By Betty Glynn
LaSalle,IL – Keith Piano’s season hasn’t been his best ever. Anyone who is familiar with a slump quickly figures out that a victory can be a major confidence booster. Piano is not a stranger to the winners circle at LaSalle Speedway but in 2006 finishing the feature and up front hasn’t come easy.
Even though he hasn’t been on top of the winning roster he has very little difficulty going fast. During qualifying the first night out, he broke the Midwestern Late Model track record. In addition, he currently owns the Midwestern Sportsman fastest qualifier title.
The Midwestern Late Model driver hailing out of Oglesby traveled the second fastest lap Saturday and scored a runner up finish in the heat race to earn his front row outside start. Sitting next to him on the pole was Oglesby’s Billy Weistart Jr. Behind them in row two, rolled up last week’s winner Scott Schmitt of Tonica and LaSalle’s Mike Glynn.
Before a lap could be scored, the caution was signaled but not everyone caught the quick yellow light. Glynn was one of those who missed it and sacrificed his fourth place start with heavy front end damage.
Yet another complete restart kept the pace slow and Glynn rejoined the tail of the field looking more like a modified then a late model.
Once the flag man flashed the green, Weistart flew into the lead with Piano close behind over Schmitt, Darin Furar of Mark and Ed Williams Sr.
In the fifth circuit, Furar went under Schmitt to battle for third but Schmitt’s mid track line was working well and he held him off as they battled for five more laps.
Debris in turn four brought out a yellow to stop Furar’s run. Weistart was on the point over Piano, Schmitt, Furar, Williams and Ralph Markham for the restart of Lap 10.
Piano quickly tried every angle to move around Weistart but he kept the door shut and held him at bay. The twelfth circuit was when Piano was able to get his groove back as he powered up heavy on the gas under a hard charging Weistart.
Weistart didn’t give up easily as he was working every inch of the track to catch him. Furar was flying in third when his run, and points chase, ended on the hook of a tow truck following a hard hit into the concrete barrier wall.
Another top three points contender, Ralph Markham, also found himself stopped during the same caution. His car was connected to Ed Williams Sr.
and got out of his machine trying to remedy the problem. He regained the previous lap position prior to the green.
By Lap 18, Piano was powering into a solo run with a quarter of a track lead.
“I kept waiting for someone to put their nose up there,” Piano said after the race. “My guys kept showing me that I had a big lead and I just couldn’t hardly believe it.”
When the checkers dropped it was Piano crossing the finish line alone.
“It felt so good to win. I have a lot of my old crew back and you could really tell the difference in the last couple of weeks.”
Weistart finished a convincing second with Markham, Dauber, Williams, Jim Loomis, Schmitt, Glynn and Wally Forsythe trailing.
Schmitt earned the fastest qualifying time for the third week in a row.
Forsythe held back Weistart, Eric Rebholz, and Schmitt to win the first heat. Glynn took home the second heat race over Piano, Williams and Loomis.
In Open Wheel Modified action, Kewanee’s Ray Bollinger and Ottawa’s Dale Lueth started the twenty lap feature next to each other on the front row.
Bollinger shot out in express mode pulling out to a nice lead. But the leader was forced to the pits with trouble and returned to the tail before racing began again. Lueth was now at the helm for the single file line up over Mike Spatola, LaSalle’s Jim Phelps and Vince Cooper of Morris. Cooper started eleventh on the grid but moved up quickly.
By the fifteenth circuit Cooper was up close and personal to the back side of Lueth. A lap later he had moved down a line and was side by side with Lueth. He was getting around him but the yellow light came out just in time.
While the leaders were battling Bollinger was on the gas and moving up the field.
With two to go, Bollinger made contact with Phelps but luckily both were able to keep their pace.
As Lueth and Cooper rounded the final turn their side by side showdown was coming to a close. Lueth captured his third feature race with a narrow victory.
“I knew Vince was moving up quick,” Lueth said. “We ran again tonight on six cylinders instead of seven. Since I started up front I could set my own pace but if Ray wouldn’t have went off earlier I knew we couldn’t catch him.”
