By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - The Jeff’s Enginemasters Spring Shootout, at LaSalle Speedway, has always been very exciting but Saturday nights races were literally made for tv. Thirty six drivers from across the country entered the first ever Lucas Oil Dirt Car Series fifty lap special with a $10,000 check to the victor.
As ESPN2 cameras rolled, Jimmy Mars, of Wisconsin, went on attack to capture the inaugural event in unscripted style. Mars started fourteenth on the main events grid and slowly and quietly knocked off his competition in search of the leader.
Dennis Erb Jr., the last qualifier of the night, scored the fastest trip around the highbanks with a single lap time of 12.682. As the fastest qualifier, Erb’s car became home to the on board camera to get a real time view for race fans. The airing of the evenings races will be announced when available.
For the features starting grid, it was former million dollar winner Donnie Moran next to Matt Miller on the front row over Iowa’s Brian Birkhofer and Brady Smith. On the third row sat Darren Miller and Don O’Neal, fourth row held Tim Dohm and Brian Shirley over Mike Glynn and Kerry Hansen.
Once the green flag was signaled it was Moran jumping to a quick lead out of the blocks as Miller fell in behind him. During Lap 4, Florida’s Earl Pearson Jr. spun himself between turns one and two with Glynn having nowhere to go but to stop. Before the field could pick up speed yet another yellow slowed the action.
After the green stayed on through Lap 5 the multi groove action was well underway as Moran pulled away leaving Miller to fend off Smith, Birkhofer and Shirley. The next thirteen laps were caution free with Moran beginning to lap his competition while Scott James worked his way up to the front from twentieth to ninth.
During Lap 15, Smith took his pace low and under Miller for second who then dropped to fourth. Several laps later, Miller was back in the runner up slot when he and Moran made contact ending with Moran in the infield and the yellow flag flying. The incident concluded with a controversial officiating decision that left Moran at the top and Miller now in the rear.
For the double file restart, it was Moran out front alone as Smith and Shirley lined up side by side ahead of Birkhofer and O’Neal. The fourth row held the two numbered twenty-eight cars driven by Erb and Mars.
Two laps later, O’Neal was powering up the cushion and gaining positions as he used the high line unlike the others. Mars who was now in fourth was planning out his course of action with a birds eye view of the top running positions.
At the restart of Lap 29, only nineteen of the original twenty-four were still on the track.
While the leaders duked it out, local racer Tim Hamburg of Dixon was powering his way into an impressive run by journeying up from a twenty second place beginning to a very strong seventh place campaign.
With nine to go, O’Neal was on the move again and worked his way back into second. Five laps later Mars moved him out of second and set his sights on the point.
Moran held the lead for the first forty-seven laps until a low running Mars charged around for the first and only time. Moran went to the highest groove available but didn’t have enough.
At the line, Mars grabbed the $10,000 check as Moran collected second in front of O’Neal, Shirley, Erb, Hamburg, Drake, Pearson, Matt Miller, Birkhofer, Glynn, John Mason, John Vandenburg and Tim Dohm,
Moran won the first heat race over Darren Miller as Glynn and Erb waged a war at the finish with Glynn taking third. Smith took home the win for the second heat from the pole over O’Neal, Hansen and Mars. The third heat race was also won from the front row by Birkhofer as Dohm, Skip Martin and Pearson fell in behind him. Martin succumbed to engine woes after the finish line sacrificing his transfer. The fourth heat victory went to Matt Miller again from the front with Shirley, Babb, and Vandenberg following.
West Chicago’s Jay Fiene and Frank Reaber earned the "B" Main wins.
TJ Markham returned to the Midwestern Late Model division after a short absence and collected the top money from a seventh place start. Twenty six drivers were on tap for the nights action.
Rob Piper started the twenty five lapper on the pole but couldn’t hold back David Smith’s run for the lead. The eighth lap out Eric Rebholz moved low and around Smith as Eric Dauber held onto third.
