SONTAG WINS MAIN AT GRUNDY COUNTY SPEEDWAY
BY ANDY GROD
It’s been a while for the two-time track champion, Brett Sontag, from Joliet was able to win the 30 lap late model feature at the Grundy County Speedway, in Morris, Illinois.
“I destroyed my last car at another race track,” said Sontag, who owns Advanced Race Cars. “This is a brand new car and we still have to work out a few bugs, but it ran real good tonight.”
Starting from the sixth spot in the eighteen car field, Sontag was able to make his way to challenge Ricky Baker for the number two slot by the third lap as Jeremy Spoonmore led the way.
Five circuits later, Sontag took the point, with brothers Tom and Billy Knippenberg Jr running three car lengths back.
Last week’s winner, Mike Heiss, two time winner and defending champion Tom Smith, Eddie Hoffman Jr and Pat Kelly were in a battle for most of the event for positions four through seven, but none of them were able to break away and challenge up front.
Going through lapped traffic with ten laps remaining, Sontag was able to hold his three car advantage for the remainder of the event, giving him his first feature win of the season in the Joliet Junior College sponsored Ford.
Tom and Billy Knippenberg ran second and third, with current point leader and fast qualifier Smith taking home a fourth place finish ahead of Hoffman and Heiss.
You only have to lead one lap to win a race… the last lap, and that is what James Swan, from Lake Geneva Wisconsin did in the twenty-five lap Mid-American feature event.
Jumping to the lead at the drop of the green flag, Nick O’Dell, from New Lenox, pulled away from the twenty car field as Gary Jurak Jr and Swan fought for the number two spot.
With Swan getting the advantage on Jurak on lap fourteen, Swan closed on leader O’Dell and ran on his tail and the two drivers circled the speedway in tight formation.
As O’Dell entered turn four to take the white flag, his car pushed up the track, allowing Swan to grab the inside line and they went under the white flag side by side.
Swan was able to take the lead in turn one and hold the top spot to the checkered in the Bloomberg Auto Body – NAPA – Lynch Chevrolet sponsored Monte Carlo.
“I didn’t think I was going to get him, even when he slid up the track,” said Swan.
“This was really a surprise.”
O’Dell came home second, followed by Jeff Olson, Jurak Jr and John McMahon.
In Street Stock racing, Jerry Daniels doesn’t race a lot, but when he does, he is a threat to win. Daniels led the twenty-five lap main event for the first eleven laps, but was unable to hold of a hard charge from John Ventrello, who was running his best feature this season.
At the half-way mark, Ventrello took the front, with Karl Kwaz challenging Daniels for second. With Kwaz on the outside of Daniels, Daniels’s car pushed up in turn three and both drivers almost slammed the wall. They were able to avoid a crash, but Rick Dawson and fast qualifier Chad Bayuk drove under both drivers.
Dawson went high and got along side Ventrello but was unable to make a pass, with Bayuk closing the door on Dawson by running on Ventrello’s bumper.
With five laps remaining, Bayuk went to the top of the track and the outside line worked for him as he was able to get around Ventrello for the lead.
Dawson was left battling Ventrello for the runner up spot, allowing Bayuk to pull away by four car lengths. Dawson slipped past Ventrello as the white flag flew, but ran out of laps, giving Bayuk the victory in his Bakur Construction – Bill’s Speed Shop – J & M Moving Truck Rental sponsored Chevy.
Following Bayuk and Dawson across the line was Ventrello, Chris Woodall, Randy Weese and Craig Matteson.
In Four Cylinder racing, Brian Struck, from Morris, took the early lead in the twenty-eight car field, with Eric Boudreau overtaking Struck for the top spot on the eighth circuit.
Kyle Lindemuth, from Morris, moved past Struck for second, but was unable to get any advantage on Boudreau, who brought home his second victory of the season.
Third went to Struck, followed by Jim Beasley, Trevor Pertell and Shelby Eplin.
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. Brett Sontag, Joliet, 2. Tom Knippenberg, Channahon,
3. Billy Knippenberg Jr., Plainfield, 4. Tom Smith, Tinley Park, 5. Eddie Hoffman Jr., Wheaton, 6. Mike Heiss, Ottawa, 7. Jeremy Spoonmore, Somonauk, 8. Randy Baker, Plainfield, 9. Steve Campbell, Lisle, 10. Doug Kimber, Batavia
1st 10 lap LM Heat: 1. D.J. Werkmeister, Braceville, 2. Kimber
2nd 10 lap LM Heat: 1. Sontag, 2. Pat Kelly, Seneca
Fast Time: Smith: 15.292
25 lap Mid-American Feature: 1. James Swan, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 2. Nick O’Dell, New Lenox, 3. Jeff Olson, Seneca, 4. Gary Jurak Jr., Shorewood, 5. John McMahon,
Lockport, 6. Eric Pierce, Lake in the Hills, 7. Jason Coleman, Tonica, 8. Chris Cooling, Joliet, 9. Ron Willems Jr., Aurora, 10. Chad Proctor, Winthrup Harbor
1st 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Ron Vandermeir Jr., Joliet, 2. Tim Sehr
2nd 10 lap MA Heat: 1. Jurak Jr., 2. Jake Finney, Sycamore
Fast Time: Pierce: 16.244
25 lap Street Stock Feature: 1. Chad Bayuk, Joliet, 2. Rick Dawson, Lemont, 3. John Ventrello, Morris, 4. Chris Woodall, Calumet City, 5. Randy Weese, Morris, 6. Craig Matteson, Morris, 7. Bob Davis, Coal City, 8. Brandon Clubb, Coal City, 9. Mike Brandolino, Joliet, 10. Ben Hoffman, Morris
1st 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Weese, 2. Nick Clubb, Coal City
2nd 10 lap SS Heat: 1. Woodall, 2. Billy Rud, Streamwood
Fast Time: Bayuk: 17.634
12 lap 4 Cylinder Feature: 1. Eric Boudreau, Gardner, 2. Kyle Lindemuth, Morris,
3. Brain Struck, Morris, 4. Jim Beasley, Plainfield, 5. Trevor Pertell, Warrenville,
6. Shelby Eplin, 7. Ryan Webster, Morris, 8. Steve Doherty, Rockford, 9. Mike Weaver, Morris, 10. Rich Dearborn, Crestwood
1st 8 lap 4 Cyl Heat: 1. Boudreau, 2. Chet Hartley, Plainfield
2nd 8 lap 4 Cyl Heat: 1. Lindemuth, 2. Eplin
