Story by Jack Pugh
Highland Speedway was the only racetrack to get their program in on Saturday as mother nature did not cooperate. She brought cold temperature and windy conditions along with moisture over the past two days. There were plenty of cars and a hardy crowd.
In the UMP Late Model division, there were 30 on hand for the program. Mark Faust set fast time for the evening. In the first heat race, Mark Voigt took the win over Mark Faust, Brian Collins, Rick Standridge, Bingham, Dan Dondero, Mike Hammerle and John Landford. In the second heat, Michael Kloos took the checkered flag followed by Randy Korte, Frankie Martin, Rusty Schlenk, Dan Jacober, Bruce Unterbrink, Brent Helmkamp, and Bob Geaschel. In the third heat, Chad Zobrist won with Ed Dixon, Matt Taylor, Steve Unterbrink, Scott Ford, Tony Boyle and Vince Grondzki trailing. The fourth heat saw Rick Slater take the checkered flag ahead of Jimmy Burwell, Jim Morrison, Steve Sheppard, Troy Ernst, John Paule and Barry Quade.
The dash went to Kloos over Zobrist, Korte, Faust, Burwell, Dixon, Voigt and Salter. The semi sent Ford, Jacober, Dondero and Bingham to the feature.
The 25-lap feature saw the front row of Zobrist and Kloos start the race. On the dropping of the green flag, Zobrist took command of the race with Kloos and Korte putting on the pressure. The lead runners were using the top side of the track to do their racing.
The first caution came out as Ford spun out in turn one. The running order was Zobrist, Kloos Korte, Faust and Voigt at this point in the race.
On the dropping of the green flag, Zobrist continue the command. Kloos and Korte continued to put the pressure on but could not get around Zobrist. The next caution came on lap 7 as Burwell and Dixon spun on the back straight. The caution was blamed on Salter, who was on the outside of these two cars. Burwell and Dixon got their spots back in the top five and Salter was sent to the rear.
The green flag came out again with Zobrist continuing to show the way. Korte took over second during this run of green flag racing. As the field began to lap the slower cars, the whole complexion of the race was about to change.
On the running of the 15th lap, trouble happened on the back straight. As Zobrist went under the lapped car of Dondero, Korte was trying the outside. Zobrist was about to clear Dondero when the pair touched sending both cars towards the outside wall. This move collected Korte and the three wound up in the outside wall. While that was going on, Faust and Voigt would get collected in the accident. Zobrist, Korte and Voigt wound up leave the track and were done for the night. Dondero returned to the race as did Faust, with a lot of the right rear sheet medal missing.
The running order now was Kloos, Faust, Martin, Dixon and Burwell in the top five.
When the race continued, Kloos took command and never was strongly pressured. Faust would have problems keeping is car in the top five and faded to finish 10th after the accident. Schlenk was the car on the move as he entered the top over the caution free final 11 laps.
Kloos went on to win his first ever UMP Late Model feature and first at Highland. He also brought the broom with him and had a sweep for the night as well. Following Kloos were Martin Dixon, Schlenk, and Burwell to complete the top five.
In the UMP Modified class, there were also 30 cars on hand. Bobby Bittle set fast time for the night. In the first heat, Scott Weber took the win followed by Bobby Bittle, Brent Mullins, Roger Fohne, Kent Schoeck, Chad Zobrist, Chad Reum and Joe Pendergrass. In the second heat, Ryan Driemeyer won with Bobby Martintoni, Chad Sellers, Jim Werner, Mike Schulte, Leroy Hayne, Matt Acord, and Eric Goetter trailing. In the third heat, David Cann got the win over Steve Ellison, Scott Sugg, Steve Myer, Leon Raker, Tommie Seets and Rob Pendergrass. The fourth heat went to Paul Bailey followed by Mike Harrison, Brian Bielong, Dave McDougal, Marty Smith Jr., Matt Verbeck and Dave Thorton.
The dash saw the win go to Weber followed by Driemeyer, Cann, Bittle, Bailey, Martintoni, Ellison and Harrison. The semi sent Schoeck and Smith Jr. to the feature.
