By Betty Glynn
LaSalle,IL – Ed Williams Jr. earned more then he could have imagined at the LaSalle Speedway in 2006. En route to his current Street Stock championship status, he ran hard all season long and certainly made a name for himself in the ultra competitive division.
Saturday night was yet another milestone for the humble Streamwood competitor. “This was the highlight of my year,” Williams said in a post race interview. Williams was referencing his incredible run in the final leg of the Illinois Valley Cellular Street Stock Series.
The feature grid was set after qualifying, three heat races and a semi feature. At the head of the pack were two young drivers, Jimmy Partipilo and Tim Loomis. In row two, Williams was on the inside of Eric Whittington behind them in row three sat Gary Schmitt and former track champ Jeff Hamilton.
Once the green dropped, it was a true battle to gain the leadership. A caution was signaled quickly for Joe Jelinek then Schmitt left the pack briefly with a tire down. Once everyone got back in order the race was nothing short of exciting.
Partipilo made a mad dash to the lead with Williams and Loomis following.
Quickly, Partipilo and Williams began to generate some real estate over their seventeen other contenders.
Marty Thompson, the dominator in this series, was on the hunt from an eighth place start for the lead. Thompson a standout and track champion in Modified and Late Models at multiple tracks dropped down to the Street Stock class to compete in the newly formed special series for the Street Stock drivers.
His domination of the previous five races had already secured his points chase for the series and made him the man everyone wanted to beat.
By Lap 6, Thompson had positioned himself side by side for second with Williams on the inside. One lap later, Thompson took control of the position.
Partipilo continued to shine carrying the veteran through lapped traffic.
With twelve laps in the books he was able to maneuver his way through a tight squeeze of lapped cars to continue the lead.
Thompson and Partipilo were racing hard in the sixteenth circuit when contact was made between the two leaders. Williams’ smart driving style enabled him to see the opening and steal the lead. Unfortunately, a great run by Partipilo ended with him shuffling back to fourth.
Just when it looked like Williams had it in the bag, a caution for a stopped machine on the back stretch ended their run during the final lap.
For the single file restart, Williams was in command over the only remaining drivers of Thompson, Hamilton, Partipilo, Justin Rutledge, Scott Schoener, Schmitt, Whittington, Brad Severs and Nick Sell.
The fight to the finish was a description well deserving of the leaders.
Williams looked as though he was giving it all he had when he beat someone he holds much respect for.
“Marty was the top of the field every race of this series,” according to Williams. “I would like to congratulate Marty he is an excellent racer and a clean driver.”
Thompson took second over Hamilton, Partipilo, Rutledge, Schoener, Schmitt, Whittington, Severs and Sell.
Whittington, Partipilo and Schmitt each won their heat races. Steve Lewis and Don Cole transferred from the semi feature.
Twenty one drivers made the Midwestern Late Model feature call. On the front row Mike Glynn was on the inside of Scott Schmitt. Rolling up behind them was Steve Oeder and Darin Furar over Tim Hamburg and Billy Weistart Jr.
A caution before one lap was scored stopped a dicey race between Glynn and Schmitt. Glynn was powered up running hard with Schmitt, Oeder, Hamburg, Furar and Weistart all flying behind him.
The pace was set early and very fast to say the least. By the fifth lap out, the leader was lapping traffic. During Lap 13, contact up front took Oeder out of competition and back to his pits. While the field was under yellow, Ralph Markham left the track surface and returned to his pit.
As the leaders powered up hard coming into turn three, Markham came flying back onto the track in front of the leader from a non designated area.
His return at that time, created chaos up front as he raced the leader.
Three laps later the second place runner, Schmitt, slid up into the wall for a brief greeting and fell back to fourth.
The pack was flying fast and furious when a lapped car got into the path of Glynn forcing contact with the concrete wall. Hamburg, who was working hard on the back of Glynn, stole the lead and went on to win the twenty five lap main event.
Glynn collected second over Furar, Eric Dauber, Schmitt, Weistart, Johnny Heath, Bart Schwartz, Will Harris, Jim Loomis and Scott Cimei.
Oeder and Furar each won their heat races. Glynn scored the fastest qualifying lap.
Marty Thompson, working double duty, led the Modified class flag to flag to claim the final feature of the season.
On the front row of the grid, it was Thompson with Jim Phelps on the outside. Rick Thomas and current division champ Vince Cooper were in the second row.
By the third lap, Thompson was already taking cars a lap down. Thompson began distancing himself from a hard fought battle for second between Thomas and Cooper with Dale Lueth close behind.
The single file restart of Lap 14, held Thompson on the post over Thomas, Cooper, Lueth, Phelps and Aaron Elgin. Only two more laps were recorded before the caution slowed an exciting race yet again.
