Rookie Hailmann shines at Springfield
By Gary Woodall

HUMBOLDT, KS (May 15, 2006) - The second night of racing in a row for the Show-Me Racin Series Late Models was presented by Hatfield Racing Engines located in Joplin, MO and it was a "barn burner" to say the least. The "double header" weekend started early Friday for the Series as they traveled to Humboldt, KS for their first ever race at the Humboldt Speedway.

"Rookie of the Year" candidate Mike Hailmann, "2005 Factory Stock Champion" at the Raceway, dominated the the first heat from his pole in the front row starting position. Veteran driver, Rick Lebow in the Stringer Engine powered #33 finished second.

Scott Fry in his #F7 and Ken Essary in the #55 set the pace for the second heat and Essary easily won the race, with Leslie Essary in the #5 second. The third and final heat race for the Late Models turned out to be the "fast & very furious" as the #56 of Conner Ward and the #04 M.J. Kelly Insurers machine of youngster Jeremy Kelley battled for the win. Ward lead most of the race, but Kelley challenged continually and made a last lap move that gave him the victory.

As the night wore on, it was late when the Show-Me Racin Series drivers took to the track, but the fans were about to see 23 of the best drivers in the Midwest put on an action packed 'A' Main event. Heat race winner Jeremy Kelley and the Wilson Logging #77 of Roger Wilson would start on the front row. Conner Ward from Wichita, KS in his Tri-Lakes Mfg. #56 and Mike Hailmann in the #85 made up the second row and rookies and veterans alike made up the rest of the field.

When the green flag waved, the #04 of Kelley jumped to the lead as the racing was two and three wide back through the pack. Jeremy Yarbrough in his first outing with the Series in the Hatfield Racing Engines powered #18 started deep in the field and raced hard with the #11 of Jarrod Hilton, Chris Hawkins #99.7, and Jim Greenway in the Baillie Diesel #28 GRT race car.

Ken Hartwigsen in his #27, the Lumix Electrical sponsored #23 of Blane Reed, Ken Essary and Rick Lebow in #33 battled for position in the middle of the pack. The racing was intense throughout the field and up front it looked as though Kelley in the #04 was a "shoe in" for the win when he tried to navigate through lapped traffic. Suddenly, he fell way of the pace, and the #85 of rookie Hailmann inherited the lead.

When the caution flag came out and bunched the field back together, 25 year racing veteran Lebow in the #33 was right on the bumper of rookie Hailmann. Ken Essary, Kevin Henson in the Marionville Package Store #15, Wilson in the #77, and Hartwigsen had also closed in. When the green flag came out, Hailmann slowly pulled away and won the feature race by about 4 car lengths ahead of Lebow, Ken Essary was 3rd and Wilson hung on for 4th in the #77.
Track Springfield Raceway Date 5-13-06

A feature
1. 85 Mike Hailmann - Rookie
2. 33 Rick Lebow
3. 55 Ken Essary
4. 77 Roger Wilson
5. 15 Kevin Henson
6. 13 Chad Smith
7. 99.7 Chris Hawkins
8. 27 Kenny Hartwigsen
9. 11 Jarrod Hilton
10. 04 Jeremy Kelley
11. 83 Chuck Comer
12. 56 Conner Ward
13. F7 Scott Fry
14. 6 Chad Pyle
15. 18 Jeremy Yarbrough
16. 23 Blane Reed
17. 7 Jeremy Manes
18. 28 Jimmy Greenway
19. 30 Mark Bourey
20. 5 Leslie Essary
21. 5m Tyler Milner
22. 37 Frank Tindle

Heat Race 1
1. Rick Lebow
2. Mike Hailmann
3. Chad Smith
4. Blane Reed
5. Landon Clinton
6. Chuck Comer
7. Jeremy Yarbrough
8. Chad Pyle

Heat Race 2
1. Ken Essary
2. Leslie Essary
3. Mark Bourey
4. Scott Fry
5. Kenny Hartwigsen
6. Jarrod Hilton
7. Tyler Milner
8. Jimmy Greenway
Heat Race 3
1. Jeremy Kelley
2. Conner Ward
3. Roger Wilson
4. Kevin Henson
5. Chris Hawkins
6. Jeremy Manes
7. Frank Tindle


Contingency Sponsor awards:

Martin Oil Company

15 gallon Track Tek racing fuel to winner – Mike Hailmann
10 gallon Track Tek racing fuel to _8_ - Kenny Hartwigsen
1 case of Kendall Racing oil to _5_ - Kevin Henson

Babe’s Drive – In

$25 cash to Hard Charger – “hot dog” Trophy – Chris Hawkins

GRT Race Cars

$50 gift certificate to winner – Mike Hailmann
$25 gift certificate to _ 3 - Ken Essary
$25 gift certificate to _9_ - Jarrod Hilton

Peterson Fluid Systems

$50 gift certificate to _16__ - Blane Reed

Kluhsman Racing Components

Free throttle linkage to the highest finishing car who hasn’t previously won the award – (winners 2006 Chris Hawkins, Kevin Patrick, Ken Essary) Mike Hailmann

$30 KRC Gift Certificate to winner – Mike Hailmann

Spring Valley Barber (Springfield only)

$50 to __20___ - Leslie Essary

PushRod Factory
$30 off a set of pushrods – Conner Ward



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