Talking to Bollinger after the night’s final race he was still excited about traveling up the pack even after he fell on tough times.
“It was so much fun racing out there,” he laughed after the race. “I did I had so much fun.”
Crossing the line barely after Lueth was Cooper, Jim Phelps, Ray Bollinger, Mike Spatola, Leah Monfries, Ken Fischer, Mark Novolosky, Ron Morris, and newcomer Zac Oedewaldt.
Cooper and Spatola were later disqualified during tech inspection.
Brian Bushong and Phelps each won their heat races.
The Street Stock class saw a larger car count then usual with twenty two drivers making the twenty lap feature call.
Nathan Balensiefen dominated the division with a clean sweep. His pole spot was just where he needed to start to carry the large pack en route to a flag to flag feature victory.
At the finish line Gary Schmitt took home a strong second in front of Rich Bell, Kevin Lenzen, Jake Cholke, Steve Lewis, Joe Brown, Scott Schoener, Robert Schlappi, Tim Loomis and Wally Forsythe.
Joe Brown won the first heat race while Balensiefen won the second.
Tony Provenzano also made a sweep of the Hornet class. Nineteen competitors were in the feature race.
Bill Williams charged hard to take home second in the show with Jimmy Johnson, Jamie Deford, Dan Leonard, Jon Clubb, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, David Przybyla and Ken Johnson following.
Alex Clubb won heat two.
LaSalle Speedway Results 08/12/06
Midwestern Late Models: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Scott Schmitt 13.300
Heat One: Wally Forsythe, Billy Weistart Jr., Eric Rebholz, Scott Schmitt Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Keith Piano, Ed Williams Sr., Jim Loomis
Feature: Keith Piano, Billy Weistart Jr., Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber, Ed Williams Sr., Jim Loomis, Scott Schmitt, Mike Glynn, Wally Forsythe, Aaron Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Dwayne Williford, Joe Fratt, Eric Rebholz, Darin Furar, Vince Imrocci, Dave Miller, Jack Benson, #116
Modifieds: 19 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper 14.393
Heat One: Brian Bushong, Casey Lappin, Bay Bollinger, Ken Fischer Heat Two: Jim Phelps, Mike Spatola, Dale Lueth, Derek Line
Feature: Dale Lueth, Vince Cooper – DQ, Jim Phelps, Ray Bollinger, Mike Spatola – DQ, Leah Monfries, Ken Fischer, Mark Novolosky, Ron Morris, Zac Oedewaldt, Dan Goodhand, Stanley Vervynck, Brian Bushong, Joe Adam, Derek Line, Casey Lappin, Duane Peterson, Jerold Meirer
Street Stock: 22 Cars
Heat One: Joe Brown, Gary Schmitt, Mike Stewart, Tim Loomis Heat Two: Nathan Balenseifen, Steve Schwemlein, Rober Schlappi, Nick Sell
Feature: Nathan Balensiefen, Gary Schmitt, Rich Bell, Kevin Lenzen, Jake Cholke, Steve Lewis, Joe Brown, Scott Schoener, Robert Schlappi, Tim Loomis, Wally Forsythe, Nick Sell, Chuck Provenzano, Mike Hughes, Mike Stewart, Bill Dauber, Joe Jelinek, Roger Rickels, Ed Williams Jr., Steve Schwemlein, Rick Koltveit, Jeff Small
Hornets: 19 Cars
Heat One: Tony Provenzano, Jamie Deford, Darrell Porter, Jr. Brown Heat Two: Alex Clubb, Jon Small, Jon Clubb, Jimmy Johnson
Feature: Tony Provenzano Jr., Bill Willams, Jimmy Johnson, Jamie Deford, Dan Leonard, Jon Clubb, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, David Przybyla, Ken Johnson, Jeff Jones, Asa Robart, Darrell Porter, Jon Wagner, Cory West, Loren Westerhold, Alex Clubb, Jon Small, Jr. Brown
LaSalle,IL – Keith Piano’s season hasn’t been his best ever. Anyone who is familiar with a slump quickly figures out that a victory can be a major confidence booster. Piano is not a stranger to the winners circle at LaSalle Speedway but in 2006 finishing the feature and up front hasn’t come easy.
