By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – It is without a doubt that Ralph Markham is having a dream season behind the wheel of his dirt Late Model. Last season he fell shy of even one feature victory at La Salle Speedway but the Maple Park regular has picked up the pace and dominated the division for 2007.
Eighteeen drivers made the call for the twenty-five lap main event with Princeton’s Steve Oeder and Keith Piano, of Oglesby, at the front of the grid. Markham and Billy Weistart Jr., also of Oglesby, rolled up in the second row.
When the flagman signaled the green, Oeder was the fastest out of the blocks with Markham filing in behind him. Oeder wasted little time powering away from the pack. During Lap 5, he was already preparing to lap the back of the field as they raced for their own positions.
Within two laps, Markham was putting the pressure on him and even caught him in the turns. Oeder was faster off of turn two but would drift a little too high at times off the corners.
While the duo was setting the pace, Weistart and Piano were trading spaces.
The battle for third place was heating up with each and every passing lap while Tonica’s Eric Dauber and John Piccatto of Spring Valley kept up.
Oeder maintained the lead using the highline but at times had trouble keeping control in the rough terrain knocking him off his pace. Markham was just waiting for the door to open. With two laps to go, Oeder slammed the back of Lake Knutti and lost a little speed.
As the leaders were going into the last turn of the final lap, Oeder’s high drive gave Markham just what he had waited for the whole race, an opening.
At the finish line, it was Markham stealing the show in grand style for his eighth win of the season. Oeder took home second ahead of Weistart, Piano, Dauber, Piccatto, Ed Williams, Dave Miller, Aaron Schmidt, Doug Newlin , Jeff Hartzell and Knutti.
Piccatto earned the fastest lap with a time of 13.478.
The six lap dash for the fastest six qualifiers got off to a rocky start when several cars made contact sending Dauber hard into the outside retaining wall and off on a hook. Oeder won without contest over Pinao.
Due to mechanical woes of the fifth place qualifier, Darin Furar, Markham was added to the lineup and finished third.
Jim Loomis won the first heat with Markham capturing the second.
Kewanee’s Ray Bollinger and Marty Thompson of Mineral put on a crowd pleaser in the UMP Modified main event. Starting side by side in the sixteen car line up was just the beginning for the pair as they traveled in similar fashion for much of the race.
Bollinger led every lap with Thompson running the same line on the topside.
As they threw their right side tires over the berm and three wheeled much of the passes through turn two, Peru’s Jim Phelps played it safe on a lower run.
During Lap 14, Thompson’s ride was showing signs of trouble when smoke started rolling out of the rear. One lap later, he slid to a stop bringing out a caution. For the restart, Bollinger led Phelps, AJ Dixon, Nathan Balensiefen, Milo Veloz and Justin McCoy.
With Thompson out of the picture, Bollinger didn’t use as high of a line while Phelps stayed strong on the bottom.
Bollinger took home the checkers for the third time. Phelps charged til the end to collect second place in front of Dixon, Balensiefen, Veloz, McCoy, Wally Forsythe, Brian Lucas, Tom Otrembiak, Mark Vervynck and Leah Monfries.
Balensiefen and Bollinger each won the preliminary races. Thompson was fast qualifier.
Justin Rutledge started the Street Stock main on the front row outside and nearly lost it on the first lap. Good driving not only kept him on the straight and narrow but also in the lead. By the end of lap one, he had Steve Lewis and Jimmy Partipilo knocking on his door.
Five laps later, Partipilo took over second and had his sights on the leader. He worked high then moved his machine low in an effort to find the right groove and opportunity.
That opening came during the fourteenth lap of competition when he drove like a seasoned veteran and took control of the track. In lapped traffic, the sixteen year old showed off his skills as he dodged the competition.
At the checkers, it was Partipilo with plenty of real estate over Rutledge in second. Tim Loomis started eleventh and managed to work his way into a third place finish ahead of Lewis, Todd Balensiefen and Al Gray.
