Brannon Bechen
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By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – Scott Schoener was the big winner on Sunday night at the La Salle Speedway taking home the hefty $1,000 payday for his strong performance. Schoener scored the second quickest qualifying time but when it came to the main event he was the top dog.
Twenty two contenders made up the feature grid with Steve Lewis on the pole next to Steve Ewing. Schoener and current points champ Jimmy Partipilo were in row two ahead of Chris Tackett and Jay Hamilton.
Lewis shot out to the lead quickly as Ewing got a good run on him. The leader seemed to slow on the back stretch only briefly but it was just enough for Ewing to loose momentum. Again just as the pressure was on for the lead a caution slowed the action.
After a restart of the third lap, Ewing took his ride up high to challenge the leader for a two wide battle but Schoener had other ideas. When the leaders started their door to door battle, Schoener moved in to steal their thunder. At the completion of Lap 6, Schoener was comfortably in the lead leaving Lewis and Ewing to battle it out for the runner up spot.
Schoener ran away in solo format lap after lap. By the eleventh circuit, Ewing was still in second but Rick Thomas and Joel Funk, both sporting the number twenty three, were closing the gap. Funk was hooked up and flying after coming from the tail of the field. He won the semi feature to earn a start in the feature race.
Ewing appeared to graze the infield tractor tire throwing him off his line. Thomas moved into second with Funk close by. Another strong machine driven by Tackett was right there putting up a good fight.
Schoener rallied against some of the best local competition to win the coveted forty lap Street Stock main. Funk crossed the line second in front of Thomas, Ewing, Tackett, Robert Simpson, Partipilo, Lewis, Hamilton, Brandon Maciejewski, Darryl Matthews, Randy Lucas, Alex Clubb, Duane Peterson, and Dan Leonard.
Lewis set fast time with a lap of 15.590. He also earned his heat win without another car in sight over Hamilton, Olin Naramore and Leonard. Ewing easily pulled off the second heat win over Schoener, Simpson and Clubb. Much like the other two heats Partipilo easily took the checkers beating out Tackett, Thomas and Roger Rickels. Lewis won the dash after taking the lead in the last lap. Ewing, Schoener and Partipilo crossed after him.
The 4-Cylinder Hornet division also boasted a special for their last showing at the speedway of the 2009 season. Brannon Bechen, a name known in the inter circles of the Hornet class, made a clean sweep en route to victory circle and the $500 check.
His front row start in the heat gave him a clear view from beginning to end. Cody Clubb won the second heat while Nick Clubb picked up the third heat race victory.
The beginning of the 4-Cylinder feature did not get off to a good start. As the pack rounded turn three the car driven by DJ Kilanowski had a meet and greet with the infield tractor tire. The outcome was his ride doing a flip through the air.
Once back to green, it was Bechen outpowering the field of nineteen. During the final laps, it appeared Nick Clubb was catching the leader but Bechen piloted his ride like a pro all the way to the final crossing under the flag stand.
Nick Clubb captured second in front of Gary Waterman, Alex Clubb, Eric Wisher, Asa Robart, Mark Sutton, Heidi Hames, Jim Grant, Shannon Mudro, Bill Wasnea and Tyler Griswold.
Fifteen UMP Late Models signed in for their division. Two heat races set the stage for their top six car dash and feature. Rich Bell won the first preliminary race over Mike Provenzano, John Piccatto, and Jason Jaggers. Mike Glynn won heat number two far ahead of Scott Brewer, Billy Weistart Jr., and Jeff Small. Bell outran the competition to capture the dash win as Provenzano, Brewer and Glynn crossed the line after him.
Bell earned the pole position with Provenzano on his outside. Brewer rolled into third next to Glynn. Once green it was a battle for the lead between Bell and the current track champ, Provenzano. By the completion of the first lap, Jaggers came from seventh flying wide open down the back stretch. He wasted little time charging door to door with Glynn. He moved into the third place running position.
Bell and Provenzano traded leadership roles back and forth as they crossed the line. By Lap 17, Provenzano had his route mapped out and was able to pull away from a hard charging Bell.
A caution during the final lap slowed the pace but the flagman ended the event with the checkers flying with the yellow flag. Provenzano scored the victory in front of Bell, Jaggers, Weistart, Glynn, Mark Larson, and Piccatto. The Street Stock big winner Schoener ran double duty finishing eighth in the Late’s feature. Travis Mahoney took ninth over the last car to finish Tim Loomis.