Only two yellows slowed the fast pace as TJ closed the gap on Rebholz. Until Lap 20, Rebholz managed to hang on before TJ took control on the backstretch and pulled away.
At the finish line it was TJ uncontested over Rebholz, Dauber, Reno Markham, Cody Sommer, Smith, Joe Dynek, Dan Thryselius, Tony Coglianese and Doug Newlin.
Brian Ray and Smith won the heat races. Ralph Markham posted the fastest lap while Thryselius won the consi race.
Nick Sell took home the first Street Stock heat race. Tom Legner picked up the second. Legner went on to make a clean sweep with his feature win over the twelve car field. Al Gary took second ahead of Sell, Robert Schlappi, Steve Lewis, Jeff Small, Jerry Legner, Matthew Scott, Joe Jelinek, Otrembiak.
Next Saturday night, the Midwestern Late Models will compete in a 75 lap feature with $1,000 to the winner.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Dennis Erb Jr. 12.682
First Heat: Donnie Moran, Darren Miller, Mike Glynn, Dennis Erb Jr., Jay Fiene, John Mason, Mike Miller, Brian Harris, Jerry Pitts Jr.
Second Heat: Brady Smith, Don O’Neal, Kerry Hansen, Jimmy Mars, Freddy Smith, Jason Feger, Rich Bell, Dan Sorce, Gary Wetsel
Third Heat: Brian Birkhofer, Tim Dohm, Skip Martin, Earl Pearson Jr., Terry English, Frank Reaber, Tim Hamburg, Edward Williams, Bart Schwartz
Fourth Heat: Matt Miller, Brian Shirley, Shannon Babb, John Vandenberg, Scott James, Billy Drake, Jason Jaggers, Darin Furar, Steve Oeder
"B" Main #1: Jay Fiene, Jason Feger, Freddy Smith, John Mason, Mike Miller, Brian Harris, Dan Sorce, Rich Bell, Gary Wetsel, Jerry Pitts Jr.
"B" Main #2: Frank Reaber, Scott James, Tim Hamburg, Billy Drake, Jason Jaggers, Darin Furar, Steve Oeder, Edward Williams, Bart Schwartz, Skip Martin
"A" Main: Jimmy Mars, Donnie Moran, Don O’Neal, Brian Shirley, Brady Smith, Dennis Erb Jr., Tim Hamburg, Billy Drake, Earl Pearson Jr., Matt Miller, Terry English, Darren Miller, Brian Birkhofer, Mike Glynn, John Mason, John Vandenberg, Tim Dohm, Frank Reaber, Jay Fiene, Scott James, Freddy Smith, Jason Feger, Kerry Hansen, Shannon Babb
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Ralph Markham 14.002
First Heat: Brian Ray, Jerry Vance, Mark Jilbert, Wally Forsythe
Second Heat: David Smith, Eric Rebholz, Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber
Semi Feature: Dan Thryselius, Wally Forsythe, Mark Jilbert, Jerry Vance, Brian Ray, Jack Benson, Nick Vowles, Robert Voice
Feature: TJ Markham, Eric Rebholz, Eric Dauber, Reno Markham, Cody Sommer, David Smith, Joe Dynek, Dan Thryselius, Tony Coglianese, Doug Newlin, Dan Patnoe, Dave Miller, Rob Piper, Will Harris, Wally Forsythe, Ralph Markham, Shane Hill, John Piccatto
Street Stock
First Heat: Nick Sell, Robert Schlappi, Al Gray, Matthew Scott
Second Heat: Tom Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Steve Lewis, Eric Legner
Feature: Tom Legner, Al Gray, Nick Sell, Robert Schlappi, Steve Lewis, Jeff Small, Jerry Legner, Matthew Scott, Joe Jelinek, Tom Otrembiak, Jim Kirkpatrick, Eric Legner
LaSalle, IL - The Jeff’s Enginemasters Spring Shootout, at LaSalle Speedway, has always been very exciting but Saturday nights races were literally made for tv. Thirty six drivers from across the country entered the first ever Lucas Oil Dirt Car Series fifty lap special with a $10,000 check to the victor.