Even though he hasn’t been on top of the winning roster he has very little difficulty going fast. During qualifying the first night out, he broke the Midwestern Late Model track record. In addition, he currently owns the Midwestern Sportsman fastest qualifier title.
The Midwestern Late Model driver hailing out of Oglesby traveled the second fastest lap Saturday and scored a runner up finish in the heat race to earn his front row outside start. Sitting next to him on the pole was Oglesby’s Billy Weistart Jr. Behind them in row two, rolled up last week’s winner Scott Schmitt of Tonica and LaSalle’s Mike Glynn.
Before a lap could be scored, the caution was signaled but not everyone caught the quick yellow light. Glynn was one of those who missed it and sacrificed his fourth place start with heavy front end damage.
Yet another complete restart kept the pace slow and Glynn rejoined the tail of the field looking more like a modified then a late model.
Once the flag man flashed the green, Weistart flew into the lead with Piano close behind over Schmitt, Darin Furar of Mark and Ed Williams Sr.
In the fifth circuit, Furar went under Schmitt to battle for third but Schmitt’s mid track line was working well and he held him off as they battled for five more laps.
Debris in turn four brought out a yellow to stop Furar’s run. Weistart was on the point over Piano, Schmitt, Furar, Williams and Ralph Markham for the restart of Lap 10.
Piano quickly tried every angle to move around Weistart but he kept the door shut and held him at bay. The twelfth circuit was when Piano was able to get his groove back as he powered up heavy on the gas under a hard charging Weistart.
Weistart didn’t give up easily as he was working every inch of the track to catch him. Furar was flying in third when his run, and points chase, ended on the hook of a tow truck following a hard hit into the concrete barrier wall.
Another top three points contender, Ralph Markham, also found himself stopped during the same caution. His car was connected to Ed Williams Sr.
and got out of his machine trying to remedy the problem. He regained the previous lap position prior to the green.
By Lap 18, Piano was powering into a solo run with a quarter of a track lead.
“I kept waiting for someone to put their nose up there,” Piano said after the race. “My guys kept showing me that I had a big lead and I just couldn’t hardly believe it.”
When the checkers dropped it was Piano crossing the finish line alone.
“It felt so good to win. I have a lot of my old crew back and you could really tell the difference in the last couple of weeks.”
Weistart finished a convincing second with Markham, Dauber, Williams, Jim Loomis, Schmitt, Glynn and Wally Forsythe trailing.
Schmitt earned the fastest qualifying time for the third week in a row.
Forsythe held back Weistart, Eric Rebholz, and Schmitt to win the first heat. Glynn took home the second heat race over Piano, Williams and Loomis.
In Open Wheel Modified action, Kewanee’s Ray Bollinger and Ottawa’s Dale Lueth started the twenty lap feature next to each other on the front row.
Bollinger shot out in express mode pulling out to a nice lead. But the leader was forced to the pits with trouble and returned to the tail before racing began again. Lueth was now at the helm for the single file line up over Mike Spatola, LaSalle’s Jim Phelps and Vince Cooper of Morris. Cooper started eleventh on the grid but moved up quickly.
By the fifteenth circuit Cooper was up close and personal to the back side of Lueth. A lap later he had moved down a line and was side by side with Lueth. He was getting around him but the yellow light came out just in time.
While the leaders were battling Bollinger was on the gas and moving up the field.
With two to go, Bollinger made contact with Phelps but luckily both were able to keep their pace.
As Lueth and Cooper rounded the final turn their side by side showdown was coming to a close. Lueth captured his third feature race with a narrow victory.
“I knew Vince was moving up quick,” Lueth said. “We ran again tonight on six cylinders instead of seven. Since I started up front I could set my own pace but if Ray wouldn’t have went off earlier I knew we couldn’t catch him.”
