By Betty Glynn
LaSalle,IL – In the fall of 2005, Tim Hamburg was crowned the Late Model track champion with LaSalle’s Mike Glynn narrowly falling short. A new year, new rules and a different class - well a return to an old class - is now their venue.
The duo are usually ready for race day and typically finish at the top of their game. This season has become a bit different from the old days however. During the off season, the LaSalle Speedway promoters decided to combine the Late’s and Midwestern Late Model classes into one.
Here lies the dilemma, drivers such as Hamburg and Glynn have raced at the Speedway for many years. The pair have finished one and two more times then most can recall. This season is different for both not on the track but off.
Even though they are at the front of the finishing pack, deservingly so, it isn’t an easy journey. Controversy from the start has loomed over the division and their choice to, as some put it, “move down” to the Midwestern class.
But what so many forget is that for many years, it was Hamburg and Glynn duking it out in a Midwestern machine long before moving “up” to the super Late’s. Now they seem back where they started but life in the fast lane has changed.
How does one move down, when the Midwestern division is the premier racing class at the track? Good question, especially when the LaSalle Speedway is one mile from a driver’s home.
Is it their driving style, ability to set the cars up for track conditions, veteran skills or the aluminum motor? The question will always be out there but the answer seems clear for some and vague for others. What some don’t realize is the competition in the class is loaded with high dollar motors.
Not all are aluminum but those with it are penalized with a 75 pound added weight near the motor. Next what does a driver do when this is your home turf and racing is flowing deep in your veins? Fuel prices alone can determine where one races long before the hauler leaves the driveway.
Saturday night, the Dixon racer swept the division with his fourth win for the season, Glynn was second.
Twenty seven competitors signed in ready for action with eighteen making the starting feature field. Qualifying, three heat races and a semi feature determined the grid with Hamburg on the pole next to Glynn. Maple Park’s Ralph Markham and Bartlett’s Ed Williams were in row two.
Hamburg slid in front of Glynn on the first lap out and carried the contenders from flag to flag. The leaders shot off and left Markham to fend of Ladd’s Danny Bardell, and Williams.
The front runners pulled away but the action was for third right away when Bardell and Markham raced door to door until Bardell slipped up for a brief second and fell back.
Glynn stayed with Hamburg until he hit the infield tires trying to move under Hamburg. When the checkers dropped it was Hamburg again leaving with the big trophy, Glynn runner up again, and Markham third.
Granville’s Darin Furar ran an impressive race moving himself from a tenth place start to a strong fourth finish over Bardell, Virgil’s Dave Smith, Eric Dauber of Tonica, Tony Coglianese, John Picatto, and Jim Loomis.
Hamburg, Glynn and Markham won their respective Heat races.
Thirteen Modified drivers showed up for action Saturday night. Ottawa’s Dale Lueth and Derek Line were sitting at the front of the pack for the feature with Morris’ Vince Cooper and Ray Bollinger in the second row.
When the green dropped Lueth and Line were side by side. A restart of the second lap out was costly for the Ottawa driver though. Line got into the back tire of Lueth sending him to the pits. Lueth didn’t return to the race and Line was now at the helm over Cooper and Bollinger.
Line tried to hold off Cooper but the young gun was on a mission as usual.
Seven laps into the race it was Cooper taking control and finishing uncontested.
Brian Bushong took second ahead of Bollinger, Line, Dalzell’s Jim Phelps, Mike Stirewalt, Ron Morris, Mike Dyas and Leah Monfries.
Cooper set fast time. Phelps and Line won their Heats.
Jake Cholke of Chicago Ridge won his first Street Stock feature of the year.
Starting on the pole was a good place to be. The first lap out two cars connected and traveled as conjoined twins until pummeling into the infield tires and collecting six total cars with them. The race started with nineteen but only thirteen were remaining for the next complete restart.
Cholke led from start to finish with Leon Cade in the second place finishing position. Ed Williams Jr. crossed the line third over Matt Ramer, Gary Schmitt, Nick Sell, Steve Schweinlen, Joe Jelinek, Don Exline, and Bill Dauber.
