By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – The La Salle Speedway closed out the 2007 season in style on Saturday night. Thirty three IRA Winged Sprints thundered into La Salle for the Illinois Valley Fall Sprint Classic. The UMP Modifieds, Street Stocks and 4 Cylinder Hornet cars provided support for the event.
Sprint time trials hosted the fastest qualifying laps seen on the ¼ mile clay in recent years. A national standout, Brooke Tatnell, posted the fastest qualifying lap with a recorded time of 10.926 traveling at an average speed of 82.372 miles per hour. The track record is 10.368 held by Brandon Wimmer in 2004.
Bill Warren started on the pole of the first heat race and carried the field flag to flag. Scott Biertzer, Kurt Davis, and Tatnell buzzed across the line behind him.
Getting the first lap of the second heat in the record books became a bit of a challenge as it took several complete restarts to get the preliminary event underway. Travis Whitney collected the checkers over Wayne Johnson, Ricky Logan and Joe Symoens.
Brian Kristan won the third heat event from the pole ahead of Billy Balog, Scott Uttech, and Ryan Irwin.
The final heat was captured by Mike Reinke with John Haeni, Darrell Dodd and Scott Young trailing.
Scott Neitzel won the B Main over Steve Meyer and Dave Uttech.
Reinke and Irwin rolled out for the A Main as front row partners with Whitney and Tatnell in the second row. The beginning of the highlighted special was overshadowed with a rough start as it took numerous attempts to get the action rolling.
After several complete restarts of side by side format didn’t work, the field was placed in a single file line with a much better outcome. Once the Sprints kept the green flag flying, the power and ability to maneuver from low to high and vice versa provided some very exciting laps.
Whitney was in command for the first seven laps out but Tatnell was on a mission to rule the field. One lap later, Tatnell showed his racing skills when he flew to the lead coming off turn one as if the Whitney was in slow motion.
Once on the point, Tatnell was unstoppable pulling away from the competition. By the eleventh circuit, Tatnell was far out front while Whitney owned a comfortable second place. Johnson, Ricky Logan and Billy Balog all had several car lengths separating the top five running positions.
Whitney was running strong but Johnson was on fire from his tenth place starting position. He moved his way up front with fierce power. By Lap 22, Johnson was reeling in Whitney and closed in on his back wheels.
With three laps un-scored, Johnson took over the runner up spot leaving Whitney to fend off Logan and Balog. A caution with only three remaining laps brought the entire field back into a single file line but the new challenge was not a problem for Tatnell.
Tatnell set the pace for the restart and closed out the thirty lap main with a victory circle visit. Johnson claimed second ahead of Whitney, Logan, Balog, Kristan, Haeni, Meyer, Biertzer, Reinke, and Davis.
Butch Weisser started the UMP Modified feature race on the outside of Robert Pohlman Jr. on the front row with Lance Dehm and Gary Cook Jr. rolling up to their backside. Twenty one racers took to the track for the final twenty lap race of the season.
Weisser who is not a regular racer on the highbanks of the Illinois Valley’s speed arena found himself next to a driver who until recent years was a regular in the winners circle. The two diced it up for the first lap and after that it was the “Weisser Show” for the remaining nineteen laps.
Weisser dominated from the beginning leaving Polhman, Cook and Dehm to battle out who would finish second.
For much of the race, Weisser hugged the inside line while Dehm tried his luck on the highest line he could. Pohlman and Dehm raced side by side numerous laps throughout the race but in the end it was Pohlman taking home the runner up finish.
Dehm scored third ahead of Cook, Marty Thompson, Dave Porth, Reed Withers, AJ Dixon, Nathan Balensiefen, Travis Kohler, Joe Adam, #4W, Jim Phelps and Shawn Scriptor.
Cook, Pohlman and Weisser each won their heats. Phelps took home the Semi Feature win to transfer into the main.
Marty Thompson, a Modified and Late Model standout, swept the Street Stock class taking conquering both the heat and feature competition.
Brandon Maciejewski started fourth on the grid and was traveling in command on the highside when he piloted his machine hard and heavy into the concrete barrier wall during the fourth lap. His night ended abruptly and took Late Model racer Scott Schmitt with him. Schmitt was in the Street Stock normally driven by his father Gary.
With Maciejewski gone, Thompson was back on the point and powered away from his competitors. The only challenge Thompson had was from Steve Lewis who was starting to catch the leader in the closing laps with Justin Rutledge on his tail.
When the checkers flew Thompson was the first to cross over Lewis, Rutledge, Jamie Balensiefen, Rick Koltveit, Matt Ramer, Eric Whittington, Nick Sell, Jerry Heath, Randy Lucas, Alex Clubb, and Duane Peterson.
Twenty seven 4 Cylinder Hornets signed in for the last time with Jon Small winning both his heat and feature race.
