SONTAG, BLOOMBERG, WOODALL AND BOUDREAU
WINNERS AT GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY
BY ANDY GROD
Late Model veteran Brett Sontag, from Joliet, scored his fifth feature win Friday night, with only a few nights of racing left for 2008 at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois.
Getting a late start in the season, Sontag quickly moved up the ladder in the point chase and with Friday night’s win, sits just fifty-two marks behind defending track champion Tom Smith for the title.
Billy Knippenberg Jr., from Plainfield, took the early lead, with brother Tom Knippenberg a close second, as Sontag came through the field.
By lap twelve, Sontag was battling Billy Knippenberg for the lead, and two circuits later, made the pass for the point in his NI Steel – Advanced Race Cars –Sontag Speed Supplies Ford, which he never relinquished.
Billy and Tom Knippenberg ran a strong race, finishing second and third, with Smith overtaking Mike Heiss late in the event to take home forth place points.
Three drivers remain strong contenders for the Mid-American championship, with Jeff Olson, from Seneca holding on to a twenty-eight point lead over Eric Pierce with two events remaining for the season. Rookie Chad Proctor sits twelve ticks back, with a total of fourth points separating the top three drivers.
Defending champion, Jeremy Bloomberg, from Hampshire, captured his second feature in his Ron’s Auto Body Chevy, but missed the early part of the season, leaving him out of title contention.
Jason Kolbe, from Oak Lawn, ran a strong second in the event, able to keep pace but not able to challenge Bloomberg for the win.
A good battle for third went down to the wire as current point leader, Olson, Proctor and Pierce battled for the position late in the event.
Olson was able to take the third spot from Proctor with a few laps remaining, with Pierce a close fourth.
In Street Stock racing, Nick Clubb, from Coal City held on to the lead for most of the event, with Calumet City rookie Chris Woodall and Rick Dawson fighting for the number two position.
Woodall got the inside line on Clubb and took the lead with a hand full of laps remaining to win his first ever feature event at the Grundy oval.
Clubb fought off Dawson the final few circuits to bring home second place money, his best finish of the season, with Dawson third. Chris Sanda, from LaGrange Park, closed in on the leaders with five laps remaining, but had to settle for fourth, and Coal City’s Brandon Clubb taking fifth.
Sixty-eight points separate Dawson from point leader Chad Bayuk for the championship, a gap that can close the final week-end of racing.
The twelve lap 4 cylinder main event went to Eric Boudreau, from Gardner, who was locked in a tight battle with Mark Sontag Jr., that went down to the wire. Current point leader Kyle Lindemuth, from Morris and early point leader Jim Beasley made it a four car race for the win, going three wide at times before Boudreau went to the high side of the track and moved to the front, which he held to the finish.
Nine points separate Boudreau from point leader Lindemuth, with Beasley seventeen
Seventeen ticks back in third. Twenty-six points separate the three drivers, with next Friday and the Double Point event on Sunday night determining the division winner.
Fan Appreciation Night will be held this coming Friday night, August 29th, our last Friday night of 2008, with a color TV and a 2009 season pass are only a few of the prizes given out during the evening to the fans, along with free pop corn to all kids eleven and under.
Two days later, on Sunday, August 31st, the 32nd Annual Night Of Features will take place, with six big feature events on tap for this season-ending event.
Topping the card will be the 61 lap Lee Schuler Memorial feature for the high-powered late model division.
The Mid-Am division will run a 35 lap feature, followed by a 25 lap Street Stock main.
The Illini Midgets will run a 25 lap feature as will the Legends cars, and the 4 Cylinder cars will go for a 20 lap feature event, along with a vintage Race Car Exhibition feature.
The Mad Bomber will be at the speedway for a big Fireworks display, lighting up the skies to signify the end of the Friday night racing season at Grundy County Speedway.
A special earlier starting time of 6:30 is slated for the Sunday night program, with time trials getting under way at 5pm.
Double Championship points will be awarded all drivers and the 2008 champions will be determined.
Twelve Dollars admission is for Sunday night, with children 11 and under always free, and free parking at your Friday night Race Place, 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. Brett Sontag, Joliet, 2. Billy Knippenberg Jr., Plainfield,
3. Tom Knippenberg, Channahon, 4. Tom Smith, Tinley Park, 5. Mike Heiss, Ottawa,
6. Steve Campbell, Lisle, 7. Ricky Baker, Plainfield, 8. Michael Marden, Monee,
9. Gary Raven, Hometown, 10. Mike Chewchuck, South Bend, Indiana.
1st 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Raven, 2. Chewchuck
2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Billy Knippenberg Jr., 2. Campbell
Fast Time: Sontag: 15.163
25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. Jeremy Bloomberg, Hampshire, 2. Jason Kolbe,
Oak Lawn, 3. Jeff Olson, Seneca, 4. Chad Proctor, Winthrup Harbor, 5. Eric Pierce,
Lake in the Hills, 6. John McMahon, Lockport, 7. Stacy Kelley, Minooka, 8. Justin Claypool, Morris, 9. Gary Jurak Jr., Shorewood, 10. Jim Kachel Jr., Bolingbrook
1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Kachel Jr., 2. Ray Brackett, Coal City
2nd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Bloomberg, 2. Kolbe
Fast Time: Olson: 16.265
25 lap Street Stock Feature: 1. Chris Woodall, Calumet City, 2. Nick Clubb, Coal City,3. Rick Dawson, Lemont, 4. Chris Sanda, LaGrange Park, 5. Brandon Clubb, Coal City,
6. Mike Szekely, Steger, 7. Chad Bayuk, Joliet, 8. Mike Brandolino, Joliet, 9. Randy Weese, Morris, 10. John Ventrello, Morris
1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Scott Meneese, Morris, 2. Ben Hoffman, Morris
2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Karl Kwaz, Joliet, 2. Woodall
Fast Time: Bayuk: 17.855
12 lap 4 Cylinder Feature: 1. Eric Boudreau, Gardner, 2. Mark Sontag Jr., Shorewood,
3. Kyle Lindemuth, Morris, 4. Jim Beasley, Plainfield, 5. Hank DeLair, Elwood,
6. Trevor Pertell, Warrenville, 7. Dominick Serena, Gardner, 8. Shelby Eplin, Morris,
9. Chet Hartley, Plainfield, 10. Ralph Jennings, Shorewood
1st 8 lap 4 Cyl Heat: 1. Mark Sontag Sr., Shorewood, 2. Hartley
2nd 8 lap 4 Cyl Heat: 1. Lindemuth, 2. Boudreau
RACING ACTION AT PLYMOUTH SPEEDWAY
