Rodney Melvin
Brian Bielong
Ryan Eilers
Brad Venhaus
(August 21, 2010) Highland IL - The Northern Allstars Late Models racing series stopped at the Highland Speedway this past Saturday night. The series features many of the top drivers from across the Midwest and this series allows the local drivers a chance to take on the touring competition.
The heat races were lined up by group qualifying. The winner of heat one was the 6K of Michael Kloos. Kloos also had fast time for the group. Highland’s Points leader, Chad Zobrist’s string of bad luck continued this week with a crash on the opening lap of the heat race and that earned the Highland Bulldog a free pass to the consolation race to attempt to make his way into the night’s feature event.
In the other heats, the winner of heat two was Rodney Melvin, “Fast” Frankie Martin was the low qualifier, and heat three was won by Ryan Unzicker, who was also the fastest qualifier in his respective group.
Highland notables who had to attempt to make their way into the thirty lap feature by way of the consolation race were Mark Faust, Aaron Kleine, Dan Jacober and the aforementioned Zobrist.
Taking only the top three finishers, the battle was for the second and third positions as Faust took the point and held on for the win. Kleine and Springfield’s Dick Taylor made the cut. Zobrist got the tracks provisional for being the Highland Speedways current point’s leader, and Brandon Sheppard received the NALMS provision. The twenty car field was now set.
The feature line up had Melvin on the pole with Unzicker along side. Row two was made of up of two Highland regulars, Michael Kloos and Paul Bailey in the #81. Row three saw a pair of #25 cars, Highland favorite Frankie Martin on the inside and crowd favorite The High Side Hustler, Jason Feger sitting on the outside.
At the drop of the green flag the first two rows stayed paired up. Caution at lap 8 put the field into a single file restart with Melvin sitting at the top, followed by Unzicker, Feger and Kloos.Lap thirteen the leaders were catching the back of the field and at lap 17 the caution flag again waved as the car of Aaron Kleine broke and stopped at the top of turn three. Two laps onto the restart Feger was putting pressure on the 24 of Unzicker. Using every inch of the speedway Feger brushed the wall on lap twenty five and had to regroup to take one more shot at the leaders. Racing past the “two to go flag”, Unzicker was trying to overtake Melvin, Feger had caught back up to the front pair, and Kloos was hanging onto the bottom setting up his own run at the front. As the four took the white flag, Feger knew this would be his last chance at the leaders coming from the High Side in turn four he made his charge at Unzicker who was taking his shot at Melvin. Running alongside side the front stretch wall, Feger was pinched up and climbed the wall, he passed the flag stand with two wheels riding the wall and just past the stripe the number twenty five went over on its roof. The balance of the field took abrasive maneuvers as not to collect themselves into the crashed racer of Feger. Safety crews were on the scene immediately and a smiling Jason Feger emerged from the up side down High Side Hustler to a roaring ovation from the Highland crowd. Rodney Melvin collected his second big payday in a row at Highland, as he won the Racing for the Cause benefit just a few weeks earlier. Unzicker was scored second, Feger in dramatic fashion was third, Kloos was fourth and Martin fifth.
After the wild finish in the Late Model event the Steve Schmitt UMP Modifieds took to the Speedway. Eric Faust in the 75 was on the pole with Brian Bielong in the 73 sitting out side. Row two sat the 155 of Chris Smith and the 3R of Jeremy Thoele, and the third row found Steve Lach driving his number 42 and Dean Hoffman in the 24-1D. Missing from the front were Highland regulars Mike Harrison in the 24H starting 10th, and Chad Sellers driving his E-55 machine, starting 12th, both due to there heat finishes.
The first half of the race was filed with cautions and it looked like it might have to be called for time. As the race progressed the drivers settled in and things started shaking. Harrison was making a march to the front. Caution came out at lap 14 and the line up had Bielong on point, with Smith next. Harrison was threading the needle and entered the top five was now sitting in the third spot, Lach and Faust rounded out the top five. Caution again waved this time at lap 18 by now Harrison had passed the 155 of Smith and had his sights on the 73 of Bielong. Two laps were not enough for the 24H to catch a strong Bielong. With the win Bielong broke the string of victories that Harrison was accumulating. Smith came I third, Lach fourth and Faust fifth.
An Eilers found his way into victory lane at the Speedway on Saturday night this time it was Ryan Eilers driving the 3E in the Sportsmen division, Rob Lee was second, Allan Geiseking, Russell Eilers, and Dennis Wernle placed third through fifth respectively.
A late pass by the 55V of Brad Venhaus led to him taking home the trophy in the Street Stock division.
The Factory stock Feature was postponed till next week due to the tracks curfew.
Highland Notes: Saturday, August 28th, will be the 4th annual Big Give Away for the Jr Fan Club. The first 100 kids to sign in for Jr Fan Club on the 28th will get a free drivers suit costume compliments of Tribout Bingo & Carnival Supply. There will also be a nickel race at intermission.