The 20-lap feature started with Driemeyer and Weber on the front row. On the dropping of the green flag, it was Weber to the lead with Driemeyer in pursuit. These two cars broke away from the rest of the pack and had their own race while the rest of the field battled for positions.
As the laps clicked off, the front runners were having a very good battle with Weber staying in command. The other pack of cars were having their own battle for position with eighth starting Harrison moving into the top five while Cann and Bittle were doing battle for second.
This race went green for the full 20 laps with no cars dropping out. The final two laps of this race were the best for the fans. Weber and Driemeyer did some extra driving for the crowd as the exchange for the lead during the last two laps was intense. Weber had the lead then Driemeyer would take the lead in turns one and two. Then Weber would retake the lead in three and four. On the last lap, Driemeyer made the final move in turns one and two and took the lead for good and went on to win his first victory of the 2005 season. Weber took second with Cann holding off Harrison for third and Bittle rounding out the top five.
UMP Late Model – 30 cars
Fastest Qualifier – 51 Mark Faust 14.943
Heat 1
1. 30V Mark Voigt
2. 51 Mark Faust
3. 112 Bryan Collins
4. 12 Rick Standridge
Heat 2
1. 6K Michael Kloos
2. 00 Randy Korte
3. 25 Frankie Martin
4. 91 Rusty Schlenk
Heat 3
1. 78 Chad Zobrist
2. 50 Ed Dixon
3. 3L Matt Taylor
4. 4S Steve Unterbrink
Heat 4
1. 1S Rick Salter
2. 10 Jimmy Burwell
3. 85 Jim Morrison
4. 5S Steve Sheppard
Dash
1. 6K Michael Kloos
2. 78 Chad Zobrist
3. 00 Randy Korte
4. 51 Mark Faust
Consi
1. 16 Scott Ford
2. 22 Dan Jacober
3. B1 Randy Bingham
4. 2 Dan Dondero
5. 32 Vince Grondzki
6. 16H Mike Hammerle
7. 42 John Lansford
8. 14U Bruce Unterbrink
9. 22D John Paule
10. 19 Barry Quade
11. 31 Brent Helmkamp
12. 27E Tory Ernst
13. 84 Tony Boyles DNS
14. 8C Bob Geaschel DNS
FEATURE
1. 6K Michael Kloos
2. 25 Frankie Martin
3. 50 Ed Dixon
4. 91 Rusty Schlenk
5. 10 Jimmy Burwell
6. 85 Jim Morrison
7. 3L Matt Taylor
8. 12 Rick Standridge
9. 1S Rick Salter
10. 51 Mark Faust
11. 5S Steve Sheppard
12. 112 Bryan Collins
13. 22 Dan Jacober
14. 16 Scott Ford
15. 4S Steven Unterbrink
16. B1 Randy Bingham
17. 2 Dan Dondero
18. 78 Chad Zobrist
19. 30V Mark Voigt
20. 00 Randy Korte
UMP Modified – 30 cars
Fastest Qualifier – 89 Bobby Bittle 15.873
Heat 1
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 89 Bobby Bittle
3. 41M Brent Mullins
4. 29 Roger Fohne
Heat 2
1. 66M Ryan Driemeyer
2. 48 Bobby Martintoni
3. E55 Chad Sellers
4. 44 Jim Werner, Jr
Heat 3
1. 224 David Cann
2. 00 Steve Ellison
3. 69 Scott Sugg
4. 21M Steve Myers
Heat 4
1. 81 Paul Bailey
2. 24 Mike Harrison
3. 70 Brian Bielong
4. 97 Dave McDougal