Dan Leonard won the Hornet division with Makr Sutton, Tony Provenzano, Alex Clubb, Timmy Faust, Jon Club, Gabe Konkor, Jon Small, Jamie Deford, and Chris Zavada following.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Midwestern Late Model: 27 Cars
Qualifying: Tim Hamburg 13.260
Heat One: Tim Hamburg, Dave Smith, Eric Rebholz, Darin Furar Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Danny Bardell, Tony Coglianese, Eric Dauber Heat Three: Ralph Markham, Ed Williams Sr., Jim Loomis, Dave Miller Semi Feature: John Picatto, Will Harris, Jerry Vance, Robert Voice, Jack Benson, Doug Newlin, Wally Forsythe, Rob Piper, Shawn Kemp
Feature: Tim Hamburg, Mike Glynn, Ralph Markham, Darin Furar, Danny Bardell, Dave Smith, Eric Dauber, Tony Coglianese, John Picatto, Jim Loomis, Eric Rebholz, Scott Schmitt, Will Harris, Aaron Schmidt, Ed Williams Sr., Dave Miller, Keith Piano, Jim Partipilo
Modifieds: 13 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper 14.181
Heat One: Jim Phelps, Dale Lueth, Vince Cooper, Brian Bushong Heat Two: Derek Line, Ray Bollinger, Mike Stirewalt, Leah Monfries
Feature: Vince Cooper, Brian Bushong, Ray Bollinger, Derek Line, Jim Phelps, Mike Stirewalt, Ron Morris, Mike Dyas, Leah Monfries, Mark Novordsky, Justin McCoy, Dale Lueth, Bill Theodorf
Street Stock: 19 Cars
Heat One: Jake Cholke, Mike Hughes, Jim Partipilo, Steven Schwemlein Heat Two: Leon Cade, Ed Williams Jr., Matt Ramer, Eric Whittington
Feature: Jake Cholke, Leon Cade, Ed Williams Jr., Matt Ramer, Gary Schmitt, Nick Sell, Steve Schwemlein, Joe Jelinek, Don Exline, Bill Dauber, Robert Schlappi, Mike Stewart, Rick Koltveit, Mike Hughes, Jimmy Partipilo, John Peterson, Eric Whittington, Jay Mesarchik, Jeff Small
Four Cylinder Hornets: 14 Cars
Heat One: Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, Jon Clubb, Jamie Deford Heat Two: Dan Leonard, Jon Small, Alex Clubb, #21
Feature: Dan Leonard, Mark Sutton, Tony Provenzano, Alex Clubb, Timmy Faust, Jon Clubb, Gabe Koncor, John Small, Jamie Deford, Chris Zavada, Nathan Lyday, Asa Robart, John Wagner
LaSalle,IL – In the fall of 2005, Tim Hamburg was crowned the Late Model track champion with LaSalle’s Mike Glynn narrowly falling short. A new year, new rules and a different class - well a return to an old class - is now their venue.
The duo are usually ready for race day and typically finish at the top of their game. This season has become a bit different from the old days however. During the off season, the LaSalle Speedway promoters decided to combine the Late’s and Midwestern Late Model classes into one.
Here lies the dilemma, drivers such as Hamburg and Glynn have raced at the Speedway for many years. The pair have finished one and two more times then most can recall. This season is different for both not on the track but off.
Even though they are at the front of the finishing pack, deservingly so, it isn’t an easy journey. Controversy from the start has loomed over the division and their choice to, as some put it, “move down” to the Midwestern class.
But what so many forget is that for many years, it was Hamburg and Glynn duking it out in a Midwestern machine long before moving “up” to the super Late’s. Now they seem back where they started but life in the fast lane has changed.
How does one move down, when the Midwestern division is the premier racing class at the track? Good question, especially when the LaSalle Speedway is one mile from a driver’s home.
Is it their driving style, ability to set the cars up for track conditions, veteran skills or the aluminum motor? The question will always be out there but the answer seems clear for some and vague for others. What some don’t realize is the competition in the class is loaded with high dollar motors.
Not all are aluminum but those with it are penalized with a 75 pound added weight near the motor. Next what does a driver do when this is your home turf and racing is flowing deep in your veins? Fuel prices alone can determine where one races long before the hauler leaves the driveway.
Saturday night, the Dixon racer swept the division with his fourth win for the season, Glynn was second.
Twenty seven competitors signed in ready for action with eighteen making the starting feature field. Qualifying, three heat races and a semi feature determined the grid with Hamburg on the pole next to Glynn. Maple Park’s Ralph Markham and Bartlett’s Ed Williams were in row two.
Hamburg slid in front of Glynn on the first lap out and carried the contenders from flag to flag. The leaders shot off and left Markham to fend of Ladd’s Danny Bardell, and Williams.
The front runners pulled away but the action was for third right away when Bardell and Markham raced door to door until Bardell slipped up for a brief second and fell back.
