By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – Ralph Markham has become a victory circle regular at La Salle Speedway this season. The Maple Park Late Model driver added his ninth feature trophy to his collection without contest on Saturday night.
Sixteen steel block Late’s signed in for action with Tonica’s Eric Dauber posting the quickest lap time of 13.600. Oglesby’s Keith Piano outdistanced the competition in the first heat race. Markham finished runner up over Dauber and Ed Williams. Aaron Schmidt stayed strong and held back a late race challenge by Darin Furar to collect the second heat victory. Furar ended his run second over Scott Schmitt and Billy Weistart Jr.
Dauber and Schmitt controlled the front row starting positions of the feature grid ahead of Markham and Furar. Once the green was dropped, Dauber took the lead. By the end of the first lap his outside partner, Schmitt, had a meet and greet with the outside retaining wall and quickly fell back in the pack.
During Lap 2, Markham shot into the lead and began to pull away from the field. Dauber used a higher line trying to gain momentum but once the leader took them into lapped traffic he was unstoppable.
Seventh place starter, Williams, was moving his way up the pack and rolled under Dauber for second place by Lap 12.
Markham was in a zip code all his own when he took the checkers of the caution free twenty-five lapper. Between the top five cars there was a lot of real estate with no side by side action down to the wire.
During a victory lane interview Markham discussed his ride.
“It was working real good,” Markham announced to the crowd following his impressive run. “It’s been a real good season.”
Markham’s stellar season will be topped by his first Late Model track championship as the division only has one race left and he is sitting far enough ahead of the points.
“It’s wrapped up already,” Markham told the announcer.
Williams finished second over Dauber, Piano, John Piccatto, Weistart, Furar, Steve Oeder, Aaron Schmidt, Jack Benson, Joe Fratt, Dave Miller, Doug Newlin, Brian Lock, Jeff Small, Schmitt.
Sixteen UMP Modifieds rolled onto the grounds with one driver ending his evening high above the quarter mile high banks on the retaining fence when a pre race activity didn’t go so well. Modified driver of the #87 ended his night stuck up the fencing with too much damage to continue.
Leah Monfries took home the first heat race win with Brian Lucas, Mark Vervynck, and Joe Adam in tow. Nathan Balensiefen won the fast heat over Milo Veloz, Tom Otrembiak, and Marty Thompson. Veloz barely held off a late race charge by Marty Thompson to win the dash race. Cooper finished third ahead of fast qualifier AJ Dixon.
Fifteen cars made the main event call with Veloz and Thompson on front row starting spots. Cooper and Dixon rolled up in the second row.
During the first lap out, Thompson got a little too close and personal with the concrete barrier wall and took a few cars into the mayhem. Everyone safely got their spots back for a complete restart except Dixon who had to return to the pit area.
Now fourteen drivers were starting over. Veloz didn’t waste anytime pulling into the lead with Cooper hot on his trail. By Lap 9, Thompson and Cooper were providing some side by side action for second place. By the time the pair returned to the start finish line, Cooper was still runner up in second.
Nathan Balensiefen was in a strong fourth place run leaving Jim Phelps, Joe Adam and Ray Bollinger to fight for fifth.
Up front, Thompson continued to work a higher line then Cooper but seemed to fall shy on the straights as Cooper sailed down them.
With two remaining laps left, Cooper had his sights set on the win and traveled all the way to the leaders door when they flew into lapped traffic.
Cooper gave it all he had but Veloz took the checkers.
“Cooper is pretty fast and I like racing against him,” Veloz told the announcer during his winning interview.
Cooper picked up a powerful second place finish in front of Thompson, Balensiefen, Adam, Phelps, Bollinger, Vervynck, Wally Forsythe, Duane Peterson, Brian Lucas, Monfries, Scott Hauge, Tom Otrembiak, and Dixon.
The Street Stock class hosted sixteen competitors for the twenty lap main event. Alex Clubb and Justin Rutledge rolled into the front starting positions over Nick Sell and Rick Koltveit.
During Lap 1, Gary Schmitt lost control of his line and spun. With no where to go several cars joined him including Jimmy Partipilo and Mike Hughes.
Partipilo hooked the front end hard on the tractor tires that keep drivers out of the infield. The three went to the back of the field for the restart.