Following the restart, Thomas fired up to the side of Thompson to make an outside challenge for the lead when another caution halted his run.
At the finish it was Thomas runner up over Cooper, Lueth, Phelps, Joel Funk, Ray Bollinger, Elgin, Brian Bushong, Jordan Schramm, Mike Styrewalt, Ron Mons, and Joe Adam.
Phelps, Bollinger and Thompson won the heat events. Cooper posted the fastest qualifying lap.
Joe Zrostlik led the 4 Cylinder Hornet feature race flag to flag and won the first heat race early in the night.
Controversy on and off the track shadowed the job well done by Zrostlik.
Tony Provenzano took home second with Hank Henderliter, Chris Zavada, Tyler Griswald, Jimmie Johnson, Jr. Brown, Loren Westerhold and Corey West trailing.
The LaSalle Speedway racing season is officially over but the drivers, fans and promoters are already anticipating the 2007 racing season.
LaSalle Speedway Results 09/16/06
Midwestern Late Models: 21 Cars
Qualifying: Mike Glynn 13.500
Heat One: Steve Oeder, Tim Hamburg, Mike Glynn, Eric Dauber
Heat Two: Darin Furar, Scott Schmitt, Billy Weistart Jr., Ralph Markham
Feature: 1. Tim Hamburg, 2. Mike Glynn, 3. Darin Furar, 4. Eric Dauber, 5.
Scott Schmitt, 6. Billy Weistart Jr., 7. Johnny Heath, 8. Bart Schwartz, 9.
Will Harris, 10. Jim Loomis, 11. Scott Cimei, 12. Ralph Markham, 13. Aaron
Schmitt, 14. Tony Coglianese, 15. Wally Forsythe, 16. Shwawn Kemp, 17. Mike
Provenzano, 18. Ed Williams Sr., 19. Joe Fratt, 20. Steve Oeder, 21 Vince
Incrocci
Modifieds: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper
Heat One: Jim Phelps, Rick Thomas, Vince Cooper, Justin McCoy
Heat Two: Ray Bollinger, Dale Lueth, Joel Funk, Brian Bushong
Heat Three: Marty Thompson, Kelly Jones, Aaron Elgin, Joe Adam
Feature: 1. Marty Thompson, 2. Rick Thomas, 3. Vince Cooper, 4. Dale Lueth,
5. Jim Phelps, 6. Joel Funk, 7. Ray Bollinger, 8. Aaron Elgin, 9. Brian
Bushong, 10. Jordan Schramm, 11. Mike Styrewalt, 12. Ron Mons, 13. Joe Adam,
14. Leah Monfries, 15. Mike Dyas, 16. Jimmy Thompson, 17. Denck Doerr, 18.
Scott Hauge, 19. Justin McCoy, 20. Kelly Jones
Illinois Valley Cellular Street Stock Series: 24 Cars
Qualifying: Tim Loomis
Heat One: Eric Whittington, Tim Loomis, Jeff Hamilton, Justin Rutledge
Heat Two: Jimmy Partipilo, Chuck Provenzano, Mike Hughes, Nick Sell
Heat Three: Gary Schmitt, Ed Williams Jr., Marty Thompson, Randy Balensiefen
Semi Feature: Steve Lewis, Don Cole, Bill Dauber, Joe Brown, Jim Prokup
Feature: 1. Ed Williams Jr., 2.Marty Thompson, 3. Jeff Hamilton, 4. Jimmy
Partipilo, 5. Justin Rutledeg, 6. Scott Schoener, 7. Gary Schmitt, 8. Eric
Whittington, 9. Brad Severs, 10. Nick Sell, 11. Randy Lucas, 12. Tom Legner,
13. Robert Schlappi, 14. Don Cole, 15. Steve Lewis, 16. Randy Balensiefen,
17. Mike Hughes, 18. Tim Loomis, 19. Chuck Provenzano, 20. Joe Jelinek
Hornets: 18 Cars
Heat One: Joe Zrostlik, Jeff Small, Tony Provenzano, Gabe Koncor
Heat Two: Dan Leonard, Jon Small, David Przybyla, Cory West
Feature: 1. Joe Zrostlik, 2. Tony Provenzano, 3. Hank Henderliter, 4. Chris
Zavada, 5. Tyler Griswald, 6. Jamie Johnson, 7. Jr. Brown, 8. Loren
Westerhold, 9. Cory West, 10. Kyle Fisher, 11. Jeff Small, 12. Colin Baker,
13. Asa Robart, 14. Gabe Koncor, 15. Darrell Porter, 16. David Przybyla, 17.
Dan Leonard, 18. Jon Small
LaSalle,IL – Ed Williams Jr. earned more then he could have imagined at the LaSalle Speedway in 2006. En route to his current Street Stock championship status, he ran hard all season long and certainly made a name for himself in the ultra competitive division.
