By: Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL - Bensenville’s Frank Reaber is no stranger to dirt late models or victory lane but the veteran driver hadn’t take home the checkers at LaSalle Speedway all season until Saturday night. In front of a full house for Fan Appreciation Night, the former track champion used the highside to dominate the Xtreme Late Models.
Reaber’s runner-up finish in the Terry Monroe Dash earned him his front row starting position. From the outside, he charged high to grab the lead by the end of the first lap while the pole sitter, Tom Markham, followed his line.
By the seventh lap out, Reaber was flying high distancing himself from Markham as Elmhurst’s Jim Partipilo lead Wisconsin’s Dan Source through the corners. Tonica’s Ryan Dauber worked hard on a lower groove to catch the leaders but the high banks seemed to be the fast road.
During Lap 11, caution flew for Garrett Slager and Larry Legrand forcing the field back together for a single file restart. Reaber was at the point with Markham, Partipilo, Source, Dauber, Skip Martin, Bret Seivert, Dixon’s Tim Hamburg, Jason Feger and Jay Fiene making up the top ten runners.
For the duration of the twenty five laps, Reaber led what looked like a freight train as much of the line up never changed during green flag racing.
Markham finished a strong second over Partipilo, Source, Seivert, Dauber, Martin, Feger, Hamburg, Fiene, LaSalle’s Mike Glynn, Bill Weistart Jr. of Oglesby, Wyanet’s Jason Jaggers, Bart Schwartz and Garrett Slager.
Markham won the Dash as Weistart and Dauber each took home their Heat victories. Source earned the fastest qualifying lap with a time of 12.969.
Unlike the super late models, the Midwestern Late’s race was filled with down to the wire excitement. Reno Markham was quick out of the blocks to take the lead but cousin Ralph was hot on the low side and stole the lead during the first lap out. One lap later, the pace was halted as a five car pile up on the front stretch sent front runners Reno and Eric Dauber to the pit area.
Both made it back to the rear of the field for the green flag to drop. Ottawa’s Butch Hampson put on quite a show attempting to pass Ralph lap after lap. He tried a higher groove and would catch up to his door but just didn’t seem to have enough to make his move.
By Lap 13, Ralph still was on the point with Hampson on his back tires as Shane Hill, Ben Hamburg, Brian Ray and Dauber were in hot pursuit. When the leaders would head out of turn two Ralph seemed to slow a little and Hampson would catch up but on the stretch Ralph was able to out run him back to the line.
The event continued to be exciting as Ralph held off Hampson for the victory with Hill collecting third over an impressive run from Dauber who ended his night in fourth. Hamburg took home fifth in front of Reno, Ray, Peru’s Joe Adam, Travis Rokey and Cody Sommer.
Doug Newlin and Ralph each won the earlier Heat races.
The Midwestern Sportsman division struggled something terrible to get their feature race started. After numerous complete restarts, the track officials decided to send the fourteen drivers back to the pit area to regroup. Their efforts paid off as the fifteen lap race went without caution once they returned to the 1/4 mile highbanks.
Keith Piano commanded the pack from flag to flag as he distanced himself from his competitors by Lap 3. On the fifth lap out, the young Deer Park driver was already lapping the field and continued his winning ways until the checkers dropped.
Tonica’s Brian Claudnic picked second place holding off Scott Cimei. Genoa’s Jeff Hartzell took home fourth in front of Duane McCarville, Sharon Schlappi, Aaron Schmidt, Darryl Grandys, Todd Carpenter, BJ Grabow and Dan Goodhand.
Piano and Claudnic won the two Heat events for the division.
Scott Schmitt made a clean sweep of the Street Stock class after winning both his Heat and the Feature races. Tom Legner was runner up for the feature and he too won his earlier Heat race.
Gary Schmitt took home third over Al Gray, Chuck Leason, Eric Whittington, Nick Sell, Bret Carlson, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Mike Stewart, Charles Herhold, Steven Lewis, John Peterson and Jerry Legner.
