Highland Speedway was the place to watch racing on Saturday, May 2nd. The night had 133 racers that brought their cars to win. It was the UMP Late Model division of 24 cars that started off the evening. First heat went to Mark Faust then Mike Schulte, DJ Cygan, and Brent Helmkamp. Michael Kloos brought his broom with him and started his sweep by winning the second heat over Marty Smith, Jr, Paul bailey, and Rick Salter. Third heat top Bulldog was Chad Zobrist who beat out Frankie Martin, Mark Voigt, and Danny Ripperda. Chasing Kloos in the dash was Zobrist, Martin and Faust. Consi order of finish was John Beck, Brant Kehrer, Kerry Gaultney, Bob Geaschel, Brett Cygan, Steve Leach, John Cory, Randy Bingham, and Dave Thornton DNS. Taking the first checkered flag in the Features was Michael Kloos who completed his sweep in the UMP Late Model division. He was chased by Faust, Bailey, Martin, Voigt, Salter, Ripperda, Gaultney, Kleine, Helmkamp, Smith, Jr, Schulte, Shannon Kuhn, DJ Cygan, Geaschel, Michael Jacober, Kehrer, Zobrist, Steve Leach, Brett Cygan and John Beck DNS.
There were 29 Steve Schmitt Modifieds who wanted to take the checkered flag. It was Steve Ellison who crossed the finish line first in the first heat. He was followed by Roger Fohne, Eric Goetter, and Matt Acord. Second heat belonged to Dean Hoffman, then Jim Werner, Jr, Tim Hancock, and Jeff Vernier. Third heat winner Robbie Eilers was chased by Andy Oseald, Jesse Snyder, and Ron Hartnagel. The fourth heat saw Tommie Seets, Jr beat out Mike Harrison, Ken Rumble, and Tyler Deibert. Tommie Seets, Jr decided one checkered flag was not enough, so he raced to the front in the dash. He led Werner, Jr, Harrison and Eilers. The Consi order of finish was Ryan Driemeyer, Brett Korves, Chris Smith, Bobby Bittle, Chad Sellers, Steve Lach, Cody Stilwell, Paul Becker, Craig Kern, Steve Plog, Mike Haas, Rocky Berliew, and Aaron Kleine DNS. Jim Werner, Jr decided to swap place with Tommie Seets, Jr in the Feature finish lineup. Instead of following Seets, Jr like in the dash, he took the checkered flag first. Next were Ellison, Harrison, Seets, Jr, Korves, Eilers, Goetter, Driemeyer, Deibert, Bittle, Fohne, Rumble, Acord, Chris Smith, Hartnagel, Snyder, Oswald, Hancock, Vernier, and Sellers.
The UMP Sportsman division saw 24 drivers. Starting off the division was Bryan Slover who won the first heat over Rob Lee, Tom Smallwood, and Justin Durbin. Second heat went to Jon Ripperda over Mark Bohnenstiehl, Bobby Silkwood, and Greg Spencer. Third heat order of finish was Russelll Eilers, Andy Casper, Ryan Eilers, and Bert Jacoby. Rob Lee took the checkered flag in the dash over Russell Eilers, Bohnenstiehl, and Casper. Leading the Consi was Adam Haas who was chased by Jimmy Cummins, Tory Ernst, Jeremy Nash, Rick Jonson, Dam Ricklefs, Jr, Nathan Schmitt, Jon Huegen, and Josh Case. Rob Lee decided he wanted to take another checkered flag, so he won the Feature. Taking the checkered flag after Lee was Bohnenstiehl, Russell Eilers, Slover, Durbin, Hass, Spencer, Smallwood, Jim Lafferty, Ernst, Johnson, Nash, Danny Beard, Cummins, Ripperda, Casper, Ryan Eilers, Bobby Silkwood, Jacoby, and Allan Geiseking.
Street Stock division had the smallest car count of the night – 23 cars. Michael Ripperda, Jr took the first checkered flag in the heat one. He was chased by Brad Venhaus, TJ Eilers, and Luke Hewitt. Scond heat saw Terry McCann lead AJ Clline, Dennis Ponder, and Stephen Fohne. Third heat had Bobby Dees, Jr beat out Jake Hewitt, John Cory, and Stephen Flannery, Jr. Consi order of finish was Justin Leichsenring, Jeff Buss, Steve Leach, Jason Nash, Brian Crawford, James Rhoades, Jr, Dusty Sampson, and Brian Meyer DNS. It was Michael Ripperda, Jr who took the last checkered flag in his division by winning the Feature. He was followed by McCann, Venhaus, Dees, Jr, Ponder, Jake Hewitt, Eilers, Billy Kruep, Cline, Flannery, Jr, Cory, Fohne, Brian Crawford, Larry Smith, Jr, Leach, Leichsenring, Luke Hewitt, Jeff Buss, and Jason Nash.
Again the highest car count of the evening was the UMP Factory Stock with 33 cars. Bob Zbinden led off the division by taking the first heat win over Josh James, Justin Suhre, and Sean Denison. Second heat went to Jon Easley, then Robert Shaw, Jason Schmidt, and Joe Joyce. Third heat top dog was Matt Hamblin, then Ed Martiszus, Aaron Wood, and Justin Shaw. Leading the consi was Tracy VonRohr who was followed by Trevor Isaak, Jeremy Izard, Austin Isaak, Eddie Sterns, Nick Knebel, Travis Horner, Dan Dodson, Charlie Durbin, Charlie David, Shawn McCall, Ryan Emig, Chad Burgess, Justin Hall, Rick Viviano, Tristan Wentler, Balke Jost, and Mike Rankin DNS. The last racer to cross the finish line of the night was Bob Zbinden. He won the Feature and was chased by James, Denison, Easley, Hamblin, Robert Shaw, Justin Suhre, Justin Shaw, Jason Schmidt, Jason Suhre, VonRohr, Izard, Wood, Sterns, Austin Isaak, Joyce, Dale Bohnenstiehl, Trevor Isaak, Martiszus, and Scott Egbert.
During intermission, RR Motorsports gave out six bicycles. Two 12” bikes, two 16” bikes, and two 20” bikes were given out by the drivers – UMP Sportsman 00 Dan Ricklefs, Street Stock 00R James Rhoades, and UMP Factory Stock 121V Rick Viviano. May 16 will be another night that bicycles will be given away at intermission. Jr Fan Club members are eligible to receive the bikes. Any child 11 and under can sign up at the ticket booth to be a Jr Fan Club member. All members that are at the race track are eligible for prizes given out. On a regular night, two members get their picture taken with their favorite driver, two members get a big goody bag donated by Tribouts, and one member a metal car cutout donated by Interstate Batteries.