By: Betty Glynn

La Salle, IL – Saturday night marked the first night of racing for the 2011 season at the Illinois Valley’s largest outdoor sporting venue. The evening’s activities kicked off the La Salle Speedway’s twentieth anniversary under the Izzo ownership. Mother Nature was kind enough to only sprinkle during the Late Model feature but the wind was relentless.

Eighteen UMP Late Model drivers took their turns at a qualifying lap with Mike Provenzano earning the quickest time of 12.699. Keith Piano traveled the ¼ mile oval second quickest.

The quick times earned them their starting spots next to each other on the front row of the first heat contest over Rich Bell and newcomer Jon Rogers of Freeport. Once the green light triggered, Piano charged to the lead but Provenzano made sure he didn’t pull away. The first ten lap contest was full throttle with the nine fastest cars of the night vying for the feature grid positions.

When the checkers dropped it was Piano the victor over Provenzano, Rogers, Bell and Mike Glynn.

Former UMP Modified racer, Nathan Balensiefen, moved into a Late Model machine and strutted his stuff from the front row outside of Aaron Schmidt. Balensiefen took command of the second heat race before the completion of the first lap and never looked back. He crossed the line far ahead of Schmidt, Jon Small, John Piccatto, Lake Knutti, and Bob Cullen.

Sixteen Late’s made the call for the twenty five lap main event. Piano earned the pole with Provenzano on the outside and Rogers and Bell were in row two. Glynn and Shawn Toczek rolled into the third row. Shortly after the flagman dropped the green, the front runners tangled causing a melee. Being the first night of action, the rides were show ready but the accident left numerous machines with cosmetic damage.

The field struggled to get the first lap in the books with several cautions slowing the pace. Morgan, who was in the infield for a bit, returned to the track managing to enter the path of the full throttle leaders. Contact included the leaders Piano and Provenzano. Piano was sent to the tail for stopping but Provenzano, who had managed to keep his wheels spinning, made his way back to the lead for the restart. By Lap 14, Provenzano, Bell, Rogers and Glynn were all trying the same groove at a pace not so comfortable for everyone on the track. Yet another yellow was called for a ride at the tail.

The restart was just the opening Bell was hoping for as he shot to the lead while Glynn and Rogers battled door to door for third place. With five laps unscored, Bell was soaring when Glynn found his way into the runner up spot. As the white flag blew overhead, Glynn’s run ended in the concrete barrier wall. A mere five cars were able to cross the finish line under power. Bell captured the victory in front of Rogers. Piano was the comeback kid and had charged his way back to end the night with an impressive third place finish over Piccatto and Cullen.

Dale Lueth hit the high banks running to claim the fastest UMP Modified lap out of the seventeen competitors. For their first heat race, Lueth shot off quick from the front row to take the lead and piloted the field for the first lap until a sensor in his steering system broke sending his new ride into the turn three concrete wall. Steven Brooks won the heat ahead of Brad Stewart, Kevin Hughes, Jeremy Johnson, Michael Marden and Bill Theodorf.

Justin McCoy Jr. was uncontested staking claim to the second heat over Vince Cooper, Matt Gremminger, Tom Knippenberg, and Jason Koble.

The first lap of the Modified’s main proved costly for two drivers who were at the front of the grid. As the twelve car field charged down the front stretch for the first time, a domino affect ended with second row starters Cooper and Stewart at a stop. Cooper left the racing surface on a hook.

McCoy went on to govern the twenty lap race. At times, he would pull away to a quarter of a lap lead. When he collected the checkers, it was Matt Gremminger earning the runner up finish in front of Johnson, Marden, Geno Hewitt, Stewart and Hughes.

The UMP Street Stocks put on a fantastic showing with Mike McKinney coming from the third row inside to steal the win. His victory celebration ended quickly in the tech inspection area post race. His transmission was deemed illegal resulting in the disqualification.

Steve Lewis crossed the line runner up but took home the win over Tim Provenzano, Roger Rickels, Randy Lucas, Matt Ramer and Nick Sell.

The UMP 4 Cylinder Hornet class victor was Allen Provenzano winning over Jeff Seitz, Dennis Polak, Rick Zifko, Fred Thatcher, DJ Kilanowski, Harold Reiter, Paul Smith and Shannon Mudro.

Next Saturday night, racing continues with a full regular program of Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks and Hornets.