Gary Schmitt began his journey in eighteenth after a second place finish in the consi and finished with an impressive seventh place showing for the feature. Nick Sell took eighth with Jerrod Thomas, Rick Koltveit and Matt Ramer behind him.
Rutledge, Gray and Partipilo won the heat races. Shane Whittington earned the semi win.
Fourteen year old standout, DJ Werkmeister just keeps on winning trophies.
The Hornet rookie is continuing his magical season claiming his ninth race so far at just La Salle.
The car count in the division was up but that still didn’t stop him from winning both the heat and the main event.
With three laps in the books, DJ darted to the lead around Gabe Koncor and drove away with the win. During the final lap, four front runners got tangled up with Chad Williams ending his sixth place run in back.
Jamie DeFord who transferred from the consi took second in front of Ryan Webster, Koncor, Dan Leonard, Jon Small, Loren Westerhold, Mark Sutton, Dan Slover, Phil Burdette, and Nick Clubb.
Westerhold, Rob Werkmeister and son DJ each won the heats. DeFord took home the semi win.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 07/28/07
Late Model – 19 Cars
Qualifying: John Piccatto 13.478
Budweiser Dash: Steve Oeder, Keith Piano, Ralph Markham, Billy Weistart Jr.
Heat One: Jim Loomis, Joe Jelinek, Jeff Hartzell, Ed Williams
Heat Two: Ralph Markham, Scott Schmitt, Dave Miller, Eric Dauber
Feature: Ralph Markham, Steve Oeder, Billy Weistart Jr., Keith Piano, Eric
Dauber, John Piccatto, Ed Williams, Dave Miller, Aaron Schmidt, Doug Newlin,
Jeff Hartzell, Lake Knutti, Jeff Small, Brian Lock, Scott Schmitt, Jim
Loomis, Joe Fratt, Joe Jelinek
UMP Modifieds – 16 Cars
Qualifying: Marty Thompson 14.314
Heat One: Nathan Balensiefen, AJ Dixon, Marty Thompson, Tom Otrembiak
Heat Two: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, Joe Adam, Justin McCoy
Feature: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, AJ Dixon, Nathan Balensiefen, Milo
Veloz, Justin McCoy, Wally Forsythe, Brian Lucas, Tom Otrembiak, Mark
Vervynck, Leah Monfries, Marty Thompson, Ken Fischer, Scripter, Joe Adam,
Scott Hauge
UMP Street Stocks – 23+ Cars
Heat One: Justin Rutledge, Rick Koltveit, Joe Hillman, Todd Balensiefen
Heat Two: Al Gray, Jerrod Thomas, Justin Sellers, Tim Loomis
Heat Three: Jimmy Partipilo, Steve Lewis, Nick Sell, Jason Abens
Semi Feature: Shane Whittington, Gary Schmitt, Tom Legner,
Feature: Jimmy Partipilo, Justin Rutledge, Tim Loomis, Steve Lewis, Todd
Balensiefen, Al Gray, Gary Schmitt, Nick Sell, Jerrod Thomas, Rick Koltveit,
Matt Ramer, Shane Whittington, Jason Abens, Justin Sellers, Tom Legner,
Randy Lucas, Billy Dauber, Joe Hillman
UMP Hornets – 24+ Cars
Heat One: Loren Westerhold, Gabe Koncor, Asa Robart, Tony Harlacher
Heat Two: Robert Werkmeister, Nick Clubb, Chad Williams, BJ Grabow
Heat Three: DJ Werkmeister, Ryan Webster, Dan Leonard, Mark Sutton
Semi Feature: Jamie DeFord, Phil Burdette, Dan Slover, Dawn Spellious, Bubba
Siwinski, #88, Ande Bivens
Feature: DJ Werkmeister, Jamie DeFord, Ryan Webster, Gabe Koncor, Dan
Leonard, Jon Small, Loren Westerhold, Mark Sutton, Dan Slover, Phil
Burdette, Nick Clubb, Mike Weaver, Jimmy Ellison, Tony Harlacher, Chad
Williams, BJ Grabow, Asa Robart, Robert Werkmeister
La Salle, IL – It is without a doubt that Ralph Markham is having a dream season behind the wheel of his dirt Late Model. Last season he fell shy of even one feature victory at La Salle Speedway but the Maple Park regular has picked up the pace and dominated the division for 2007.