Dash
1. 4J Scott Weber
2. 66M Ryan Driemeyer
3. 224 David Cann
4. 89 Bobby Bittle
Consi
1. 31 Kent Schoeck
2. 55 Marty Smith, Jr
3. 8 Chad Zobrist
4. 16 Tommy Seets, Jr
5. 9 Chad Reum
6. 40E Mike Schulte
7. 56 Dave Thornton
8. 27 Joe Pendergrass
9. 17M Matt Verbeck
10. 14 Leroy Haney
11. 76 Eric Goetter
12. 3R Leon Rakers DNS
13. 20 Matt Acord DNS
14. 10 Rod Pendergrass DNS
FEATURE
1. 66M Ryan Driemeyer
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 224 David Cann
4. 24 Mike Harrison
5. 89 Bobby Bittle
6. 70 Brian Bielong
7. 41M Brent Mullins
8. 81 Paul Bailey
9. 69 Scott Sugg
10. 44 Jim Werner, Jr
11. 00 Steve Ellison
12. 48 Bobby Martintoni
13. 55 Marty Smith, Jr
14. E55 Chad Sellers
15. 31 Kent Schoeck
16. 21M Steve Myers
17. 29 Roger Fohne
18. 97 Dave McDougal
Sportsman – 17 cars
Heat 1
1. 6 Joe Volluz
2. 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
3. 75 Aaron Marquardt
4. 31 Brian Shubirg
Heat 2
1. 55 Chris Smith
2. 88 Billy Knebel, Jr
3. 2 Matt Koch
4. 23B Mark Bohnenstiehl
Dash
1. 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
2. 88 Billy Knebel, Jr
3. 66 Joe Volluz
4. 55 Chris Smith
FEATURE
1. 88 Billy Knebel, Jr
2. 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
3. 66 Joe Volluz
4. 23B Mark Bohnenstiehl
5. 55 Chris Smith
6. 2 Matt Koch
7. 75 Aaron Marquardt
8. 31 Brian Shubirg
9. 29 Dan Dondero
10. 19 Jimmy Cummins
11. X Dennis Wernle
12. 316 Bill Russell
13. 441 Aaron Melton
14. 88S Scott Drew
15. 9E Joe Emig DNS
16. 8R Marty Kopp DNS
Bomber – 17 cars
Heat 1
1. 20C John Cory
2. 6 Luke Hewitt
3. 19 Nathan Schmitt
4. 0 Tim Haeffner
Heat 2
1. 29 Khris Fohne
2. 5 Jeremy Pate
3. 00 Justin Ketrow
4. 18 Matt Workman
FEATURE
1. 29 Khris Fohne
2. 20C John Cory
3. 00 Justin Ketrow
4. 5 Jeremy Pate
5. 19 Nathan Schmitt
6. 6 Luke Hewitt
7. 379 Steve Steele
8. 18 Matt Workman
9. 12 Tony Miller
10. B27 Casey Crane
11. 2 Dustin Sellers
12. 11 Adam Pate
13. 27H Adam Haas
14. 441S Shannon Hilmes
15. 1 Tim Driscoll
16. 20V Kelly Vogel
17. 4 Larry Smith, Jr
18. 0 Tim Haeffner
Hornets – 25 cars
Heat 1
1. 3E Robbie Eilers
2. 77 Chad Burgess
3. 222 Nathan Rakers
4. 18 Rob Shaw
Heat 2
1. 12 Dustin Korte
2. 7D Bob Zbinden
3. 21 Chris Rakers
4. 11 Joe Swip
Heat 3
1. 17 Keith Nordhaus
2. 3 Ryan Eilers
3. 8E Russell Eilers
4. 54 Jayson Schulte
FEATURE
1. 3E Robbie Eilers
2. 18 Rob Shaw
3. 70 Bob Zbinden
4. 3 Ryan Eilers
5. 8E Russell Eilers
6. 18J Justin Shaw
7. 17 Keith Nordhaus
8. 11 Joe Swip
9. 222 Nathan Rakers
10. 54 Jayson Schulte
11. 97 Bobby Funderburk
12. L-11 Gary Jenkins
13. 18W Chris Williams
14. 11G Eric Gilomen
15. 16 Keith Rose
16. 13D Mitch Dennison
17. 5A Nic Antonovich
18. 72 Allen Missey
19. 77 Chad Burgess
20. 5 Chris Korte
21. 14 Blake Sabo
22. 12 Dustin Korte
23. 20 Tracy VonRohr
24. 21 Chris Rakers
25. 3L David Lisak DNS