Randy Korte
Unzicker, Korte & Voigt battle 3 wide for the lead!
<a href="http://www.stlracingphotos.com/La%20Salle%20Speedway/829388" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM LA SALLE SPEEDWAY'S UMP SUMMER NATIONALS!</a>
Powerful run scores Korte $6,000; fuels points lead
By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – The La Salle Speedway’s UMP DIRTCar Summer Nationals stop received a great deal of hype in recent days as the event to attend. The Thursday night race promoted by Track Enterprises and La Salle Speedway did not disappoint the avid race enthusiast.
Forty one UMP Late Model contenders signed in for action with only one other race in the series boasting over 40 cars thus far. In addition, the UMP Modified class provided the support racing for the top billed venue.
Former UMP National Champion Randy Korte started off his night with a few bumps in the road but turned things around when he rocketed his way to the victory circle.
To kick the night off, Korte’s hydraulic lift gate broke on his trailer leaving his 00 machine several feet off the ground. A little ingenuity and a lot of man power got the car unloaded. Next up, was his qualifying run that did not go as planned. At the completion his radiator was left with a gaping whole after a chunk of mud blew threw it. Typically, not a good start to anyone’s night. The Korte camp rallied back and came through with not only a victory but additional points in their favor for the chase to the Summer Nationals crown.
The grueling schedule the Summer Nationals puts on a driver and their crew becomes more and more evident as the series winds down. With only two races remaining, the points battle has become a focal point for all the drivers in the top of the chase. The opportunity to add additional funds to much needed racing accounts becomes a sought after reality by this stage of the game.
The Late Models were each given one qualifying lap to determine their heat line up. Due to excessive rain in the area on Wednesday the track surface was not cooperating in the beginning of the night. Besides Korte several other machines did not fare well with their one lap time trial. Lil’ John Provenzano found his ride on a mere two wheels nearly flipping, Mike Glynn hit the rough terrain nose first causing damage, and Curt Spalding deflated his tire in the terrain.
After time trials ended Joe Izzo scraped the surface to try and smooth things out for the racers.
“We got off to a rough start after all that rain yesterday but in the end we got a great race,” Izzo said post race.
“My staff put in a lot of hard work and it paid off big. The drivers gave us one of the better races that I have seen in five years.”
When the twenty one cars lined up for feature time, it was front row partners Rodney Melvin and Mark Voigt with Terry Casey and Ryan Unzicker in row two. Korte held the inside spot of the third row next to Mark Burgtorf. From the first drop of the green flag, the racing was side by side with battles throughout the field. Watching up front was a dicey mix between Voigt, Melvin, Casey and Unzicker.
Unfortunately, long time La Salle flagman J.D. Rutledge was injured possibly by flying debris at the beginning of the race. After a red flag the flagman was taken to the hospital and an alternate flagger positioned on the stand.
Voigt was one of the strongest contenders during the first twenty four laps. Even when he was challenged and looked like Unzicker was taking the point, he rallied back on the straight aways.
While the four cars were battling up front Korte was settling in.
“The bottom was very good the first part of the race. I moved up and the car seemed to come to life,” Korte explained after his win.
During Lap 26, Voigt fell off the pace and went pitside. Now Korte and Unzicker were door to door for the helm. One lap later, Korte used his run on the back stretch to take over the point. His drive from the leader spot seemed unstoppable until a restart of Lap 32 for Casey. On the single file restart it was Shannon Babb, who started ninth, rolling up to his back bumper in front of Unzicker, Melvin, Kevin Weaver, and Dennis Erb Jr.
As soon the green flag dropped, Korte started to pull away but Babb was reeling him in from a bottom line run. The powerhouses ran full throttle with tires squealing under pressure.
“I looked up on the board and saw 18 (Babb) was in 2nd. I knew he would be tough,” Korte said.
Babb did what he does best put the pressure on until the end. With two laps to go, he looked like he had a run for the lead but Korte closed the door and en route to the victory.
While Babb crossed in second, the two time defending series champion Dennis Erb Jr. was rallying to the front. He forced a three wide challenge for third grabbing it at the finish line. Unzicker took home fourth in what was an impressive run from beginning to end. Melvin finished ahead of Weaver, Burgtorf, Frank Heckanast Jr., Ted Loomis, Mike Provenzano, Scott Schmitt and Donny Walden.
Jason Feger succumbed to mechanical woes leaving the field with five laps unscored. Casey, Voigt, Ken Schrader, Steve Sheppard Jr., Bret Sievert, Lil’ John Provezano, Ralph Markham and Don ONeal were all pit side by the end of the 40 laps.
