By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - Determining which tire compound or brand of tire is a never ending concern for most Late Model drivers across the country. At LaSalle Speeedway’s season opener Saturday night it was certainly no different.
Like last season, Good Year is offering a point fund and is the track choice but some drivers are trying out another tire the track is allowing made by the American Race Tires.
For Wyanet’s Jason Jaggers, and several other drivers who finished in the top five, deciding to go against the grain was a big decision. All the decisions Jaggers made on opening day paid off for him as he captured his first ever feature victory on the 1/4 mile highbanks in a flag to flag victory. Whether the tire brand choice made a difference is always left in the eye of the beholder.
"American Race Tires from Boubin Tire & Automotive is definitely my choice." Jaggers unequivocally explained after his win. "I am really impressed with their tires."
Early in the night, Jaggers won his heat race from the second row inside as LaSalle’s Mike Glynn took home a second place finish over former track champ Ryan Dauber of Tonica and Dixon’s Tim Hamburg. Bloomington’s Jason Feger outran West Chicago’s Jay Fiene, Darin Furar and Ritchie Bell to claim the other heat race.
With Jaggers and Feger as the prelim winners, they had secured their front row partnership as Dauber, Fiene, Glynn, Furar, Frank Reaber and Travis Rokey fell into their places behind them.
Once the green was dropped, Jaggers didn’t waste any time taking control. Feger followed closely in second with Dauber, Glynn, Hamburg and Reaber all trailing.
During the twelfth lap out, Dauber was working hard to get around a strong running Feger. Once he found his opening he used the inside to steal second. The remainder of the thirteen laps was caution free as Jaggers created a nice gap between himself and the rest of the pack. At the close of the event, Jaggers easily made his way to the winners circle with Dauber, Feger, Glynn, Hamburg, Reaber, Tom Markham, Bell, Fiene, Rokey, and Joe Burba finishing after him.
Twenty one Midwestern Late Models gathered for their first night of competition. In early action Brian Claudnic qualified with the quickest lap of 13.810. To start the night off cousins Reno and Ralph Markham took home their heat wins.
On the main event’s starting grid, Ralph sat at the top alongside of Spring Valley’s John Piccatto with Streator’s Shane Hill and Johnny Heath behind them. Ralph held off Hill for the first twelve laps until losing control and the point. For the restart, Hill found himself at the helm over a strong running Heath, Eric Rebholz, and Dave Smith
During the next lap out, Tonica’s Eric Dauber hooked up on an outside line and was reeling in the leaders. By the finish of Lap 13, Hill was distancing himself but not for long. Five laps later, Rebholz took a lower groove to move under Heath for third while Dauber owned the high groove.
Dauber quickly closed the gap Hill had earned and brought the action into a side by side duo just under the white flag. With the one lap signal, he took over for the first and final time of the event. His ninth place start was just a small obstacle for the former division champ.
Hill closed out his convincing run second in front of Rebholz, Heath, Reno, Smith, Claudnic, Tony Coglianese, Rob Piper and Piccatto.
Oglesby’s Tina Soberi opened up the Midwestern Sportsman division with a clean sweep taking home the victory for the only heat race and the main event.
The first turn of the first lap was not a good way to start the season as Duane Peterson of Amboy flipped after contact with a competitor and slid down the front stretch wall stopping under the flag stand. Once the emergency personnel got him out, he walked away unharmed but the same could not be said for his heavily damaged car.
Soberi led the feature flag to flag as Scott Schmidt, Scott Cimei John Patterson, Richard Koltveit and BJ Grabow gave chase. Soberi held her line to capture her first feature victory while Schimidt, Cimei, Patterson, Koltveit, Grabow and Atkinson wrapped up the remaining finishers.
Joliet’s Eric Legner also led his division, the Street Stock’s, flag to flag but was later disqualified for being too light at tech inspection. Gary Schmidt of Tonica was the winner by default as John Peterson who started sixth earned second with Crest Hill’s Jerry Legner, Oglesby’s Nick Sell, Al Gray of Ottawa, Tom Legner of Crest Hill, Matthew Scott, Bill Dauber of Tonica and Bill Clemmons finishing the top ten respectively.
