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Erb tops the Allstars; Partipilo and the boys repeat their
finish
By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL (August 22) - In the fall of 1994, Dennis Erb Jr. was crowned
the Late Model champion at La Salle Speedway. Since then the Carpentersville
racer has acquired an impressive list of accomplishments that just continues
to grow in the dirt track circles he travels. Unfortunately, for Erb his
wins had been extinguished at La Salle in recent big shows until Saturday
night when he dominated the Northern Allstars Late Model Series for $2,000.
His winning ways as a professional driver has earned him more than one
series championship along with big paydays. As the defending UMP National
Champion he is still in the running for a repeat against another former La
Salle standout Jason Feger of Bloomington. The prestigious title this season
is a down to the wire challenge between the pair. Feger chose to run the
Monster of the Midwest series and won also on Saturday.
Twenty two cars were signed in for the venue topper Northern Allstars Late
Model Series 30 lap special with group qualifying setting the three heat
race grids.
For the first heat challenge Brian Dively took the lead from local racer
Scott Schmitt during the second lap out. Dively crossed the line without
contest over Brandon Sheppard, Schmitt and Bret Sievert. The second heat was
a domination by Erb who outpowered Frank Heckenast Jr., Ralph Markham and
Kerry Hansen for the win.
Much like Erb did in heat two, Kevin Weaver started on the front row outside
of the third and final heat taking over the point during the second lap. He
too ran away from the pack. Steve Sheppard took second in front of Shawn
Toczek and Mike Mataragas.
For the main event, Erb and Dively rolled into the coveted front of the grid
over Weaver and Brandon Sheppard in row two. Heckenast and Steve Sheppard
hosted the third row. Just after the green was thrown, a caution stopped the
field. An eight car pile up off turn three halted the action that was just
heating up between Erb and Dively. It took several complete restarts to get
the first lap in the books. Soon to become a sign of the caution plagued
first half of the race.
Once the action stayed green, Dively had a good run going until the third
lap when Erb made his move low to capture the lead. Erb’s power plant was
impressive on every groove he used to maneuver his way through lapped
traffic. By the seventh lap out, Dively had fallen off his pace and finally
took his machine pitside.
A Lap 9 caution for Steve Sheppard sent him packing to the pit area to
replace a flat. Undoubtedly he cut a tire after a run in with the concrete
barrier when he was flying around the outer rim in a powerful hunt for the
front.
Only fourteen cars were still powered up at the restart of the tenth lap.
Erb was smooth while Weaver worked the highest line on the track to chase
down Brandon Sheppard. Once he caught him the veteran racer moved down to
start reeling in Erb. Erb’s machine was set up to use every inch of the
clay. His ability to put his familiar #28 anywhere on the track and make it
go made him the man to beat.
During Lap 18, Weaver fell off his pace opening the door for fifth place
starter Heckenast to grab the runner up position. One lap later, Mataragas
charged high to take over third from Brandon Sheppard with Toczek following.
With seven laps unscored, Erb did what he does best – outrun the
competition. He forced a three wide contest with two lapped machines leaving
Heckenast stuck in his dust.
During the final lap, Heckenast made a last minute dash for the win but Erb
closed out the thirty lap main event with the checkered flag taking home the
$2,000 paycheck. Heckenast finished runner up just like the last time the
NALMS stopped in La Salle. Then he finished second to Ryan Unzicker who was
not in attendance for this event.
Weaver collected a strong third place finish in front of Mataragas, Toczek,
Brandon Sheppard, Hansen, Sievert, Larson and Schmidt.
The UMP Modifieds show got off to a rough start after pole sitter Joe Adam
and front row partner Allen Stipp made contact in full throttle fashion
going into turn three. It ended with Adam taking a harrowing journey into
the turn three wall but not after getting slammed by an unsuspecting
competitor who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The field was
placed under red and Adam was taken by ambulance to be checked out. His
machine suffered heavy damage.
Current division champion, Vince Cooper wasted little time taking over the
point with Stipp in second ahead of Brad Stewart. Cooper’s run at the helm
distanced himself from any chance of a late race charge by his competitors.
During the final laps, the action was heating up between the second to
fourth place running spots. Stipp crossed the line in second place while
Dale Lueth charged his way around Stewart in a late race run for third.
Stewart finished fourth in front of Brock Bauman, Matt Gremminger, Justin
McCoy, Tom Knippenberg and Shawn Scripter.
Stipp took home the first heat contest over Cooper, Lueth and Gremminger.
