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Unzicker is the Monster of the Midwest at La Salle Speedway
By: Betty Glynn 

La SALLE, IL (May 28) – El Paso racer Ryan Unzicker had forty laps to prove himself as the top monster Thursday night at La Salle Speedway. With a stacked field of nineteen contenders to outrun, he made a mad dash for the lead during the first lap and fought off some heavy hitters to score his big victory. With the likes of Dennis Erb Jr., Jason Feger, Eric Smith and Kevin Weaver rolling up behind him he had to earn his first victory at the Illinois Valley speed arena and a coveted place in the record books the hard way.

The Monster Midwest Dirt Late Model Series race kicked off the 2009 season. The season opener boasted twenty eight Late Model drivers along with twenty two UMP Modified cars as their support division.

First up was qualifying with young gun Brandon Sheppard, of Berlin, charging hard for the fastest timed lap. His quick time guaranteed his pole position of the first of three heat races. On the front row outside of Brandon sat Daren Friedman. Rolling into row two was Eric Smith and Steve Dimmick. Brandon Sheppard was fast out of the blocks and took control early on. He captured the checkers with Smith, Friedman, Scott Schmitt and Richie Hedrick behind him.

Dennis Erb Jr. scored the second heat race win over Unzicker, Joe Harlan, Michael Kloos, Mike Mataragas and Jayme Zidar. Unzicker led for the first three laps until Erb used a low line to steal the lead for the first and final time. 

The third heat race winner was former La Salle regular Feger. He took command from the pole and traveled in his own zip code until the checkers dropped ten laps later. Steve Sheppard Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Kevin Weaver, Ted Loomis and Jimmy Dehm completed the top six finishers.

Zidar, Bell, Dehm, Mike Glynn and Mike Provenzano earned the transfer positions from the semi feature race of ten laps.

At 9:21 pm the thunder of Late Models returned to the area’s largest outdoor sports venue. Twenty contenders all with one thing in mind – winning. On the front row was pole sitter Unzicker next to Steve Sheppard. Steve’s son Brandon held the inside of row two with Feger as his second row partner. Smith and Erb rolled into the next row ahead of Friedman and Harlan in row four.

When the flagman signaled the green, Unzicker wasted little time taking the helm with Steve Sheppard in second and Feger already powering up the outer rim of the track. Brandon Sheppard had some problems navigating turns one and two bringing out a yellow before the first lap was scored.

For the restart, it was Unzicker over Steve, Feger, Erb, Smith, Friedman and Harlan. While Unizicker chose a lower line Feger lived up to his nickname of the Highside Hustler working the highest groove at full throttle. During the fifth lap out, he found himself a little too close to the unforgiving concrete barrier. After skimming his back side off the turn two wall the right side tire went flat. A trip pitside placed him back at the tail of the seventeen remaining cars.

By Lap 11, Unzicker had started to distance himself from Steve Sheppard and Erb as they battled side by side for second. Erb took over the runner up position setting his sights on Unzicker who seemed to be on auto pilot lapping traffic with ease. During Lap 22, Smith challenged Steve Sheppard for the third running position forcing door to door combat. While they battled, Unzicker and Erb pulled away to a comfortable lead. Feger was thundering his way up front using the rim again.

Twenty four minutes after starting the event, a caution slowed the pace for the final time. Now the field was back together for a six lap shootout. In single file format, Unzicker still held the lead over Erb, Smith, Friedman, Brandon Sheppard and Feger. The leaders hit the gas hard with a duel ensuing between Unzicker and Erb. With three laps to go, Erb grabbed the lead but an unrelenting Unzicker brought the action back side by side. On the final lap, Unzicker had charged his way back to the number one position for the final time.

A caution late in the race can change the outcome but can create some added excitement for the fans. “I think the caution at the end could have changed things. I hated to see Unzicker loose after leading the whole race but it was great racing and a good show for the fans,” Monster Midwest promoter Don Hammer explained post race.

Unzicker took home the $2,000 check and trophy over Erb. Smith put forth a solid performance scoring third place. Feger was still coming on strong charging his way back from last to an impressive fourth place finish. Friedman crossed under the checkers in sixth ahead of Weaver, Brandon Sheppard, Heckenast, Provenzano, Harlan, Dehm, Steve Sheppard, and Bell as the final finishers. Seven contenders were already pitside for the final laps.

