(Peoria, IL) Having not lost at Peoria Speedway since the Summernationals race in July, Steve Lance Jr. knew he had a challenge as the Northern All-Stars rolled into the track Thursday night.
With a star-studded field on hand, Jason Feger jumped to the high side as the green flew and out-gunned Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame member Billy Moyer going into turn 1 ,but Moyer pulled even on the front stretch. Feger then rim-rode through tuns 1 and 2 and dove to the bottom to take the lead. Moyer contuned to work the bottom, but Lance, Jr. blew by on the top coming out of turn 2 on lap 10 to take second.
Feger began to encounter lapped traffic on lap 11 and Lance, Jr. closed in. Lance, Jr. used lapped traffic to pin Feger in as Feger went to the bottom on lap 17, giving Lance, Jr. the lead. A caution for Donny Walden on lap 19 bunched the field up and cleared the track Feger immediately challenged Lance, Jr. and took the lead back on lap 21 as they raced down the back stretch. Moyer moved past a fading Lance, Jr. , who was smoking with engine problems, on lap 25. Moyer ended up 2nd, with Kevin Weaver passing Lance, Jr. for 3rd on the last lap. Lance, Jr. finished 4th and Billy Drake was 5th.
“Those guys put up a great fight”, said Feger. “It’s hard to keep a streak going but Steve had it going on tonight and any time 21 is behind you, you get worried. That was a great race and the track was in good shape. We love running here and wish we could do it more often.”
NASCAR star Kenny Schrader survived 6 caution flags and a demo derby behind him, going flag-to-flag for the win in the UMP Modifieds. Erik Bruce made several attempts to get by Schrader on the top groove in turns 1 and 2, but could never make the pass stick down the back stretch and had to settle for 2nd. 16th starting Mike Harrison finished 3rd, 19th starting Gary Cook, Jr. ended up 4th, with Mark Johnson 5th.
“I about screwed up there’, said Schrader. “I saw Erik pulling next to me on the high side so I figured I’d better get my butt up there or I would lose the race. I had a blast, and the track was really smooth. Thanks to the fans for coming out in this heat.”
Jim Carmody slipped past race-long leader Steve Shannon on lap 15 and won the Limited Late Model feature. Shannon, Rob Bauman, Sr., Carl Feger and Chris Feger rounded out the top 5.
“This is our first win here in 2 years”, an elated Carmody said in victory lane. “Steve slid out of the groove a little there so I jumped down there and went past him.”
In the Mod Lights division it was the Greg Rossell show. Rossell won the heat running away, and then started last in the feature and drove through the field for the win. Brian Woodruff, Blake Woodruf, Jim Neal and Todd Cramer completed the top 5. “I want to thank Curt for letting us race here”, said Rossell. “The track was smooth and fun to race on. We had a great time and look forward to coming back.”
Action resumes at Peoria Speedway on Saturday, September 3 with Illinois State Championship events for the Limited Late Models, UMP Street Stocks and UMP Hornets. Mod Lights, and the Illinois Lightning Sprints will also be on the card. The track will be closed on Saturday, September 10. Sunday, September 11, the MOWA 410 Sprints will be in action.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
