2010 News Articles

Northern All Stars Invade Highland

Northern All Stars Invade Highland 

(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.

Rodney Melvin – Late Model Champion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 their heat finishes.

Steve Schmit Modified Winner – Brian Bielong

 

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 in 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.

Sportsmen Winner – Ryan Eilers

 

 

A late pass by the 55V of Brad Venhaus led to him taking home the trophy in the Street Stock division.

Brad Venhaus – Street Stock Winner

 

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

 

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 – 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 – 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 – 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

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