Next week the LaSalle Speedway will host double features for the Late Model division.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Xtreme Late Model
Qualifying: Dan Source 12.969
Dash: Tom Markham, Frank Reaber, Skip Martin, Joe Burba
First Heat: Bill Weistart Jr., Jay Fiene, Darin Furar, Tim Hamburg
Second Heat: Ryan Dauber, Bret Seivert, Jason Jaggers, Tom Markham
Feature: Frank Reaber, Tom Markham, Jim Partipilo, Dan Source, Bret Seivert, Ryan Dauber, Skip Martin, Jason Feger, Tim Hamburg, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Bill Weistart Jr., Jason Jaggers, Bart Schwartz, Garrett Slager, Darin Furar, Mike Mataragas, Larry Legrand, Tim Brach, Tom Newquist
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: John Piccatto 13.381
First Heat: Doug Newlin, Cody Sommer, Eric Rebholz, Nick Vowles
Second Heat: Ralph Markham, Mark Jilbert, Eric Dauber, Ben Hamburg
Semi Feature: Cody Sommer, Doug Newlin, Jerry Vance, Nick Vowles, Robert Voice
Feature: Ralph Markham, Butch Hampson, Shane Hill, Eric Dauber, Ben Hamburg, Reno Markham, Brian Ray, Joe Adam, Travis Rokey, Cody Sommer, Wally Forsythe, Mick Miller, John Piccatoo, Doug Newlin, Tony Coglianese, Rich Leach, Eric Rebholz, Mark Jilbert
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Keith Piano, Tina Soberri, Aaron Schmidt, Duane McCarville
Second Heat: Brian Claudnic, Scott Cimei, Darryl Grandys, Sharon Schlappi
Feature: Keith Piano, Brian Claudnic, Scott Cimei, Jeff Hartzell, Duane McCarville, Sharon Schlappi, Aaron Schmidt, Darryl Grandys, Todd Carpenter, BJ Grabow, Dan Goodhand
Street Stock
First Heat: Tom Legner, Al Gray, Robert Schlappi, Charles Herhold
Second Heat: Scott Schmitt, Jerry Legner, John Peterson, Tom Otrembiak
Feature: Scott Schmitt, Tom Legner, Gary Schmitt, Al Gray, Chuck Leason, Eric Whittington, Nick Sell, Brent Carlson, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Mike Stewart, Charles Herhold, Steven Lewis, John Peterson, Jerry Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Shawn Mikolatis
LaSalle, IL - Bensenville’s Frank Reaber is no stranger to dirt late models or victory lane but the veteran driver hadn’t take home the checkers at LaSalle Speedway all season until Saturday night. In front of a full house for Fan Appreciation Night, the former track champion used the highside to dominate the Xtreme Late Models.
Reaber’s runner-up finish in the Terry Monroe Dash earned him his front row starting position. From the outside, he charged high to grab the lead by the end of the first lap while the pole sitter, Tom Markham, followed his line.
By the seventh lap out, Reaber was flying high distancing himself from Markham as Elmhurst’s Jim Partipilo lead Wisconsin’s Dan Source through the corners. Tonica’s Ryan Dauber worked hard on a lower groove to catch the leaders but the high banks seemed to be the fast road.
During Lap 11, caution flew for Garrett Slager and Larry Legrand forcing the field back together for a single file restart. Reaber was at the point with Markham, Partipilo, Source, Dauber, Skip Martin, Bret Seivert, Dixon’s Tim Hamburg, Jason Feger and Jay Fiene making up the top ten runners.
For the duration of the twenty five laps, Reaber led what looked like a freight train as much of the line up never changed during green flag racing.
Markham finished a strong second over Partipilo, Source, Seivert, Dauber, Martin, Feger, Hamburg, Fiene, LaSalle’s Mike Glynn, Bill Weistart Jr. of Oglesby, Wyanet’s Jason Jaggers, Bart Schwartz and Garrett Slager.
Markham won the Dash as Weistart and Dauber each took home their Heat victories. Source earned the fastest qualifying lap with a time of 12.969.
Unlike the super late models, the Midwestern Late’s race was filled with down to the wire excitement. Reno Markham was quick out of the blocks to take the lead but cousin Ralph was hot on the low side and stole the lead during the first lap out. One lap later, the pace was halted as a five car pile up on the front stretch sent front runners Reno and Eric Dauber to the pit area.
Both made it back to the rear of the field for the green flag to drop. Ottawa’s Butch Hampson put on quite a show attempting to pass Ralph lap after lap. He tried a higher groove and would catch up to his door but just didn’t seem to have enough to make his move.
