Posted by Grundy County Speedway on 5/7/2005, 12:20 pm
Board Administrator

HOFFMAN PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFFF AT THE GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY BY ANDY GROD After winning nine feature events last season and taking the late model championship, Wheaton’s Eddie Hoffman Jr continued showing the way by winning the season opening 30 lap feature Friday night at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois. “The car ran so good last season, we just let it sit, then blew the dust off it and came to the track,” said Hoffman. “My pit crew had a great set-up on the car and we didn’t want to fool around with it, and the B & B race engine ran flawless.” It appeared that Pat McCabe was on his way to the win, leading the first twenty circuits by six car lengths around the 1/3 mile paved oval, as several drivers battled for the number two position. Mike Heiss, from Ottawa ran strong in the number two spot, making Dyer, Indiana’s Dave Weltmeyer work to take over the position by going to the top of the speedway. Weltmeyer made the outside work and moved past Heiss on lap seventeen, with Hoffman also slipping past Heiss one circuit later. Weltmeyer caught up to McCabe and took over the lead on lap 21 with a side-by-side charge to line. Hoffman put McCabe back to third, then pulled along side Weltmeyer, and the two veterans raced door handle to door handle for the next six circuits until Hoffman’s Feece Oil – Lisa Thomas Salons, Advance Energy Ford was able to get the inside line and take the lead with two laps remaining. Weltmeyer stayed on Hoffman’s tail to the checkered to take home second place money, with McCabe holding off Tom Smith for third. Heiss claimed fourth and Rob Werkmeister rounded out the top five positions. In the 25 lap Mid-American division, Jeremy Bloomberg, who started tenth in the twenty-one car field, went to the outside and never slowed down, passing the field and taking the lead away from Nick O’Dell on the ninth circuit. Bloomberg built up an eight car length advantage quickly as Jimmy Becker, O’Dell, Jerry Einhaus Jr and Ryan Finley battled for the second spot. Bloomberg threaded his way through lapped traffic and held on to a big lead but a caution for the spinning Ray Mooi on lap nineteen closed the field. With Einhaus running second on the restart, he challenged Bloomberg for the front, and took the lead away, but Bloomberg battled back and was able to regain the top spot with two laps remaining and went on to claim the victory in his Bloomberg Auto Body – Hein & Son Landscaping Chevy. Einhaus came in a close second, followed by Finley, Becker, Josh Higgins and O’Dell. In street stock action, Chris Sanda, Randy Weese and Claypool pulled away from the twenty-two car field, with Claypool taking over the top position on the ninth go around. Claypool pulled out to a four car length advantage, with Weese moving past Sanda for second. Rick Dawson, from Lemont, flexed his muscles, pulling in behind Weese and challenging for the number two spot, but the laps ran out, giving Claypool the win and Weese a second place finish. Dawson finished third, followed by Brandon Clubb, Chad Proctor and Sanda. The new four-cylinder division made its appearance, with Jason Claypool going into the record books as the first winner of the new class of strictly stock cars. Returning to racing action after a two year absence was Craig Matteson, who won the 12lap street stock semi-feature event. Racing continues every Friday night at the Grundy County Speedway, located just north of I-80, on Rt 47, at the Fairgrounds, in Morris, Illinois. RESULTS 30 lap Late Model Feature: 1. Eddie Hoffman Jr., Wheaton. 2. Dave Weltmeyer, Dyer, Indiana, 3. Pat McCabe, Joliet, 4. Tom Smith, Posen, 5. Mike Heiss, Ottawa, 6. Rob Werkmeister, Plainfield, 7. Duane Pierson, Lockport, 8. Gary Raven, Hometown, 9. Scott Dunning, Bolingbrook, 10. Chris Cooling, Joliet 1st 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Cooling, 2. Ken Polcyn, Minooka 2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Scott Koerner, Joliet, 2. Raven Fast Time: Hoffman: 15.282 25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. Jeremy Bloomberg, Hampshire, 2. Jerry Einhaus Jr., Seneca, 3. Ryan Finley, Big Rock, 4. Jimmy Becker, Burlington, 5. Josh Higgins, Morris, 6. Nick O’Dell, New Lenox, 7. Jay Mikel, Oswego, 8. Stacy Kelly, Minooka, 9. Ray Mooi, New Lenox, 10. John Senerchia, Orland Park 1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Kelly, 2. O’Dell 2nd MA Heat: 1. Ron Willems, Aurora MA Fast Time: Finley: 15.950 20 lap Street Stock Feature: 1. Justin Claypool, Morris, 2. Randy Weese, Morris, 3. Rick Dawson, Lemont, 4. Brandon Clubb, Coal City, 5. Chad Proctor, Kenosha, Wisc., 6. Chris Sanda, LaGrange Park, 7. Karl Kwaz, Joliet, 8. Bob Davis, … 9. Mike Brandolino, Joliet, 10. Ricky Baker, Plainfield 1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Guy Baumann, Homer Glen, 2. Trevor Tichy, Oswego 2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. John Ventrello, Morris, 2. Craig Matteson, Morris 3rd 10 lap SS Heat: Brandolino, 2. Baker 12 lap SS Semi-feature winner: Matteson SS Fast Time: Dawson: 17.719