MELVIN CHILLS HIGHLAND LATE MODELS, HARRISON HANGS ON FOR MODIFIED WIN

Madison County Fair UMP Challenge of Champions

HIGHLAND IL (July27, 2011) While the temperatures have been near the one hundred degree mark this week, Rodney Melvin from Logan IL put a chill on the Becker Jewelers Late Models at the Madison County Fair’s “UMP Challenge of Champions” held at the Highland Speedway. Melvin set fast time for the evening and finished second to “Fast” Frankie Martin in the second heat putting the number 27M inside third row.  It took a lap to get things started but one the field got rolling the number 38 of Ryan Little sitting on the pole took to the lead for the first five laps.

At lap eight “King Kong” Randy Korte moved into the front spot and on the next lap what looked like disaster for the leaders when Michael Schulte in the 27S spun in front of everyone in-between turns three and four. Luckily everybody cleared the stalled racer of Schulte.

 

Korte had command of the race until the midway point, that’s when the 27M of Melvin started sticking the nose of his Bob Pierce built late model under the 00 of Korte. Laps 21 and 22 had the two veterans and former UMP Champions running side by side, finally on lap 23 Melvin cleared Korte and started putting distance between him and the field.

On lap 27 last week’s Highland feature winner Paul Bailey ran up alongside the wall on the back stretch bringing out an unwanted caution for Melvin, but at the same time a ray of hope for Korte and Tim Manville in the 33 battling for the second spot. Melvin had accessed nearly a straight away lead ahead of the two drivers from Highland. So it was single file restart with Melvin on point, Korte, Manville, Dan Jacober in the 22 and Little. On the restart it didn’t take Melvin long to put the “chill” on the field and by lap 35 was back to a full straight away lead over Korte and Manville.

Just as he was about to run into the back of the field the double checkers flew giving Rodney Melvin the Becker Jewelers Cup for winning the 2011 Madison County Fair Challenge of Champions, Korte was second and Manville, Jacober and “the Highland Bulldog” Chad Zobrist finished third through fifth.

Heat wins for the night went to Little, Martin and Korte.

Steve Schmitt Modifieds:

The Steve Schmitt Modifieds was able to at least one lap in before a caution flew realigning the field into single file on the restart. Pole sitter Mike Harrison was up front with the 1D of Dean Hoffmann, Steve Lach, Scott Weber, and Brett “The Kid” Korvis making up the first five cars. By lap 10 Harrison, who was recently crowned champion of the DirtCAR Summit Modified Tour, had nearly a straight away lead over Hoffmann and Lach. What caught everyone’s eye was Chris Smith in

the 15 running against the wall and moving forward from his 10^th place starting position. Smith just cleared the 1D of Hoffmann on lap 17 of the twenty lap event when caution flew reverting back to the previous lap placing Smith third behind Hoffmann and Harrison. When the green dropped on the restart Smith immediately jumped to the high side and moved around Hoffman setting his sights on the 24 of Harrison. Smith made a valiant effort coming out of turn four heading to the finish line, catching Harrison but needing more laps to clear him, Harrison crossed the double checkers first with the 15 of Smith in hot pursuit, Hoffman, Lach, and Korvis completed the top five.

Harrison, Hoffman and Scott Weber were heat winners.

 

 

UMP Sportsmen: Rob Lee collected his 7^th feature win of the season holding off the 8 of Robbie Eilers, Aaron Melton, Justin Ketrow and Steve Stevenson.

 

 

 

 

 

UMP Factory Stocks: Shaun Horstmann returned to his winning ways in the UMP Factory stocks but not without a lot of pressure from the 52 of Tim Koch, Stephen Foehne, Josh Heuiser and Austin Isaak were your top 5 in the factory stocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kid Modz

As an added treat the Kid Modz were added to the card, Cole Sellers from Breese IL won the night cap over Zane Ulmer, Tyler Kuhn, Kaley Gibson, Logan Mitchell and Joey Gibson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coming Events: There will be no racing this Saturday July 30 at The Speedway, when racing resumes on Saturday, August 6, it will be Topless Night – Becker Jewelers Late Models, Steve Schmitt Modifieds, Sportsman and UMP Pro Late Models Take Your Roof Off.

Also mark your calendars’ for Thursday, August 25 it will be the MARS  vs.  UMP DirtCAR Late Models presented by Kettle River Furniture with Great Giveaways. The night will feature the Becker Jewelers Late Models, Steve Schmitt Modifieds and the UMP Sport Compacts.

For more information about the Highland Speedway please visit the tracks web site at HighlandSpeedway.com on Facebook/HighlandSpeedway or by text by sending Highland to 9 10 11.

(Photo Credits; Photo Billy)

Top Feature Finishers:

UMP Becker Jewelers Late Models – Feature

1 27R Rodney Melvin

2 00 Randy Korte

3 33 Tim Manville

4 22 Dan Jacober

5 78 Chad Zobrist

6 38L Ryan Little

7 25 Frankie Martin

8 16 Rusty Griffaw

9 16H Mike Hammerle

UMP Steve Schmitt Modified – Feature

1 24H Mike Harrison

2 15 Chris Smith

3 1D Dean Hoffman

4 42 Steve Lach

5 25 Brett Korves

6 75 Darrell Hewlett

7 84 Tyler Deibert

8 808X Bob Simmons

9 55V Brad Venhaus

10 0 Tim Hancock

UMP Sportsman – Feature

1 88 Rob Lee

2 8E Russell Eilers

3 115 Aaron Melton

4 6 Justin Ketrow

5 1S Steve Stevenson

UMP Factory Stock – Feature

1 54 Shaun Horstmann

2 52 Tim Koch

3 29 Stephen Fohne

4 1H Josh Heuiser

5 6I Austin Isaak

Kid Modz

Feature

1 0 8 Cole Sellers

2 14 Zane Ulmer

3 22 Tyler Kuhn

4 11K Kaley Gibson

5 99 Logan Mitchell

6 0 1J Joey Gibson