The UMP Modified had one heat race to determine the feature grid of nine contenders. Joe Adam returned race ready after destroying his ride a couple of weeks ago. The local racer took home top honors in the heat race over Dale Lueth, Brad Stewart and Travis Kohler.
Outside front row starter Lueth took the point quick with Adam and Kohler side by side for second. During Lap 3, Adam managed to work his way into the lead. Six laps later, Kohler used the highside to grab the helm but Adam continued to fight hard.
During the thirteenth circuit, Kohler found himself rolling up quickly on a lapped car stalling his run and opening the door for Adam. Adam took the lead for the fourteenth lap. The shorter race ended with Kohler hauling hard on the outside to win in photo finish at the line.
Kohler earned his spot in winners circle with Adam in a strong second. Stewart finished third over Lueth, AJ Dixon, David Wagner, Shawn Scripter, Brad Carrington, and Scott Hauge.
The racing action will heat back up for the final race on September 20th with the running of the 17th Annual Illinois Fall Nationals World of Outlaw Late Model Special promoted by Track Enterprises. The UMP Modified and Street Stock classes will compete as well to close out the year.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 09/06/09
UMP Late Models – 15 Cars
Heat One: Rich Bell, Mike Provenzano, John Piccatto, Jason Jaggers
Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Scott Brewer, Billy Weistart Jr., Jeff Small
Dash: Rich Bell, Mike Provenzano, Scott Brewer, Mike Gynn
Feature: 1. Mike Provenzano, 2. Rich Bell, 3. Jason Jaggers, 4. Billy Weistart Jr., 5. Mike Glynn, 6. Mark Larson, 7. John Piccatto, 8. Scott Schoener, 9. Travis Mahoney, 10. Tim Loomis, 11. John Small, 12. Scott Brewer, 13. Gary Hunt 14. Jeff Small, 15. Dan Patnoe
UMP Modifieds – 10 Cars
Heat One: Joe Adam, Dale Lueth, Brad Stewart, Travis Kohler
Feature: 1. Travis Kohler, 2. Joe Adam, 3. Brad Stewart, 4. Dale Lueth, 5. AJ Dixon, 6. David Wagner, 7. Shawn Scripter, 8. Brad Carrington, 9. Scott Hauge
UMP Street Stocks – 30 Cars
Qualifying: Steve Lewis 15.590
Heat One: Steve Lewis, Jay Hamilton, Olin Naramore, Dan Leonard
Heat Two: Steve Ewing, Scott Schoener, Robert Simpson, Alex Clubb
Heat Three: Jimmy Partipilo, Chris Tackett, Rick Thomas, Roger Rickels
Dash: Steve Lewis, Steve Ewing, Scott Schoener, Jimmy Partipilo
Semi Feaure: Joe Funk, Jesse Semmens, Duane Peterson, Joe Malone, Darryl Matthews, Dan Bardell, Aaron Near, Ande Bivens, Mike Hughes, Keih Lucas, Justin Rutledge, Marty Gradert
Feature: 1. Scott Schoener, 2. Joel Funk, 3. Rick Thomas, 4. Steve Ewing, 5. Chris Tackett, 6. Robert Simpson, 7. Jimmy Partipilo, 8. Steve Lewis, 9. Jay Hamilton, 10. Brandon Maciejewski, 11. Darryl Matthews, 12. Randy Lucas, 13. Alex Clubb, 14. Duane Peterson, 15. Dan Leonard, 16. Dan Naramore, 17. Steve Schwemlein, 18. Donnie Cole, 19. Roger Rickels, 20. Terry Miller, 21. Jesse Semmens, 22. Joe Malone
UMP Hornets – 23 Cars
Heat One: Brannon Bechen, Asa Robart, Heidi Hames, Alex Clubb
Heat Two: Cody Clubb, Eric Wisher, JR Brown, Mark Sutton
Heat Three: Nick Clubb, DJ Kilanowski, Phil Burdette, Gary Waterman
Semi Feature: Rick Zifko, Tyler Griswold, Rick Wagner, #38H, 8Z, Mike Cusack, Don Stover Jr., Tony Provenzano
Feature: 1. Brannon Bechen, 2. Nick Clubb, 3. Gary Waterman, 4. Alex Clubb, 5. Eric Wisher, 6. Asa Robart, 7. Mark Sutton, 8. Heidi Hames, 9. Jim Grant, 10. Shannon Mudro, 11. Bill Wasnea, 12. Tyler Griswold, 13. Phil Burdette, 14. Rick Zifko, 15. JR Brown, 16. Rick Wagner, 17. Jerry Legner, 18. Phil Briddick, 19. DJ Kilanowski