Rutledge was heavy on the gas and led the field until Koltveit began a challenge from the lower line and grabbed it during Lap 9. Five laps later, Partipilo was hard charging up the field from last into third.
Koltveit easily won the feature over Rutledge, Partipilo – certainly the hardest charger of the night, Clubb, Sell, Mike Stewart, Hughes, Gary Schmitt, Jerrod Thomas, Bill Dauber, Steve Lewis, Jay Mesarchik, Justin Sellers, Shane Whittington, Neilson, and Tim Loomis.
Clubb and Rutledge won the heats.
DJ Werkmeister is proving to be the force to reckon with in the ultra competitive 4 Cylinder Hornet division. This fourteen year old has been the man to beat all season long.
Jon Small started as the pole sitter next to Chad Williams with Travis Mahoney and DJ behind them.
Small was carrying the field as DJ made his way up for the lead challenge when the front right tire took a ride solo off of Small’s machine.
DJ took over the lead for the restart and never looked back. Williams finished second ahead of Eric Boudreau – who was later DQ’d, Loren Westerhold, Jamie DeFord, Mahoney, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, Phil Briddick, Don Slover, Dan Leonard and Asa Robart.
Small and Williams won the preliminary events.
On Monday, August 6th, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Illinois Valley Challenge 50 is slated to top the venue at La Salle. The weekly Steel Block Late Models will be the support class.
Qualifying for the $10,000 to win Late Model televised event begins at 6:30 pm with racing at 7:30 pm.
Pit gates open at 1:00 pm, Grandstands 5:00 pm, Hot Lap at 6:00 pm.
Admission prices are as follows: Adults $25, Kids 11 and under $5, Skybox $30, and Pit Passes $35.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 08/04/07
Late Model – 16 Cars
Qualifying: John Piccatto 13.600
Heat One: Keith Piano, Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber, Ed Williams
Heat Two: Aaron Schmidt, Darin Furar, Scott Schmitt, Billy Weistart Jr.
Feature: Ralph Markham, Ed Williams, Eric Dauber, Keith Piano, John
Piccatto, Billy Weistart Jr, Darin Furar, Steve Oeder, Aaron Schmidt, Jack
Benson, Joe Fratt, Dave Miller, Doug Newlin, Brian Lock, Jeff Small, Scott
Schmitt
UMP Modifieds – 16 Cars
Qualifying: AJ Dixon 14.393
Budweiser Dash: Milo Veloz, Marty Thompson, Vince Cooper, AJ Dixon
Heat One: Leah Monfries, Brian Lucas, Mark Vervynck, Joe Adam
Heat Two: Nathan Balensiefen, Milo Veloz, Tom Otrembiak, Marty Thompson
Feature: Milo Veloz, Vince Cooper, Marty Thompson, Nathan Balensiefen, Joe
Adam, Jim Phelps, Ray Bollinger, Mark Vervynck, Wally Forsythe, Duane
Peterson, Brian Lucas, Leah Monfries, Scott Hauge, Tom Otrembiak, AJ Dixon
UMP Street Stocks – 16 Cars
Heat One: Alex Clubb, Nick Sell, Mike Stewart, Tim Loomis
Heat Two: Justin Rutledge, Rick Koltveit, Gary Schmitt, Jay Mesarchik
Feature: Rick Koltveit, Justin Rutledge, Jimmy Partipilo, Alex Clubb, Mike
Stewart, Mike Hughes, Gary Schmitt, Jerrod Thomas, Billy Dauber, Steve
Lewis, Jay Mesarchik, Justin Sellers, Shane Whittington, Neilson, Tim Loomis
UMP Hornets – 21 Cars
Heat One: Jon Small, Travis Mahoney, Asa Robart, Eric Boudreau
Heat Two: Chad Williams, DJ Werkmeister, Jamie DeFord, Mark Sutton
Feature: DJ Werkmeister, Chad Williams, Eric Boudreau – DQ’d, Loren
Westerhold, Jamie DeFord, Travis Mahoney, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, Phil
Briddick, Don Slover, Dan Leonard, Asa Robart, Phil Burdette, Don Sims, Tony
Harlacher, Bubba Swinski, Ande Bivens, Jon Wagner, Nick Clubb, Nick
Kearfott, Jon Small
La Salle, IL – Ralph Markham has become a victory circle regular at La Salle Speedway this season. The Maple Park Late Model driver added his ninth feature trophy to his collection without contest on Saturday night.