Four heat races provided excellent wheel to wheel action with Casey picking up the first win in front of Korte, Babb and Schrader. The heat two winner, Unzicker, had his work cut out for him after falling back in the pack and working his way to the lead past some heavy hitters. He beat Burgtorf, Erb and Walden for their grid positions in the A Main. In the third heat race, Melvin and Weaver raced like pros lap after lap with Melvin winning the contest. Scott Schmitt and Mike Provenzano finished third and fourth racing their way into the feature race. The final heat win was claimed by Voigt over ONeal, Loomis and Lil’ John Provenzano. Provenzano charged his speed plant from last to fourth.
Nascar and television personality Kenny Wallace arrived at the track late and had to work hard to earn his position in the UMP Modified feature. The Hermanator navigated the UMP Modified avoiding numerous laps of destruction.
The twenty car field was set based on heat and consi finishes with Dale Lueth taking the pole position on the inside of Danny Schwartz. Mike Spatola and Rusty Griffin were in row two over Gary Cook Jr. and Travis Kohler.
Lueth shot off to an early lead but caution kept stopping the drive. During Lap 8, a yellow was signaled for Lueth who retired pitside with trouble. Cook took over the point in front of Kohler, John Damoss and Wallace. Four laps later, a three way struggle for fourth ended with Wallace taking the position over.
The feature event was shortened to 15 laps. Cook was headed to victory circle at the completion. Spatola finished runner up ahead of Schwartz, Wallace, Kohler, Chad Osterhoff, Damoss, and Brad Stewart.
This Saturday night La Salle Speedway is closed but will return to action on July 18th.
Heat 1
1. 42 Terry Casey
2. 00 Randy Korte
3. 18 Shannon Babb
4. 9x Kenny Schrader
5. 55 Shawn Torzeck
6. 83 Scott Bull
7. 16la Shane Allen
8. 5 Bryant Dickinson
9. 49 Scott Brewer
10. 55 Jeep Van Wormer
11. 25 Jason Feger
Heat 2
1. 24 Ryan Unzicker
2. 7b Mark Burgtorf
3. 28 Dennis Erb
4. 1w Donny Walden
5. 5x Brett Sievert
6. 5s Steve Sheppard
7. m14 Brandon Thirlby
8. 43 Alan Gendusa
9. B5 Brandon Sheppard
10. 11x Steve Dimmick
Heat 3
1. 27 Rodney Melvin
2. b12 Kevin Weaver
3. 10s Scott Schmitt
4. m27 Mike Provenzano
5. 21b Rich Bell
6. 40 Charley Hess
7. 99j Jimmy Dehm
8. K9 Mike Glynn
9. 55l Jim Loomis
10. 11m Rodger Markham
Heat 4
1. 30v Mark Voigt
2. 16c Don O'Neal
3. 23 Ted Loomis
4. 7 John Provenzano
5. 99jr Frank Heckenast jr
6. 77 Jason McBride
7. 35 Derek Chandler
8. 9s Eric Smith
9, 10m Ralph Markham
10. 111 Curt Spalding
C main
1. 9s Eric Smith
2. B5 Brandon Sheppard
3. K9 Mike Glynn
4. 10m Ralph Markham
5. 111 Curt Spalding
6. 49 Scott Brewer
7. 55l Jim Loomis
8. 5 Bryant Dickinson
9. 11x Steve Dimmick
10. 43 Alan Gendusa
B Main
1. 99jr Frank Heckenast jr
2. 95 Aaron Rickett
3. 55 Jim Loomis
4. 77 Jason McBride
5. 83 Scott Bull
6. B5 Brandon Sheppard
7. 21b Rich Bell
8. 40 Charley Hess
9. 35 Derek Chandler
10. 9s Eric Smith
11. 10m Ralph Markham
12. 99j Jimmy Dehm
13. 16la Shane Allen
14. M14 Brandon Thirlby
Feature
1. 00 Randy Korte
2. 18 Shannon Babb
3. 28 Dennis Erb
4. 24 Ryan Unzicker
5. 27 Rodney Melvin
6. B12 Kevin Weaver
7. 7b Mark Burgtorf
8. 99jr Frank Heckenast
9. 23 Ted Loomis
10. m27 Mike Provenzano
11. 10s Scott Schmitt
12. 1w Donny Walden
13. 25 Jason Feger
14. 42 Terry Casey
15. 30v Mark Voigt
16. 9x Kenny Schrader
17. 5s Steve Sheppard
18. 5x Brett Sievert
19. 7 John Provenzano
20. 10m Ralph Markham
21. 16c Don O'Neal