Saturday night was yet another milestone for the humble Streamwood competitor. “This was the highlight of my year,” Williams said in a post race interview. Williams was referencing his incredible run in the final leg of the Illinois Valley Cellular Street Stock Series.
The feature grid was set after qualifying, three heat races and a semi feature. At the head of the pack were two young drivers, Jimmy Partipilo and Tim Loomis. In row two, Williams was on the inside of Eric Whittington behind them in row three sat Gary Schmitt and former track champ Jeff Hamilton.
Once the green dropped, it was a true battle to gain the leadership. A caution was signaled quickly for Joe Jelinek then Schmitt left the pack briefly with a tire down. Once everyone got back in order the race was nothing short of exciting.
Partipilo made a mad dash to the lead with Williams and Loomis following.
Quickly, Partipilo and Williams began to generate some real estate over their seventeen other contenders.
Marty Thompson, the dominator in this series, was on the hunt from an eighth place start for the lead. Thompson a standout and track champion in Modified and Late Models at multiple tracks dropped down to the Street Stock class to compete in the newly formed special series for the Street Stock drivers.
His domination of the previous five races had already secured his points chase for the series and made him the man everyone wanted to beat.
By Lap 6, Thompson had positioned himself side by side for second with Williams on the inside. One lap later, Thompson took control of the position.
Partipilo continued to shine carrying the veteran through lapped traffic.
With twelve laps in the books he was able to maneuver his way through a tight squeeze of lapped cars to continue the lead.
Thompson and Partipilo were racing hard in the sixteenth circuit when contact was made between the two leaders. Williams’ smart driving style enabled him to see the opening and steal the lead. Unfortunately, a great run by Partipilo ended with him shuffling back to fourth.
Just when it looked like Williams had it in the bag, a caution for a stopped machine on the back stretch ended their run during the final lap.
For the single file restart, Williams was in command over the only remaining drivers of Thompson, Hamilton, Partipilo, Justin Rutledge, Scott Schoener, Schmitt, Whittington, Brad Severs and Nick Sell.
The fight to the finish was a description well deserving of the leaders.
Williams looked as though he was giving it all he had when he beat someone he holds much respect for.
“Marty was the top of the field every race of this series,” according to Williams. “I would like to congratulate Marty he is an excellent racer and a clean driver.”
Thompson took second over Hamilton, Partipilo, Rutledge, Schoener, Schmitt, Whittington, Severs and Sell.
Whittington, Partipilo and Schmitt each won their heat races. Steve Lewis and Don Cole transferred from the semi feature.
Twenty one drivers made the Midwestern Late Model feature call. On the front row Mike Glynn was on the inside of Scott Schmitt. Rolling up behind them was Steve Oeder and Darin Furar over Tim Hamburg and Billy Weistart Jr.
A caution before one lap was scored stopped a dicey race between Glynn and Schmitt. Glynn was powered up running hard with Schmitt, Oeder, Hamburg, Furar and Weistart all flying behind him.
The pace was set early and very fast to say the least. By the fifth lap out, the leader was lapping traffic. During Lap 13, contact up front took Oeder out of competition and back to his pits. While the field was under yellow, Ralph Markham left the track surface and returned to his pit.
As the leaders powered up hard coming into turn three, Markham came flying back onto the track in front of the leader from a non designated area.
His return at that time, created chaos up front as he raced the leader.
Three laps later the second place runner, Schmitt, slid up into the wall for a brief greeting and fell back to fourth.
The pack was flying fast and furious when a lapped car got into the path of Glynn forcing contact with the concrete wall. Hamburg, who was working hard on the back of Glynn, stole the lead and went on to win the twenty five lap main event.
Glynn collected second over Furar, Eric Dauber, Schmitt, Weistart, Johnny Heath, Bart Schwartz, Will Harris, Jim Loomis and Scott Cimei.
Oeder and Furar each won their heat races. Glynn scored the fastest qualifying lap.
Marty Thompson, working double duty, led the Modified class flag to flag to claim the final feature of the season.
On the front row of the grid, it was Thompson with Jim Phelps on the outside. Rick Thomas and current division champ Vince Cooper were in the second row.
By the third lap, Thompson was already taking cars a lap down. Thompson began distancing himself from a hard fought battle for second between Thomas and Cooper with Dale Lueth close behind.
The single file restart of Lap 14, held Thompson on the post over Thomas, Cooper, Lueth, Phelps and Aaron Elgin. Only two more laps were recorded before the caution slowed an exciting race yet again.
