By Betty Glynn
LaSalle, IL- Deer Park?s Keith Piano shut the door on the 2003 Midwestern
Sportsman season Saturday night at LaSalle Speedway with a new track record
for the class and the final win of the year. Piano?s record setting lap, in
the division, of 13.765 was impressive for the ¼ mile highbanks to say the
least.
With quick time, Piano found himself starting last on the grid of the fast
qualifiers Dash but wasted little time powering into the lead to set himself
in the favored position for feature time.
Next to Piano on the grid, was former track champion Jeff Hartzell as Scott
Cimei and Streator?s Shane Hill were lined up on their back bumpers. Once
the green was signaled Piano was off to a convincing run with Hartzell and
Hill hanging in behind him. With just three laps in, a yellow slowed the
action forcing the fifteen drivers to their first, of many, single file
restarts.
Once back into green flag racing, Piano continued to dominate with his
closest competitor being Hartzell. After each caution, Hartzell moved low
and to the inside for the start but Piano was always in the lead by the time
the two crossed under the flagstand.
During the twelfth lap out, Hill was stopped with trouble in the infield and
out of contention. Three laps later, it took the field several restarts to
get the action rolling. Once back to speed, Piano pulled away from Hartzell
who by this time was multiple car lengths ahead of Duane McCarville and
Brian Claudnic.
When the final lap was scored Hartzell closed the season runner up to Piano
with McCarville, Claudnic, BJ Mires, Aaron Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Tim
Fitzpatrick, Billy Satek, Grabow, Tina Soberri, Todd Carpenter, Hill, Ed
Scapardine, and Scott Hauge crossing the finishline behind him.
Hartzell took second in the Dash behind Piano with Cimei and Hill third and
fourth. Mires took home the first Heat over Fitzpatrick, Scapardine and
Schmidt. Hartzell outran Piano for the second Heat with McCarville and
Soberri finishing behind them.
Current track champion, Ryan Dauber, crept up on race leader Frank Reaber
like a tiger stalking its prey to claim the UMP Late Model main event.
Reaber and Dauber started the event door to door in the line up with Junior
Schickel and Lil? John Provenzano in row two as Utica?s Tony Izzo Jr. and
Ladd?s Danny Bardell made up row three.
Before the pack was able to score their first lap, a five car pile up in
turn two left Bardell, Steve Tyne, Mike Mataragas, Sherri Heckanast and Bill
Rezutek stopped in the corner. Before the complete restart Heckanast and
Rezutek were towed back to their pit area and out of contention.
After the flagman dropped the green, Reaber was back on top with Dauber on
his rear just in front of Schickel, Izzo, Provenzano, Garrett Slager, Skip
Martin and Bardell. On Lap 7, contact was made between Izzo and Schickel
sending Schickel to the infield area as Izzo kept his GRT rolling back into
the running pack.
Seven laps later, Reaber and Dauber were gliding next to each other with
Reaber using the low side to hold on. On Lap 16, Dauber?s power on the
straight-a-ways paid off as he took control in championship style.
Three laps following, it became anyone?s game as two cars were competing for
their running spots in side by side action as the leaders were attempting to
lap them. After several laps, Dauber made his way around the traffic.
During the final lap, Izzo took the action three wide with the lapped cars
to gain the second place spot away from Reaber who appeared to be fading
just as Izzo was coming on.
Dauber posted the win with Izzo second over Reaber and Provenzano. Jim
Partipilo finished his night an persuasive fifth after starting near the
rear in thirteenth following him was Slager, Skip Martin, Eric Smith,
Mataragas, Tom Markham, Tyne, Bobby Alem, Bardell, Jerry Lockwood, Schickel,
Brandon Slager, Rezutek, and Heckanast.
Izzo sailed through the turns during qualifying with the fastest of two laps
being 12.570. Reaber rallied for the Dash victory over Dauber, Schickel and
Provenzano. Markham won the first Heat after a back of the pack start with
Gary Schalmo claiming second over Brandon Slager and Danny Autullo.
Partipilo walked away with Heat two in front of Rezutek, Smith and Tyne.
Martin scored the fast Heat win in front of Provenzano, Reaber and Bardell.
Travis Rokey earned his just dues in the Street Stock division as he made a
clean sweep of the division. First the youngster showed his skills as he
kept control after contact with not one but two of the contenders to claim
his Heat win. Then he went on to strut his stuff taking home the Feature
victory over some pretty stiff competition.
The finishing roster behind Rokey for the Street Stocks feature was Dan Bark
second in front of Scott Schmitt, track champion Jay Hamilton, Chuck
Provenzano, Tom Otremeiak, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Gary Schmitt, Joe
Brown, Mike Backerville, Bob Morgan, Shawn Mikolaitis, Mike Foster, Roger
Hertz, Matthew Scott and Al Gray.
The Midwestern Late Models just hit the track for feature time when Mother
Nature put her final touches on a misty evening. The division will run their
twenty-five lap feature next week in addition to their special seventy-five
lapper that tops the venue.
