Lance, Jr., Bollinger, Siegel, Barnes, Jr. and Butterfield win points titles
(Peoria,IL) Promoter Curt Mottaz upped the ante at Peoria Speedway’s “Season Championships” events Saturday night as he offered each front-row starter in all 5 classes the chance to make additional money with the “Front Row Challenge”. The front-row starters in each division were guaranteed starting money plus a bonus to start the feature from the back and were paid for each car they passed on the track. 3 of the 5 divisions accepted the offer, making for a terrific night of racing.
In one of the best races of the season, Steve Lance Jr., Jason Jaggers and Billy Drake put on a line-swapping, side jobbing 30 lap feature.. John Gardner was on the pole, but chose to take the front-row challenge and a guaranteed $350 to start, along with $40 for each car passed.Gardnermoving to the back allowed Mike Mullvain and Gerry Reeder to occupy the front row as Mullvain jumped to the lead at the start. Jaggers followed Mullvain on the bottom for 2nd.
2 caution periods bunched the field and Jaggers went to the top on a lap 5 re-start. By lap 7 Jaggers was pressuring Mullvain for the lead and finally made it stick on lap 10. Lance, Jr., driving brother Tim’s Rayburn after breaking his rear end in the heat race, had charged from 16th to 4th by lap 6. Lance got by Drake and then Mullvain for 2nd place on lap 11. Drake passed Mullvain on the high side on lap 12, Lance pulled a classic slide job on Jaggers on lap 12, only to get slid back down the backstretch as Jaggers kept the lead until a lap 14 cautiuon for Matt McAdams.
On the re-start, Jaggers, Lance, Jr and Drake set sail, racing all over the track. Lance Jr. slid Jaggers again on lap 15, but Jaggers turned left and drove back by down the back stretch Drake stayed close to the leader, getting even with Lance as all 3 drivers swithced lines nearly every corner. Jaggers and Lance would swap the lead 8 times between laps 20 and 22 until Lance finally made a slide job stick on lap 23. Jaggers, who got pinned in lapped traffic on lap 27, then had to contend with Drake, who pressured Jaggers until he nipped him at the line for 2nd. Lance, Jr. made a bold move in traffic on lap 27 and held on for his 8th straight win at Peoria Speedway and the Track Championship. Jaggers ended up 3rd, followed by Charley Hess and Mullvain.
“That was one helluva race from where I was sitting”, an exhausted Lance, Jr. told the crowd. “The fans had to love that one! It seemed like Jason and I swapped the lead about every corner. The track was perfect, you could run anywhere you wanted and we all did. Thanks to my brother Tim for letting me use his car tonight”.
Erik Bruce won his 3rd straight UMP Modified feature, leading flag-to-flag. Bruce survived 5 caution periods but was never seriously challenged, with Derrick Doerr, Dan Turner, Steve Turner and Mark Johnson completing the top 5. “We’ve really got this car dialed in right now”, said Bruce. “I could hear those guys back there, and you could run wherever you wanted, but I never did see them. It feels good to get our 3rd straight here.”
Ray Bollinger had a rough night, dropping out of both the heat race and feature, but nudged Johnson for the Track Championship for the Modifieds. Bollinger currently sits 3rd in the UMP National title chase.
Only 3 points separated Chuck Barnes, Jr and John Farris for the Street Stock Championship at the beginning of the night, but the tight points race did not stop both drivers from accepting Mottaz’ offer to start from the back row. Farris and Barnes also sit 2nd and 3rd in the UMP National Championship race, but the offer was for only one to start from the back. Mottaz agreed to pay both drivers if they started from the back to the delight of the fans.
With the title contenders in the back, Paula Harrison jumped to the lead from her pole position and won flag-to-flag, with Wally Zander finishing 2nd. Barnes and Farris put on a show from the back, swapping positions several times until Barnes, Jr, was able to secure 3rd with Farris 4th and Terry Miller 5th. Barnes, Jr. was crowned Track Champion by finishing ahead of Farris.
“I just need to breathe here for a minute”, saidHarrison. “I can’t believe we won, I was looking for Chuck and John the whole race.”
Jack Siegel lead all 15 laps of the Limited Late Model feature, cementing his Track Championship. Brian Crebo, Jason Weyeneth, Jim Carmody and Bobby Cowell, Sr. completed the top 5. “Our car has been great all year, and it feels good to get this title”, Siegel said.
UMP National points leader and Track Champion Kenny Butterfield also accepted the front-row challenge in the Hornet division. Zack Bollinger inherited the pole and jumped to the lead as Butterfield charged through the field. Butterfield’s night ended as he challenged for 3rd on lap 8 as sparks flew from the bottom of his car. Bollinger held on for the win, his 2nd of the year at the track.
Action resumes Thursday night at Peoria Speedway with the Northern All-Stars Late Model Series season finale at the track, paying $2,000 to-win.