2011 News Articles

Bailey, Hoffman / Bielong, Eilers, Lee Take Feature Wins Dauderman and Suhre Double Up at Highland

Highland IL ( July 16th 2011) Providing the concessions at the Highland Speedway for nearly 50 years , the Helvetia Sharpshooter’s Fan Appreciation night is their way of giving back to all the loyal fans that attend the Speedway every week. While having discounted food and drinks are a way to repay the fans, the racing action on the track is what brings the crowds back week after week and this week’s racing action was no exception.  The Steve Schmitt Modifieds, UMP Pro Late Models and the UMP Sport Compacts all had double features completing the required make up features from the June 22 rain out.

UMP Becker Jewelers Late Modelsalt

While all the racing at the Speedway is exciting none is as exciting nor as important as the heat races. Drivers finishing at the top of the heats sets up the Dash field, the dash finish lines up the first three rows for the feature. So you can see how important the heats and dash’s can be.

Heat one in the Becker Jewelers Late Models had Eddie Purcell from DuQuoin IL taking the checkered flag first, Paul Bailey second and Chad Zobrist finished in the top three transfer spots. Heat two top finishers were Shannon Kuhn, Brian Wolfmeier, and Modified standout Brian Bielong behind the wheel of Roy Simmons number 16.

Pill draw determines the starting field for the dash and Wolfmeier and Kuhn drew the front row and after six quick laps the front three rows of the feature event were set. Kuhn and Zobrist would be the front row for the evenings night cap.

Chad Zobrist “The Highland Bulldog” Jumped out to a commanding lead for the first part of the feature event. At lap 9, Zobrist caught the back of the field. One car that caught the eye of the crowd was the 81 of Paul Bailey who started sixth on the field; as the 78 of Zobrist was contending with lap traffic Bailey had arrived on his back bumper. At lap 16 Bailey piloting his 81 machine passed Zobrist and proceeded to check out on the field in a race that looked like it would go green to checker, but with two laps to go the 14U of Bruce Unterbrink brought out a caution and Baileys lead had vanished. This gave Zobrist a slight chance to catch Bailey although several lap cars were between the two Highland Favorites. A wise man once said cautions breed cautions and this was the case Saturday night as just one lap went into the record books before the yellow flag waved for a second, this time setting up a green and white start. In the one lap Zobrist cleared the lap cars and was sitting on the rear bumper of Baileys. When the green dropped Bailey again looked like he had been shot out of a cannon and crossed the double checkers first, Zobrist, Wolfmeier, Frankie Martin, and Shannon Kuhn rounded out the top five. The win was the third of the resurging Bailey for the 2011 racing season at Highland.

 

UMP Steve Schmitt Modifieds

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Brian Bielong started on the outside of the front row of the June 22 make up feature for the Steve Schmitt Modifieds and never looked back as he came home the victor, Dane Gundecker, Scott Weber, Dean Hoffman, and Jimmy Cummins completed the top five.

In the evenings event the heat finishers were Heat one, Hoffman and Cummins, Heat two, Chris Smith and Jacob Steinkoenig, and in Heat three Weber and Tyler Diebert finished in the transfer spots.

The redraw in for the Modified Dash put Smith and Hoffman on the front row. When the dust settled Smith was the dash winner with Hoffman hot on his tail.  The cars of Cummins, Weber, Diebert and Steinkoenig finished third through sixth respectfully setting up the first three rows of the feature.

The 1D of Hoffman jumped to an early lead of the main event. Scott Weber fell out on lap 4 with a flat tire. As Hoffman was moving into lap traffic at lap 7 the 316 of Stephen Plog spun bringing out the yellow. The restart was Hoffman, Cummins, Smith, Diebert, Steve Lach and the 70 of Brian Bielong sitting in sixth moving up from his 9th place start.

Caution again waved for the 316 of Plog sending him to the pits for the evening and slowing the momentum of Bielong who had now moved into the fourth spot on the rerack. As the laps wound down Hoffman’s lead shrank. Bielong gained a spot on every lap but fell short as he made a run at the leader on the final lap but came up just short of the victory. Dean Hoffman returned to victory lane again leading the 20 lap main event from green to checker, Bielong as mentioned finished a close second, Lach, Deibert and Smith rounded out the top five.

UMP Pro Late Models

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Alhambra IL’s Bobby Dauderman showed why he was the 2009 UMP Pro Late Model Champion by taking both feature events Saturday night.

In the makeup feature “The Undertaker” held off Jason Zobrist, “The Italian Stallion” Bobby Martintoni, current track point’s leader Mark Oller and the 42 driven by John Lansford.

In the night cap the Heat wins went to Daudermann and Oller. At feature time the show was all Dauderman as he led from green to checker. Oller crossed the stripe second, the 20 of John Cory third, Brent Lewis piloting the 18L was next and Lansford completed the top five in the UMP Pro Late Model Division.

UMP Sportsmen

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Rob Lee collected his 6th win of the season behind the wheel of the Wonder Acres Racing 88, 1 88 Rob Lee, Mike “Wahoo” Jones finished second, Steve Stevenson, Rick Johnson and Scot Drew were the top five finishers.

 

 

 

 

UMP Factory Stocks

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T J Eilers

It was the 8T T J Eilers taking home the trophy in the Factory Stock Division. Steve Steele, Zach Hoffman, Jake Hewitt and Austin Isaak finished second through fifth.

 

 

 

 

 

UMP Sport Compacts

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Jordan Suhre let everyone know he was back in the UMP Sport Compact Division at the Highland Speedway by taking both Feature Events. In the makeup feature he held off Trevor Isaak, Chad Burgess, James Southers, and Bobby Funderburk for his first win for the night. In the regularly scheduled event he outran Funderburk, Trevor Isaak, Southers and Ryan Emig for the gold.

 

 

 

Coming Events

There will be no racing at the Speedway this coming Saturday July 23, racing resumes Wednesday July 27th for Madison County Fair Race, The UMP Becker Jewelers Late Models will highlight this event along with the UMP Steve Schmitt Modifieds, UMP sportsmen and UMP Factory Stocks (Street Stocks) as an added event the Kidz Modz return also.

For complete information visit the Speedways web site highlandspeedway.com on Face Book and by texting Highland to 9 10 11.

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