Scoreboard Results
LaSalle Speedway
UMP Late Model
Qualifying: Tony Izzo Jr. 12.570
Dash: Frank Reaber, Ryan Dauber, Junior Shickel, John Provenzano First Heat: Tom Markham, Gary Schalmo, Brandon Slager, Danny Autullo Second Heat: Jim Partipilo, Bill Rezutek, Eric Smith, Steve Tyne Semi Feature: Brandon Slager, Tom Markham, Joe Burba, Jan Tiberri, Matt
Slager, Gary Schalmo, Danny Autullo, Mick Miller, Larry Legrand
Feature: Ryan Dauber, Tony Izzo Jr., Frank Reaber, John Provenzano, Jim
Partipilo, Garrett Slager, Skip Martin, Eric Smith, Mike Mataragas, Tom
Markham, Steve Tyne, Bobby Alem, Dan Bardell, Jerry Lockwood, Junior
Schickel, Brandon Slager, Bill Rezutek, Sherri Heckanast
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.321
First Heat: Brian Moon, Jim Prokup, Doug Newlin, Rich Bell Second Heat: Mike Lock, Darrin Furar, Reno Markham, TJ Markham
Midwestern Sportsman
Qualifying: Keith Piano 13.765 (New Track Record)
Dash: Keith Piano, Jeff Hartzell, Scott Cimei, Shane Hill
First Heat: BJ Mires, Tim Fitzpatrick, Ed Scapardine, Aaron Schmitt Second Heat: Jeff Hartzell, Keith Piano, Duane McCarville, Tina Soberri
Feature: Keith Piano, Jeff Hartzell, Duane McCarville, Brian Claudnic, BJ
Mires, Aaron Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Tim Fitzpatrick, Bill Satek, Grabow, Tina
Soberri, Todd Carpenter, Shane Hill, Ed Scapardine, Scott Hauge
Street Stock
First Heat: Travis Rokey, Daniel Bark, Chuck Provenzano, Tom Otrembiak Second Heat: Al Gray, Michael Foster, Scott Schmitt, Jay Hamilton A Feature: Travis Rokey, Daniel Bark, Scott Schmitt, Jay Hamilton, Chuck
Provenzano, Tom Otremiak, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Gary Schmitt, Joe
Brown, Mike Bakerville, Bob Morgan, Shawn Mikolaitis, Mike Foster, Roger
Hertz, Matthew Scott, Al Gray
LaSalle, IL- Deer Park?s Keith Piano shut the door on the 2003 Midwestern
Sportsman season Saturday night at LaSalle Speedway with a new track record
for the class and the final win of the year. Piano?s record setting lap, in
the division, of 13.765 was impressive for the ¼ mile highbanks to say the
least.
With quick time, Piano found himself starting last on the grid of the fast
qualifiers Dash but wasted little time powering into the lead to set himself
in the favored position for feature time.
Next to Piano on the grid, was former track champion Jeff Hartzell as Scott
Cimei and Streator?s Shane Hill were lined up on their back bumpers. Once
the green was signaled Piano was off to a convincing run with Hartzell and
Hill hanging in behind him. With just three laps in, a yellow slowed the
action forcing the fifteen drivers to their first, of many, single file
restarts.
Once back into green flag racing, Piano continued to dominate with his
closest competitor being Hartzell. After each caution, Hartzell moved low
and to the inside for the start but Piano was always in the lead by the time
the two crossed under the flagstand.
During the twelfth lap out, Hill was stopped with trouble in the infield and
out of contention. Three laps later, it took the field several restarts to
get the action rolling. Once back to speed, Piano pulled away from Hartzell
who by this time was multiple car lengths ahead of Duane McCarville and
Brian Claudnic.
When the final lap was scored Hartzell closed the season runner up to Piano
with McCarville, Claudnic, BJ Mires, Aaron Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Tim
Fitzpatrick, Billy Satek, Grabow, Tina Soberri, Todd Carpenter, Hill, Ed
Scapardine, and Scott Hauge crossing the finishline behind him.
Hartzell took second in the Dash behind Piano with Cimei and Hill third and
fourth. Mires took home the first Heat over Fitzpatrick, Scapardine and
Schmidt. Hartzell outran Piano for the second Heat with McCarville and
Soberri finishing behind them.
Current track champion, Ryan Dauber, crept up on race leader Frank Reaber
like a tiger stalking its prey to claim the UMP Late Model main event.
Reaber and Dauber started the event door to door in the line up with Junior
Schickel and Lil? John Provenzano in row two as Utica?s Tony Izzo Jr. and
Ladd?s Danny Bardell made up row three.
Before the pack was able to score their first lap, a five car pile up in
turn two left Bardell, Steve Tyne, Mike Mataragas, Sherri Heckanast and Bill
Rezutek stopped in the corner. Before the complete restart Heckanast and
Rezutek were towed back to their pit area and out of contention.