PEORIA SPEEDWAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
NORTHERN ALL STAR LATE MODELS (30 cars)
1. 25-Jason Feger, Bloomington
2. 21-Billy Moyer, Batesville, AR
3. B12-Kevin Weaver, Gibson City
4. 25L-Steve Lance, Jr., Cuba
5. 75-Billy Drake, Bloomington
6. 18-Shannon Babb, Mowequa
7. 89S-Mike Spatola, Manhattan
8. 21JR-Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, AR
9. 28-Dennis Erb, Jr., Carpentersville
10. B5-Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin
11. 24-Ryan Unzicker, El Paso
12. 91-Rusty Schlenk, Jackson, MI
13. 32-Bobby Pierce, Oakwood
14. M27-Mike Provenzano, Grand Ridge
15. 32J-Jason Jaggers, Wyanet
16. 6K-Michael Kloos, Trenton
17. 1w-Donny Walden, Towanda
18. 74-Russ Adams, Princeville
19. 27K-Greg Kimmons, Pleasant Plains
20. 21B-Riche Bell, Sheffield
21. 40-Charley Hess, Bartonville
FAST TIMES: Group 1: Feger 12.329 Group 2: Sheppard 12.526 Group 3: Babb 12.539
HEAT 1: 1. Feger 2. Lance, Jr. 3. Walden 4. Erb 5 Provnezano 6. Moyer Jr. 7. Mark Voight (Marine) 8. Hess 9. Mike Mullvain (Bartonville) 10. Gerry Reeder, Jr. (Peoria)
HEAT 2: 1. Spatola 2. Drake 3. Sheppard 4. Jaggers 5. Bobby Pierce (Oakwood) 6. Unzicker 7. Adams 8. John Gardner, Jr. (Germantown Hills) 9. Ryan Little (Springfield) 10. Tim Lance (Brimfield)
HEAT 3: 1. Moyer 2. Babb 3. Weaver 4. Schlenk 5.Bell 6. Kloos 7. Kimmons 8. Scott Schmitt (Tonica) 9. Bob Gardner (Creve Couer) 10. Shane Allen (East Peoria)
B MAIN: 1. Moyer Jr. 2. Kloos 3. Adams 4, Unzicker 5. Hess 6. Little 7. Reeder Jr. 8. Gardner, Jr. 9. Lance 10. Kimmons 11. Mullvain 12. Voight 13. Allen 14. Schmitt 15. Gardner
UMP MODIFIEDS (23 cars)
1. 9-Ken Schrader, Concord, NC
2. 2-Erik Bruce, Bellevue
3. 24H-Mike Harrison, Highland
4. 64-Gary Cook, Jr., Deer Creek
5. 26J-Mark Johnson, Glasford
6. 32-Donovan Lodge, Moline
7. 77-Ray Bollinger, Kewanee
8. B1-Billy Tuckwell, Metamora
9. 87-Dan Turner, Princeville
10. 72-Brian Lynn, Mason City
11. 89-Noah Faw, Hanna City
12. C4-Chris Morefield, Edwards
13. 5-Dan Glover, Peoria
14. 40JR-Mike Chasteen, Jr., East Peoria
15. 38-Steve Turner, Princeville
16. 1JR-Floyd Jordan, Jr., Pekin
17. 26d-Derrick Doerr, Peoria
18. A9-AJ May, Creve Coeur
19. 11-Zane Oedewaldt, Hanna City
20. 1z-Zac Oedewaldt, Hanna City
21. 17-Jason Pershy, Colona
22. 12c-Jeff Curl, Pontiac
23. 59-Johnny Parlier, Peoria
LIMITED LATE MODELS (17 cars)
1. 83-Jim Carmody, Dunlap
2. 15-Steve Shannon, Bartonville
3. 30-Rob Bauman Sr., Fairview
4. F4-Carl Feger, Marquette Heights
5. 38c-Chris Feger, Marquette Heights
6. 9w-Brad Willis, Sr., Morton
7. 18j-Joe Markle, Bartonville
8. 00-Jason Weyeneth, Peoria
9. 93-Zac Kuhel, Pekin
10. 5-John Traver, Peoria
11. 65-Mike Reeder, Peoria
12. 45-Dwayne Walters, Metamora
13. 34-David McAdams, Cuba
14. 99-Brian Crebo, Hanna City
15. 22c-Bobby Cowell, East Peoria
16. NO7-Bryon Ray, Peoria
17. 7-Rick Erwin, Peoria
MOD LIGHTS (8 cars)
1. 77-Greg Rossell, Knoxville
2. 64-Brian Woodruff, Abingdon
3. 87-Blake Woodruff, East Galesburg
4. 34J-Jim Neal, Abingdon
5. 29-Todd Cramer, Knoxville
6. 11s-Gary Snider, Monmouth
7. 76-Gabe Anthony, Moline
8. 65-Joe Archer, Galesburg