By Jon Mooney
BELLEVILLE, IL (Sunday, June 8, 2003):
Hometown favorite Steve Knepper used the cushion to perfection and out-dueled Mike Hess to win the 25 lap M.A.R.A. midget car main event at the Belle-Clair Speedway Sunday night. Bobby East, Donnie Lehmann and Cole Carter rounded out the top five.
The race featured five lead changes among three drivers. The first third of the race featured a tremendous battle up front between Knepper, Justin Allgaier and Craig Carey.
On lap 19, contact among the three sent the car of Justin Allgaier flipping in turn two. With the red flag waving for Allgaier's crash, Carey hit the fence in turn three and turned over. Both drivers were OK, but done for the night.
The battle resumed up front with Hess taking the lead from Knepper on the restart. The two drivers raced side by side for the remainder of the race with Knepper upstairs and Hess running the bottom groove. Knepper took the lead for good on lap 23 and lead the rest of the way to claim the $1000 first place prize.
M.A.R.A. midget heats races went to East, Carter and Allgaier. Chad Branson won the semi. A solid field of 26 midgets packed the pit area.
Outlaw winged 600 c.c. micro sprints were featured on the evenings under card. The 20 lap micro feature was won by Ryan Langston who took the lead from Chad Kendall with two laps to go.
M.A.R.A. midget/micro racing returns to Belle-Clair Speedway Sunday night, June 29th. This will be the second event in the Gateway Short Track Regional Series sponsored by Hoosier Tire Midwest.
FEATURE RACE SUMMARY
M.A.R.A. Midget Feature, Belle-Clair Speedway, Belleville IL, Sunday, June 8, 2003, (25 laps) OFFICIAL FINISH:
1. #55 Steve Knepper, 2.#51 Mike Hess, 3.#6 Bobby East, 4.#31 Donnie Lehmann, 5.#7 Cole Carter, 6.#01 Greg Lueckert, 7.#15 Tim Siner, 8.#86 Dave Camfield, Jr., 9.#3h Mike Hudson, 10.#21a Aaron Andruskevitch, 11.#17 Kenny Brown, 12.#99 Korey Weyant, 13.#78 Dave Camfield, Sr., 14.#5 J.C. Bland, 15.#2 Todd Hauser, 16.#85 Justin Allgaier, 17.#30 Craig Carey, 18.#33 Wally McDuffey, 19.#44 Chad Branson, 20.#4d Bruce Donalson.
LAP LEADERS:
1-17 Steve Knepper, 18 Justin Allgaier, 19 Knepper, 20-22 Mike Hess, 23-25 Knepper.
Outlaw Winged 600 cc Micro Sprint Feature, Belle-Clair Speedway, Belleville IL, Sunday, June 8, 2003. (20 laps) OFFICIAL FINISH:
1.#9 Ryan Langston, 2.#5k Chad Kendall, 3.#k32 Dereck King, 4.#7 Rick King, 5.#34x Josh Agans, 6.#25 Brett Anderson, 7.#17x Tony Roney, 8.#69 Casey Barnhouse, 9.#14x Travis Hickey, 10.#67x Gary Altig, 11.#4h Gabe Maycock, 12.#66 Mike Phillips, 13.#11d Derek O'Dell, 14.#7t Tom Ritter, 15.#51L Brad Loyet, 16.#34 Arin McIntosh, 17.#1 Kent Buckley, 18.#69t Tyler Richardson, 19.#6 Brandon Schneider, 20.#22 Dustin Barks.
LAP LEADERS:
1-14 Dereck King, 15-18 Chad Kendall, 19-20 Ryan Langston
BELLEVILLE, IL (Sunday, June 8, 2003):
Hometown favorite Steve Knepper used the cushion to perfection and out-dueled Mike Hess to win the 25 lap M.A.R.A. midget car main event at the Belle-Clair Speedway Sunday night. Bobby East, Donnie Lehmann and Cole Carter rounded out the top five.
The race featured five lead changes among three drivers. The first third of the race featured a tremendous battle up front between Knepper, Justin Allgaier and Craig Carey.
On lap 19, contact among the three sent the car of Justin Allgaier flipping in turn two. With the red flag waving for Allgaier's crash, Carey hit the fence in turn three and turned over. Both drivers were OK, but done for the night.
The battle resumed up front with Hess taking the lead from Knepper on the restart. The two drivers raced side by side for the remainder of the race with Knepper upstairs and Hess running the bottom groove. Knepper took the lead for good on lap 23 and lead the rest of the way to claim the $1000 first place prize.
M.A.R.A. midget heats races went to East, Carter and Allgaier. Chad Branson won the semi. A solid field of 26 midgets packed the pit area.
Outlaw winged 600 c.c. micro sprints were featured on the evenings under card. The 20 lap micro feature was won by Ryan Langston who took the lead from Chad Kendall with two laps to go.
M.A.R.A. midget/micro racing returns to Belle-Clair Speedway Sunday night, June 29th. This will be the second event in the Gateway Short Track Regional Series sponsored by Hoosier Tire Midwest.
FEATURE RACE SUMMARY
M.A.R.A. Midget Feature, Belle-Clair Speedway, Belleville IL, Sunday, June 8, 2003, (25 laps) OFFICIAL FINISH:
1. #55 Steve Knepper, 2.#51 Mike Hess, 3.#6 Bobby East, 4.#31 Donnie Lehmann, 5.#7 Cole Carter, 6.#01 Greg Lueckert, 7.#15 Tim Siner, 8.#86 Dave Camfield, Jr., 9.#3h Mike Hudson, 10.#21a Aaron Andruskevitch, 11.#17 Kenny Brown, 12.#99 Korey Weyant, 13.#78 Dave Camfield, Sr., 14.#5 J.C. Bland, 15.#2 Todd Hauser, 16.#85 Justin Allgaier, 17.#30 Craig Carey, 18.#33 Wally McDuffey, 19.#44 Chad Branson, 20.#4d Bruce Donalson.
LAP LEADERS:
1-17 Steve Knepper, 18 Justin Allgaier, 19 Knepper, 20-22 Mike Hess, 23-25 Knepper.
Outlaw Winged 600 cc Micro Sprint Feature, Belle-Clair Speedway, Belleville IL, Sunday, June 8, 2003. (20 laps) OFFICIAL FINISH:
1.#9 Ryan Langston, 2.#5k Chad Kendall, 3.#k32 Dereck King, 4.#7 Rick King, 5.#34x Josh Agans, 6.#25 Brett Anderson, 7.#17x Tony Roney, 8.#69 Casey Barnhouse, 9.#14x Travis Hickey, 10.#67x Gary Altig, 11.#4h Gabe Maycock, 12.#66 Mike Phillips, 13.#11d Derek O'Dell, 14.#7t Tom Ritter, 15.#51L Brad Loyet, 16.#34 Arin McIntosh, 17.#1 Kent Buckley, 18.#69t Tyler Richardson, 19.#6 Brandon Schneider, 20.#22 Dustin Barks.
LAP LEADERS:
1-14 Dereck King, 15-18 Chad Kendall, 19-20 Ryan Langston
