after that a three wide struggle ensued between Heath, Ralph and Furar for second. Furar kept working low and moved into second.
With only one to go, Furar made his move and stole the show taking home his first win of the season in showmanship style. TJ held on to second with Ralph, Heath, Bogle, Keith Piano, Eric Rebholz, Eric Dauber, Smith and John Piccatto completing the top ten finishers.
Dauber won the first heat and Shane Hill took home the second one. Piano set fast time.
Bobby Morgan Jr. took command of the Midwestern Sportsman feature race during Lap 2 and never looked back. Even if he would have there wasn’t anyone close enough to the Streator driver for him to see. He quickly pulled away from the competition with Tina Soberri, of Ottawa, running second far ahead of Aaron Schmidt in third.
At the finish it was Morgan with his sixth season win over Soberri, Schmidt, Jake Patterson and Ed Scarpardine.
Morgan also won the only Heat race for the class over Scott Cimei, Soberri and Fleety Beltz.
Ottawa’s Al Gray has driving passion and luck on his side. He has been on a roll this season in the Street Stock division scoring his fifth feature this year.
Starting third behind Oglesby’s Nick Sell and Steve Schwemlein, Gray lost control on the first lap taking four cars with him. A complete restart put everyone back where they had started.
It took the seventeen car field several restarts from cautions to get the pack rolling under green. Gray was sitting third when he found himself nose first into the tires coming off of turn two again taking four cars with him.
Gray got his spot back but Schwemlein was not so lucky.
Sell held the point until Gray took control on Lap 7. Gray was not to be caught and won the feature uncontested with Robert Schlappi in second over Jake Cholke, Joe Jelinek, Jay Mesarchik, Schwemlein and Mike Hughes as the only seven finishers.
Steve Lewis and Tom Otrembiak earned the Heat wins.
Next Saturday night is the final points night and it is sure to be exciting down to the finish. The points are tight in many divisions including the Late Model championship as four drivers are still in contention for the coveted title.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Mike Glynn 12.700
First Heat: Frank Reaber, Bart Schwartz, Mike Provenzano, Ritchie Bell
Second Heat: Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Joe Burba, Mike Cardine
Feature: Mike Glynn, Frank Reaber, Jay Fiene, Dan Thacker, Bart Schwartz, Joe Burba, Joe Partipilo, Mike Cardine, Mike Provenzano, Ritchie Bell, Travis Rokey, Darin Furar, Tim Hamburg
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Keith Piano 13.447
First Heat: Eric Dauber, Jack Benson, Mick Miller, David Miller
Second Heat: Shane Hill, TJ Markham, Eric Rebholz, Johnny Heath
Feature: Darin Furar, TJ Markham, Ralph Markham, Johnny Heath, Jason Bogle, Keith Piano, Eric Rebholz, Eric Dauber, David Smith, John Piccatto, Shane Hill, Mick Miller, Tony Coglianese, Brian Ray, David Miller, Jack Benson, Dale Theobald
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Bobby Morgan, Scott Cimei, Tina Soberri, Fleety Beltz
Feature: Bobby Morgan, Tina Soberri, Aaron Schmitt, Jake Patterson, Ed Scarpardine, Fleety Beltz, Scott Cimei
Street Stock
First Heat: Steve Lewis, Nick Sell, Al Gray, Mike Flanagan
Second Heat: Tom Otrembiak, Steve Schwemlein, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi
Feature: Al Gray, Robert Schlappi, Jake Cholke, Joe Jelinek, Jay Mesarchik, Steve Schwemlein, Mike Hughes, Nick Sell, Mike Flanagan, Bill Dauber, Ray Buchanan, Bill Clemmons, Jeff Small, Tom Legner, Don Exline, Steve Lewis, Eric Legner