By Lap 13, Ralph still was on the point with Hampson on his back tires as Shane Hill, Ben Hamburg, Brian Ray and Dauber were in hot pursuit. When the leaders would head out of turn two Ralph seemed to slow a little and Hampson would catch up but on the stretch Ralph was able to out run him back to the line.
The event continued to be exciting as Ralph held off Hampson for the victory with Hill collecting third over an impressive run from Dauber who ended his night in fourth. Hamburg took home fifth in front of Reno, Ray, Peru’s Joe Adam, Travis Rokey and Cody Sommer.
Doug Newlin and Ralph each won the earlier Heat races.
The Midwestern Sportsman division struggled something terrible to get their feature race started. After numerous complete restarts, the track officials decided to send the fourteen drivers back to the pit area to regroup. Their efforts paid off as the fifteen lap race went without caution once they returned to the 1/4 mile highbanks.
Keith Piano commanded the pack from flag to flag as he distanced himself from his competitors by Lap 3. On the fifth lap out, the young Deer Park driver was already lapping the field and continued his winning ways until the checkers dropped.
Tonica’s Brian Claudnic picked second place holding off Scott Cimei. Genoa’s Jeff Hartzell took home fourth in front of Duane McCarville, Sharon Schlappi, Aaron Schmidt, Darryl Grandys, Todd Carpenter, BJ Grabow and Dan Goodhand.
Piano and Claudnic won the two Heat events for the division.
Scott Schmitt made a clean sweep of the Street Stock class after winning both his Heat and the Feature races. Tom Legner was runner up for the feature and he too won his earlier Heat race.
Gary Schmitt took home third over Al Gray, Chuck Leason, Eric Whittington, Nick Sell, Bret Carlson, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Mike Stewart, Charles Herhold, Steven Lewis, John Peterson and Jerry Legner.
Next week the LaSalle Speedway will host double features for the Late Model division.
LaSalle Speedway Results
Xtreme Late Model
Qualifying: Dan Source 12.969
Dash: Tom Markham, Frank Reaber, Skip Martin, Joe Burba
First Heat: Bill Weistart Jr., Jay Fiene, Darin Furar, Tim Hamburg
Second Heat: Ryan Dauber, Bret Seivert, Jason Jaggers, Tom Markham
Feature: Frank Reaber, Tom Markham, Jim Partipilo, Dan Source, Bret Seivert, Ryan Dauber, Skip Martin, Jason Feger, Tim Hamburg, Jay Fiene, Mike Glynn, Bill Weistart Jr., Jason Jaggers, Bart Schwartz, Garrett Slager, Darin Furar, Mike Mataragas, Larry Legrand, Tim Brach, Tom Newquist
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: John Piccatto 13.381
First Heat: Doug Newlin, Cody Sommer, Eric Rebholz, Nick Vowles
Second Heat: Ralph Markham, Mark Jilbert, Eric Dauber, Ben Hamburg
Semi Feature: Cody Sommer, Doug Newlin, Jerry Vance, Nick Vowles, Robert Voice
Feature: Ralph Markham, Butch Hampson, Shane Hill, Eric Dauber, Ben Hamburg, Reno Markham, Brian Ray, Joe Adam, Travis Rokey, Cody Sommer, Wally Forsythe, Mick Miller, John Piccatoo, Doug Newlin, Tony Coglianese, Rich Leach, Eric Rebholz, Mark Jilbert
Midwestern Sportsman
First Heat: Keith Piano, Tina Soberri, Aaron Schmidt, Duane McCarville
Second Heat: Brian Claudnic, Scott Cimei, Darryl Grandys, Sharon Schlappi
Feature: Keith Piano, Brian Claudnic, Scott Cimei, Jeff Hartzell, Duane McCarville, Sharon Schlappi, Aaron Schmidt, Darryl Grandys, Todd Carpenter, BJ Grabow, Dan Goodhand
Street Stock
First Heat: Tom Legner, Al Gray, Robert Schlappi, Charles Herhold
Second Heat: Scott Schmitt, Jerry Legner, John Peterson, Tom Otrembiak
Feature: Scott Schmitt, Tom Legner, Gary Schmitt, Al Gray, Chuck Leason, Eric Whittington, Nick Sell, Brent Carlson, Eric Legner, Robert Schlappi, Mike Stewart, Charles Herhold, Steven Lewis, John Peterson, Jerry Legner, Tom Otrembiak, Shawn Mikolatis