Adam won the second preliminary event in front of Stewart, Knippenberg, and
Charlie Harmon.
Jimmy Partipilo has been a force to be reckoned with in the UMP Street Stock
class at La Salle this season. He has certainly made a name for himself and
become the constant in winners circle.
Partipilo led the eighteen contenders to a caution free hard charging
fifteen laps.
Ironically, the last visit that the NALMS were in town on August 1st, the
Street Stock feature race ended nearly the exact same way for the top five
finishers. When the checkers dropped then it was Partipilo winning over
Steve Lewis, Mike Hughes, Brandon Maciejewski and David McKinney. The finish
was an exact repeat Saturday night.
Randy Lucas broke the chain taking sixth over Alex Clubb, who was sixth
then. Marty Gradert took home eighth place in front of Aaron Near and Karl
Hayes.
Maciejewski started in the second to the last row inside but had the fast
track pass as he marched up to the impressive fourth place finish.
Lucas and Partipilo each won their heats.
Nick Clubb took home the victory for the UMP Hornet class. Jeff Seitz
finished second in front of Allen Provenzano, Rick Zifko, JR Brown, Shannon
Mudro, Asa Robart, Heather Delany and Jerry Legner.
Clubb also won his heat race with Seitz second Provenzano third and Brown
fourth. Ellison took home the other heat ahead of Zifko, Legner and Robart.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 08/22/09
UMP NALMS Late Models – 22 Cars
Heat One: Brian Dively, Brandon Sheppard, Scott Schmitt, Bret Sievert
Heat Two: Dennis Erb Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Ralph Markham, Kerry Hansen
Heat Three: Kevin Weaver, Steve Sheppard, Shawn Toczek, Mike Mataragas
NALMS 30 Lap Feature: 1. Dennis Erb Jr,, 2. Frank Heckenast Jr., 3. Kevin
Weaver, 4. Mike Mataragas, 5. Shawn Toczek, 6. Brandon Sheppard, 7. Kerry
Hansen, 8. Bret Sievert, 9. Mark Larson, 10. Aaron Schmidt, 11. Steve
Sheppard, 12. Scott Schmitt DNF, 13. John Piccatto, 14. Brian Dively DNF,
15. Jim Loomis DNF, 16. Billy Weistart DNF, 17. Gary Hunt DNF, 18. Ralph
Markham DNF, 19. Gary Schalmo DNF, 20. Austin May DNF, 21. Andy Bivens DNF
UMP Modifieds – 15 Cars
Heat One: Allen Stipp, Vince Cooper, Dale Lueth, Matt Gremminger
Heat Two: Joe Adam, Brad Stewart, Tom Knippenberg, Charlie Harmon
Feature: 1. Vince Cooper, 2. Allen Stipp, 3. Dale Lueth, 4. Brad Stewart, 5.
Brock Bauman, 6. Matt Gremminger, 7. Justin McCoy, 8. Tom Knippenberg, 9.
Shawn Scripter, 10. David Wagner, 11. Mike Marden, 12. Nathan Balensiefen,
13. Austin Hewitt, 14. Joe Adam, 15. Charlie Harmon
UMP Street Stocks – 18 Cars
Heat One: Randy Lucas, Matt Ramer, David McKinney, Jake Miller
Heat Two: Jimmy Partipilo, Mike Hughes, Steve Lewis, Alex Clubb
Feature: 1. Jimmy Partipilo, 2. Steve Lewis, 3. Mike Hughes, 4. Brandon
Maciejewski, 5. David McKenny, 6. Randy Lucas, 7. Alex Clubb, 8. Marty
Gradert, 9. Aaron Near, 10. Karl Hayes, 11. Jake Miller, 12. Jaime
Balensiefen, 13. Matt Ramer, 14. Duane Peterson, 15. Jessie Gaylord, 16.
Keith Lucas, 17. Jim Ippensen, 18. Matt Dean
UMP Hornets – 12 Cars
Heat One: Nick Clubb, Jeff Seitz, Allen Provenzano, JR Brown
Heat Two: Jimmy Ellison, Rick Zifko, Jerry Legner, Asa Robart
Feature: 1. Nick Clubb, 2. Jeff Seitz, 3. Allen Provenzano, 4. Rick Zifko,
5. JR Brown, 6. Shannon Mudro, 7. Asa Robart, 8. Heather Delany, 9. Jerry
Legner, 10. Mark Sutton, 11. Don Slover, 12. Jimmy Ellison
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