Next Saturday night the action continues with a full program on the schedule.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Ryan Dauber 13.042
First Heat: Jason Feger, Jay Fiene, Darin Furar, Ritchie Bell
Second Heat: Jason Jaggers, Mike Glynn, Ryan Dauber, Tim Hamburg
Feature: Jason Jaggers, Ryan Dauber, Jason Feger, Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber, Tom Markham, Ritchie Bell, Jay Fiene, Travis Rokey, Joe Burba, Jim Loomis, Joe Partipilo, Darin Furar
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Brian Claudnic 13.810
First Heat: Reno Markham, Keith Piano, Jerry Vance, Doug Newlin
Second Heat: Ralph Markham, Johnny Heath, Shane Hill, Cody Sommer
Feature: Eric Dauber, Shane Hill, Eric Rebholz, Johnny Heath, Reno Markham, Dave Smith, Brian Claudnic, Tony Coglianese, Rob Piper, John Piccatto, Wally Forsythe, Cody Sommer, Ralph Markham, Brian Ray, Joe Dynek, Jerry Vance, Dave Miller, Jack Benson, Keith Piano, Doug Newlin, Will Harris
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Tina Soberi, Scott Schmidt, BJ Grabow, Jake Patterson
Feature: Tina Soberi, Scott Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Jake Patterson, Richard Koltveit, BJ Grabow, Andrew Atkinson, Ed Scarpedine
Street Stock
First Heat: Eric Legner, Jerry Legner, John Peterson, Nick Sell
Second Heat: Tom Lenger, Gary Scmidt, Chuck Provenzano
Feature: Eric Legner (D.Q.), Gary Schmidt, John Peterson, Jerry Legner, Nick Sell, Al Gray, Tom Legner, Matthew Scott, Bill Dauber, Bill Clemmons, Joe Jelinek, Mike Hughes, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, #16, Ray Buchanan, Jay Mesarchik, Chuck Provenzano
LaSalle, IL - Determining which tire compound or brand of tire is a never ending concern for most Late Model drivers across the country. At LaSalle Speeedway’s season opener Saturday night it was certainly no different.
Like last season, Good Year is offering a point fund and is the track choice but some drivers are trying out another tire the track is allowing made by the American Race Tires.
For Wyanet’s Jason Jaggers, and several other drivers who finished in the top five, deciding to go against the grain was a big decision. All the decisions Jaggers made on opening day paid off for him as he captured his first ever feature victory on the 1/4 mile highbanks in a flag to flag victory. Whether the tire brand choice made a difference is always left in the eye of the beholder.
"American Race Tires from Boubin Tire & Automotive is definitely my choice." Jaggers unequivocally explained after his win. "I am really impressed with their tires."
Early in the night, Jaggers won his heat race from the second row inside as LaSalle’s Mike Glynn took home a second place finish over former track champ Ryan Dauber of Tonica and Dixon’s Tim Hamburg. Bloomington’s Jason Feger outran West Chicago’s Jay Fiene, Darin Furar and Ritchie Bell to claim the other heat race.
With Jaggers and Feger as the prelim winners, they had secured their front row partnership as Dauber, Fiene, Glynn, Furar, Frank Reaber and Travis Rokey fell into their places behind them.
Once the green was dropped, Jaggers didn’t waste any time taking control. Feger followed closely in second with Dauber, Glynn, Hamburg and Reaber all trailing.
During the twelfth lap out, Dauber was working hard to get around a strong running Feger. Once he found his opening he used the inside to steal second. The remainder of the thirteen laps was caution free as Jaggers created a nice gap between himself and the rest of the pack. At the close of the event, Jaggers easily made his way to the winners circle with Dauber, Feger, Glynn, Hamburg, Reaber, Tom Markham, Bell, Fiene, Rokey, and Joe Burba finishing after him.
Twenty one Midwestern Late Models gathered for their first night of competition. In early action Brian Claudnic qualified with the quickest lap of 13.810. To start the night off cousins Reno and Ralph Markham took home their heat wins.