Eighteeen drivers made the call for the twenty-five lap main event with Princeton’s Steve Oeder and Keith Piano, of Oglesby, at the front of the grid. Markham and Billy Weistart Jr., also of Oglesby, rolled up in the second row.
When the flagman signaled the green, Oeder was the fastest out of the blocks with Markham filing in behind him. Oeder wasted little time powering away from the pack. During Lap 5, he was already preparing to lap the back of the field as they raced for their own positions.
Within two laps, Markham was putting the pressure on him and even caught him in the turns. Oeder was faster off of turn two but would drift a little too high at times off the corners.
While the duo was setting the pace, Weistart and Piano were trading spaces.
The battle for third place was heating up with each and every passing lap while Tonica’s Eric Dauber and John Piccatto of Spring Valley kept up.
Oeder maintained the lead using the highline but at times had trouble keeping control in the rough terrain knocking him off his pace. Markham was just waiting for the door to open. With two laps to go, Oeder slammed the back of Lake Knutti and lost a little speed.
As the leaders were going into the last turn of the final lap, Oeder’s high drive gave Markham just what he had waited for the whole race, an opening.
At the finish line, it was Markham stealing the show in grand style for his eighth win of the season. Oeder took home second ahead of Weistart, Piano, Dauber, Piccatto, Ed Williams, Dave Miller, Aaron Schmidt, Doug Newlin , Jeff Hartzell and Knutti.
Piccatto earned the fastest lap with a time of 13.478.
The six lap dash for the fastest six qualifiers got off to a rocky start when several cars made contact sending Dauber hard into the outside retaining wall and off on a hook. Oeder won without contest over Pinao.
Due to mechanical woes of the fifth place qualifier, Darin Furar, Markham was added to the lineup and finished third.
Jim Loomis won the first heat with Markham capturing the second.
Kewanee’s Ray Bollinger and Marty Thompson of Mineral put on a crowd pleaser in the UMP Modified main event. Starting side by side in the sixteen car line up was just the beginning for the pair as they traveled in similar fashion for much of the race.
Bollinger led every lap with Thompson running the same line on the topside.
As they threw their right side tires over the berm and three wheeled much of the passes through turn two, Peru’s Jim Phelps played it safe on a lower run.
During Lap 14, Thompson’s ride was showing signs of trouble when smoke started rolling out of the rear. One lap later, he slid to a stop bringing out a caution. For the restart, Bollinger led Phelps, AJ Dixon, Nathan Balensiefen, Milo Veloz and Justin McCoy.
With Thompson out of the picture, Bollinger didn’t use as high of a line while Phelps stayed strong on the bottom.
Bollinger took home the checkers for the third time. Phelps charged til the end to collect second place in front of Dixon, Balensiefen, Veloz, McCoy, Wally Forsythe, Brian Lucas, Tom Otrembiak, Mark Vervynck and Leah Monfries.
Balensiefen and Bollinger each won the preliminary races. Thompson was fast qualifier.
Justin Rutledge started the Street Stock main on the front row outside and nearly lost it on the first lap. Good driving not only kept him on the straight and narrow but also in the lead. By the end of lap one, he had Steve Lewis and Jimmy Partipilo knocking on his door.
Five laps later, Partipilo took over second and had his sights on the leader. He worked high then moved his machine low in an effort to find the right groove and opportunity.
That opening came during the fourteenth lap of competition when he drove like a seasoned veteran and took control of the track. In lapped traffic, the sixteen year old showed off his skills as he dodged the competition.
At the checkers, it was Partipilo with plenty of real estate over Rutledge in second. Tim Loomis started eleventh and managed to work his way into a third place finish ahead of Lewis, Todd Balensiefen and Al Gray.
