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Bell takes barn burner at La Salle; Cooper only champ to take
checkers
By: Betty Glynn
LA SALLE, IL (August 29) – Sheffield racer Rich Bell is no stranger to the
world of dirt track racing. As a youngster he was regularly seen in the pit
area with his racing father Don. Now when you see the 21B Late Model at the
track, driver roles have been reversed, Don is regularly spotted next to his
firesuit clad son.
Racing is truly a family sport. If you went trailer to trailer asking about
the history of most drivers start you will find that this is not a new hobby
for their family. Racing is in their blood and most drivers are exposed to
the sport from an early age. With that exposure comes years of experience in
chassis setup, tire choices, lines to run and ways to just make their ride
the best.
Together, the Bell’s seemed to have figured out what it takes to win no
matter what.
“If you would have seen this car after the heat you would not have believed
we could win,” Rich said post feature. “It was all my crew who got this car
ready for the feature.”
By the time the UMP Late Model’s lined up for feature time their champions
had been crowned and their grid was set based on a draw, two heat races and
a six car dash. Scott Schmitt earned the pole position with his dash victory
as Bret Sievert the second place dash finisher sat on the front row outside.
Mike Glynn and Bell rolled into their places on row two ahead of Scott
Brewer and Ed Williams Sr.
Sievert took charge with Schmitt challenging him from a lower run but a
caution stopped their battle. Schmitt was the leader of the single file
restart with Sievert, Glynn, Bell, Ed Williams Sr., Piccatto and Gary
Schalmo. As the pack rounded turns three and four to take the green the
start didn’t go smooth. The hesitation up front sent the middle of the pack
into one big pile up. Numerous rides were facing the wrong direction with
wrinkled sheet metal as their new look.
Several machines were forced to retire after the melee. By Lap 7, twelve
cars were still powered up. It seemed as though as soon the racing heated
up, caution would take over.
Schmitt was heavy on the gas impressively distancing himself from his
contenders. During Lap 21, Schmitt was stuck behind lapped traffic while
Bell powered around Sievert for second to hunt him down. It wasn’t long
before the two were flying around the clay oval side by side.
Their challenge was true die hard racing when a lapped machine found himself
in the wrong place at the wrong time. As the leaders entered turn three for
the final time Alan Gendusa was in front of the hard charging battle that
was underway between the pair. Bell stayed heavy on the throttle giving no
one an inch. Gendusa’s car was left sitting the wrong way so instead of the
checkered flag they were now in a one lap shootout for the win.
The scoreboard showed one lap left to race with Bell at the helm and Schmitt
on his bumper. The last lap was a true barn burner as Bell and Schmitt raced
side by side to the flagman. Bell crossed the flagman first making his grand
return to winners circle.
Schmitt’s strong performance earned him second in front of Sievert, Glynn,
current track champion Mike Provenzano, Loomis, Ed Williams Sr., and John
Piccatto.
Billy Weistart Jr. outran the competition to beat Sievert, Bell and Schalmo
in the first heat race. Glynn took home the second heat race victory in
front of Ed Williams Sr., Schmitt and Piccatto. Schmitt crossed the line
first for the dash win ahead of Sievert, Glynn and Bell.
Vince Cooper is no stranger to the checkered flag or championship crowns.
Saturday night the young gun from Morris had the pleasure of loading up
knowing he got both in one night. The three time UMP Modified La Salle track
champion can wheel his car with the best of them.
Eleven cars made the feature call with Nathan Balensiefen heading the pack
next to Brad Stewart. Cooper and Allen Stipp were in row two. Balensiefen
wasted little time taking the point while Cooper challenged Stewart for
second.
Balensiefen charged his ride higher in the corners but once Cooper moved
into second the two flew side by side providing many exciting laps. Cooper
took over the lead during Lap 7 but caution brought the field back into
single file format with Balensiefen piloting the field. The two front
runners duked it out lap after lap with door to door challenges ensuing.
At the completion of the twelfth lap in the circuit it was Cooper by a nose.
Balensiefen never gave up while Phil Line silently traveled forward from a
fifth place start. Line was hooked up and going for second when their duel
was slowed due to lapped traffic.