As ESPN2 cameras rolled, Jimmy Mars, of Wisconsin, went on attack to capture the inaugural event in unscripted style. Mars started fourteenth on the main events grid and slowly and quietly knocked off his competition in search of the leader.
Dennis Erb Jr., the last qualifier of the night, scored the fastest trip around the highbanks with a single lap time of 12.682. As the fastest qualifier, Erb’s car became home to the on board camera to get a real time view for race fans. The airing of the evenings races will be announced when available.
For the features starting grid, it was former million dollar winner Donnie Moran next to Matt Miller on the front row over Iowa’s Brian Birkhofer and Brady Smith. On the third row sat Darren Miller and Don O’Neal, fourth row held Tim Dohm and Brian Shirley over Mike Glynn and Kerry Hansen.
Once the green flag was signaled it was Moran jumping to a quick lead out of the blocks as Miller fell in behind him. During Lap 4, Florida’s Earl Pearson Jr. spun himself between turns one and two with Glynn having nowhere to go but to stop. Before the field could pick up speed yet another yellow slowed the action.
After the green stayed on through Lap 5 the multi groove action was well underway as Moran pulled away leaving Miller to fend off Smith, Birkhofer and Shirley. The next thirteen laps were caution free with Moran beginning to lap his competition while Scott James worked his way up to the front from twentieth to ninth.
During Lap 15, Smith took his pace low and under Miller for second who then dropped to fourth. Several laps later, Miller was back in the runner up slot when he and Moran made contact ending with Moran in the infield and the yellow flag flying. The incident concluded with a controversial officiating decision that left Moran at the top and Miller now in the rear.
For the double file restart, it was Moran out front alone as Smith and Shirley lined up side by side ahead of Birkhofer and O’Neal. The fourth row held the two numbered twenty-eight cars driven by Erb and Mars.
Two laps later, O’Neal was powering up the cushion and gaining positions as he used the high line unlike the others. Mars who was now in fourth was planning out his course of action with a birds eye view of the top running positions.
At the restart of Lap 29, only nineteen of the original twenty-four were still on the track.
While the leaders duked it out, local racer Tim Hamburg of Dixon was powering his way into an impressive run by journeying up from a twenty second place beginning to a very strong seventh place campaign.
With nine to go, O’Neal was on the move again and worked his way back into second. Five laps later Mars moved him out of second and set his sights on the point.
Moran held the lead for the first forty-seven laps until a low running Mars charged around for the first and only time. Moran went to the highest groove available but didn’t have enough.
At the line, Mars grabbed the $10,000 check as Moran collected second in front of O’Neal, Shirley, Erb, Hamburg, Drake, Pearson, Matt Miller, Birkhofer, Glynn, John Mason, John Vandenburg and Tim Dohm,
Moran won the first heat race over Darren Miller as Glynn and Erb waged a war at the finish with Glynn taking third. Smith took home the win for the second heat from the pole over O’Neal, Hansen and Mars. The third heat race was also won from the front row by Birkhofer as Dohm, Skip Martin and Pearson fell in behind him. Martin succumbed to engine woes after the finish line sacrificing his transfer. The fourth heat victory went to Matt Miller again from the front with Shirley, Babb, and Vandenberg following.
West Chicago’s Jay Fiene and Frank Reaber earned the "B" Main wins.
TJ Markham returned to the Midwestern Late Model division after a short absence and collected the top money from a seventh place start. Twenty six drivers were on tap for the nights action.
Rob Piper started the twenty five lapper on the pole but couldn’t hold back David Smith’s run for the lead. The eighth lap out Eric Rebholz moved low and around Smith as Eric Dauber held onto third.