Glynn stayed with Hamburg until he hit the infield tires trying to move under Hamburg. When the checkers dropped it was Hamburg again leaving with the big trophy, Glynn runner up again, and Markham third.
Granville’s Darin Furar ran an impressive race moving himself from a tenth place start to a strong fourth finish over Bardell, Virgil’s Dave Smith, Eric Dauber of Tonica, Tony Coglianese, John Picatto, and Jim Loomis.
Hamburg, Glynn and Markham won their respective Heat races.
Thirteen Modified drivers showed up for action Saturday night. Ottawa’s Dale Lueth and Derek Line were sitting at the front of the pack for the feature with Morris’ Vince Cooper and Ray Bollinger in the second row.
When the green dropped Lueth and Line were side by side. A restart of the second lap out was costly for the Ottawa driver though. Line got into the back tire of Lueth sending him to the pits. Lueth didn’t return to the race and Line was now at the helm over Cooper and Bollinger.
Line tried to hold off Cooper but the young gun was on a mission as usual.
Seven laps into the race it was Cooper taking control and finishing uncontested.
Brian Bushong took second ahead of Bollinger, Line, Dalzell’s Jim Phelps, Mike Stirewalt, Ron Morris, Mike Dyas and Leah Monfries.
Cooper set fast time. Phelps and Line won their Heats.
Jake Cholke of Chicago Ridge won his first Street Stock feature of the year.
Starting on the pole was a good place to be. The first lap out two cars connected and traveled as conjoined twins until pummeling into the infield tires and collecting six total cars with them. The race started with nineteen but only thirteen were remaining for the next complete restart.
Cholke led from start to finish with Leon Cade in the second place finishing position. Ed Williams Jr. crossed the line third over Matt Ramer, Gary Schmitt, Nick Sell, Steve Schweinlen, Joe Jelinek, Don Exline, and Bill Dauber.
Dan Leonard won the Hornet division with Makr Sutton, Tony Provenzano, Alex Clubb, Timmy Faust, Jon Club, Gabe Konkor, Jon Small, Jamie Deford, and Chris Zavada following.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Midwestern Late Model: 27 Cars
Qualifying: Tim Hamburg 13.260
Heat One: Tim Hamburg, Dave Smith, Eric Rebholz, Darin Furar Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Danny Bardell, Tony Coglianese, Eric Dauber Heat Three: Ralph Markham, Ed Williams Sr., Jim Loomis, Dave Miller Semi Feature: John Picatto, Will Harris, Jerry Vance, Robert Voice, Jack Benson, Doug Newlin, Wally Forsythe, Rob Piper, Shawn Kemp
Feature: Tim Hamburg, Mike Glynn, Ralph Markham, Darin Furar, Danny Bardell, Dave Smith, Eric Dauber, Tony Coglianese, John Picatto, Jim Loomis, Eric Rebholz, Scott Schmitt, Will Harris, Aaron Schmidt, Ed Williams Sr., Dave Miller, Keith Piano, Jim Partipilo
Modifieds: 13 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper 14.181
Heat One: Jim Phelps, Dale Lueth, Vince Cooper, Brian Bushong Heat Two: Derek Line, Ray Bollinger, Mike Stirewalt, Leah Monfries
Feature: Vince Cooper, Brian Bushong, Ray Bollinger, Derek Line, Jim Phelps, Mike Stirewalt, Ron Morris, Mike Dyas, Leah Monfries, Mark Novordsky, Justin McCoy, Dale Lueth, Bill Theodorf
Street Stock: 19 Cars
Heat One: Jake Cholke, Mike Hughes, Jim Partipilo, Steven Schwemlein Heat Two: Leon Cade, Ed Williams Jr., Matt Ramer, Eric Whittington
Feature: Jake Cholke, Leon Cade, Ed Williams Jr., Matt Ramer, Gary Schmitt, Nick Sell, Steve Schwemlein, Joe Jelinek, Don Exline, Bill Dauber, Robert Schlappi, Mike Stewart, Rick Koltveit, Mike Hughes, Jimmy Partipilo, John Peterson, Eric Whittington, Jay Mesarchik, Jeff Small
Four Cylinder Hornets: 14 Cars
Heat One: Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, Jon Clubb, Jamie Deford Heat Two: Dan Leonard, Jon Small, Alex Clubb, #21
Feature: Dan Leonard, Mark Sutton, Tony Provenzano, Alex Clubb, Timmy Faust, Jon Clubb, Gabe Koncor, John Small, Jamie Deford, Chris Zavada, Nathan Lyday, Asa Robart, John Wagner
