Kevin Weaver
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By Jeffrey A. Bayless
Aug 11 (Granite City, IL) The Northern Allstar Late Model Series rolled into Tri-State Speedway on Wednesday evening for round one of the 5 round Illinois Speedweek Tour. 26 Late Models were on hand for the $2000 to win main event on the 1/4 mile track and The Flatland Flash, Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, IL, took home the top prize in his Nu-Way Transportation Services, Inc sponsored, Hixson Racing Engine powered Rayburn racecar.
Wes Steidinger began the evening by setting a new track record in qualifying with a mark of 12.319 but that would be the highlight of his evening as he would crash hard in his heat race after contact with Roger Long. Heat number 1 saw current NALMS point leader, Brian Shirley take the checkers ahead of Rodney Melvin, Duane Chamberlain, Shawn Negengard, and Billy Laycock. Heat 2 went to Randy Korte, with Roger Long, Danny Haynes, Ed Dixon, and Justin Anderson taking the other transfer spots. The third and final heat was won by Kevin Weaver, over Eric Smith, Dennis Erb, Rohn Moon, and Michael Kloos. The semi feature transferred 3 more to the main event with Ken Rumble leading Sonny Conley, and Mike Hammerlee to the stripe. Provisionals were then awarded to Wes Steidinger and Jeff Wilson to complete the 20 car field.
Shirley jumped to the front at the start in front of Korte, Weaver, and Melvin with Weaver dropping to 4th shortly thereafter. Korte moved to the point on the 7th circuit and stayed there until Weaver used a lap 18 restart to make his move. Weaver made quick work of the competitors moving from 4th to 1st in 2 laps and motoring away to the victory. Korte, Shirley, Melvin, Smith, Long, Dixon, Moon, Chamberlain, and Kloos were the other top ten finishers.
Contingency Award winners were Wes Steidinger taking the Petersen Aluminum/Bulzilla Graphics Fast Time Award and the Wick Oil/Sunoco Fuel Hard Luck Driver Award, Brian Shirley taking the Scott Performance Heat Race Winner Award and The Die Rods Pole Sitter Award, Mark Gansmann took the FS Fuel Last Chance Runner Up Award for being the first non transfer car from the race, and Mike Kloos took home the PPM Hard Charger Award.
Illinois Speedweek is sponsored by Hoosier Tire Midwest and Tatman's Towing and will travel to Spoon River Speedway in Canton, IL for the 2nd round of the series on Thursday evening.
RESULTS
26 cars
Fast Time: Wes Steidinger 12.319
Heat 1
1. 3S Shirley
2. 27 Melvin
3. 1 Chamberlain
4. 16 Negengard
5. 82 Laycock
Heat 2
1. 00 Korte
2. 36 Long
3. 47 Haynes
4. 50 Dixon
5. 21 Anderson
Heat 3
1. B12 Weaver
2. 9 Smith
3. 28 Erb
4. 56 Moon
5. 6 Kloos
Conci
1. 87 Rumble
2. 1x1 Conley
3. 16 Hammerlee
4. 20 Gansmann
5. 77 Baumann
30 Lap Feature
1. B12 Kevin Weaver (2)
2. 00 Randy Korte (3)
3. 3S Brian Shirley (1)
4. 27 Rodney Melvin (4)
5. 9 Eric Smith (6)
6. 36 Roger Long (5)
7. 50 Ed Dixon (11)
8. 56 Rohn Moon (12)
9. 1 Duane Chamberlain (7)
10. 6 Michael Kloos (15)
11. 47 Danny Haynes (8)
12. 87 Ken Rumble (16)
13. 16 Shawn Negengard (10)
14. 82 Billy Laycock (13)
15. 1x1 Sonny Conley (17)
16. 16 Mike Hammerlee (18)
17. 21 Justin Anderson (14)
18. 69 Jeff Wilson (20)
19. 28 Dennis Erb Jr. (9)
20. 1 Wes Steidinger (19)
Illinois Speedweek Point Standings
1. Kevin Weaver 27
2. Randy Korte 26
3. Brian Shirley 25
4. Rodney Melvin 23
5. Eric Smith 22
6. Roger Long 21
7. Ed Dixon 18
8t Rohn Moon 17
8t Duane Chamberlain 17
10. Danny Haynes 15
11t Michael Kloos 14
11t Ken Rumble 14
13. Shawn Negengard 12
14t Billy Laycock 10
14t Sonny Conley 10
16. Mike Hammerle 8
17t Justin Anderson 7
17t Dennis Erb Jr. 7
19. Jeff Wilson 5
20. Wes Steidinger 3
Rusty Griffaw
UMP Modifieds
Feature:
1. 16 Rusty Griffaw
2. 48 Bobby Martintoni
3. 24 Mike Harrison