Small’s victory was his second for the season. Finishing close behind him was Rob Werkmeister, Joey Benesh, Loren Westerhold, Matt McCarty, Gabe Koncor, Mark Sutton, Mike Weaver, Hank Henderliter, Jamie DeFord and Bill Seward.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 09/22/07
IRA 410 Winged Sprints 33 Cars
Quick Time: Brook Tatnell 10.926
Feature: 1. Brooke Tatnell, 2. Wayne Johnson, 3. Travis Whitney, 4. Ricky Logan, 5. Billy Balog, 6. Brian Kristan, 7. John Haeni, 8. Steve Meyer, 9. Scott Biertzer, 10. Mike Reinke, 11. Kurt Davis, 12. Bill Warren, 13. Scott Uttech, 14. Darell Dodd, 15. Bill Wirth, 16. Joe Symoens, 17. Matt Wasmund, 18. Scotty Neitzel, 19. Tim Vandervere, 20. Ryan Irwin, 21. Scott Young, 22. Dave Uttech
UMP Modifieds 24 Cars
Feature: 1. Butch Weisser, 2. Robert Pohlman Jr., 3. Lance Dehm, 4. Gary Cook Jr., 5. Marty Thompson, 6. Dave Porth, 7. Reed Withers, 8. AJ Dixon, 9. Nathan Balensiefen, 10. Travis Kohler, 11. Joe Adam, 12. #4W, 13. Jim Phelps, 14. Shwan Scriptor, 15. Jeb Friedman, 16. Derrick Doerr, 17. Mike Dyas, 18. Wally Forsythe, 19. Vince Cooper, 20. Joel Funk, 21. Ken Carlson
Street Stocks 17 Cars
Feature: 1. Marty Thompson, 2. Steve Lewis, 3. Justin Rutledge, 4. Jamie Balensiefen, 5. Rick Koltveit, 6. Matt Ramer, 7. Eric Whittington, 8. Nick Sell, 9. Jerry Heath, 10. Randy Lucas, 11. Alex Clubb, 12. Duane Peterson, 13. Jay Mesarchik, 14. Karl Hayes, 15. Scott Schmitt, 16. Brandon Maciejewski, #0
4 Cylinder Hornets 27 Cars
Feature: 1. Jon Small, 2. Rob Werkmeister, 3. Joey Benesh, 4. Loren Westerhold, 5. Matt McCarty, 6. Gabe Koncor, 7. Mark Sutton, 8. Mike Weaver, 9. Hank Henderliter, 10. Jamie Deford, 11. Bill Seward, 12. Phil Burdette, 13. DJ Werkmeister, 14. Alex Clubb, 15. Ryan Webster, 16. Scott Powell, 17. Chad Williams, 18. Travis Mahoney
La Salle, IL – The La Salle Speedway closed out the 2007 season in style on Saturday night. Thirty three IRA Winged Sprints thundered into La Salle for the Illinois Valley Fall Sprint Classic. The UMP Modifieds, Street Stocks and 4 Cylinder Hornet cars provided support for the event.
Sprint time trials hosted the fastest qualifying laps seen on the ¼ mile clay in recent years. A national standout, Brooke Tatnell, posted the fastest qualifying lap with a recorded time of 10.926 traveling at an average speed of 82.372 miles per hour. The track record is 10.368 held by Brandon Wimmer in 2004.
Bill Warren started on the pole of the first heat race and carried the field flag to flag. Scott Biertzer, Kurt Davis, and Tatnell buzzed across the line behind him.
Getting the first lap of the second heat in the record books became a bit of a challenge as it took several complete restarts to get the preliminary event underway. Travis Whitney collected the checkers over Wayne Johnson, Ricky Logan and Joe Symoens.
Brian Kristan won the third heat event from the pole ahead of Billy Balog, Scott Uttech, and Ryan Irwin.
The final heat was captured by Mike Reinke with John Haeni, Darrell Dodd and Scott Young trailing.
Scott Neitzel won the B Main over Steve Meyer and Dave Uttech.
Reinke and Irwin rolled out for the A Main as front row partners with Whitney and Tatnell in the second row. The beginning of the highlighted special was overshadowed with a rough start as it took numerous attempts to get the action rolling.
After several complete restarts of side by side format didn’t work, the field was placed in a single file line with a much better outcome. Once the Sprints kept the green flag flying, the power and ability to maneuver from low to high and vice versa provided some very exciting laps.
Whitney was in command for the first seven laps out but Tatnell was on a mission to rule the field. One lap later, Tatnell showed his racing skills when he flew to the lead coming off turn one as if the Whitney was in slow motion.
Once on the point, Tatnell was unstoppable pulling away from the competition. By the eleventh circuit, Tatnell was far out front while Whitney owned a comfortable second place. Johnson, Ricky Logan and Billy Balog all had several car lengths separating the top five running positions.
Whitney was running strong but Johnson was on fire from his tenth place starting position. He moved his way up front with fierce power. By Lap 22, Johnson was reeling in Whitney and closed in on his back wheels.
With three laps un-scored, Johnson took over the runner up spot leaving Whitney to fend off Logan and Balog. A caution with only three remaining laps brought the entire field back into a single file line but the new challenge was not a problem for Tatnell.
