Posted by Grundy County Speedway on 8/18/2005, 2:14 pm
Board Administrator

PAT KELLY CLAIMS FIRST AT THE GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY BY ANDY GROD Morris, Illinois driver Pat Kelly, our 2000 late model champion, was able to hold off a late charge from Dave Weltmeyer to win the 30 lap late model feature Friday night at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois. With Duane Pierson and Nick Baran fighting for the number two spot for most of the event, it allowed Kelly to build a five car advantage over the twenty-four car field, with several cars running in a tight line behind Baran. On lap fourteen, caution flew when last week’s winner Brett Sontag and defending champion Eddie Hoffman Jr made contact, sending Hoffman spinning. Under caution, the two drivers went to the rear of the field, and again contact was made, causing Sontag to withdraw from the event with a cut tire. On the restart, Dave Weltmeyer was making a move through traffic from his thirteenth starting slot, and cracked the top five at the half-way mark, filling the rear view mirror of Billy Knippenberg Jr. Five circuits later, Weltmeyer moved past Knippenberg for fourth, then was able to take over Baran’s spot behind Pierson. With seven circuits to go, Weltmeyer passed Pierson and began closing in on Kelly. With the white flag waiving, caution for the spinning car of John Nutley allowed Weltmeyer to close on Kelly’s bumper. With Jim Taylor waiving the green and white together, Weltmeyer got to the inside of Kelly as the two drivers sped to the checkered flag. Weltmeyer pulled along side Kelly, but came up a half-car length short, giving Kelly his first feature win of the season. After being passed by Weltmeyer, Pierson and Baran continued their close battle for position with Pierson able to cross the finish line one car length ahead of Baran to take home third place money. Perhaps more important than money, the battle for the championship favored Pierson tonight with his third place showing. Pierson extended his point lead by fifty-six marks, with Billy Knippenberg Jr moving to the number two spot in points after Tom Smith dropped out of the event. Smith trails Knippenberg Jr by thirteen points and forty-three markers behind Pierson. In the Mid-American twenty-five lap feature, Josh Nelms, from Bartlett, scored a flag-to-flag victory, for his first feature win of the season. Ray Mooi and Jeff Olson got together on lap two as they tangled while running up front, sending several cars spinning to avoid the may lay. On the restart, Nelms was able to pull out to a six car advantage while Jake Finney held on to the number two spot, getting heavy pressure from Josh Higgins, John Senerchia and Ryan Finley. Higgins and Finney touched on lap fourteen, sending car body parts flying, causing the yellow to slow the action for a track clean-up, and when the green again flew, Finney and Higgins got separated as Senerchia slip in between the two drivers. Higgins regained the third spot behind Nelms and Finney, with Jeremy Bloomberg, Jerry Einhaus Jr and Dave DeFreece joining the battle as Senerchia began to fade. Bloomberg and Higgins touched, getting both drivers out of shape, allowing Einhaus Jr to make a dive under both drivers for the third spot, with DeFreece following Einhaus for fourth. Higgins and Bloomberg kept control and continued, but Bloomberg and DeFreece got together a few circuits later, sending DeFreece spinning with two laps remaining. On the restart, Einhaus Jr jumped past Finney for second and quickly closed on Nelms, but Nelms was able to hold off the challenge, taking the checkered flag with Einhaus on his bumper. Finney had his best feature finish of the season with a third place showing, followed by Finley, Higgins and Stacy Kelley. The Street Stock twenty-lap main event saw a big crash on lap two when Ray Brackett got pushed, sending cars spinning and Bob Davis hard into the turn one wall. When both cars were towed to the pits, racing continued, with Chuck Deutsch trying to keep the lead from Karl Kwaz with John Ventrello running a tight third. By lap eight, point leader Rick Dawson moved past Ventrello for third, and three circuits later, Dawson was leading the field, building a ten car length gap. Justin Claypool moved past Deutsch for the number two spot with five laps remaining, with Brandon Clubb and fast qualifier Chris Sanda following, with all three drivers running in tight formation around the paved 1/3 mile oval. Chad Proctor, from Kenosha, Wisconsin, made his presence known by getting past Sanda and Clubb with three laps remaining, then overtaking Claypool as the white flew. Proctor was able to close on Dawson, but time ran out, giving Dawson his fifth feature win of the season. Proctor finished in the runner-up spot, followed by Clubb, Sanda, Claypool and Randy Weese, who was celebrating his fiftieth birthday. The Mini-stocks took the speedway for their ten lap feature, with a crash on lap one sending Tina Granger and Tony Blowers to the pits early. Restarting the event, Chet Hartley, from Joliet ran away with the event, building up a quarter lap lead on the field by lap seven. A late race yellow bunched the field, but when the green again flew, Hartley was able to take home the victory. Nick Clubb and Alex Clubb battled for the number two spot late in the event, with Nick Clubb taking the runner-up spot. A late charge by newcomer Brain Kuc on the final two laps allowed him to slip ahead of Alex Clubb, giving Kuc a third place showing on in first attempt on the Grundy oval. Alex Clubb came home fourth, followed by Tim Clubb, Debbie Schwier and Danny Heath. The twelve-lap Street Stock Semi-feature saw Pete Odell, from Morris, run away with the event, followed by Tim Erdman and Chad Bayuk. Racing continues every Friday night a the Grundy County Speedway, located just north of I-80, on Rt 47, at the Fairgrounds in Morris, Illinois, with time trials at 6:45 and the first race slated for an 8 pm start. RESULTS 30 lap Late Model Feature: 1. Pat Kelly, Morris, 2. Dave Weltmeyer, Dyer, Indiana, 3. Duane Pierson, Lockport, 4. Nick Baran, Plainfield, 5. Billy Knippenberg Jr., Plainfield, 6. Scott Koerner, Joliet, 7. Eddie Hoffman Jr., Wheaton, 8. Tom Knippenberg, Channahon, 9. Scott Dunning, Bolingbrook, 10. Chris Cooling, Joliet 1st 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Brian Clubb, Morris, 2. Doug Kimber, Batavia 2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Kelly, 2. Gary Raven, Hometown 3rd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Koerner, John Nutley, Midlothian Fast Time: Brett Sontag, Joliet: 15.351 25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. Josh Nelms, Bartlett, 2. Jerry Einhaus Jr., Seneca, 3. Jake Finney, Sycamore, 4. Ryan Finley, Big Rock, 5. Josh Higgins, Morris, 6. Stacy Kelley, Minooka, 7. Chuck Yuris, Lockport, 8. John McMahon, Lockport, 9. Jeremy Bloomberg, Hampshire, 10. Jeff Olson, Seneca 1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. McMahon, 2. Tony Brutti, Manteno 2nd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Nelms, 2. Finney 3rd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Higgins, 2. John Senerchia, Orland Park Fast Time: Einhaus Jr: 15.879 20 lap Street Stock Feature: 1. Rick Dawson, Lemont, 2. Chad Proctor, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 3. Brandon Clubb, Coal City, 4. Chris Sanda, LaGrange Park, 5. Justin Claypool, Morris, 6. Randy Weese, Morris, 7. Chuck Deutsch, Minooka, 8. Joe Graziano, Plainfield, 9. John Ventrello, Morris, 10. Ricky Baker, Plainfield 12 lap SS Semi-Feature: 1. Pete Odell, Morris, 2. Tim Erdman, Aurora, 3. Chad Bayuk, Crest Hill 1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Eddie Ligue Jr, Chicago, 2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Mike Brandolino, Joliet, 2. Ron Vandermeir Jr, Joliet 3rd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Graziano, 2. Dawson Fast Time: Sanda: 17.821