Sixteen steel block Late’s signed in for action with Tonica’s Eric Dauber posting the quickest lap time of 13.600. Oglesby’s Keith Piano outdistanced the competition in the first heat race. Markham finished runner up over Dauber and Ed Williams. Aaron Schmidt stayed strong and held back a late race challenge by Darin Furar to collect the second heat victory. Furar ended his run second over Scott Schmitt and Billy Weistart Jr.
Dauber and Schmitt controlled the front row starting positions of the feature grid ahead of Markham and Furar. Once the green was dropped, Dauber took the lead. By the end of the first lap his outside partner, Schmitt, had a meet and greet with the outside retaining wall and quickly fell back in the pack.
During Lap 2, Markham shot into the lead and began to pull away from the field. Dauber used a higher line trying to gain momentum but once the leader took them into lapped traffic he was unstoppable.
Seventh place starter, Williams, was moving his way up the pack and rolled under Dauber for second place by Lap 12.
Markham was in a zip code all his own when he took the checkers of the caution free twenty-five lapper. Between the top five cars there was a lot of real estate with no side by side action down to the wire.
During a victory lane interview Markham discussed his ride.
“It was working real good,” Markham announced to the crowd following his impressive run. “It’s been a real good season.”
Markham’s stellar season will be topped by his first Late Model track championship as the division only has one race left and he is sitting far enough ahead of the points.
“It’s wrapped up already,” Markham told the announcer.
Williams finished second over Dauber, Piano, John Piccatto, Weistart, Furar, Steve Oeder, Aaron Schmidt, Jack Benson, Joe Fratt, Dave Miller, Doug Newlin, Brian Lock, Jeff Small, Schmitt.
Sixteen UMP Modifieds rolled onto the grounds with one driver ending his evening high above the quarter mile high banks on the retaining fence when a pre race activity didn’t go so well. Modified driver of the #87 ended his night stuck up the fencing with too much damage to continue.
Leah Monfries took home the first heat race win with Brian Lucas, Mark Vervynck, and Joe Adam in tow. Nathan Balensiefen won the fast heat over Milo Veloz, Tom Otrembiak, and Marty Thompson. Veloz barely held off a late race charge by Marty Thompson to win the dash race. Cooper finished third ahead of fast qualifier AJ Dixon.
Fifteen cars made the main event call with Veloz and Thompson on front row starting spots. Cooper and Dixon rolled up in the second row.
During the first lap out, Thompson got a little too close and personal with the concrete barrier wall and took a few cars into the mayhem. Everyone safely got their spots back for a complete restart except Dixon who had to return to the pit area.
Now fourteen drivers were starting over. Veloz didn’t waste anytime pulling into the lead with Cooper hot on his trail. By Lap 9, Thompson and Cooper were providing some side by side action for second place. By the time the pair returned to the start finish line, Cooper was still runner up in second.
Nathan Balensiefen was in a strong fourth place run leaving Jim Phelps, Joe Adam and Ray Bollinger to fight for fifth.
Up front, Thompson continued to work a higher line then Cooper but seemed to fall shy on the straights as Cooper sailed down them.
With two remaining laps left, Cooper had his sights set on the win and traveled all the way to the leaders door when they flew into lapped traffic.
Cooper gave it all he had but Veloz took the checkers.
“Cooper is pretty fast and I like racing against him,” Veloz told the announcer during his winning interview.
Cooper picked up a powerful second place finish in front of Thompson, Balensiefen, Adam, Phelps, Bollinger, Vervynck, Wally Forsythe, Duane Peterson, Brian Lucas, Monfries, Scott Hauge, Tom Otrembiak, and Dixon.
The Street Stock class hosted sixteen competitors for the twenty lap main event. Alex Clubb and Justin Rutledge rolled into the front starting positions over Nick Sell and Rick Koltveit.
During Lap 1, Gary Schmitt lost control of his line and spun. With no where to go several cars joined him including Jimmy Partipilo and Mike Hughes.
Partipilo hooked the front end hard on the tractor tires that keep drivers out of the infield. The three went to the back of the field for the restart.
