Speciale Claims Third Win of The Season, Johler Makes It Two In A Row At Grundy County Speedway Enduros September 6
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Morris, IL, September 6 – Art Speciale of Bartlett, collected his third Midwest Enduro Stock Car Series win of the season during the running of the "Roger Helland Memorial 250" enduro held at the Grundy County Speedway. Speciale maintained the lead for most of the 250-lap event but only won by a few car lengths as he crossed the finish line.
Speciale was the overall winner and first in the "A" Class over Tom Barnharst. First in the "B" Class was Jason Lange over Robin Merigold. Alex Clubb was declared the winner of the “V-6” division as the sole competitor.
The top ten in each class received plaque awards plus prize money. The awards were courtesy of the friend’s of Roger Helland and Olson’s Auto Wrecking of Seneca.
Mark Johler won his second Midwest Enduro Small Car Series event in a row and made it two wins for the week, as he was also the race winner at the Milwaukee Mile on Labor Day. Johler led most of the scheduled 125 laps of the event to edge a closing Becky Pinkalla at the line.
The evening started with the running of the friend’s of Roger Helland sponsored "Roger Helland Memorial 15" Mechanic’s event. Kevin Gress was the winner of the event over Eric Schmitz. Schmitz had the advantage at the half way point before Gress took over and held a three-second advantage at the line for the win.
SMALL CAR
The field for the "Roger Helland Memorial 125" Midwest Enduro Small Car Series 4-cylinder event was much smaller than anticipated. Nonetheless, it was going to be a fast-paced event.
Steve Bayer quickly darted out front and built a comfortable lead over the rest of the field. By lap five, Bayer had nearly a full straightaway lead over second running Johler. Johler started to close the gap for the next five circuits and caught Bayer by lap eleven. Johler slid by Bayer on lap twelve as Bayer went wide bringing Jason Condrad with him. Bayer kept close for the next few laps but the battle now was going to be between the top two drivers in the current Midwest Enduro Small Car Series point standings. The red flag flew on lap 41 for Bayer as his car started on fire. Bayer was ok. and later returned to competition. Back to the action, Johler and Condrad were glued to each other as they worked lapped traffic. Johler seemed to have the edge on Condrad, however Condrad moved ahead on lap 65 but was short lived as he blew his right front tire after going over some debris at lap 72. As the field was slowed for a yellow to remove the debris off of the 1/3 mile paved oval, Pinkalla was now in second place behind the leader by ten seconds. Johler and Pinkalla were the only two drivers on the lead lap at this point. Pinkalla kept shaving off the difference between the two and by lap 100 was only two seconds behind Johler. The gap remained the same for the final twenty-five circuits of the event but Pinkalla made a last lap charge only to fall one car length short to Johler at the line. Johler and Pinkalla remained the only cars on the lead lap at the conclusion of the 125-lap event and were followed by Clubb (performing double duties during the night), Bill Mueller and Jasper Drengler.
STOCK CAR
When you saw the line up for the 250 lap main event you knew it was going to be a fast event at the drop of the green with Mark Fogel starting on the pole. Fogel did just that as he pulled away from the field and distanced himself from second running Tom Barnharst in the early going. At the 25-lap marker, Fogel held a fourteen-second lead over Barnharst with Ryan Nuti, Don Lunsford and Speciale all battling for the runner-up spot. Fogel’s advantage vanished three laps later as he went in to the pit area on lap 28 for an apparent differential problem. Barnharst assumed the lead but was short lived as Nuti took over by lap 33. Nuti’s fate was short lived as well as Speciale got by at lap 37. Speciale held a quick pace but Nuti did fall back too far as the field headed to the first of three mandatory pit stops at lap 66. The top five at that point were Speciale, Nuti, Darryl Traber, Barnharst and Lunsford.
After the break, Nuti moved out in front of the pack. At lap 70, the race for the lead seemed to be developing between Nuti, Speciale and Lunsford, as it was too to call at that point. Speciale showed his strength around the 100-lap marker as he held a four-second lead over Nuti and Lunsford at that point. As the field closed in on the second pit stop at lap 131, Speciale held a comfortable lead over Nuti followed by Lunsford, Jay Bozart and Barnharst to round out the top five. The top four drivers were the only cars on the lead lap.
When the field returned, Speciale once again pulled out in front followed by Lunsford and Bozart. Nuti did not return with as he broke a control arm on his 85’ Caprice. Speciale, Lunsford and Bozart were the only cars on the lead now. At the lap 150 marker, it was Speciale, Lunsford, Bozart, Barnharst and David Donahue, which positions would hold until lap 191, which was the final pit stop.
Lunsford had a great stop and moved out to a three-second advantage over Speciale at the 195-lap marker. Speciale closed the gap to one-second by lap 205 and by lap 220 was once again out in front. Lunsford was even with Speciale at lap 236 but could get no closer than one-second behind for the remainder of the event to finish in the runner-up position. At the line, the finish had Speciale taking the win followed by Lunsford, Bozart, Barnharst and Donahue. Lunsford and Bozart were later disqualified during post-race inspection with engine infractions.