Only two yellows slowed the fast pace as TJ closed the gap on Rebholz. Until Lap 20, Rebholz managed to hang on before TJ took control on the backstretch and pulled away.
At the finish line it was TJ uncontested over Rebholz, Dauber, Reno Markham, Cody Sommer, Smith, Joe Dynek, Dan Thryselius, Tony Coglianese and Doug Newlin.
Brian Ray and Smith won the heat races. Ralph Markham posted the fastest lap while Thryselius won the consi race.
Nick Sell took home the first Street Stock heat race. Tom Legner picked up the second. Legner went on to make a clean sweep with his feature win over the twelve car field. Al Gary took second ahead of Sell, Robert Schlappi, Steve Lewis, Jeff Small, Jerry Legner, Matthew Scott, Joe Jelinek, Otrembiak.
Next Saturday night, the Midwestern Late Models will compete in a 75 lap feature with $1,000 to the winner.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Late Model
Qualifying: Dennis Erb Jr. 12.682
First Heat: Donnie Moran, Darren Miller, Mike Glynn, Dennis Erb Jr., Jay Fiene, John Mason, Mike Miller, Brian Harris, Jerry Pitts Jr.
Second Heat: Brady Smith, Don O’Neal, Kerry Hansen, Jimmy Mars, Freddy Smith, Jason Feger, Rich Bell, Dan Sorce, Gary Wetsel
Third Heat: Brian Birkhofer, Tim Dohm, Skip Martin, Earl Pearson Jr., Terry English, Frank Reaber, Tim Hamburg, Edward Williams, Bart Schwartz
Fourth Heat: Matt Miller, Brian Shirley, Shannon Babb, John Vandenberg, Scott James, Billy Drake, Jason Jaggers, Darin Furar, Steve Oeder
"B" Main #1: Jay Fiene, Jason Feger, Freddy Smith, John Mason, Mike Miller, Brian Harris, Dan Sorce, Rich Bell, Gary Wetsel, Jerry Pitts Jr.
"B" Main #2: Frank Reaber, Scott James, Tim Hamburg, Billy Drake, Jason Jaggers, Darin Furar, Steve Oeder, Edward Williams, Bart Schwartz, Skip Martin
"A" Main: Jimmy Mars, Donnie Moran, Don O’Neal, Brian Shirley, Brady Smith, Dennis Erb Jr., Tim Hamburg, Billy Drake, Earl Pearson Jr., Matt Miller, Terry English, Darren Miller, Brian Birkhofer, Mike Glynn, John Mason, John Vandenberg, Tim Dohm, Frank Reaber, Jay Fiene, Scott James, Freddy Smith, Jason Feger, Kerry Hansen, Shannon Babb
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Ralph Markham 14.002
First Heat: Brian Ray, Jerry Vance, Mark Jilbert, Wally Forsythe
Second Heat: David Smith, Eric Rebholz, Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber
Semi Feature: Dan Thryselius, Wally Forsythe, Mark Jilbert, Jerry Vance, Brian Ray, Jack Benson, Nick Vowles, Robert Voice
Feature: TJ Markham, Eric Rebholz, Eric Dauber, Reno Markham, Cody Sommer, David Smith, Joe Dynek, Dan Thryselius, Tony Coglianese, Doug Newlin, Dan Patnoe, Dave Miller, Rob Piper, Will Harris, Wally Forsythe, Ralph Markham, Shane Hill, John Piccatto
Street Stock
First Heat: Nick Sell, Robert Schlappi, Al Gray, Matthew Scott
Second Heat: Tom Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Steve Lewis, Eric Legner
Feature: Tom Legner, Al Gray, Nick Sell, Robert Schlappi, Steve Lewis, Jeff Small, Jerry Legner, Matthew Scott, Joe Jelinek, Tom Otrembiak, Jim Kirkpatrick, Eric Legner
