Sievert sweeps Late Model’s at La Salle; pole sitters all finish on top
By: Betty Glynn
LA SALLE, IL (July 21, 2012) – Bret Sievert dodged disaster after paint was traded in the front of the pack during the eleventh circuit of the UMP Late Model feature race. With only several nights of points racing left, the fight for the division title is a close one. Prior to the feature only one point separated competitors Scott Schmitt and Rich Bell while Sievert sat only eighteen points out of first.
UMP Late Model’s:
Twenty one racers signed in for the action Saturday night at La Salle Speedway with Sievert posting the quickest qualifying time. His speedy start earned him the pole of heat one next to Dennis Erb Jr. The two traveled side by side until Erb took the helm during lap two. On the final corner, Sievert saw an opening and dashed around Erb to steal the checkers. Brandon Thirlby finished third in front of John Piccatto.
Schmitt started on the pole of the second heat and proved his ability to manage the track as he worked through lapped traffic to claim the second heat victory overBell, Ed Williams, and Randy Manos.
Sievert and Schmitt were at the top of the grid for the feature with Erb andBellrolling into the second row. After the green, Sievert quickly claimed the lead while Schmitt and Erb battled back and forth. Schmitt took the high line to grab control.
A caution during the third circuit was the beginning of a great challenge to get to the fifth lap. A marathon of restarts ensued. Once the pack got their act together the racing up front was definitely a show in its own rite with Schmitt leading, Sievert just inches from him, Erb on their tail and Bell busy riding the outer most groove of the track. Ten laps into the race, that hot racing up front got a little hotter. Sievert and Schmitt made contact when the fast duo came up on lapped traffic andBelltried to find his way into the lead. Unfortunately for Bell, he powered hard into Schmitt sending himself pitside for two tires.
Sievert was positioned at the front of the single file restart ahead of lead lap runners Schmitt, Erb, Thirlby, Rebholz, Randy Manos, Terry Knutti, Dale Markham, Wayne Brau, Scott Langer, and Ed Williams.Bellwas able to make it back to the field before the restart in twelfth.
Sievert pulled into a generous lead but only briefly as Erb and Schmitt wouldn’t let him get away. A few restarts kept brought everyone back together. With seven laps to go fourth place runner Thirlby left the action.
Sievert blocked any attempts made by Erb all the way to the finish line. Erb finished runner up in front of Schmitt, Rebholz, and Brau. After doing a three sixtyBellwas able to finish sixth. Langer, Schmidt, Williams, Jelinek and Manos were completed the eleven finishers.
UMP Open Wheel Modified’s:
It was the Jamie Lomax show on Saturday night as theIndianadriver ran in his own zip code en route to both the heat and main event races for the Modified’s. He was unstoppable from the pole. At times his car looked like a remote controlled ride just out-powering his competition.
When the checkers dropped Jason Pershy was second in front of Nathan Balensiefen, Justin McCoy, Vince Cooper, Travis Kohler, Tom Knippenberg, Dale Lueth, Jamie Balensiefen, Kyle Neels, Mike Marden, Austin Hewitt, and Matt Werner.
Lomax beat Balensiefen, Shane Lewis, Cooper, and Kevin Hughes in heat one. Pershy outran Lueth, McCoy, Tom Knippenberg, and Steven Brooks in the second heat contest.
UMP Street Stock’s:
Fourteen Street Stocks took the field for their main event with Roger Rickels on the pole next to Nick Sell. Rickels took command right away as his front row partner fell back in the field. Rickels was unstoppable carrying the pack flag to flag to capture his victory.
Nine cars finished the twenty-lapper with Rickels in victory lane. Mike McKinney finished runner up over Mike Hughes, Aaron Near, Justin Hamm, Jim Phelps, Jerry Vance, Mike Henrichs, and Joe Blamhuser.
UMP 4 Cylinder Hornet’s:
Jon Provenzano took home the checkers for the main event of the Hornet class. A knockdown drag out finish between JR Brown and Allen Provenzano ended with Brown in second as they battled with contact to the finish. Jerry Legner took fourth in front of Crystal Provenzano Broyles, Josh Larson, Luke Gash, Erick Miller, Josh Miller, Aaron Sutton and Don Slover.
La Salle Speedway Results07/21/12
UMP Late Models: 21 Cars
Qualifying: Bret Sievert
Heat 1: Bret Sievert, Dennis Erb Jr., Brandon Thirlby, John Piccatto, Aaron Schmidt
Heat 2: Scott Schmitt, Rich Bell, Ed Williams, Randy Manos, Scott Langer
Feature: Bret Sievert, Dennis Erb Jr, Scott Schmitt, Roger Rebholz, Wayne Brau, Rich Bell, Scott Langer, Aaron Schmidt, Ed Williams, Joe Jelinek, Randy Manos, Brandon Thirlby, Dale Markham, Terry Knutti, Billy Weistart Jr., Brian Lock, John Piccatto, Ande Bivens,LakeKnutti, Brad Carrington
UMP Modifieds: 20 Cars
Qualifying: Jamie Lomax
Heat 1: Jamie Lomax, Nathan Balensiefen, Shane Lewis, Vince Cooper, Kevin Hughes
Heat 2: Jason Pershy, Dale Lueth, Justin McCoy, Tom Knippenberg, Steven Brooks
Feature: Jamie Lomax, Jason Pershy, Nathan Balensiefen, Justin McCoy, Vince Cooper, Travis Kohler, Tom Knippenberg, Dale Lueth, Jamie Balensiefen, Kyle Neels, Mike Marden, Austin Hewitt, Matt Werner, Mike Porth, Scott Hauge, Charlie Spoonmore, Shane Lewis, Shannon Mudro, Kevin Hughes, Steven Brooks
UMP Street Stocks: 14 Cars
Heat 1: Roger Rickels, Mike Hughes, Mike McKinney, Aaron Near, Justin Hamm
Heat 2: Tony Provenzano, Nick Sell, Keith Miller, Jim Phelps, Joe Blamehuser
Feature: Roger Rickels, Mike McKinney, Mike Hughes, Aaron Near, Justin Hamm, Jim Phelps, Jerry Vance, Matt Henrichs, Joe Blamehuser, Nick Sell, Ben Gallentine, Kraig Hughes, Keith Miller, Tony Provenzano
UMP 4 Cylinder Hornets: 11 Cars
Heat 1: Jon Provenzano, Josh Larson, Don Slover, Erick Miller, Josh Miller
Heat 2: Allen Provenzano, J.R. Brown, Crystal Provenzano Broyles, Jerry Legner, Aaron Sutton, Luke Gash
Feature: Jon Provenzano, J.R. Brown, Allen Provenzano, Jerry Legner, Crystal Provenzano Broyles, Josh Larson, Luke Gash, Erick Miller, Josh Miller, Aaron Sutton, Don Slover
Category: Illinois, La Salle Speedway, News