For more information please visit our web site at Highland Speedway.com or become a fan of the Speedway at FaceBook.com/highlandspeedway
Race Results for 8/21/2010
UMP Late Model - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 6K Michael Kloos
2 81 Paul Bailey
3 7M Adam Mefford
4 18 Bobby Dauderman
5 77H Brandon Hogenson
6 24T Dick Taylor
7 32 Chad Stapleton
8 5 Michael Jacober
9 20 John Cory
10 78 Chad Zobrist
UMP Late Model - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 27R Rodney Melvin
2 25 Frankie Martin
3 25L Steve Lance
4 B12 Kevin Weaver
5 54 Dillan White
6 51 Mark Faust
7 11D Brian Diveley
8 B5 Brandon Sheppard
9 33 Shannon Kuhn
10 31 Brent Helmkamp
UMP Late Model - Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver
1 24 Ryan Unzicker
2 25F Jason Feger
3 28B John Beck
4 16H Mike Hammerle
5 27 Mike Schulte
6 9 Aaron Kleine
7 49 Steve Leach
8 87 Jason Zobrist
9 8 Bob Geaschel
10 85 Justin Ketrow DNS
UMP Late Model - Consi
Finish Car No Driver
1 51 Mark Faust
2 24T Dick Taylor
3 9 Aaron Kleine
4 B5 Brandon Sheppard
5 5 Michael Jacober
6 49 Steve Leach
7 33 Shannon Kuhn
8 78 Chad Zobrist
9 20 John Cory
10 32 Chad Stapleton
11 31 Brent Helmkamp
12 11D Brian Diveley
13 85 Justin Ketrow
14 8 Bob Geaschel
UMP Late Model - Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 27R Rodney Melvin
2 24 Ryan Unzicker
3 25F Jason Feger
4 6K Michael Kloos
5 25 Frankie Martin
6 25L Steve Lance
7 B12 Kevin Weaver
8 18 Bobby Dauderman
9 81 Paul Bailey
10 7M Adam Mefford
11 54 Dillan White
12 78 Chad Zobrist
13 51 Mark Faust
14 28B John Beck
15 16H Mike Hammerle
16 11D Brian Diveley
17 27 Mike Schulte
18 B5 Brandon Sheppard
19 24T Dick Taylor
20 9 Aaron Kleine
21 77H Brandon Hogenson
UMP Steve Schmitt Modified - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 73 Brian Bielong
2 42 Steve Lach
3 76 Eric Goetter
4 24H Mike Harrison
5 25 Brett Korves
6 56 Ron Hartnagel
7 71 Lynn Tidwell
UMP Steve Schmitt Modified - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 75 Eric Faust
2 3R Jeremy Thoele
3 21 Khris Fohne
4 68 Andy Oswald
5 53 Dave Smith
6 316 Stephen Plog
UMP Steve Schmitt Modified - Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver
1 155 Chris Smith
2 241D Dean Hoffman
3 00 Steven Ellison
4 E55 Chad Sellers
5 84 Tyler Deibert
6 24J Jacob Steinkoenig
UMP Steve Schmitt Modified - Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 73 Brian Bielong
2 24H Mike Harrison
3 155 Chris Smith
4 42 Steve Lach
5 75 Eric Faust
6 25 Brett Korves
7 241D Dean Hoffman
8 E55 Chad Sellers
9 76 Eric Goetter
10 84 Tyler Deibert
11 68 Andy Oswald
12 56 Ron Hartnagel
13 24J Jacob Steinkoenig
14 3R Jeremy Thoele
15 316 Stephen Plog
16 53 Dave Smith
17 71 Lynn Tidwell
18 00 Steven Ellison
19 21 Khris Fohne
UMP Sportsman - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 88 Rob Lee
2 6 Allan Geiseking
3 23 Dennis Wernle
4 07 Andy Casper
5 20 Kory Riegel
6 C16 Cory Brown
UMP Sportsman - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 3 Ryan Eilers
2 8E Russell Eilers
3 92J Rick Johnson
4 96 Matt Koch
5 1G Len Garson
6 9 Nathan Schmitt DNS
UMP Sportsman - Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 3 Ryan Eilers
2 88 Rob Lee
3 6 Allan Geiseking
4 8E Russell Eilers
5 23 Dennis Wernle
6 92J Rick Johnson
7 96 Matt Koch
8 20 Kory Riegel
9 9 Nathan Schmitt
10 1G Len Garson
11 C16 Cory Brown
12 07 Andy Casper
UMP Street Stock - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 8T T J Eilers
2 29 Stephen Fohne
3 1Z Zach Hoffman
4 94 Dustin Clary
5 63G Richie Gabriel
6 B69 Dwayne Bateman
7 88 Gerald Landolt DNS
UMP Street Stock - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 55V Brad Venhaus
2 4 Larry Smith, Jr
3 52 Tim Koch
4 15 Michael Ripperda, Jr
5 53 Justin Leichsenring
6 64 Brian Crawford
7 33 Troy Bunfill
UMP Street Stock - Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver
1 14 Tommy Gaither
2 101 Jeff Buss
3 54 Shaun Hortsmann
4 52J Cody Johnson
5 5H James Hale
6 7 Dennis Ponder
UMP Street Stock - Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 55V Brad Venhaus
2 14 Tommy Gaither
3 4 Larry Smith, Jr
4 52 Tim Koch
5 29 Stephen Fohne
6 15 Michael Ripperda, Jr
7 8T T J Eilers
8 88 Gerald Landolt
9 33 Troy Bunfill
10 54 Shaun Hortsmann
11 53 Justin Leichsenring
12 64 Brian Crawford
13 5H James Hale
14 1Z Zach Hoffman
15 63G Richie Gabriel
16 101 Jeff Buss
17 B69 Dwayne Bateman
18 52J Cody Johnson
19 94 Dustin Clary DNS
20 7 Dennis Ponder DNS
UMP Factory Stock - Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 9X Trevor Isaak
2 22 Eddie Sterns
3 6 Austin Isaak
4 17W Brent Weaver
5 17R Jacob Rexing
6 89 Justin Shaw
7 4 Justin Suhre
8 9T Travis Horner
9 86 Christian Lee
UMP Factory Stock - Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 26 Jordan Suhre
2 21M Willy Myers
3 97 Bobby Funderburk
4 29H Cale Hartnagel
5 6S Shea Gagne
6 28 Roy Simmons
7 441 Cody Ventimiglia
8 00 Ryan Emig
Feature to be run on 8-28-2010