Gary Schmitt began his journey in eighteenth after a second place finish in the consi and finished with an impressive seventh place showing for the feature. Nick Sell took eighth with Jerrod Thomas, Rick Koltveit and Matt Ramer behind him.
Rutledge, Gray and Partipilo won the heat races. Shane Whittington earned the semi win.
Fourteen year old standout, DJ Werkmeister just keeps on winning trophies.
The Hornet rookie is continuing his magical season claiming his ninth race so far at just La Salle.
The car count in the division was up but that still didn’t stop him from winning both the heat and the main event.
With three laps in the books, DJ darted to the lead around Gabe Koncor and drove away with the win. During the final lap, four front runners got tangled up with Chad Williams ending his sixth place run in back.
Jamie DeFord who transferred from the consi took second in front of Ryan Webster, Koncor, Dan Leonard, Jon Small, Loren Westerhold, Mark Sutton, Dan Slover, Phil Burdette, and Nick Clubb.
Westerhold, Rob Werkmeister and son DJ each won the heats. DeFord took home the semi win.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 07/28/07
Late Model – 19 Cars
Qualifying: John Piccatto 13.478
Budweiser Dash: Steve Oeder, Keith Piano, Ralph Markham, Billy Weistart Jr.
Heat One: Jim Loomis, Joe Jelinek, Jeff Hartzell, Ed Williams
Heat Two: Ralph Markham, Scott Schmitt, Dave Miller, Eric Dauber
Feature: Ralph Markham, Steve Oeder, Billy Weistart Jr., Keith Piano, Eric
Dauber, John Piccatto, Ed Williams, Dave Miller, Aaron Schmidt, Doug Newlin,
Jeff Hartzell, Lake Knutti, Jeff Small, Brian Lock, Scott Schmitt, Jim
Loomis, Joe Fratt, Joe Jelinek
UMP Modifieds – 16 Cars
Qualifying: Marty Thompson 14.314
Heat One: Nathan Balensiefen, AJ Dixon, Marty Thompson, Tom Otrembiak
Heat Two: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, Joe Adam, Justin McCoy
Feature: Ray Bollinger, Jim Phelps, AJ Dixon, Nathan Balensiefen, Milo
Veloz, Justin McCoy, Wally Forsythe, Brian Lucas, Tom Otrembiak, Mark
Vervynck, Leah Monfries, Marty Thompson, Ken Fischer, Scripter, Joe Adam,
Scott Hauge
UMP Street Stocks – 23+ Cars
Heat One: Justin Rutledge, Rick Koltveit, Joe Hillman, Todd Balensiefen
Heat Two: Al Gray, Jerrod Thomas, Justin Sellers, Tim Loomis
Heat Three: Jimmy Partipilo, Steve Lewis, Nick Sell, Jason Abens
Semi Feature: Shane Whittington, Gary Schmitt, Tom Legner,
Feature: Jimmy Partipilo, Justin Rutledge, Tim Loomis, Steve Lewis, Todd
Balensiefen, Al Gray, Gary Schmitt, Nick Sell, Jerrod Thomas, Rick Koltveit,
Matt Ramer, Shane Whittington, Jason Abens, Justin Sellers, Tom Legner,
Randy Lucas, Billy Dauber, Joe Hillman
UMP Hornets – 24+ Cars
Heat One: Loren Westerhold, Gabe Koncor, Asa Robart, Tony Harlacher
Heat Two: Robert Werkmeister, Nick Clubb, Chad Williams, BJ Grabow
Heat Three: DJ Werkmeister, Ryan Webster, Dan Leonard, Mark Sutton
Semi Feature: Jamie DeFord, Phil Burdette, Dan Slover, Dawn Spellious, Bubba
Siwinski, #88, Ande Bivens
Feature: DJ Werkmeister, Jamie DeFord, Ryan Webster, Gabe Koncor, Dan
Leonard, Jon Small, Loren Westerhold, Mark Sutton, Dan Slover, Phil
Burdette, Nick Clubb, Mike Weaver, Jimmy Ellison, Tony Harlacher, Chad
Williams, BJ Grabow, Asa Robart, Robert Werkmeister