Rutledge was heavy on the gas and led the field until Koltveit began a challenge from the lower line and grabbed it during Lap 9. Five laps later, Partipilo was hard charging up the field from last into third.
Koltveit easily won the feature over Rutledge, Partipilo – certainly the hardest charger of the night, Clubb, Sell, Mike Stewart, Hughes, Gary Schmitt, Jerrod Thomas, Bill Dauber, Steve Lewis, Jay Mesarchik, Justin Sellers, Shane Whittington, Neilson, and Tim Loomis.
Clubb and Rutledge won the heats.
DJ Werkmeister is proving to be the force to reckon with in the ultra competitive 4 Cylinder Hornet division. This fourteen year old has been the man to beat all season long.
Jon Small started as the pole sitter next to Chad Williams with Travis Mahoney and DJ behind them.
Small was carrying the field as DJ made his way up for the lead challenge when the front right tire took a ride solo off of Small’s machine.
DJ took over the lead for the restart and never looked back. Williams finished second ahead of Eric Boudreau – who was later DQ’d, Loren Westerhold, Jamie DeFord, Mahoney, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, Phil Briddick, Don Slover, Dan Leonard and Asa Robart.
Small and Williams won the preliminary events.
On Monday, August 6th, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Illinois Valley Challenge 50 is slated to top the venue at La Salle. The weekly Steel Block Late Models will be the support class.
Qualifying for the $10,000 to win Late Model televised event begins at 6:30 pm with racing at 7:30 pm.
Pit gates open at 1:00 pm, Grandstands 5:00 pm, Hot Lap at 6:00 pm.
Admission prices are as follows: Adults $25, Kids 11 and under $5, Skybox $30, and Pit Passes $35.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 08/04/07
Late Model – 16 Cars
Qualifying: John Piccatto 13.600
Heat One: Keith Piano, Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber, Ed Williams
Heat Two: Aaron Schmidt, Darin Furar, Scott Schmitt, Billy Weistart Jr.
Feature: Ralph Markham, Ed Williams, Eric Dauber, Keith Piano, John
Piccatto, Billy Weistart Jr, Darin Furar, Steve Oeder, Aaron Schmidt, Jack
Benson, Joe Fratt, Dave Miller, Doug Newlin, Brian Lock, Jeff Small, Scott
Schmitt
UMP Modifieds – 16 Cars
Qualifying: AJ Dixon 14.393
Budweiser Dash: Milo Veloz, Marty Thompson, Vince Cooper, AJ Dixon
Heat One: Leah Monfries, Brian Lucas, Mark Vervynck, Joe Adam
Heat Two: Nathan Balensiefen, Milo Veloz, Tom Otrembiak, Marty Thompson
Feature: Milo Veloz, Vince Cooper, Marty Thompson, Nathan Balensiefen, Joe
Adam, Jim Phelps, Ray Bollinger, Mark Vervynck, Wally Forsythe, Duane
Peterson, Brian Lucas, Leah Monfries, Scott Hauge, Tom Otrembiak, AJ Dixon
UMP Street Stocks – 16 Cars
Heat One: Alex Clubb, Nick Sell, Mike Stewart, Tim Loomis
Heat Two: Justin Rutledge, Rick Koltveit, Gary Schmitt, Jay Mesarchik
Feature: Rick Koltveit, Justin Rutledge, Jimmy Partipilo, Alex Clubb, Mike
Stewart, Mike Hughes, Gary Schmitt, Jerrod Thomas, Billy Dauber, Steve
Lewis, Jay Mesarchik, Justin Sellers, Shane Whittington, Neilson, Tim Loomis
UMP Hornets – 21 Cars
Heat One: Jon Small, Travis Mahoney, Asa Robart, Eric Boudreau
Heat Two: Chad Williams, DJ Werkmeister, Jamie DeFord, Mark Sutton
Feature: DJ Werkmeister, Chad Williams, Eric Boudreau – DQ’d, Loren
Westerhold, Jamie DeFord, Travis Mahoney, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, Phil
Briddick, Don Slover, Dan Leonard, Asa Robart, Phil Burdette, Don Sims, Tony
Harlacher, Bubba Swinski, Ande Bivens, Jon Wagner, Nick Clubb, Nick
Kearfott, Jon Small
