Posted by Grundy County Speedway on 5/16/2005, 11:32 am
Board Administrator

TOM SMITH WINS MAIN EVENT AT THE GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY BY ANDY GROD After winning the season ending late model feature last September, Tom Smith, from Posen, returned to victory lane Friday night by winning the 30 lap late model feature at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois. After starting sixth in the nineteen-car field, Smith moved quickly to third as rookie Chris Cooling held off Mike Heiss for the lead. By lap ten, Heiss was at the point, with Smith passing Cooling for the number two spot, and two circuits later, Smith pushed Heiss over to take command of the event. Last week’s winner and defending track champion, Eddie Hoffman Jr, made his way from the twelfth starting slot to pass Heiss for second with ten laps remaining, then ran on Smith’s tail for the next six go arounds. The race was red flagged with four laps remaining when Rob Werkmeister lost an oil pan plug, causing several drivers to slide wildly in turn one. When racing resumed, Hoffman filled Smith’s mirror, and on the final lap, pulled along side Smith’s County Packaging – Sherwin Williams Paint – Smitty’s Landscaping Monte Carlo and it was a drag race to the finish line, with Smith crossing the finish line inches ahead of Hoffman. “I was afraid to go in too deep with all the oil-dry on the track those last few laps, but I knew I had to keep it low and crowd Hoffman as much as I could to keep the lead,” said Smith after the event. Finishing behind Smith and Hoffman was heat race winner Billy Knippenberg Jr, from Plainfield, who moved around Heiss with five laps remaining. Heiss held off Duane Pierson for the fourth spot in points, with fast qualifier Brett Sontag claiming sixth. In the Mid-American 25 lap main event, fast qualifier Jerry Einhaus Jr, the 2003 Mid-American champion from Seneca, took the lead on the seventeenth go around, held off repeated challenges from early race leader Josh Nelms, then battled with John Senerchia for the win in his Al’s Garage – Millwright’s Fabricators – Oval Engineering sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo. Nelms finished in the number three spot but was moved to second after a tech inspection DQ’d Senerchia. Nick O’Dell earned third place points, followed by Josh Higgins, Pat Broenneke and Stacy Kelly. In the Street Stock 25 lap main event, Rick Dawson, from Lemont, took the lead from Mike Brandolino on lap ten, then held off a hard charging Joe Graziano to take his first win of the year in his City Suburban Auto Wreckers – Matco Tools Chevy. “Graziano was able to close on me when we got in lapped traffic but after we cleared them, I was able to hold him off,” said Dawson, who was the runner-up in the final tally last season behind Chris Sontag. Claiming third was Brandon Clubb, followed by last week’s winner Justin Claypool, rookie Ricky Baker and Chris Sanda. Karl Kwaz held off Chad Bayuk to claim the 12 lap street stock semi-feature, and Jason Claypool repeated his win from last week in the four-cylinder division, holding off Mike Clubb and Alex Clubb. 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. Tom Smith, Posen, 2. Eddie Hoffman Jr., Wheaton, 3. Billy Knippenberg Jr., Plainfield, 4. Mike Heiss, Ottawa, 5. Duane Pierson, Lockport, 6. Brett Sontag, Joliet, 7. Chris Cooling, Joliet, 8. Doug Kimber, Batavia, 9. Tom Knippenberg, Channahon, 10. Scott Dunning, Bolingbrook 1st 10 lap LM Heat 1. Gary Raven, Hometown, 2. Brian Clubb, Morris 2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Knippenberg, 2. Dunning Fast Time: Sontag: 15.452 25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. Jerry Einhaus Jr., Seneca, 2. Josh Nelms, Bartlett, 3. Nick O’Dell, New Lenox, 4. Josh Higgins, Morris, 5. Pat Broenneke, Chicago, 6. Stacy Kelly, Minooka 1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Billy Tuckwell 2. Jimmy Becker, Burlington 2nd 10 lap MA Heat:1. Jeremy Bloomberg, Hampshire, 2. Jay Mikel, Oswego Fast Time: Einhaus: 16.028 25 lap Street Stock Feature: 1. Rick Dawson, Lemont, 2. Joe Graziano, Plainfield, 3. Brandon Clubb, Coal City, 4. Justin Claypool, Morris, 5. Ricky Baker, Plainfield, 6. Chris Sanda, LaGrange Park, 7. Chad Proctor, Kenosha, Wisc., 8. Karl Kwaz, Joliet, 9. Randy Weese, Morris, 10. Mike Brandolino, Joliet 12 lap SS Semi-feature: 1. Kwaz, 2. Bayuk, 3. Ron Vandermeir, Joliet 1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Kwaz, 2. Chad Bayuk, Crest Hill 2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Wayne Meirhofer, Joliet, 2. Guy Baumann, Homer Glen 3rd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Mike Hanlon, Morris, 2. Claypool Fast Time: Dawson: 17.834 12 lap Mini-stock feature: 1. Jason Claypool, 2. Nick Clubb, 3. Alex Clubb