Posted by Grundy Speedway on 9/6/2005, 10:38 am
Board Administrator

HOFFMAN WINS, KNIPPENBERG JR TAKES POINT LEAD AT THE GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY BY ANDY GROD Eddie Hoffman Jr, from Wheaton, took the lead on lap three of the 30 lap late model feature, then held off a hard charging Robbie Pyle to win his fourth main event of the season at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois. A crash on the opening lap shuffled the starting order when pole sitter, Nick Baran spun as he crossed the starting line for the green flag, sending several cars sliding. Baran was helped off the track by the tow truck and a complete restart was needed. When the green fell, Mike Heiss, from Ottawa, took the lead, with Hoffman and Duane Pierson on his tail. Hoffman was able to pass Heiss on lap three in his Feece Oil – Lisa Thomas Salons – Advanced Generator sponsored Ford and pulled out by two car lengths as Billy Knippenberg Jr slipped past Heiss for the number two position. Fast qualifier, Pyle, closed in on Knippenberg on the tenth go around, then got the advantage on Knippenberg on the following circuit for second. Hoffman and Pyle slowly pulled away from the pack and held a six car length lead, with Pyle keeping close as they went through lapped traffic, but with three laps remaining, Hoffman pulled out by three car lengths and kept that lead to the checkered flag. Knippenberg finished four lengths back of Pyle for third, followed by Brett Sontag, Pat Kelly, Tom Smith and Pierson. “That crash on the first lap got us in a little better position on the restart,” said Hoffman. “Pyle was on me, but I think I had the best car I’ve had for a couple of years. With only the Lee Schuler Memorial race on Sunday remaining, the championship is still up for grabs. The championship contenders shuffled around on this final Friday night, with Knippenberg Jr taking the lead by eleven points over Pierson, who sat atop the list going into tonight’s events. Smith is just three points behind Pierson, with Sunday’s double-point program determining which of these three drivers will win their first late model title at the Grundy County Speedway. In the Mid-American division, Jerry Einhaus Jr., from Seneca, went to the high groove as he did all season long, and passed race leader Nick O’Dell with three laps remaining to win this ninth feature win of the season in his WMC Inc – Millwrights Fabricators – Appleton Rack and Pinion – Al’s Garage sponsored Chevy. His win locked up the championship for Einhaus, who also took the title in 1998 and 2003. O’Dell, Einhaus, Kellen Arnold, Dave DeFreece and Jeremy Bloomberg were locked in a tight battle as they raced two wide in a tight formation for several laps before Einhaus was able to take command of the event. On lap twenty, Hank Tews, from Batavia, and Geoff Vezain touched, sending Tews into the front stretch wall. Tews came off the wall and flipped as he entered turn one, red-flagging the event. Tews walked away from the accident unhurt. Tews had flipped last week, also, after contact with another car, with the car ending up on its wheels, but tonight’s flip ended with the car up-side-down against the turn one wall. In the street stock main event, the first twelve circuits saw the entire field running like they lined up for the event, two-by-two as pole sitter Ben Hoffman and outside front row driver Doug Ferrara holding on to their starting spots around the 1/3 mile oval. On lap thirteen, outside second row started Karl Kwaz moved to the front and pulled away by five car lengths, with Joe Graziano, who started behind Kwaz slipping to second. Caution slowed the action when Brandon Clubb slid into the wall, leaving two laps remaining. On the restart, Graziano dove to the inside of Kwaz and stole the lead in turn three, with Justin Claypool attempting to pass Kwaz for the number two spot. On the final circuit, Kwaz got turn sideways, causing the yellow to slow the action, and with the white and green flying, Graziano was able to hold off Claypool for his first feature win of the season in his Tracktime.com sponsored Chevy. Ricky Baker, from Plainfield, took home third place money, followed by Rick Dawson and Chad Proctor. The title will be determined on Sunday for the street stock division also, as Dawson holds on to a four point lead over Proctor, with Claypool sitting just eighteen marks behind Proctor. The 12 lap Street Stock Semi-feature saw Pete Odell, from Morris, repeat what Jerry Einhaus Jr did by going to the high side and pass Chad Bayuk for the win. David Einhaus took third with Mike Feece fourth. In the 12 lap Mini-stock main event, eighteen year old Chet Hartley, from Joliet, took the lead from Nick Clubb on lap three, then held off a hard charging Don Lindemulder in his Subaru to capture his second feature of the season in a new division that saw twenty-two cars take to the speedway. Clubb and Jason Claypool are in a battle for the championship, with Claypool holding a mere four point lead over Clubb with the final event on Sunday remaining. An earlier starting time of 6:30 pm is slated for Sunday’s racing, with time trials getting under way at 5pm. Fireworks from the Mad Bomber will light up the sky signifying the close of the stock car racing season 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. Robbie Pyle, Bolingbrook, 3. Billy Knippenberg Jr., Plainfield, 4. Brett Sontag, Joliet, 5. Pat Kelly, Morris, 6. Tom Smith, Tinley Park, 7. Duane Pierson, Lockport, 8. Pat McCabe, Joliet, 9. Bobby Gash, Tinley Park, 10. Rob Werkmeister, Plainfield 12 lap LM Semi-feature: 1. Polcyn, 2. Dan Odell, Morris, 3. Doug Kimber, Batavia, 4. Ken Polcyn, Minooka, 5. Dickerman 1st 10 lap LM Heat: 1. P.J.Polcyn, Elwood, 2. John Dickerman, Fenton, Missouri 2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Werkmeister, 2. Scott Koerner, Joliet 3rd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Mike Heiss, Ottawa, 2. Smith Fast Time: Pyle: 15.315 25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. Jerry Einhaus Jr., Seneca, 2. Nick O’Dell, New Lenox, 3. Kellen Arnold, Minooka, 4. Josh Nelms, Bartlett, 5. Dave DeFreece, Yorkville, 6. Jeff Olson, Seneca, 7. Jeremy Bloomberg, Hampshire, 8. John McMahon, Lockport, 9. Scott Rueschenberg, Masa, Arizona, 10. Stacy Kelley, Minooka 1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Justin Wren, Coal City, 2. Geoff Vezain, Ottawa 2nd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Ray Mooi, New Lenox, 2. Kelley 3rd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Nelms, 2. Arnold Fast Time: Einhaus Jr: 15.842 20 lap Street Stock Feature: 1. Joe Graziano, Plainfield, 2. Justin Claypool, Morris, 3. Ricky Baker, Plainfield, 4. Rick Dawson, Lemont, 5. Chad Proctor, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 6. Chris Sanda, LaGrange Park, 7. Randy Weese, Morris, 8. Ben Hoffman, Morris, 9. Ray Brackett, Coal City, 10. John Ventrello, Morris 12 lap SS Semi-Feature: 1. Pete Odell, Morris, 2. Chad Bayuk, Crest Hill, 3. David Einhaus, Seneca, 4. Mike Feece, Batavia, 5. Jacob MacPherson, Naperville, 6. Tim Erdman, Aurora 1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Fred Mahr, Downers Grove, 2. Bayuk 2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Brandon Clubb, Coal City, 2. Odell 3rd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Dawson, 2. Claypool Fast Time: Proctor: 17.555 Mini-stock feature: 1. Chet Hartley, Joliet, 2. Don Lindemulder, Cedar Lake, Indiana, 3. Brain Kuc, 4. Jason Claypool, Morris, 5. Nick Clubb, Morris, 6. Alex Clubb, Morris, 7. D.J. Werkmeister, Plainfield, 8. Todd Gladkowski, Channahon, 9. Joe Mosier, Morris, 10. Kris Koppers