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Four Races, Four
Faces so far in the 2009 Monster Midwest Series as Joe Harlan takes the win
at Farmer City Raceway Friday night.
by Dan Stewart
FARMER CITY, IL (May 29) - So far in 2009, Jason Feger, Steve Sheppard Jr
and Ryan Unzicker had won series races. But tonight was Joe Harlan's night
to put his name in the record books. Thursday night's LaSalle Speedway
winner Ryan Unzicker started the night with fast time of the 20 late models
on hand at 13.449 seconds. Unzicker then won the first heat over Donny
Walden, Brandon Sheppard and Eric Smith. The second heat was a good close
race as Michael Kloos held off the challenges of Steve Sheppard Jr, followed
closely by Richie Hedrick and Charley Hess. The final heat had Joe Harlan
showing his hand, as he ran away and hid from second place finisher Derek
Chandler, who was followed by Tim Lance and Kyle Logue.
Come feature time, with the series redraw, Michael Kloos started on the
front row with Joe Harlan alongside, followed by Derek Chandler, Steve
Sheppard Jr, Donny Walden and Ryan Unzicker. On the ultra-smooth race track,
Joe Harlan took off to an immediate lead, and never looked back, leading all
40 laps, withstanding the challenges of two yellow flag periods, until after
the white flag was in the air. Then Unzicker stopped on the backstretch, and
just as Harlan went to lap Charley Hess, Hess spun in front of Harlan,
taking Harlan around with him. Harlan got his spot back, the race was
restarted with green and white flags waving, and Harlan went on to the
victory over Steve Sheppard Jr, Richie Hedrick, Derek Chandler, Eric Smith,
Tim Lance, Donny Walden and Charley Hess.
The modified class was stunned when Alan Stipp turned in fast time of the
evening. At least Alan Stipp was stunned. The first heat went to Denny
Schwartz over Cory Schwengel and Alan Stipp. The second heat went to points
leader Chad Osterhoff over Gabe Menser and Chad Evans. Heat number three
went to Jeff Leka over Justin DeLong and Jeb Friedman. The semi feature was
an exciting event with the win going to Jeff Curl, after a late race pass on
veteran Roger Drake.
Denny Schwartz would go on to lead the feature from green flag to checkers,
followed by Jeff Leka, Chad Osterhoff and Cory Schwengel.
A new era was started in the Crate Late model class, as the "Short Cool One"
Bobby Pierce took the checkers in the feature event. This being the site of
Bob Pierce's final feature win made it special for the whole family. Pierce
started the race in fourth place, and after following leaders Matt Beadles
and Tim Dick the first two laps, decided to try his turn out front, made the
pass on the two on the third lap, and went on uncontested the following
seventeen laps for the win. Allen Thomas would repeat his second place
finish of last week, followed by Jim Moon, Nick Bauman, Kevin Moffett, Nick
Macklin, John Bernard, Matt Beadles, Jay Smithson, Ron Wilson and Curtis
Hobbs. The heat races had earlier gone to Nick Macklin over Bobby Pierce,
and to Matt Beadles over Tim Dick.
In the street stocks, Greg Rubenacker and Chuck Barnes Jr won the heats with
the feature going to Chuck Barnes over Terry Miller and Greg Rubenacker.
In the hornet class, Larry Hawk won the heat race, with the feature going to
Jason Maier over Larry Hawk and Eric Wilson and Eric Wisher.
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