HOFFMAN TAKES MAIN
AT GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY
BY ANDY GROD
Coming from the tenth starting position in the 30 lap late model feature, Eddie Hoffman Jr., from Wheaton, took the lead from Tracy Schuler on the 19th circuit and held the point to the finish to capture his third feature win at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois.
Driving the Feece Oil – Advance Generator – Lisa Thomas Salon.Com sponsored Chevy, Hoffman and defending champion Brett Sontag made their way through traffic as Scott Koerner and Schuler battled for the top spot.
Schuler, who hasn’t been in the driver’s seat for a while, ran the outside line and ran side by side with Koerner for several circuits before taking the lead twelve laps into the event.
Hoffman, with Sontag on his tail, made their way past Koerner, then seven laps later, knocked Schuler back to third.
Two short cautions in the final ten laps bunched the field, but on each restart, Hoffman was able to pull away from Sontag by two car lengths, holding that margin to the finish.
A strong run by Tony Brutti (son of legendary driver Joe Brutti) early in the event saw the Manteno driver run in the top three for the first dozen circuits before falling back to finish fifth, his best finish of the season.
Plainfield’s Billy Knippenberg Jr passed Brutti and Schuler to take home a third place finish, with Schuler, Brutti and heat race winner P.J. Polcyn filling in the top six positions in the eighteen car field.
Ray Brackett, from Coal City, built up a big lead in the early goings of the 25 lap Mid-American feature, with seventeen year old Frank Slabenak slipping into the number two slot by lap six.
Slabenak was able to run Brackett down and take over the point on lap nine, then held off a hard charging Kevin Gentile to win his second feature of the season in his Three Finger Fencl.com – Brookfield Auto Supply sponsored Pontiac Grand Prix.
Brackett finished in the number three position, followed by last week’s winner Mitch Garfield, Jeremy Bloomberg and point leader Chad Proctor.
Newcomer Dustin Brandt only had a few races under his belt in the street stock division, but he took command of the event in the early goings, leading the first seventeen circuits.
Defending champion and current point leader, Chad Bayuk, made his way from his twelfth staring spot, ran the outside line and shot past Brandt to take over the lead, which he held for the final eight laps in his J & M Moving Truck Rental – Bill’s Speed Shop – Sassor Custom Exhaust sponsored Chevy.
Chris Sanda, from LaGrange Park, moved around Brandt in the late goings for the number two spot, but could not get any closer than four car lengths behind Bayuk, who captured his sixth feature win of the season.
Logan Love, from Plano, held his ground and finished with a season best third, followed by Craig Matteson, Brandt and heat race winner Mike Szekely.
Finally, in 4 Cylinder action, Mark Sontag Jr. jumped out to a big early lead, with Chet Hartley and Jim Beasley fighting for the second spot.
Beasley got the advantage on Hartley and began closing in on Sontag, but on lap eight, Sontag’s car slowed on the speedway and lost several positions before exiting the event.
With Beasley showing the way, point leader Ryan Hill had a good battle with Hartley, with Hill taking the number two slot with two laps remaining after Hartley got trapped by lapped traffic.
Beasley drove his Rod Baker Ford sponsored Ford to his third feature win of the season and sits in the second spot in the points chase behind Hill with one week-end of racing remaining.
Next Friday night is Fan Appreciation Nite at the Grundy County Speedway, with several special prizes given out throughout the evening, including a TV, electronic games, and season passes for the 2011 season. It is also the final Friday night race of the season.
Two days later, on September 5th, it is the running of the 34th Annual Night of Features, with Fireworks from the Mad Bomber.
Topping Sunday’s program is the running of the 61 lap Lee Schuler Memorial late model feature event which has been held for the past 26 years.
In addition, added laps will be run in all other divisions, with double championship points on the line. The night sky will be filled with a Fireworks show, signifying the end of the racing season at the speedway, and the track champions will be determined after the event.
Sunday’s Night of Features begins at an earlier start time of 6:30 pm, with time trials getting under way at 5pm.
The Grundy County Speedway is located just north of I-80, on Rt 47, at the Fairgrounds in Morris, Illinois. Visit www.grundycountyspeedway.com for a full list of events.
RESULTS
30 lap Late Model Feature: 1. Eddie Hoffman Jr., Wheaton, 2. Brett Sontag, Joliet, 3. Billy Knippenberg Jr., Plainfield, 4. Tracy Schuler, Lockport, 5. Tony Brutti, Manteno, 6. P.J. Polcyn, Minooka, 7. Scott Koerner, Joliet, 8. Chris Cooling, Joliet, 9. Jim Weber, Lockport, 10. Doug Kimber, Batavia
1st 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Koerner, 2. Weber
2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Polcyn, 2. Steve Campbell, Lisle
Fast Time: Sontag: 15.056
25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. Frank Slabenak, Palos Park, 2. Kevin Gentile, Elwood,
3. Ray Brackett, Coal City, 4. Mitch Garfield, Gilberts, 5. Jeremy Bloomberg, Hampshire,
6. Chad Proctor, Winthrup Harbor, 7. Geoff VeZain, Ottawa, 8. Chuck Yuris, Lockport,
9. Darrell Phillips, Esmond, 10. Jim Kachel Jr., Willowbrook
1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Slabenak, 2. Ron Vandermeir Jr., Joliet
2nd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Garfield, 2. Bloomberg
Fast Time: John McMahon, Lockport: 16.472
25 lap Street Stock Feature: 1. Chad Bayuk, Joliet, 2. Chris Sanda, LaGrange Park,
3. Logan Love, Plano, 4. Craig Matteson, Morris, 5. Dustin Brandt, Morris, 6. Mike Szekely, Steger, 7. Chuck Sottosanti, Elmhurst, 8. Darrell Gay, Morris, 9. Jason Vandermeir, Joliet,
10. Pete Odell, Morris
1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Vandermeir, 2. Odell
2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Szekely, 2. Bayuk
Fast Time: Bayuk: 17.765
12 lap 4 Cylinder Feature: 1. Jim Beasley, Plainfield, 2. Ryan Hill, Homewood, 3. Chet Hartley, Plainfield, 4. Rich Dearborn, Crestwood, 5. Shelby Eplin, Morris, 6. Kyle Carlson,
7. Zack Mitchell, Lockport, 8. Matt Sisson, 9. Ron Vertheen, Winfield, 10. Matt Clemens, Channahon
1st 8 lap 4 Cyl Heat: 1. Mark Sontag Jr., Shorewood, 2. Mitchell
2nd 8 lap 4Cyl Heat: 1. Beasley, 2. Dearborn