Talking to Bollinger after the night’s final race he was still excited about traveling up the pack even after he fell on tough times.
“It was so much fun racing out there,” he laughed after the race. “I did I had so much fun.”
Crossing the line barely after Lueth was Cooper, Jim Phelps, Ray Bollinger, Mike Spatola, Leah Monfries, Ken Fischer, Mark Novolosky, Ron Morris, and newcomer Zac Oedewaldt.
Cooper and Spatola were later disqualified during tech inspection.
Brian Bushong and Phelps each won their heat races.
The Street Stock class saw a larger car count then usual with twenty two drivers making the twenty lap feature call.
Nathan Balensiefen dominated the division with a clean sweep. His pole spot was just where he needed to start to carry the large pack en route to a flag to flag feature victory.
At the finish line Gary Schmitt took home a strong second in front of Rich Bell, Kevin Lenzen, Jake Cholke, Steve Lewis, Joe Brown, Scott Schoener, Robert Schlappi, Tim Loomis and Wally Forsythe.
Joe Brown won the first heat race while Balensiefen won the second.
Tony Provenzano also made a sweep of the Hornet class. Nineteen competitors were in the feature race.
Bill Williams charged hard to take home second in the show with Jimmy Johnson, Jamie Deford, Dan Leonard, Jon Clubb, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, David Przybyla and Ken Johnson following.
Alex Clubb won heat two.
LaSalle Speedway Results 08/12/06
Midwestern Late Models: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Scott Schmitt 13.300
Heat One: Wally Forsythe, Billy Weistart Jr., Eric Rebholz, Scott Schmitt Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Keith Piano, Ed Williams Sr., Jim Loomis
Feature: Keith Piano, Billy Weistart Jr., Ralph Markham, Eric Dauber, Ed Williams Sr., Jim Loomis, Scott Schmitt, Mike Glynn, Wally Forsythe, Aaron Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Dwayne Williford, Joe Fratt, Eric Rebholz, Darin Furar, Vince Imrocci, Dave Miller, Jack Benson, #116
Modifieds: 19 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper 14.393
Heat One: Brian Bushong, Casey Lappin, Bay Bollinger, Ken Fischer Heat Two: Jim Phelps, Mike Spatola, Dale Lueth, Derek Line
Feature: Dale Lueth, Vince Cooper – DQ, Jim Phelps, Ray Bollinger, Mike Spatola – DQ, Leah Monfries, Ken Fischer, Mark Novolosky, Ron Morris, Zac Oedewaldt, Dan Goodhand, Stanley Vervynck, Brian Bushong, Joe Adam, Derek Line, Casey Lappin, Duane Peterson, Jerold Meirer
Street Stock: 22 Cars
Heat One: Joe Brown, Gary Schmitt, Mike Stewart, Tim Loomis Heat Two: Nathan Balenseifen, Steve Schwemlein, Rober Schlappi, Nick Sell
Feature: Nathan Balensiefen, Gary Schmitt, Rich Bell, Kevin Lenzen, Jake Cholke, Steve Lewis, Joe Brown, Scott Schoener, Robert Schlappi, Tim Loomis, Wally Forsythe, Nick Sell, Chuck Provenzano, Mike Hughes, Mike Stewart, Bill Dauber, Joe Jelinek, Roger Rickels, Ed Williams Jr., Steve Schwemlein, Rick Koltveit, Jeff Small
Hornets: 19 Cars
Heat One: Tony Provenzano, Jamie Deford, Darrell Porter, Jr. Brown Heat Two: Alex Clubb, Jon Small, Jon Clubb, Jimmy Johnson
Feature: Tony Provenzano Jr., Bill Willams, Jimmy Johnson, Jamie Deford, Dan Leonard, Jon Clubb, Mark Sutton, Gabe Koncor, David Przybyla, Ken Johnson, Jeff Jones, Asa Robart, Darrell Porter, Jon Wagner, Cory West, Loren Westerhold, Alex Clubb, Jon Small, Jr. Brown