The next Series event is scheduled for Saturday afternoon October 18 at the Dells Raceway Park in Wisconsin Dells, WI. For further information call (262) 895-6682 from 6 - 9 pm. or leave a message. Additional up to date information can be found at the Series website at www.midwestenduro.com
COMPLETE SUMMARY: "Roger Helland Memorial 250" by Olson’s Auto Wrecking
OVERALL FINISH
1. Art Speciale, Bartlett, 250 laps completed; 2. Tom Barnharst, Wind Lake, WI, 248; 3. David Donahue, Milwaukee, WI, 247; 4. Tom DeYoung, Lowell, IN, 246; 5. Ross Pacana, Aurora, 245; 6. Tom Arnold, Minooka, 245; 7. Don Wilson, Hartford, WI, 243; 8. Erich Iversen, Kenosha, WI, 242; 9. Jay LeBrun, Antioch, 241; 10. Jason Lange, Elgin, 236; 11. Tom Ruh, Elkhart Lake, WI, 234; 12. Robin Merigold, Green Garden, 234; 13. Bob Kelly, NewBerlin, WI, 234; 14. Darryl Traber, Waterford, WI, 231; 15. Rob Solorio, Hampshire, 225; 16. Gerald Hayes, Monee, 223; 17. Brad Jones, Rockton, IL, 222; 18. Bob Palermo, Crown Point, IN, 204; 19. Mark Fogel, West Bend, WI, 200; 20. Chris Prince, Coal City, 173; 21. Gary Paulick, Racine, WI, 146; 22. Ryan Nuti, Edgerton, WI, 131; 23. Skip Lundgren, Streamwood, 117; 24. Donnie Paskiewicz, Franklin, WI, 92; 25. Jim Watters, Bonfield, 37; 26. Alex Clubb, Morris, 36; 27. Gerry Galloway, Hanover Park, 11; 28. Ken Hocking, Joliet, 2; 29. Joe Williams, Elgin, 0;. 30. Don Lunsford, Oak Creek, WI, 0; 31. Jay Bozart, Milton, WI, 0
"A" CLASS
1. Speciale; 2. Barnharst; 3. Donahue; 4. DeYoung; 5. Pacana; 6. Arnold; 7. Wilson; 8. Iversen; 9. LeBrun; 10. Ruh; 11. Kelly; 12. Traber; 13. Hayes; 14. Palermo; 15. Fogel; 16. Nuti; 17. Watters; 18. Galloway; 19. Lunsford; 20. Bozart
"B" CLASS
1.Lange; 2. Merigold; 3. Solorio; 4. Jones; 5. Prince; 6. Paulick; 7. Lundgren; 8. Paskiewicz; 9. Hocking; 10. Williams
V-6
1. Clubb
"Roger Helland Memorial 125" SMALL CAR by One6 Motorsports
1. Mark Johler, Des Plaines, 125 laps completed; 2. Becky Pinkalla, Racine, WI, 125; 3. Alex Clubb, Morris, 122; 4. Bill Mueller, Racine, WI, 122; 5. Jasper Drengler, Shawano, WI, 121; 6. Ryan Hoffman, Highland, IN, 122; 7. Dylan Helfenstein, Racine, WI, 120; 8. Logan Schnake, Arlington Heights, 118; 9. Mike Jucius, Oak Lawn, 117; 10. Jason Condrad, Burlington, WI, 116; 11. Mark Sontag, Shorewood; 115; 12. Joanne Mueller, Racine, WI, 114; 13. Julie Hayes, Monee, 103; 14. Buck Hayes, Merrionette Park, 87; 15. Dusty Heil, Carol Stream, 83; 16. Steven Mueller, Caledonia, WI, 78; 17. Patrick Hayes, Merrionette Park, 73; 18. Mickey Kudlicki, Glendale Heights, 66; 19. Steve Bayer, Burlington, WI, 48; 20. Mike McKay, West Allis, WI, 0
“Roger Helland Memorial 15" Mechanic’s Race by Olson’s Auto Wrecking
1. Kevin Gress, Peotone; 2. Eric Schmitz, West Bend, WI; 3. Rob Nuti, Stoughton, WI; 4. Thomas Arnold jr., Elwood; 5. Manuel Solorio, Hampshire; 6. Chris Czaszwicz, Alsip; 7. Troy Hambrick, Joliet; 8. Gabriel Alvarado, Bartlett; WI; 9. Michael Lemery, Rockford; 10. Justin Lange, Marengo; 11. Keith Nystrom, Batavia; 12. Jason Traber, Waterford, WI; 13. Randy Romanowski, Franklin, WI; 14. Tim Willms, Union Grove, WI; 15. Jason Maloney, Morris; 16. Gregg Demske, Kenosha, WI; 17. Ronald Houston, Clifton; 18.Ricky Weaver, Elgin; 19. Frank Beutel, Racine, WI
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