After the flagman dropped the green, Reaber was back on top with Dauber on
his rear just in front of Schickel, Izzo, Provenzano, Garrett Slager, Skip
Martin and Bardell. On Lap 7, contact was made between Izzo and Schickel
sending Schickel to the infield area as Izzo kept his GRT rolling back into
the running pack.
Seven laps later, Reaber and Dauber were gliding next to each other with
Reaber using the low side to hold on. On Lap 16, Dauber?s power on the
straight-a-ways paid off as he took control in championship style.
Three laps following, it became anyone?s game as two cars were competing for
their running spots in side by side action as the leaders were attempting to
lap them. After several laps, Dauber made his way around the traffic.
During the final lap, Izzo took the action three wide with the lapped cars
to gain the second place spot away from Reaber who appeared to be fading
just as Izzo was coming on.
Dauber posted the win with Izzo second over Reaber and Provenzano. Jim
Partipilo finished his night an persuasive fifth after starting near the
rear in thirteenth following him was Slager, Skip Martin, Eric Smith,
Mataragas, Tom Markham, Tyne, Bobby Alem, Bardell, Jerry Lockwood, Schickel,
Brandon Slager, Rezutek, and Heckanast.
Izzo sailed through the turns during qualifying with the fastest of two laps
being 12.570. Reaber rallied for the Dash victory over Dauber, Schickel and
Provenzano. Markham won the first Heat after a back of the pack start with
Gary Schalmo claiming second over Brandon Slager and Danny Autullo.
Partipilo walked away with Heat two in front of Rezutek, Smith and Tyne.
Martin scored the fast Heat win in front of Provenzano, Reaber and Bardell.
Travis Rokey earned his just dues in the Street Stock division as he made a
clean sweep of the division. First the youngster showed his skills as he
kept control after contact with not one but two of the contenders to claim
his Heat win. Then he went on to strut his stuff taking home the Feature
victory over some pretty stiff competition.
The finishing roster behind Rokey for the Street Stocks feature was Dan Bark
second in front of Scott Schmitt, track champion Jay Hamilton, Chuck
Provenzano, Tom Otremeiak, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Gary Schmitt, Joe
Brown, Mike Backerville, Bob Morgan, Shawn Mikolaitis, Mike Foster, Roger
Hertz, Matthew Scott and Al Gray.
The Midwestern Late Models just hit the track for feature time when Mother
Nature put her final touches on a misty evening. The division will run their
twenty-five lap feature next week in addition to their special seventy-five
lapper that tops the venue.
Scoreboard Results
LaSalle Speedway
UMP Late Model
Qualifying: Tony Izzo Jr. 12.570
Dash: Frank Reaber, Ryan Dauber, Junior Shickel, John Provenzano First Heat: Tom Markham, Gary Schalmo, Brandon Slager, Danny Autullo Second Heat: Jim Partipilo, Bill Rezutek, Eric Smith, Steve Tyne Semi Feature: Brandon Slager, Tom Markham, Joe Burba, Jan Tiberri, Matt
Slager, Gary Schalmo, Danny Autullo, Mick Miller, Larry Legrand
Feature: Ryan Dauber, Tony Izzo Jr., Frank Reaber, John Provenzano, Jim
Partipilo, Garrett Slager, Skip Martin, Eric Smith, Mike Mataragas, Tom
Markham, Steve Tyne, Bobby Alem, Dan Bardell, Jerry Lockwood, Junior
Schickel, Brandon Slager, Bill Rezutek, Sherri Heckanast
Midwestern Late Model
Qualifying: Eric Dauber 13.321
First Heat: Brian Moon, Jim Prokup, Doug Newlin, Rich Bell Second Heat: Mike Lock, Darrin Furar, Reno Markham, TJ Markham
Midwestern Sportsman
Qualifying: Keith Piano 13.765 (New Track Record)
Dash: Keith Piano, Jeff Hartzell, Scott Cimei, Shane Hill
First Heat: BJ Mires, Tim Fitzpatrick, Ed Scapardine, Aaron Schmitt Second Heat: Jeff Hartzell, Keith Piano, Duane McCarville, Tina Soberri
Feature: Keith Piano, Jeff Hartzell, Duane McCarville, Brian Claudnic, BJ
Mires, Aaron Schmidt, Scott Cimei, Tim Fitzpatrick, Bill Satek, Grabow, Tina
Soberri, Todd Carpenter, Shane Hill, Ed Scapardine, Scott Hauge
Street Stock
First Heat: Travis Rokey, Daniel Bark, Chuck Provenzano, Tom Otrembiak Second Heat: Al Gray, Michael Foster, Scott Schmitt, Jay Hamilton A Feature: Travis Rokey, Daniel Bark, Scott Schmitt, Jay Hamilton, Chuck
Provenzano, Tom Otremiak, Chuck Leason, Charles Herhold, Gary Schmitt, Joe
Brown, Mike Bakerville, Bob Morgan, Shawn Mikolaitis, Mike Foster, Roger
Hertz, Matthew Scott, Al Gray