Jeff Leka led flag to flag en route to the first heat race for the UMP Modified division. Mike Spatola claimed second in front of Chad Osterhoff and Kevin Hastings. Dale Lueth and Tommy Duncan duked it out for the win in the second heat race. Lueth prevailed the victor over Duncan, McKay Wenger and Nathan Balensiefen.

Twenty two Modified drivers made the call for twenty lap main. Leka and Lueth rolled in front with Spatola and Duncan staking claim to row two. Osterhoff and Wenger were in row three. Lueth and Leka came around the first turns fast and furious when Leka slid up into Lueth’s higher run. Lueth kept the high trek but hit some rough ground and fell back a few positions. Unlucky for Lueth contact with Balensiefen ended with Lueth being pushed hard down the front stretch signaling caution and forcing the pair to the rear of the field.

By Lap 5, Spatola had moved his speed plant up to the door of Leka. Leka opened the door and Spatola took over the lead for the final time. Wenger stole third as Leka slipped back. A caution with three to go brought the pack back together but after the restart second place runner Wenger appeared to break something in the front end when his machine didn’t turn left and ended his night in the turn three wall.

With a green, white, and checkers finish Spatola led the pace to the end. Spatola won the $1,000 prize over Osterhoff, and Leka. Starting tenth on the grid, Alan Weisser scored a big finish on his sixteenth birthday with a strong fourth place finish. Kevin Hastings finished fifth over Justin McCoy, Ray Bolinger, Thad Wilson, Jeremy Nichols, Balensiefen, and Duncan.

 June 6^th the regular weekly racing program at LaSalle Speedway gets underway with Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks and 4 Cylinder Hornets.  

La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 05/28/09

Monster Midwest Series Late Models – 28 Cars

Fast Qualifier: Brandon Sheppard

Heat One: Brandon Sheppard, Eric Smith, Daren Friedman, Scott Schmitt, Richie Hedrick, Mike Provenzano, Steve Dimmick, Brian Crebo, Aaron Schmitt, Derek Chandler

Heat Two: Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Unzicker, Joe Harlan, Michael Kloos, Mike Mataragas, Jayme Zidar, Rich Bell, Mike Glynn, Roger Markham

Heat Three: Jason Feger, Steve Sheppard Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Kevin Weaver, Ted Loomis, Jimmy Dehm, Ed Williams Jr., Joe Burba, Scott Brewer

Semi Feature: Jayme Zidar, Rich Bell, Jimmy Dehm, Mike Glynn, Mike Provenzano, Scott Brewer, Roger Markham, Joe Burba, Steve Dimmick, Brian Crebo, Derek Chandler, Aaron Schmitt, Ed Williams Jr.

Feature: 1. Ryan Unzicker, 2. Dennis Erb Jr., 3. Eric Smith, 4. Jason Feger, 5. Daren Friedman, 6. Kevin Weaver, 7. Brandon Sheppard, 8. Frank Heckenast Jr., 9. Mike Provenzano, 10. Joe Harlan, 11. Jimmy Dehm, 12. Steve Sheppard Jr., 13. Rich Bell, 14. Mike Mataragas, 15. Scott Schmitt, 16. Michael Kloos, 17. Richie Hedrick, 18. Ted Loomis, 19. Mike Glynn, 20. Jayme Zidar

UMP Modifieds 22 Cars

Heat One: Jeff Leka, Mike Spatola, Chad Osterhoff, Kevin Hastings

Heat Two: Dale Lueth, Tommy Duncan, McKay Wenger, Nathan Balensiefen

Feature: 1. Mike Spatola,  2. Chad Osterhoff, 3. Jeff Leka, 4. Alan Weisser, 5. Kevin Hastings, 6. Justin McCoy, 7. Ray Bollinger, 8. Thad Wilson, 9. Jeremy Nichols, 10. Nathan Balensiefen, 11. Tommy Duncan, 12. Mike Marden, 13. Mark Vervynk, 14. Tom Knippenberg, 15. Mark Novorolsky, 16. McKay Wenger, 17. Joe Adam, 18. Jim Farris, 19. Dale Lueth, 20. Gabe Menser, 21. Donovan Lodge