Following the restart, Thomas fired up to the side of Thompson to make an outside challenge for the lead when another caution halted his run.
At the finish it was Thomas runner up over Cooper, Lueth, Phelps, Joel Funk, Ray Bollinger, Elgin, Brian Bushong, Jordan Schramm, Mike Styrewalt, Ron Mons, and Joe Adam.
Phelps, Bollinger and Thompson won the heat events. Cooper posted the fastest qualifying lap.
Joe Zrostlik led the 4 Cylinder Hornet feature race flag to flag and won the first heat race early in the night.
Controversy on and off the track shadowed the job well done by Zrostlik.
Tony Provenzano took home second with Hank Henderliter, Chris Zavada, Tyler Griswald, Jimmie Johnson, Jr. Brown, Loren Westerhold and Corey West trailing.
The LaSalle Speedway racing season is officially over but the drivers, fans and promoters are already anticipating the 2007 racing season.
LaSalle Speedway Results 09/16/06
Midwestern Late Models: 21 Cars
Qualifying: Mike Glynn 13.500
Heat One: Steve Oeder, Tim Hamburg, Mike Glynn, Eric Dauber
Heat Two: Darin Furar, Scott Schmitt, Billy Weistart Jr., Ralph Markham
Feature: 1. Tim Hamburg, 2. Mike Glynn, 3. Darin Furar, 4. Eric Dauber, 5.
Scott Schmitt, 6. Billy Weistart Jr., 7. Johnny Heath, 8. Bart Schwartz, 9.
Will Harris, 10. Jim Loomis, 11. Scott Cimei, 12. Ralph Markham, 13. Aaron
Schmitt, 14. Tony Coglianese, 15. Wally Forsythe, 16. Shwawn Kemp, 17. Mike
Provenzano, 18. Ed Williams Sr., 19. Joe Fratt, 20. Steve Oeder, 21 Vince
Incrocci
Modifieds: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Vince Cooper
Heat One: Jim Phelps, Rick Thomas, Vince Cooper, Justin McCoy
Heat Two: Ray Bollinger, Dale Lueth, Joel Funk, Brian Bushong
Heat Three: Marty Thompson, Kelly Jones, Aaron Elgin, Joe Adam
Feature: 1. Marty Thompson, 2. Rick Thomas, 3. Vince Cooper, 4. Dale Lueth,
5. Jim Phelps, 6. Joel Funk, 7. Ray Bollinger, 8. Aaron Elgin, 9. Brian
Bushong, 10. Jordan Schramm, 11. Mike Styrewalt, 12. Ron Mons, 13. Joe Adam,
14. Leah Monfries, 15. Mike Dyas, 16. Jimmy Thompson, 17. Denck Doerr, 18.
Scott Hauge, 19. Justin McCoy, 20. Kelly Jones
Illinois Valley Cellular Street Stock Series: 24 Cars
Qualifying: Tim Loomis
Heat One: Eric Whittington, Tim Loomis, Jeff Hamilton, Justin Rutledge
Heat Two: Jimmy Partipilo, Chuck Provenzano, Mike Hughes, Nick Sell
Heat Three: Gary Schmitt, Ed Williams Jr., Marty Thompson, Randy Balensiefen
Semi Feature: Steve Lewis, Don Cole, Bill Dauber, Joe Brown, Jim Prokup
Feature: 1. Ed Williams Jr., 2.Marty Thompson, 3. Jeff Hamilton, 4. Jimmy
Partipilo, 5. Justin Rutledeg, 6. Scott Schoener, 7. Gary Schmitt, 8. Eric
Whittington, 9. Brad Severs, 10. Nick Sell, 11. Randy Lucas, 12. Tom Legner,
13. Robert Schlappi, 14. Don Cole, 15. Steve Lewis, 16. Randy Balensiefen,
17. Mike Hughes, 18. Tim Loomis, 19. Chuck Provenzano, 20. Joe Jelinek
Hornets: 18 Cars
Heat One: Joe Zrostlik, Jeff Small, Tony Provenzano, Gabe Koncor
Heat Two: Dan Leonard, Jon Small, David Przybyla, Cory West
Feature: 1. Joe Zrostlik, 2. Tony Provenzano, 3. Hank Henderliter, 4. Chris
Zavada, 5. Tyler Griswald, 6. Jamie Johnson, 7. Jr. Brown, 8. Loren
Westerhold, 9. Cory West, 10. Kyle Fisher, 11. Jeff Small, 12. Colin Baker,
13. Asa Robart, 14. Gabe Koncor, 15. Darrell Porter, 16. David Przybyla, 17.
Dan Leonard, 18. Jon Small