Cooper collected the win without contest. Line and Balensiefen ended with a
photo finish. Balenseifen took second in front of Line, Stipp, Stewart, AJ
Dixon, Mike Marden, and David Wagner.
Balensiefen and Stewart won their heat contests.
Brandon Maciejewski made a clean sweep of the UMP Street Stock class. His
presence was unmistakable as he was clearly the man to beat on Saturday. He
held back the Street Stock’s dominator this year, divisional champ Jimmy
Partipilo.
From start to finish it was all Maciejewski. He was fast and furious pulling
away from Partipilo who finished second, Steve Lewis third then Marty
Thompson, Mike Hughes, Randy Lucas, Alex Clubb, Keith Lucas, Alex Clubb and
Keith Lucas.
Maciejewski and David McKinney won their heat races.
Phil Burdette won the UMP 4-Cylinder main event. Allen Provenzano finished
second ahead of Asa Robart, Scott Powell, Nick Clubb, Mark Sutton, JR Brown,
Jerry Legner, Justin Stork, and Nick Boring.
Robart and Provenzano each won their heats.
There are only two remaining events at La Salle Speedway for the 2009 racing
season. Next Sunday September 6th the Fall Finals tops the venue. All four
regular divisions will be running. The 40 lap Street Stock event will pays
$1,000 with the 4-Cylinders traveling 25 laps for $500. Racing begins at
6:00pm.
The final event will the September 30th running of 17th Annual Illinois Fall
Nationals World of Outlaw Late Model Special promoted by Track Enterprises
with Modifieds and Street Stocks.
La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results 08/29/09
UMP Late Models – 21 Cars
Heat One: Billy Weistart Jr., Bret Sievert, Rich Bell, Gary Schalmo
Heat Two: Mike Glynn, Ed Williams, Scott Schmitt, John Piccatto
Feature: 1. Rich Bell, 2. Scott Schmitt, 3. Bret Sievert, 4. Mike Glynn, 5.
Mike Provenzano, 6. Tim Loomis, 7. Ed Williams Sr., 8. John Piccatto, 9.
Travis Mahoney, 10. Alan Gendusa, 11. Gary Schalmo, 12. Mark Larson, 13.
John Small, 14. Gary Hunt, 15. Dan Patnoe, 16. Ed Williams Jr., 17. Ande
Bivens, 18. Scott Brewer, 19. Billy Weistart Jr.
UMP Modifieds – 12 Cars
Heat One: Nathan Balensiefen, Vince Cooper, Phil Line, Tom Knippenberg
Heat Two: Brad Stewart, Allen Stipp, AJ Dixon, Mike Marden
Feature: 1. Vince Cooper, 2. Nathan Balensiefen, 3. Phil Line, 4. Allen
Stipp, 5. Brad Stewart, 6. AJ Dixon, 7. Mike Marden, 8. David Wagner, 9.
Geno Hewistt, 10. Tom Knippenberg, 11. Dale Lueth
UMP Street Stocks – 14 Cars
Heat One: Brandon Maciejewski, Mike Hughes, Keith Lucas, Randy Lucas
Heat Two: David McKinney, Marty Thompson, Jimmy Partipilo, Steve Lewis
Feature: 1. Brandon Maciejewski, 2. Jimmy Partipilo, 3. Steve Lewis, 4.
Marty Thompson, 5. Mike Hughes, 6. Randy Lucas, 7. Alex Clubb, 8. Keith
Lucas, 9. Duane Peterson, 10. Aaron Near, 11. Steve Schwemlein, 12. Marquis
Hoorer, 13. Jake Miller, 14. David McKinney
UMP Hornets – 18 Cars
Heat One: Asa Robart, Phil Burdette, Nick Clubb, Mark Sutton
Heat Two: Allen Provenzano, Scott Powell, Alex Clubb, DJ Kilanowski
Feature: 1. Phil Burdette, 2. Allen Provenzano, 3. Asa Robart, 4. Scott
Powell, 5. Nick Clubb, 6. Mark Sutton, 7. JR Brown, 8. Jerry Legner, 9.
Justin Stork, 10. Nick Boring, 11. Lucas Lange, 12. Rick Wagner, 13. Chris
Holzhauer, 14. Cody Williams, 15. Shannon Mudro, 16. Alex Clubb, 17. DJ
Kilanowski, 18. Allen Line
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