Tatnell set the pace for the restart and closed out the thirty lap main with a victory circle visit. Johnson claimed second ahead of Whitney, Logan, Balog, Kristan, Haeni, Meyer, Biertzer, Reinke, and Davis.
Butch Weisser started the UMP Modified feature race on the outside of Robert Pohlman Jr. on the front row with Lance Dehm and Gary Cook Jr. rolling up to their backside. Twenty one racers took to the track for the final twenty lap race of the season.
Weisser who is not a regular racer on the highbanks of the Illinois Valley’s speed arena found himself next to a driver who until recent years was a regular in the winners circle. The two diced it up for the first lap and after that it was the “Weisser Show” for the remaining nineteen laps.
Weisser dominated from the beginning leaving Polhman, Cook and Dehm to battle out who would finish second.
For much of the race, Weisser hugged the inside line while Dehm tried his luck on the highest line he could. Pohlman and Dehm raced side by side numerous laps throughout the race but in the end it was Pohlman taking home the runner up finish.
Dehm scored third ahead of Cook, Marty Thompson, Dave Porth, Reed Withers, AJ Dixon, Nathan Balensiefen, Travis Kohler, Joe Adam, #4W, Jim Phelps and Shawn Scriptor.
Cook, Pohlman and Weisser each won their heats. Phelps took home the Semi Feature win to transfer into the main.
Marty Thompson, a Modified and Late Model standout, swept the Street Stock class taking conquering both the heat and feature competition.
Brandon Maciejewski started fourth on the grid and was traveling in command on the highside when he piloted his machine hard and heavy into the concrete barrier wall during the fourth lap. His night ended abruptly and took Late Model racer Scott Schmitt with him. Schmitt was in the Street Stock normally driven by his father Gary.
With Maciejewski gone, Thompson was back on the point and powered away from his competitors. The only challenge Thompson had was from Steve Lewis who was starting to catch the leader in the closing laps with Justin Rutledge on his tail.
When the checkers flew Thompson was the first to cross over Lewis, Rutledge, Jamie Balensiefen, Rick Koltveit, Matt Ramer, Eric Whittington, Nick Sell, Jerry Heath, Randy Lucas, Alex Clubb, and Duane Peterson.
Twenty seven 4 Cylinder Hornets signed in for the last time with Jon Small winning both his heat and feature race.
Small’s victory was his second for the season. Finishing close behind him was Rob Werkmeister, Joey Benesh, Loren Westerhold, Matt McCarty, Gabe Koncor, Mark Sutton, Mike Weaver, Hank Henderliter, Jamie DeFord and Bill Seward.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 09/22/07
IRA 410 Winged Sprints 33 Cars
Quick Time: Brook Tatnell 10.926
Feature: 1. Brooke Tatnell, 2. Wayne Johnson, 3. Travis Whitney, 4. Ricky Logan, 5. Billy Balog, 6. Brian Kristan, 7. John Haeni, 8. Steve Meyer, 9. Scott Biertzer, 10. Mike Reinke, 11. Kurt Davis, 12. Bill Warren, 13. Scott Uttech, 14. Darell Dodd, 15. Bill Wirth, 16. Joe Symoens, 17. Matt Wasmund, 18. Scotty Neitzel, 19. Tim Vandervere, 20. Ryan Irwin, 21. Scott Young, 22. Dave Uttech
UMP Modifieds 24 Cars
Feature: 1. Butch Weisser, 2. Robert Pohlman Jr., 3. Lance Dehm, 4. Gary Cook Jr., 5. Marty Thompson, 6. Dave Porth, 7. Reed Withers, 8. AJ Dixon, 9. Nathan Balensiefen, 10. Travis Kohler, 11. Joe Adam, 12. #4W, 13. Jim Phelps, 14. Shwan Scriptor, 15. Jeb Friedman, 16. Derrick Doerr, 17. Mike Dyas, 18. Wally Forsythe, 19. Vince Cooper, 20. Joel Funk, 21. Ken Carlson
Street Stocks 17 Cars
Feature: 1. Marty Thompson, 2. Steve Lewis, 3. Justin Rutledge, 4. Jamie Balensiefen, 5. Rick Koltveit, 6. Matt Ramer, 7. Eric Whittington, 8. Nick Sell, 9. Jerry Heath, 10. Randy Lucas, 11. Alex Clubb, 12. Duane Peterson, 13. Jay Mesarchik, 14. Karl Hayes, 15. Scott Schmitt, 16. Brandon Maciejewski, #0
4 Cylinder Hornets 27 Cars
Feature: 1. Jon Small, 2. Rob Werkmeister, 3. Joey Benesh, 4. Loren Westerhold, 5. Matt McCarty, 6. Gabe Koncor, 7. Mark Sutton, 8. Mike Weaver, 9. Hank Henderliter, 10. Jamie Deford, 11. Bill Seward, 12. Phil Burdette, 13. DJ Werkmeister, 14. Alex Clubb, 15. Ryan Webster, 16. Scott Powell, 17. Chad Williams, 18. Travis Mahoney