On the main event’s starting grid, Ralph sat at the top alongside of Spring Valley’s John Piccatto with Streator’s Shane Hill and Johnny Heath behind them. Ralph held off Hill for the first twelve laps until losing control and the point. For the restart, Hill found himself at the helm over a strong running Heath, Eric Rebholz, and Dave Smith
During the next lap out, Tonica’s Eric Dauber hooked up on an outside line and was reeling in the leaders. By the finish of Lap 13, Hill was distancing himself but not for long. Five laps later, Rebholz took a lower groove to move under Heath for third while Dauber owned the high groove.
Dauber quickly closed the gap Hill had earned and brought the action into a side by side duo just under the white flag. With the one lap signal, he took over for the first and final time of the event. His ninth place start was just a small obstacle for the former division champ.
Hill closed out his convincing run second in front of Rebholz, Heath, Reno, Smith, Claudnic, Tony Coglianese, Rob Piper and Piccatto.
Oglesby’s Tina Soberi opened up the Midwestern Sportsman division with a clean sweep taking home the victory for the only heat race and the main event.
The first turn of the first lap was not a good way to start the season as Duane Peterson of Amboy flipped after contact with a competitor and slid down the front stretch wall stopping under the flag stand. Once the emergency personnel got him out, he walked away unharmed but the same could not be said for his heavily damaged car.
Soberi led the feature flag to flag as Scott Schmidt, Scott Cimei John Patterson, Richard Koltveit and BJ Grabow gave chase. Soberi held her line to capture her first feature victory while Schimidt, Cimei, Patterson, Koltveit, Grabow and Atkinson wrapped up the remaining finishers.
Joliet’s Eric Legner also led his division, the Street Stock’s, flag to flag but was later disqualified for being too light at tech inspection. Gary Schmidt of Tonica was the winner by default as John Peterson who started sixth earned second with Crest Hill’s Jerry Legner, Oglesby’s Nick Sell, Al Gray of Ottawa, Tom Legner of Crest Hill, Matthew Scott, Bill Dauber of Tonica and Bill Clemmons finishing the top ten respectively.
Next Saturday night the action continues with a full program on the schedule.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Ryan Dauber 13.042
First Heat: Jason Feger, Jay Fiene, Darin Furar, Ritchie Bell
Second Heat: Jason Jaggers, Mike Glynn, Ryan Dauber, Tim Hamburg
Feature: Jason Jaggers, Ryan Dauber, Jason Feger, Mike Glynn, Tim Hamburg, Frank Reaber, Tom Markham, Ritchie Bell, Jay Fiene, Travis Rokey, Joe Burba, Jim Loomis, Joe Partipilo, Darin Furar
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Brian Claudnic 13.810
First Heat: Reno Markham, Keith Piano, Jerry Vance, Doug Newlin
Second Heat: Ralph Markham, Johnny Heath, Shane Hill, Cody Sommer
Feature: Eric Dauber, Shane Hill, Eric Rebholz, Johnny Heath, Reno Markham, Dave Smith, Brian Claudnic, Tony Coglianese, Rob Piper, John Piccatto, Wally Forsythe, Cody Sommer, Ralph Markham, Brian Ray, Joe Dynek, Jerry Vance, Dave Miller, Jack Benson, Keith Piano, Doug Newlin, Will Harris
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Tina Soberi, Scott Schmidt, BJ Grabow, Jake Patterson
Feature: Tina Soberi, Scott Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Jake Patterson, Richard Koltveit, BJ Grabow, Andrew Atkinson, Ed Scarpedine
Street Stock
First Heat: Eric Legner, Jerry Legner, John Peterson, Nick Sell
Second Heat: Tom Lenger, Gary Scmidt, Chuck Provenzano
Feature: Eric Legner (D.Q.), Gary Schmidt, John Peterson, Jerry Legner, Nick Sell, Al Gray, Tom Legner, Matthew Scott, Bill Dauber, Bill Clemmons, Joe Jelinek, Mike Hughes, Steve Lewis, Robert Schlappi, #16, Ray Buchanan, Jay Mesarchik, Chuck Provenzano
